The meeting began with a briefing from Michael Cull, Sector Sergeant from Wokingham Police Station, on the role of the new Community Support Officer, who will shortly begin work in Finchampstead.  At first, the CSO will accompany our regular beat officers, Andy Roberts and Dave McKay, but will then begin to patrol the area on foot and bicycle.  His job will be to observe and to listen to local people, to try to sort out problems, and to call the police for cases he cannot deal with alone.   Sgt. Cull said that the scheme had been piloted in other parts of the country and found to be very successful.

The new street map will shortly be distributed to every household in the Parish (if you can help with delivery, please ‘phone the Parish Office. Tel:932 8256), and with it a letter about the Village Design Statement, which should include the whole parish.  If you would like to be involved in this exciting project, please telephone Sydney Paulden (tel:  973 2408) or Ian Milne (tel: 973 4734).  The first meeting of interested parties is planned for Monday, 2 May, at the Memorial Hall after the traditional May Day walk.

Other matters discussed at the meeting were:-

•  Lack of youth provision – again!
•  Forthcoming improvement to the Scout hut at California Park.
•  WDC plans to distribute garden waste bags to every household.  These will be collected along with household rubbish, but maybe not every week.
•  “106” agreements, whereby a developer agrees to fund improvements in the area of the development.  Are we getting our fair share?
•  The rejection of the planning appeal to build houses and sports facilities at Woodcray Manor.

The Parish Annual Gathering on 23 March was very successful, with approximately 70 people present, representing local organisations, schools, churches, etc.  There were short reports from committee chairmen, then a chance to chat and relax with a glass of wine. It was an ideal opportunity for the kind of networking which helps to promote community spirit.

Finally, the Chairman of the Parish Council has received a letter of resignation from Gerald Cockcroft.  Gerald is very busy as a District Councillor and felt that he could no longer give the Parish Council the time it deserves.  The Parish Council would like to thank Councillor Cockcroft for all his hard work on behalf of the Parish. 

This resignation means that the Parish Council will be looking to co-opt another councillor – could it be you?!

Cllr Chris Driver

The date this page was last altered was March 11, 2007.

Copyright © 2003 Finchampstead Parish Council