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Crime in Cookham
20 June 2007
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As
a result of the recent car torchings. smashed windows and vandalism in
Cookham, the Parish Council had asked the local officer PC de Haan to come
to help answer questions at the Community Room behind Cookham Library on
Tuesday 19 June. The time was limited as the Parish Council also had a
very full Planning Meeting afterwards.
Ominously, just before the meeting the sky turned black and the heavens opened, in spite of this the room ran out of chairs and there was standing room only. The meeting started with a brief introduction from the chairman of the Parish Council, Cllr Pat Woodbridge, who explained that the meeting was really part of the questions that were allowed before any Council planning meeting. He said that the allotted time was normally only fifteen minutes but had allowed half an hour.
The first person to ask a question was the lady whose car had been torched who asked advice from the Parish Council on what we could do as residents. Cllr Woodbridge explained that this was not always in the remit of the council, but they would always look at suggestions. There were then questions about the parking tickets in the High Street, one High Street resident had had a £30 ticket but said he had had no interest when his and also his wife's cars had been broken into. PC de Haan explained that he tried to warn residents when there was to be a check on parking and that perhaps the Parish Council may like to revisit the parking restrictions in the village, as they were last looked at in 1973. Several other questions on parking were also asked.
The
suggestion of private security was put forward, it was explained this
would have to be organised by residents. John Bowley from High Road said
that lighting in High Road needed to be improved and Cllr Woodbridge
agreed that the Parish Council would be able to look into this. PC de Haan
also explained that the police hands were tied around the railway area as
this was policed by the Railway Police only and so he had no jurisdiction
in this area.
There were several people who were unable to ask their questions due to the limited time and also the format of the meeting meant that it was difficult for PC de Haan to address individual questions as a dialogue. Due to the time constraints PC de Haan has arranged a meeting at the Pinder Hall on 4th July starting at 8pm when there will be more time and also the meeting will be concentrating on Crime in Cookham rather than just questions of the Parish Council.
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