Garway Parish council was thrown into disarray Monday night (20th October) while looking to agree on the findings of their task force.

A long-lost claim on the ownership of

Garway Common had forced the council, who have maintained the common for over 50 years, into a position of negotiation with the claimant, James de la Billiere.

Although the parish councillors had claimed adverse possession of the commons, legal advice had persuaded them to go for an agreed negotiation with the claimant, whose family had acquired the title 'Lord of the Manor of Garway' back in the 1920s.

At Monday's meeting, an item on the agenda was to discuss and agree the findings of a task force they had set up to finalise certain points that the council wished to negotiate with de la Billiere.

However Councillor Tony Phillips

challenged the council to show him where, in previous minutes, a proper resolution had been passed on the matter, claiming there had never been a vote to agree to meet with James De la Billiere and pursue an agreement.

During a closed session of council on 19th May; 'it was unanimously agreed to respond to the Land Registry by 9th June requesting additional negotiation time and confirming that they 'wish to negotiate with the other party and consider that it may be possible to dispose of the objection by agreement'.

Despite this unanimous agreement, it seems no vote had ever taken place on a

resolution to allow the parish council to

conclude the matter.

Cllr Malcolm Howard, who chaired the meeting, suggested that an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) be convened at the earliest possible date to pass a resolution to that effect, saying: "I'm not sure how we move on this; on the basis of the discussions we are about to have, it would appear we are not in a position to negotiate, in which case, I don't think there is much point in discussing the results of the task force."

The EGM will be held on Monday 27th October, at the school.

Les Watson, Convener of the Broad Oak and Garway Village Commoners Association said after the meeting: "It is a really positive development that the Broad Oak and Garway Village Commoners Association are now able to contribute to the debate on the future of the commons through their

participation in the task group recently formed by the parish council."