COOKHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of a Meeting of the

 COOKHAM PARISH COUNCIL

PRESENT:   Cllr H.J. Woodbridge (Chairman); Cllr M. Barnes (Vice Chairman).

Cllrs: M. Brar, P. Brockwell, M. Coker, D. Fry, G. Harris, M. Innes,

M-L. Kellaway, R. Piercey, D. Ricardo, Jean Stretton, John Stretton and Mike Wellman.

1.                              APOLOGIES AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

Everyone was present. Cllr M. Coker declared a personal interest in items 8 and 10. Cllrs Barnes, Kellaway, Fry, Innes, John Stretton and Jean Stretton declared a personal interest in item 10. Cllr Brar declared a prejudicial interest in item 10 and left the room for this part of the meeting.

Item 8 was brought forward.

8.            TREES AT COOKHAM RISE PRIMARY SCHOOL: A letter had now been received from the tree officer at RBWM. He stated that the silver birches were acceptable in proximity to the sewers but there was a query on two Beech trees and one Oak. His initial recommendation was to relocate the T1 Beech and T5 Oak. Cllr Harris expressed concern that the trees would be difficult to remove if allowed to mature. Cllr Wellman reminded the Council that the original request was to move the four trees across the middle of the boundary as this is the only flat space where tennis courts or another football pitch could be located should the land return to being part of the Recreation Ground. It was AGREED to hold a site meeting with representatives from the Parish Council and the School to agree a way forward. Cllr Woodbridge, Brar, Innes and Harris volunteered to attend on behalf of the Council.                                                                                                             

2.                              APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held on the 6^th May 2008 were circulated and duly signed with no amendments. The Minutes of the Annual Meeting held on 13^th May 2008 were circulated and signed with no amendments.

2a            COMMITTEE REPORTS: The Minutes of the Footpaths and Open Spaces Committee held on 20^th May 2008 were circulated and approved with no amendments.

3.                              TO RECEIVE REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES:

1.   Cllr Kellaway mentioned there was concern over a petition in the Surgery but stated that nothing was changing at Cookham for the foreseeable future.

2.   Cllrs Wellman and Fry attended the Stakeholders Meeting and would issue a report. There were many changes in the planning system both online and within the RBWM framework. It was essential that the parishes get prepared for electronic planning as soon as possible.

3.   Cllr Fry also attended the Borough Development Control Panel to speak against two applications which were approved.

4.   Cllr Innes attended a meeting of the Pinder Hall Management Committee. He said that Philip Holdford had been co-opted on to the Committee.

4.             QUESTIONS UNDER STANDING ORDERS 24/26:  No questions had been received.

5.            FINANCE:: The list of cheques raised in the month of May as listed on Page 650 were approved on the proposition of Cllr Wellman and seconded by Cllr Fry.

6.         BOROUGH COUNCILLORS’ REPORT: Cllr Stretton had attended a meeting at RBWM of the Traffic and Transport Review team for the Cookham Plan.    

7.            RIVER THAMES ALLIANCE MARKETING PARTNERSHIP: This is an initiative designed to promote the rural River Thames as a leisure destination. The principal partner and investor is the Environment Agency along with other major supporters including Tourism South East, First Great Western, local authorities and the Thames Path National Trail. The Councillors had mixed views on whether Cookham Parish Council should support this project. On the proposition of Cllr Barnes, seconded by Cllr Fry, it was AGREED to join at level one, for one year at a cost of £150.

VOTE: IN FAVOUR = 7, AGAINST = 4, ABSTENTION = 3.

9.         BALC SUBSCRIPTION:  The Council had queried the value of the BALC subscription following the move of the service back to Berkshire. The new service provided less working hours and fewer services for a similar subscription. The Council had offered to renew at a 50% reduction but BALC could not agree to this arrangement. They had offered someone to speak to the Parish Council. The Councillors agreed that they would renew for this year and monitor how the new service develops. VOTE: IN FAVOUR = 12, ABSTENTION = 2.

10.            RESPONSE TO THE COOKHAM SOCIETY FOLLOWING THEIR FINAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE COOKHAM PLAN:  Cllr Barnes took the Chair for this part of the meeting. Cllr Ricardo reminded the Parish Council of the possible funding for projects up to £40,000. He also said that the Cookham Society deserved to be listened to. Cllr Harris said that the Parish Council had never discussed the Plan properly. Cllr Woodbridge resumed the Chair. The Chairman was in favour of waiting until the comments came from the Review Team on the different working groups. After much discussion, the Clerk was given various comments to incorporate in to her reply. The letter would incorporate: thanks for the observations from the Cookham Society; a reminder that the Review Groups were in situ; a promise to take their ideas on board as the different Review Groups come forward with revised proposals for different parts of the Plan.

VOTE: IN FAVOUR = 9, AGAINST = 2, ABSTENTION = 2.

12.            CHAIRMAN'S SUBMISSIONS: The Chairman announced that he would be having an operation and may not be available for a short period. The Clerk informed the Council of the new TPO’s that had been put on the large oaks on the Alfred Major; the first meeting of the new Consultation Committee and the new listed building named Riverbank Cottage at Spade Oak Reach.

14.             CORRESPONDENCE:  A list of correspondence and periodicals received during the month of May was circulated with the agenda.  These were available in the Parish Office for Councillors’ perusal.

The Meeting closed at 9.20pm.