Old Windsor Parish Council

The Old Windsor Parish Council was formed in 1894 and currently consists of twelve councillors. For a more comprehensive overview of what a Parish Council is and what it does then click here for the description of a Parish or Town Council as described by The National Association of Local Councils.

The Parish Council meets twice a month and all of the lead members report at each of the meetings which are attended by all Parish Councillors. Members of the public are welcome at the meetings which start at 7.30pm. The dates for the meetings are on the meetings page. The meetings are chaired by the current Chairman or Vice Chairman.

Cllr. Tony Troughton – Chairman

Cllr. Jane Dawson – Vice Chairman

The responsibilities of the Council are split into 3 distinct areas - Environment, Planning and Policy & Resources - their lead members and their responsibilities are below.

Environment

Cllr. C. Andrews - Lead Member

Cllr. R. Green - Deputy Lead Member

Environment covers all aspects of Parish open spaces, allotments, cemeteries, highways and footpaths. This includes everything from cleaning the recreation ground to the safety of grave memorials.

The open spaces included in the ‘environment’ remit include:

Church Road Allotments

Recreation Ground (and adjoining buildings – Youth Club, Rifle Club, Tennis Courts)

Crimp Hill Cemetery

Church Road Cemetery

Manor Riverside

Jubilee Park

Planning

Cllr. M. Beer - Planning Liaison Member

Under 'Planning' the council meets to consider planning applications and associated matters. Residents can view a list of the current applications and recent decisions on the Parish notice boards a few days before the meetings. Residents are welcome to attend, see the plans, give their comments and ask questions before the Councillors decide on their recommendations, on behalf of the community, to the borough. Copies of residents letters to the Borough are also welcomed as they can assist in understanding and potentially supporting residents’ concerns.

The Parish Council is a ‘Statutory Consultee’ and can only pass comments to the Royal Borough. The actual decisions are made by planning officers (under ‘delegated authority’) or Borough Councillors on the Windsor Development Control Panel. The panel meets in public in the Windsor Guildhall. People who have written to the Borough about an application will be invited to speak at the latter meeting if they wish.

It must be emphasised that government guidelines are incorporated into ‘Local Plan Policies’ and define many issues, which have to be taken into account before an application can be approved or refused. An applicant can appeal to the Planning Inspectorate if he thinks a decision is unfair. A new system using a ‘Local Development Framework’ is currently being formulated.

Policy and Resources

Cllr. L. C. Jones - Lead Member

Cllr. C. R. Beever - Deputy Lead Member

The financial affairs of the Parish Council come under ‘Policy & Resources’. The council monitors and reviews income and expenditure against previously agreed budgets and targets ensuring that the policies of the Council are managed prudently consistent with the need to ensure that Local Government Financial Regulations are complied with.

In addition to these quarterly arrangements other meetings are held to prepare revised forecasts of the approved budgets and make recommendations to the Council for future annual estimates (The financial year runs from the 1st April to 31st March). The Council can then set the Annual Precept. This is a levy collected as part of the Council Tax paid by all property owners in Old Windsor. The councilors are also charged with dealing with all Policy matters either by recommending new or revised policies to the Full Council for approval.