Being a Parish Councillor can be frustrating, as events often seem to move very slowly, but, now and again, we feel we have achieved something worthwhile! Yes, the Container Library paid its inaugural visit to California Ratepayers Hall on Wednesday 3^rd November! As Councillors posed for photographs, it was gratifying to see members of the public arriving to use the library which is open on Wednesday mornings and Thursday afternoons and early evening. The library is equipped with computers and a more extensive selection of books than the Mobile Library, although this facility will continue to visit the Village and California Crossroads on Tuesdays.

So there was something to be pleased about when the Parish Council met on Thursday 4^th November, but soon it was “business as usual”, as the Rides’ lease was again discussed.  WDC has put forward yet another proposal concerning the future of the playing fields at The Rides, beyond the next fourteen years. This proposal is unacceptable to the Parish Council which wants to ensure that the fields will remain a public open space, even after the new lease expires. This issue was on the agenda throughout my Chairmanship of the Council – I hope Roland has more success than I did at resolving the matter!

Jon Neville, Chairman of the 1^st Finchampstead Scout Committee, attended the meeting to request a loan from the Council  to extend the Scout hut at California Country Park.  At a time when there is so much negative publicity about young people, it’s excellent to hear that our local Scout Group has one hundred members, and many on the waiting-list. The Scouts themselves have already raised over £20,000 and the Parish Council has promised to decide on the question of the loan at its December meeting. Jon also mentioned that the Scout Group is in need of more leaders – can anyone help?

For many years Colin Cresswell has watered the flower baskets at California Crossroads, along with Joe Hawkins who also has planted them up.  Now Joe would like to “retire” and Colin needs back-up.  If any public-spirited shopkeeper or local person could help in the summer months, please contact the Parish Office. The Parish Council is extremely grateful to Joe and Colin for all their efforts to enhance the environment at the Crossroads.

Local riders are not happy with the decision of the local National Trust committee to ban horse riding at the Ridges, and they have asked the Parish Council to intervene on their behalf. However, the Council voted to stay out of this dispute which it considered to be beyond its remit.

Finally,  anyone who has attended some of our rather lengthy meetings will be relieved to know that in future reports from Committees will be circulated to Councillors a week before the meeting and only reported on verbally if strictly necessary. Of course, minutes of all PC meetings are available on the Parish Council website. If you are concerned about anything you read there, come and air your views at a Parish Council meeting.

Cllr Chris Driver

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

Copyright © 2003 Finchampstead Parish Council