Methodology
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At its first meeting, the Committee elected Richard Simmonds as Chairman, Chrissy Rosenthal as Vice-Chairman, and Roger Davies as Honorary Treasurer. Brian Martin from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead was seconded to assist us on a part-time basis. A list of all Members of the Steering Committee and Working Groups is on page 21. The Plan was funded by generous donations and support from the Cookham Society and the Parish Council, without which work on the Plan could not have started.
The work on the Plan was launched formally in June 2006, when more than a hundred local people attended a meeting in The Pinder Hall. Many volunteered their services, and contributed to a long list of issues which they thought the Plan should address. Further ideas came from our presence at the summer Scout Fair, the Christmas Fair, publicity in local newspapers, Church Magazines, from numerous programmes on Cookham Summer FM, an essay competition for young people and from local organisations and individuals. A website was established on Cookham.com, which generated many enquiries.
Concurrently with this work, Brian Martin and the Steering Committee have completed a Healthcheck – an audit of the Village, which lists detailed background information about the local area and its population, gleaned from the most recent census and other sources. This should enable the Village to apply for funds from a variety of different sources in the future. This lengthy document will be stored on line/disc together with maps and supplementary information to the Plan.
In particular, the Healthcheck identified problems with local traffic congestion and parking, the poor state of the Station Parade and potential shortfalls in provisions for our ageing population.
In September 2006, five Working Groups were set up – Business and Economy, (led by Chris Harris), Environment and Land (Alan Jay), Housing and Development (Roger Davies), People and Places (John and Lorna Sykes) and Traffic and Transport (Mike and Bernadette Clark). Each Group consisted of up to nine local people, whose local knowledge covered the spectrum of Cookham life. A Workshop was held in February 2007 for all members of Working Groups to consider matters of joint interest.
Briefings were given on request to the Parish Council, to the Cookham Society’s Annual General Meetings and to other meetings.
During the winter, questionnaires were circulated to the local business community and local organisations, and in March a questionnaire was delivered to every house in the Village. 644 forms from 28% per cent of households were returned completed, which is considered a very high percentage for an exercise of this kind. These were analysed mainly by volunteers, using a software package kindly designed by John and Lorna Sykes.
The responses to the questionnaires highlighted two issues in particular:
1. The pressing need to address short and long-term traffic and congestion problems in the Village;
2. The desire to retain the semi-rural nature of the Village by restricting any large scale development, whilst acknowledging the need for affordable housing for key workers, and sheltered housing for the elderly.
Further research was carried out following-up responses to the questionnaire, and in June a Drafting Sub-Committee was set up for the Plan document, and Working Group Leaders started to meet to make joint proposals.
A professional study of local wildlife and habitats as Phase One for a Biodiversity Action Plan was carried out in the spring of 2007. Further work is recommended in other seasons of the year.
The reports of the Working Groups, including some proposals which were not agreed or accepted for inclusion in this Plan, and details of the research they carried out, are listed on page 22 and available on line/disc.
The Plan was agreed by the Steering Committee on 4th December 2007.
Where relevant, the interests of individuals have been declared and are recorded in the Minutes of the Steering Committee.
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