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, F. Hewer,

M. Innes, M-L. Kellaway, R. Piercey, D. Ricardo, Jean Stretton

and John Stretton.

1.                              APOLOGIES AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

Apologies were received from Cllr Wellman. Cllr Harris declared a personal interest in item 11 on the agenda.

2.                              APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held on the 1^st July 2008 were circulated and duly signed with no amendments.

3.            COMMITTEE REPORTS: The Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee held on 15^th July 2008 were circulated and approved with no amendments. The Minutes of the Footpaths and Open Spaces Committee held on 22^nd July 2008 were circulated and approved with no amendments. The Minutes of the Adoptive Acts committee held on 19^th August 2008 were circulated and approved with no amendments.                                                                           

4.         TO RECEIVE REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES:

1.   Cllr Fry attended the second stage of the archaeological dig at the cemetery. The sexton was asked to help fill in the trenches with his digger. A full report was awaited. 

2.   Cllr Fry also attended the meeting of the Maidenhead Development Control panel where the application for a new development on Land at Holly Place, Lower Road and the application for the property known as Limburg were both successfully refused.

5.             QUESTIONS UNDER STANDING ORDERS 24/26:  There were three questions received from Cllr Ricardo concerning the progress of the Flood Report; the ownership of the Causeway and the registration of land in the parish. The Clerk read out a full reply on all questions.

6.            FINANCE:: The list of cheques raised in the months of July and August as listed on Pages 689 and 690 were approved on the proposition of Cllr Brockwell and seconded by Cllr John Stretton. One Councillor abstained from approval. Queries included the bills from Steve Taylor and Holdford Landscapes. The Clerk promised to review those bills to ensure there was no duplication.

7.         BOROUGH COUNCILLORS’ REPORT: Cllr Stretton said that the installation of resident’s parking in the Cookham High Street would be in place soon. Two footpaths would be closed across Marsh Meadow as a result of the EA beginning the new flood alleviation scheme. Cllr Stretton estimated that these new paths would be closed for approx. six months. Several Cllrs had questions for Cllr John Stretton.         

8.         UP-DATE ON STANDING ORDERS: The Clerk circulated amendments to the new Code of Conduct including paragraph 12 (2) that was formally passed by the Parish Council in July 2007. This was agreed and accepted unanimously.

9.            APPROVAL OF QUOTE FROM RSS FOR NEW PLAY EQUIPMENT USING 106 DEVELOPERS CONTRIBUTIONS:  The Clerk presented the final quotation for the new play equipment from Record RSS. There were two possible totals – the first quote for £20,610 and the second, to incorporate the popular “Cone Climber” item, at £26,423 plus vat. The Clerk said that Kate Dagnall would be able to advise as to the final sum in the play improvements 106 fund. There was at least £21K in the fund at present. Cllr Fry queried the £800 on temporary site fencing and wanted to know if this would be refunded. The Clerk said that this was a hire charge and would not be refunded. Cllr Fry asked for this to be confirmed. It was also confirmed that the grass matting carried 5 year guarantee. Cllr M. Barnes proposed that the Parish Council ask for option two from 106 funds. This was seconded by Cllr Fry. VOTE: IN FAVOUR = 12, ABSTENTION = 2.

10.            CONSIDERATION OF CLOSING THE TWO CHARITY ACCOUNTS – ODNEY POOL BATHING FUND AND COOKHAM WAR MEMORIAL: The Councillors felt that both charity accounts were part of the village heritage and should be retained for posterity. The Clerk advised the Councillors that the administration involved in keeping the two charities going far out-weighed their heritage value. There was a sum of approximately £500 in the charity accounts but the Clerk had never received a statement to know exactly how much money was in the account. On the proposition of Cllr Harris, seconded by Cllr Ricardo, it was voted to leave the charities unchanged. VOTE: IN FAVOUR = 5, AGAINST = 7, ABSTENTION = 2.

            Cllr Hewer proposed to close the Odney Pool Bathing Fund because it no longer existed, but retain the Cookham War Memorial Fund. This was seconded by Cllr Brar. VOTE: IN FAVOUR = 10, AGAINST = 2, ABSTENTION = 2. 

11.            DISCUSSION ON THE HANDLING OF PROPOSALS FOR THE COOKHAM PLAN:  Cllr Harris wanted to bring this back to the agenda as the six months were now over and he had the right to do so. Cllr Coker declared a personal interest in this item as a member of the original Housing and Development Working Group. The Chairman re-capped from events six months ago when the Parish Council took the decision to withdraw the main proposals from the public domain and review the whole content of the Plan. The vote was three in favour, 3 against and 5 abstentions. Cllr Woodbridge, as the Chairman, took the casting vote in favour of reviewing the Plan.

            Cllr Harris maintained that the Parish Council had never discussed the proposals. Cllr Harris referred to the Annual Parish Meeting at Pinder Hall and said that the meeting was out of order and dominated by one topic. Cllr Harris asked when the Parish Council would discuss the proposals from the other Working Groups. The Chairman confirmed that the Parish Council was in the process of reviewing all the Working Group documentation, not just Traffic and Transport Working Group. Cllr Woodbridge said that Cllr Harris was at the meeting where Cllr John Stretton put forward the motion to withdraw the main proposal document and review it. Cllr Harris accused the Parish Council of being undemocratic.

            Cllr Coker said that it was a shame that the hard work of the other groups had been lost with the commotion over Traffic and Transport. He said that each section in the Plan must be properly assessed.

            Cllr John Stretton said that withdrawing the main proposal document gave the Parish Council the chance to review all the work that had been done by the different groups. A much stronger Plan should emerge.

            The Clerk confirmed that the Council were due to have a private working session the following Tuesday to look at both the original version of Traffic & Transport and the new version. This meeting would be held under Standing Order 68 which would exclude members of the press and public.

            Cllr Barnes recorded a vote of thanks to the volunteers who had carried out the review of the Traffic and Transport Working Group documentation. The Chairman closed this item by thanking Cllr Harris for raising this issue and said that his remarks contained some valid points.

12.            CHAIRMANS SUBMISSIONS: The Clerk confirmed the next meeting of DALC the following Thursday. There was also an RBWM workshop on the Townscape Assessment looking at the areas of the Borough not in the Green Belt. Cllr Fry volunteered to attend on behalf of the Parish Council.

13.             CORRESPONDENCE:  A list of correspondence and periodicals received during the months of July and August was circulated with the agenda.  These were available in the Parish Office for Councillors’ perusal.

The Meeting closed at 9.15pm.