Sonning Common parish councillors ushered in a new era on Monday with the election of a new chairman and vice-chairman and the formation of two new committees

Councillors Michael Cann and Vicky Boorman were elected as chairman and vice-chairman respectively at the annual meeting of Sonning Common Parish Council. They replace former chairman Carole Lewis and vice-chairman John Stoves. Councillors Lewis and Stoves will continue to serve on the parish council.

Two new committees – Parks and Recreation and Village Centre and Environment – were set up to deal the council’s expanding remit.

The new Parks and Recreation Committee will oversee the development of new sport and recreational facilities at Memorial Park on Reade’s Lane and support the management of the council’s existing facilities which include the skatepark, play areas and parts of Old Copse.

The Village Centre and Environment Committee will lead the council’s planned improvements to the village centre - including better traffic management - and support the management and development of the Sonning Common and Kidmore End village halls, the youth club, Horsepond Road allotments and Widmore Pond.

Outgoing chairman, Carole Lewis, who joined the parish council in 2011, said: “Having been chairman for four years, it is time for somebody else to take over the reins. I feel, like in all progressive organisations, a change of leadership after a period of such intense activity is invariably a good thing.  I recognise there is a need for new thinking and ideas to channel the needs of the residents to the parish council.

“If I leave any legacy from my service on the parish council, I hope it will be the skatepark, located at the southern end of the Rotherfield United Football Club field. Clearly not a solo effort, it would not have happened without support from fellow parish councillors, the Parish Office and, of course, Lafarge Tarmac for their generous grant.

“Perhaps my proudest moments were the successful outcomes of the Gallagher and Gladman planning appeals. Importantly, these were vindications of Sonning Common’s Neighbourhood Plan and the extraordinary amount of hard work carried out by those involved. Regrettably, the village is still under threat from unrestrained development and we continue to face expensive challenges to protect the village’s integrity.” 

The new chairman of Sonning Common Parish Council, Michael Cann, said he was delighted to have been elected chairman at an important time in the village’s development.

Councillor Cann, who has lived on Grove Road since 2007 and is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, said: “The council has adapted to the needs of the community with the introduction of the two new committees which will enable it to drive matters forward to ensure our ever-increasing facilities support the needs of our community.

“We need to protect the integrity of our neighbourhood plan from threats such as inappropriate development and the proposed Reading third bridge, considering that we live in an area surrounded by outstanding natural beauty.

“The current Memorial Park development is an example of a project where the community has been fully engaged and as we move forward we will continue to engage the residents of Sonning Common so that we can continue to meet the needs of our community.”

New vice-chairman of the council, Vicky Boorman, said: “I am grateful to councillors Lewis and Stoves for all their hard work in leading the parish council. I am excited to bring fresh perspective to the Parish Council having been elected vice-chair. The new Parish structure will support and provide governance for the many projects and work the Parish Council are leading on.”

I am delighted to be elected Chairman of the Sonning Common Parish Council at what is a very important time for our village as it continues to grow. Accordingly the Parish Office has adapted to the needs of the community and the introduction of the two new committees, Parks and Recreation, and Village and Environment will enable the Council to drive matters forward to ensure our every increasing facilities support the needs of our community.

We need to protect the integrity of the neighbourhood plan from threats such as inappropriate development and the proposed Reading third bridge recognizing that we live in an area or outstanding natural beauty.

The current Memorial Park development is an example of a project where the community has been fully engaged and as we move forward we will continue to engage the residents of Sonning Common so that we continue to meet the needs of our community.

Michael Cann
Chairman of the Parish Council