NOTICE is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Society will be held at 7.30pm on Thursday 6th March 2025, in room Thames 3-4 at the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Drinks will be served in the Mayflower Lounge after the meeting. Attendees should note that this room has level access and is close to the main entry of the CIM. The room has been confirmed and will not be moved at late notice.

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THE COOKHAM SOCIETY 2025 AGENDA

Registered Charity No.257224

Prior to the main business of the meeting there will be an exhibition of bird and wildlife boxes made by the Bisham Nest Box Group and a talk about their work by Bob Keene.

 

AGENDA

 

1. Notice convening the meeting

2. Apologies for absence

3. Minutes of the 57th AGM

4. Matters arising

5. To note the Reports of the Officers for 2024

6. A resumé of the Planning sub-committee’s work in 2024 by Dick Scarff

7. An update about membership by Stephen Cooke

8. To note the Trustees’ Report and the unaudited Accounts for 2024

9.  To approve the appointment of an Examiner for the 2024 accounts

10. To elect the Officers and Committee for the ensuing year; see notes (a) and (b)

11. To elect a President for the Society for the coming year

12. President’s remarks

13. Design Award, Fiona Beaumont

14. To transact any business approved for discussion under Rule 13.8.9; see note (c)

15. Any other business, Bill Perry (Chairman)

 

Notes:

1. The present officers and committee members are:

Chairman, Mr B Perry; Vice-Chair, Mrs L Penston; Secretary, Mrs L Penston; Treasurer, Mr M Chapman; Membership Secretary, Mr S Cooke

Committee members:

Mrs F Beaumont, Mr J Foord, Mr D Scarff, Mr B Weare, Mr J Zealley, Mr O Wardell-Yerburgh, Mr A Harle, Mr P Thorne, Mrs S Courtney-Smith

President: Mr T Denniford

1. Rule 13.4 states: Nominations for election of a member as an Officer or an ordinary member of the Committee must be made by two members of the Charity in writing, consent having been given by the nominee, and must be in the hands of the Secretary of the Committee at least 7 days before the meeting (ie 27th FEBRUARY 2025).  Nominees must declare any financial or political interest which is likely to be of concern to the Charity and such information shall be made available to the meeting”.  Nomination forms can be obtained from the Secretary, Mrs L Penston, 01628 308906, email: messages@cookhamsociety.org.uk

2. Members wishing to raise any matter under Rule 13.8.9 are requested to notify the Secretary (Mrs L Penston) not later than the 24th FEBRUARY 2025 

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Minutes of the 57th AGM of The Cookham Society held at the CIM at 7.30pm on Thursday the 7th March 2024.

 

Prior to the formal business of the meeting there was a talk by Richard Poad, the former Chair of Maidenhead Heritage Centre on the subject of ‘Historical Cookham artefacts in the Maidenhead Heritage collection’.

 

1. Notice convening the meeting

The chairman, Bill Perry (BP), opened the meeting, welcoming those present.

 

The notice convening this meeting had been dispatched in early February 2024 by electronic mail and via a newsletter mailed out to members.  The details of the meeting had also been published on the Cookham Society website, and the Society’s Facebook Page.  BP asked if this could be taken as read.  This was accepted. 

 

1. Apologies for absence

Mr T Denniford (TD), Mrs C Denniford, Cllr Howard, Mrs L Peters (EP) and Mr J Foord (JF).

 

1. Minutes of the 56th AGM

The minutes were unanimously approved by the meeting as a true record and will be signed by the Chairman after the meeting.

 

1. Matters arising

There were no matters arising.

 

1. Reports of the Officers

BP asked that as the Chairman’s report, the Treasurer’s report, the Planning report, and the Environment report had been published and were available at the meeting, he would not go through them, but members could raise any issue they had noted. None was raised. The main points of the reports were as follows:

Chairman’s Report: BP noted that the AGM in 2023 had been well-attended with a good speaker.  He noted that the Planning and Environment sub-committee had reviewed 231 applications, had commented on 32 and put forward four further objections to applications that had gone to appeal.  Mr D Scarff (DS) had contributed to the Neighbourhood Plan; Mrs L Penston (LP) had produced the two newsletters; Mr S Cooke (SC) had revamped the membership list and along with Mr M Chapman (MC) had again achieved a small financial surplus.  He welcomed new committee member Mr A Harle (AH) and regretted the standing down of EP from the committee.

Treasurer’s Report: The Society’s funds stood at £59,800 on the 31st December 2023.  Within that sum, the Society held funds of £1,364 on a trustee basis for two village interest groups, who had previously contributed to professional fees incurred on specific planning issues.

Planning: DS had led the Planning and Environment committee and all the planning applications for Cookham had been monitored throughout the year.  In addition to the objections outlined by BP earlier, a representative of the Society had also spoken at the Panel on four separate occasions.

The anticipated applications for the two sites taken out of Green Belt under the BLP had been submitted.  Following firm objection by the Society, 25 houses had been reduced to 20 houses in Strande Park.  The Lower Mount Farm site Master Plan had been approved by RBWM.  The subsequent planning application for the site was opposed by the Society and additionally, RBWM’s own Highways Department had recommended rejection of the application on multiple grounds.  The Society was also disappointed that the turkey shelters on Switchback Road had been approved and despite concerted objection, the Station Court site had been approved, albeit with a reduced number of homes.  The Society had maintained a voice on the Cookham Neighbourhood Plan.

Environment: Environment: Supported by our local MP, some progress had been made to gain
access across Odney Weir to Lock Island.  The Society was represented at the
Marsh Meadow Management Committee and has maintained membership of, the
MMPA, HACAN and the Open Space Society.   The Society continued to monitor
flooding issues and to exert pressure on the relevant authorities to improve
flooding mitigation measures.

 

1. Trustees’ Reports and the Accounts for 2023

The Trustee’s Reports had been compiled and would be sent to the Charity Commission along with the accounts.

 

1.  Accounts

BP said that the as the accounts had been made available to all members for scrutiny.  There were no questions for the Treasurer (MC).  BP moved that the examiner Richard Bridgen of Bridgens, Watkins and Wainwright be appointed auditor.  LP seconded this and the appointment was approved unanimously.

 

1. Election of Officers and Committee for the coming year

Chairman:  BP briefly stood aside while LP took the floor.  He was proposed by LP, seconded by Mr J Zealley (JZ), and duly elected.

BP resumed the Chair and continued with the election process:

Officers:

Treasurer: MC was proposed by JF, seconded by MC and duly elected.

Membership Secretary: SC was proposed by JF and seconded by LP and duly elected.

Vice-Chair and Secretary: LP was proposed by JF, seconded by SC and duly elected.

The Chair proposed that the rest of the committee be voted en-bloc.

Remaining committee members: Fiona Beaumont (FB), proposed by TD and seconded by DS; JF, proposed by SC, seconded by LP; AH proposed by MC, seconded by JZ; DS proposed by TD and seconded by FB; Mr O Wardell-Yerburg (OW), proposed by LP and seconded by BP; Mr B Weare (BW), proposed by JF and seconded by SC  and JZ proposed by FB, seconded by DS.  All the prospective committee members were duly elected.

 

1. Election of President

TD was proposed for re-election by LP and seconded by BW.  He was elected unanimously.

 

1.  Clause 13.8.9

No business proposed for discussion.

 

1. AOB

Cookham Festival:  BP drew the attention of all present to the Cookham Festival which would take place on the 3rd to the 19th May this year.  He particularly emphasized the importance of applying for Ceilidh tickets, which he was sure would sell out quickly.

Mrs L Peters: BP noted the retirement of EP.  While he was sad to see her go, he commended her hard work over the years and wished her every success in the future.  A plant was to have been presented to EP but she was absent. LP to give it to her the following day.

 

There being no other business, BP invited all present to join him and the committee for a drink in the bar.  The meeting was closed at 8.25pm.

 

LP 14.3.24

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