COOKHAM PARISH COUNCIL

 Minutes of a Meeting of the

 COOKHAM PARISH COUNCIL

PRESENT: Cllr H.J. Woodbridge (Chairman);

Cllrs: P. Brockwell, M. Coker, G. Harris, F. Hewer, M. Innes,

M-L. Kellaway, R. Piercey, D. Ricardo and Cllr Wellman.

1.                              APOLOGIES AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

Apologies were received from Cllrs M. Brar, Jean Stretton, John Stretton, D. Fry and M. Barnes.

2.                              APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held on the 2^nd September 2008 were circulated and duly signed with one comment. Cllr Coker said that the main proposal document for The Cookham Plan was withdrawn to be reviewed not rejected by the Parish Council.

3.            COMMITTEE REPORTS: The Minutes of the Footpaths and Open Spaces Committee held on 23^rd September 2008 were circulated and approved with no amendments.               

4.         TO RECEIVE REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES:

1.   Cllrs Coker and Fry attended the Cross Rail Presentation and a representative would be happy to give a similar presentation to the Parish Council. The Clerk was asked to arrange this as soon as possible. 

2.   Cllrs Hewer, Kellaway and Barnes attended a training day organised by BALC. They said that the course was very informative and worth attending. Cllr Hewer gave a few notes from her observations such as the new Power of Wellbeing extended to Town and Parish Councils; best practice of delegating authority to sub-committees or the Clerk; five year business plans relating to the activities of the Parish Council; job descriptions and appraisals for Council employees.

3.   Cllr M. Innes attended a meeting of Pinder Hall Management Committee and reported that an electrical survey of the kitchen had taken place and plans were in place to up-date the kitchen.

4.   Cllr Fry had attended the Townscape Assessment Workshop at RBWM and a meeting of the Consultation Committee was arranged to respond to the first stage of the project.

5.             QUESTIONS UNDER STANDING ORDERS 24/26:  No questions were received.

6.            FINANCE:: The list of cheques raised in the month of September as listed on Page 705 were approved on the proposition of Cllr Wellman and seconded by Cllr Harris. Cllr Harris thought that the bill for the wasps nest at the Chapel was too high.

7.         BOROUGH COUNCILLORS’ REPORT: Cllr Stretton was not available to give a report at this meeting.

8.            DRAFT FLOOD PLAN AND WORKING GROUP TO PRODUCE A MORE ACCURATE PLAN FOR COOKHAM: Cllr Ricardo had received a letter from David Oram at RBWM stating that the ownership of The Causeway was with the National Trust. Cllr Ricardo said that we should write to the National Trust, copying in RBWM, and get them to take responsibility for opening The Causeway during times of flooding. Cllr Harris said that the National Trust put up posts over the Moor when the river floods. Cllr Wellman suggested that the Parish Council look at both versions of the Flood Plan – the draft version cribbed from South Bucks District Council and the version just recently published by RBWM. Cllr Wellman also pointed out that any responsibility given the Parish Office is only feasible when the Office is open. It was AGREED that a working group should be set up and the Clerk should make this an item on the next agenda.

9.            FLOODING AT BISHAM:  There was much discussion over the proposed flood alleviation scheme for Marlow that could make flooding worse for Bisham residents. Cllr Ricardo said that Bisham had not been involved with the discussions and neither had Cookham Parish Council under spheres of mutual interest. It was AGREED that the Clerk would write to Wycombe District Council and try to establish a direct means of communication.

10.            CHAIRMANS SUBMISSIONS: The Clerk read out some notices of interest to Cllrs. The Chairman mentioned the bad state of the garden in 2 Whyteladyes Lane and said that the Council did not have the power to get it cleared up unless it became a health risk.

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

PART TWO of this meeting was held under Standing Order 68 in which members of the press and public were excluded.

The Meeting closed at 9.50pm.