October 2022 Minutes
BICKER PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 13th October 2022 in the Gedney Rooms, Bicker Village Hall.
Present Cllr Kelly
Cllr Carrott
Cllr Mountain
Cllr Pell
Borough Cllr Cooper
County Councillor Brookes
61/22 – TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES - were received and accepted from Cllr Bateson.
62/22 TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCALISM ACT 2211
Cllr Carrott - Substation & allotments, Trustee of Charity
Cllr Mountain Allotments, Trustee of Charity.
63/22 - NOTES OF LAST MEETING – Were signed as a true copy, to become minutes. Proposed Cllr Pell seconded Cllr Carrott.
64/22 - TO RECEIVE UPDATE FROM CLERK.
Report from Highways. for now, just going to patch up the Gauntlet fencing and brickwork, but eventually will sheet pile the corner that keeps failing/getting over-run and move things away from the road edge a bit.
At Back Lane/Fore Lane junction will be replacing the timber with steel ‘Kee-Klamp’ rails mounted directly on the brickwork which will pull them a little further from the road edge and hopefully stop them getting flattened by agricultural trailers.
Electrical testing Started in Bicker. 3 above existing 55-watt sox lanterns (which are now obsolete) need replacing asap.
S/L 1 is not working, and replacement lamps or spares are no longer available, the other 2 are badly deteriorated/cracked.
Quotation to replace 3 old 55-watt sox lanterns with new 18-watt LED lanterns controlled by all-night photocells, would be £1050 + VAT
BBC reminded PC new 18-watt LED lanterns use around 78% less energy than the existing 55 watt sox lanterns.
As contingency set aside for this PC perhaps should start replacing these old lamps. Agreed for these 3 being replaced.
65/22 – TO RECEIVE ALLOTMENT UPDATE
Problems during the month with footpath. Contractors are putting drains adjacent to the roadway, but they are also going to make good, flattening and laying of plainings. Difficulties between contractors and architects but, following many visits and chats with clerk, situation is sorted. Artichokes are to be harvested by the previous tenant this year as advised by the gentleman who keeps allotments clean for us. He will then plough in next year. Cllr Carrott advised that this should be more for the Charity than the PC
66/22 TO DISCUSS/APPROVE REMEMBRANCE DONATION FOR WREATH
Following discussions proposed Cllr Pell, seconded Cllr Mountain £80 be donated again this year. Cllr Kelly not available to present wreath of remembrance Sunday.
67/22 – TO RECEIVE FINANCE REPORT
Approve Council payments as per schedule
Cllr Pell felt £800 for trimming of bushes was higher than had been anticipated. Clerk advised it was not just the 8 bushes either side of the pathway but all 16 bushes in the cemetery. Removing the elder and poisonous shrub also.
Prop Cllr Mountain seconded Cllr Pell
68/22 – TO DISCUSS PLANNING
B/22/0315 Cope house objected again – unsure why planning is not allowing demolition of this derelict property.
B/22/0356 Proposed photovoltaic site in Bicker Fen, discussed at great length and responses for BBC as follows:
Firstly, there were no notifications given on site regarding this application and local residents were not advised or consulted. BBC Planning appear to have been remis on this as details were in the press before the Parish Council were made aware. This is obviously a failure in procedure.
Once again, another industrial infrastructure in the fens, following the substation, wind farm, and extension to substation, with schemes by Triton Knoll and Viking Link, and yet more inconvenience for the residents. This is becoming an overdevelopment of land in a contained farming area.
Why do the units have to be placed on the boundaries of the site having a detrimental effect on the outlook for the local residents.
Access Road to the area is poor and although previous projects have had conditions to make good the highways to their former state this has never been adhered to and is something that planning and LCC Highways MUST enforce. If this were to be an independent industrial building taking over the size of area it is, a separate access road would have to form part of the application.
There is no traffic management plan, which must be in place before works commence as the roads are not wide enough to take two vehicles passing in any areas. A convey system is a necessity along these fen roads.
Why can the Viking Link Road from A52 for the converter station not be used for these works too, therefore alleviating the convenience to the people of Bicker.
What route do the cables take?
There is once again a loss of some prime arable land in a wholly agricultural area.
There should be some form of compensation available to the village of Bicker alone and not form part of monies which may be available for surrounding areas, who do not have the perpetual interruption on their daily lives.
Renewable energy is taking differing opinions in the Country and the Government and if it is to continue, there are other places in the country that could be used for these schemes.
69/22 – TO RECEIVE MEMBERS REPORTS –
Cllr Carrott – Cllr Carrott had a resident interested in joining the Council. Clerk to check if co-option can take place as it is almost within 6 months of elections in May 202.
Cllr Pell – School previously looked after the area around the tree in School Lane. As it is now overgrown, Bicker Buds have asked if they can help tidying it again. Clerk to speak with school.
Barrell in park has lost a plank and is quite dangerous. Clerk to have rectified.
Can clerk, even if answer not known, reply to emails/requests/questions. Comments around residents that answers are not being received. PC agreed on receipt of emails, clerk to acknowledge receipt.
Website is very out of date, with incorrect contact details. Cllr Kelly reiterated details for Bicker Village Hall, including prices, were incorrect. Clerk advised this must be the old website on WordPress but could not understand how it was being found as it is no longer used. Clerk to check as LCC website is totally up to date.
70/22 – TO RECEIVE CORRESPONDENCE -
Thank you letter from Bicker Methodist for donation for usage of room, thanking for usage and wishing us well a village hall
Request from PCC to purchase a Christmas tree for their doorway. PC agreed would not be able to do this as it would set a precedence amongst other groups.
Anglian Water Lincolnshire Reservoir
Media reports about the proposed location of the Lincolnshire reservoir over the past few days. A formal public consultation process will begin in the autumn. The project will create a new reservoir to support water supply to customers in the fast-growing Anglian region.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING – Thursday 10th November 2022
Meeting closed at 20.33p.m.