To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absense were received from Councillor Charles Hollingsworth (Councillor Marion Mills was sub).

To receive Declarations of Interests from Members of the Forum in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

None received.

To confirm the Part I minutes of the meeting of the Forum held on the 29 June 2015.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Forum held on the 29 June 2015 be approved.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and informed them that it was being recorded.

Update on the Maidenhead and Cox Green Neighbourhood Plan

1          Current status vis a vis Borough Local Plans                                     10 minutes

2          Development Working Group                                                             10 minutes

3          Design Working Group                                                                       10 minutes

4          Infrastructure Working Group                                                             10 minutes

5          Green and Blue Working Group                                                         10 minutes

6          Breakout sessions with each of the working group leaders               30 minutes

7          Key Points from each Working Group                                       2 minutes each

8          Wrap-up and next steps

The Chairman explained that this meeting had been arranged so that Members could receive a presentation on the Maidenhead and Cox Green Neighbourhood Plan (the MNP). 

The Chairman welcomed his fellow speakers (Richard Davenport – Chair of the Town Centre Working Group, Martin McNamee – Chair of the Development Working Group, Ian Rose – Chair of Green and Blue Working Group, Roger Panton – Chair of the Design Working Group and Mike Copeland – Chair of the Community & Infrastructure Working Group) to the meeting. 

The presentation covered the following:

• Do we need one – to cover what?
• What is a Neighbourhood Plan?
• The Working Groups.
• The MNP Process.
• Key Statistics.
• Town Centre Issues?
• Town Centre – MNP Policies?
• Development Issues?
• Development – MNP Policies?
• Green and Blue Issues?
• Green and Blue – MNP Policies?
• Design Issues?
• Design – MNP Policies?
• Infrastructure – Community Issues?
• Transport Issues?

The Chairman informed everyone present that the Localism Act enabled communities to draw up a neighbourhood plan for their area and would give power to local residents and communities to take a lead in setting local planning policy.  It was noted that the new type of planning document would give local residents and communities the power to shape the way Maidenhead & Cox Green would change over the next 15 years. 

The Chairman explained that the MNP was not expected to go back and re-consider policies for the town centre but compliment the already adopted Area Action Plan.  It was noted that in the Royal Borough there were ten community groups working on the preparation of neighbourhood plans, with one already completed (Ascot an the Sunnings), which would sit alongside the Borough Local Plan and guide decisions on planning applications. 

It was explained that two different qualifying bodies were able to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan – a parish council (no minimum number of people) or where a parish council did not exist, a neighbourhood forum (with a minimum membership of 21 people).  The Chairman explained that after talks with the Cox Green Parish Clerk it was agreed that the Steering Group be formed to prepare The Maidenhead and Cox Green Neighbourhood Plan (MNP).  It was noted that the area covered six wards of Maidenhead and the parish / ward of Cox Green which had a population of well over 60,000.  The Chairman went onto explain that four goals were identified which were translated into six key objectives in the MNP’s vision statement which were being developed as the Plan developed.  It was noted that a consultant was appointed last year to help with the Plans development to ensure the MNP’s policies and objectives were clear and achievable.  The Chairman explained that the consultant had helped define a scope and brief for the MNP which encompassed two areas – the town centre and the seven surrounding wards.  It was noted that the challenge for the MNP was not to oppose development but to influence where and how the town grows and how to best focus  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The Forum is invited to make suggestions for future meetings.

The Chairman informed everyone present that future meetings would be a forum where ideas could be put forward and discussed as decided as to whether they were believed to be feasible.

It was requested that item suggestions be emailed to tanya.leftwich@rbwm.gov.uk

All future meetings to be held on the following dates (at 6.30pm):

v  Tuesday 28^th February 2017

Members noted the date of the future meeting to be as follows:

v  Tuesday 28 February 2017 (6.30pm start).