CHOBHAM Parish Council has accepted responsibility for maintaining the village churchyard’s ancient boundary wall.

Councillors voted at their March meeting to accept an official request from the Vicar of Chobham to fund repairs to the 17th-century brickwork.

The council initially turned down a plea from the Rev Dan Stork Banks to mend a vandalised section of the wall. It said the duty for repairs lay with the parochial church council.

This was despite the parish council leading the last wall restoration project, in 2004, when it contributed £25,000 and obtained a £50,000 National Lottery grant to fund the work. The council has also paid for the churchyard grass to be cut and carried out other repairs over several decades.

At their meeting, councillors agreed again that extensive research had not found a formal agreement for the council to look after the churchyard.

But Cllr Pat Tedder proposed, seconded by Cllr Tony Varney, that responsibility be accepted. With three voting for and three against, the chairman, Cllr Les Coombs used his casting vote in favour.

The council also discussed making the area around the village car park more attractive.

Unkempt land around the car park was the first thing visitors saw when they arrived by car, said Cllr Len Brum. The long, unmanaged grass did not present a good impression of the village.

He suggested the council could take over the surrounds, including the entrance to Chobham Water Meadows, which are owned by Surrey Heath Borough Council. “We could make it a much nicer area to view,” he said.

Borough councillor Victoria Wheeler, attending the meeting, said: “It would be lovely to have the car park surrounded by wildflowers. The borough will probably not contribute money for this but I will ask if the parish can take over the area.”