June 2024 - Minutes of meeting
BICKER PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council meeting
Held on Thursday, 13th June 2024 at 7pm
In the Ruby Hunt Centre, Donington
Present:
Cllr Bateson - Chair
Cllr Carrott
Cllr Kelly – Vice Chair
Cllr Mountain
Cllr Pell
County Cllr Brookes
Boston Borough Cllr Cantwell
Clerk – Alison Delaney
PUBLIC FORUM: As no members of the press or public were present, the Parish Council meeting started at 7pm.
51/24 Chair’s remarks:
The Chair thanked everyone for coming and travelling to the change of venue at Donington, as the Village Hall was still not available.
Chains of Office: Chair has received these from the previous Clerk. There were several name plates that needed adding as follows:
2016 and 2017 – Cllr Barnes
2018/19/20/21/22/23 – Cllr Kelly
2024 – Cllr Bateson
ACTION: Cllr Bateson to obtain prices for the additional name plates to be added and bring the information to the next meeting for consideration and a decision.
52/24 To receive updates from Borough and County Councillors:
County Cllr Brookes reported on the following:
Public Rights of Way Survey has been circulated and is on Let’s Talk Lincolnshire until 28th July. None of the Councillors had received it.
ACTION: Clerk to find the survey on LCC website and distribute to Councillors.
There are forward planning briefs at the following locations:
Donington Road, A52 layby (just before Bicker Bar on the right) improvements commencing January 2025.
A17 Barley Hall to Wigtoft – closures due to improvements in 2025/26
Long Hedge Drove – some potholes have been dealt with by in situ recycling (taking the road surface up then relaying it)
Milking Hall Lane – awaiting resurfacing assessment. This is likely to be low priority. It was noted that Highways would not simply remove the weeds in the middle of the road as it can make the state of the roadway worse.
In relation to the discussion at the April meeting (at item 36/24) regarding refuse collections in this road. Cllr Cantwell had made investigations and there was no record of any collections being missed or a requirement that the resident had to bring their bin to the end of the road because the refuse lorry could not get down there.
Boston Borough Councillor Cantwell reported on the following:
Environment & Performance Committee Meeting on 9th July at 6.30pm to consider the National Grid proposals – Councillors are invited to attend. All meetings are also live streamed and available on BBC’s YouTube channel.
Cllr Cantwell and Cllr Brown held a surgery in the Methodist Church Hall, Bicker on Saturday, 18th May. Twelve to fifteen residents attended. Matt Warman MP joined them. At the surgery, a resident raised the state of layby 17 (the first layby on the left off the A17). Bicker Buds had also reported excrement and bottles of urine in the layby and the dyke near it, possibly caused by lorry drivers stopping there overnight. Cllr Cantwell passed the information on, and Boston BC will provide a one off clean of the area. Cllr Cantwell suggested larger litter bins be put there.
Residents fed back that they were keen on the Parish Council exploring funding opportunities to improve the playing fields.
ACTION: Clerk to add this as an agenda item for discussion at the next meeting.
Cllr Cantwell provided some leaflets for Kirton Community Hub Digi Drop-in, which takes place on the first Friday of every month, and LCC information on Your Watercourse: Rights and Responsibilities.
ACTION: Clerk to put the information on the PC website.
53/24 To receive apologies for absence and acceptance of any reasons given: APOLOGIES - were received and accepted from Cllr Brown who was unwell. The meeting resolved to accept the reason for absence.
54/24 To receive Declarations of Interest in accordance with The Localism Act 2011:
Cllr Carrott – Trustee of Bicker United charity. Member of Wind Farm Trust and Bicker Conservation Group
Cllr Mountain – Parish Council representative on Bicker United charity.
Cllr Kelly – Parish Council representative on The Village Hall Committee.
55/24 Notes of the last meeting held on Wednesday, 15th May 2024 were accepted and approved as the Minutes. Proposed by Cllr Kelly, seconded by Cllr Pell. The Minutes were signed by the Chair.
ACTION: Clerk to add the minutes to the PC website.
56/24 To receive reports from representatives on outside bodies:
Bicker Village Hall Committee – Cllr Kelly reported that the work on the roof of the village hall should be completed tomorrow, so lettings would be able to resume shortly after and the PC could hold their next meeting there.
ACTION: Clerk to speak to the Village Hall lettings representative to confirm we would be able to meet there in July.
Bicker United Charity – See discussion at 66/24 below.
57/24 Clerk’s report on matters outstanding:
Training;
28.05.24 - Clerk attended one to one online JADU basics website training with LALC Website Management Service
04.06.24 – Chair attended Chair’s Workshop which was run online by LALC.
Mole hills: Clerk spoke to contractor previously used who charge an annual cost for as many visits as are needed, rather than per visit. They will survey the cemetery, playing field and Red Lion Street in the next few days and let us have a price.
ACTION: Clerk to bring the information to the next meeting for discussion and a decision.
Cantilever Swing in the Playground: Yates Playgrounds will be installing the swing over two days. Monday, 17th and Monday, 24th June. Chair will meet them on site on 17th June to allow access for their equipment and show them the location. Signs have been put up in the playground and on the notice boards notifying residents of the upcoming work. Rather than charge the PC for taking it away, Yates will place the dug out soil evenly and thinly around the perimeter of the playing field.
ACTION: Clerk to add the new swing to the insurance and obtain quotes for the annual safety inspection of all the playground equipment.
Lancaster Memorial Collection: Clerk spoke to Methodist Hall accountant, and they will send us a cheque for £30.
Donation from JDM: Clerk notified by JDM that they would like to make a £1,000 donation towards the Speed Indicator Signs. Clerk gave them the account details and, on behalf of the Parish Council, thanked them for their generosity.
Old Eau banks: Email correspondence from resident regarding the banks being overgrown. Clerk notified resident that maintenance of the banks was the responsibility of the Black Sluice. Resident emailed again to say they had contacted Black Sluice and been told the banks would not be cut until August which they considered unacceptable. Clerk discussed with Chair, who had a look at the banks and reported they were quite overgrown but the water was still running. Agreed that Clerk would speak to Black Sluice to see if a cut could be made before August. Clerk notified resident she would be doing this. Meeting agreed that we should support the resident by taking this action.
58/24 To Receive Finance Report
To Approve Payments as Per Schedule. The following questions were raised:
Clerk confirmed the salary payment for the previous Clerk was the last one to be made.
Clerk confirmed the new litter bins purchased from Glason has not yet been put up, as the fittings supplied were incorrect. New fittings have been ordered and our contractor will put them up as soon as these are received. Previous Clerk has already notified BCC of their locations, so they will be added to the refuse collection round.
Schedule of “May payments for approval at June meeting” was approved. Proposed and signed by Cllr Mountain. Seconded and signed by Cllr Pell.
59/24 To Discuss Planning Applications Received Since Last Meeting:
No planning applications received to be considered at this meeting.
In relation to a previous application, B/22/0519 - Councillors noted that a decision had been made by BBC to approve the application for 8 houses on the land to the south of Monument Road.
Chair reported that work had begun again on the development at Milking Hall Lane that had been discussed previously.
60/24 Five Villages Emergency Group Partnership: Discussion and decision:
Cllr Cantwell advised they now have terms of reference and there are a lot of ideas in the early stages of discussion. They are in the process of formulating an emergency plan for the Five villages to support the emergency services. Algakirk volunteer is creating a volunteer information pack. The idea would be for the Parish Council to nominate a volunteer to be on the committee. Monthly meetings taking place at Algakirk Village Hall. Councillors felt it was a good idea but wanted to have more information before attending the meetings or finding a suitable volunteer. Cllr Cantwell agreed to keep us updated on progress.
61/24 NALC (National Association of Local Councils) - new Model Financial Regulations guidance. Review of the Parish Council’s current Financial Regulations in the light of this new guidance. Clerk had prepared a draft with comments and recommendations and circulated it for Councillor’s information prior to the meeting. Clerk went through the document at the meeting. All present agreed to adopt the document. Proposed Cllr Carrott, seconded Cllr Mountain.
ACTION: Clerk to date the document and add it to the PC website.
62/24 LALC (Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils) recommended list of policies. Clerk had circulated the list to Councillors for information prior to the meeting.
ACTION: Clerk to put together a priority plan to review the PC’s existing standing orders and policies as well as those marked as statutory and audit requirements on the list, so that a couple can be reviewed and updated at each meeting throughout the year.
63/24 Review of Cemetery fees:
Clerk had prepared a document showing our current fees in relation to those of BBC and South Holland Council. Councillors requested more information on our running costs before making any changes. Resolved that the item be added to the agenda for the next meeting.
ACTION: Clerk to Provide Councillors with the running costs of the cemetery: grounds maintenance, grave digger and mole management, as well as how many burials/interments of ashes we had last year.
64/24 Social Media Options for the Parish Council: It was agreed that because of the time, the discussion and a decision on this item would be postponed to the next meeting.
65/24 To Receive Members Reports:
Cemetery: Cllr Carrott and Cllr Pell reported that the bushes along the cemetery path were very overgrown. Discussion around whether we get rid of them altogether which the majority were in favour of. Cllr Cantwell suggested we contacted the community payback scheme (doingtime.co.uk) or Boston BC volunteering scheme.
ACTION: Clerk to speak to our current contractor, Malcolm Firth, as maintenance of the bushes is included in the tender. Also, to contact doingtime and BBC volunteers to see what capacity they have to do this work or other projects in the village and report back to the next meeting
Cllr Pell reported that the tree outside the Post Office was over hanging the information board by the telephone box. The information board itself needs cleaning and a new information poster fitted.
ACTION: Clerk to obtain prices and report back to the next meeting.
It was noted that the High Street road sign was still bent, despite being reported.
ACTION: Clerk to report on FixMyStreet again.
It was noted that the back of the stirrup pump and the bench next to it needed repainting.
ACTION: Clerk to obtain prices and report back to the next meeting.
66/24 To Receive Correspondence:
18.05.24 - Email from parishioner regarding cleaning the War Memorial.
ACTION: Clerk to source and get quotes from some outside contractors who may be able to clean it and refurbish the name plates, as well as repair/replace the paving slabs. Clerk to present the information for discussion and a decision at the next meeting.
05.06.24 – email from Bicker United Charity requesting the use of the playing field for their summer holiday club. Cllr Mountain reported it would be every Friday for six weeks during the summer holidays. Would be using the Methodist Hall toilet facilities. Councillors were aware of concerns raised from last year that the children of Bicker residents could not attend because all the free places were filled. Cllr Mountain said there was a plan in place to ensure that did not happen again. Cllrs resolved to allow the charity to use the playing field for this activity.
ACTION: Clerk to request dates and times and a flyer from the organiser.
67/24 – Date of Next Meeting: Thursday, 11th July at 7pm at the Gedney Room, Bicker Village Hall.
The meeting closed at: 9.10pm