February 2025 Minutes
BICKER PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council meeting
held on Thursday, 13th February at 7pm
In the Gedney Room, Bicker Village Hall
Present:
Cllr Bateson - Chair
Cllr Kelly – Vice Chair
Cllr Carrott
Cllr Pell
Borough Councillor Cantwell
County Councillor Brookes
Borough Councillor Evans - Swineshead and Boston Fen
Clerk – Alison Delaney
PUBLIC FORUM:
A representative from Lincolnshire Aircraft Recovery Group attended the public forum. He wanted to discuss a grant to improve parking and access to the Lancaster Memorial. Cllr Cantwell had mentioned to him there may be grants available for this. Cllr Cantwell explained he was attending a meeting with National Grid on 24th March where he could raise the need for these improvements and ask if they would be willing to fund them. The representative from LARG wanted to know if the Parish Council would support this work in the next few years. Cllr Bateson said the memorial was in Donington parish, but Bicker had undertaken to maintain it and continue the important tradition of an annual memorial service. The PC does not own the land around the memorial or the roadway leading to it. Cllr Bateson said the PC would support access improvements or improvement to the memorial itself if permission could be obtained from the landowner. All other Councillors present agreed. Cllr Cantwell remarked that Swineshead had put up notice boards highlighting areas or items of historical significance, which might be an idea for Bicker as the memorial was not in the village centre. Cllr Cantwell said he would report back to LARG and the PC on funding opportunities for the memorial improvements. The previous Clerk attended the public forum. She handed over paperwork in relation to the organisation of the annual memorial service.
A resident attended the public forum. He notified the PC that a company called Enzigo had been conducting surveys on Bicker Fen for some months. This week another company called Parish Land Surveys had been conducting a survey down Back Lane, Fore Lane and Longhedge Drove. Residents do not know the reason for the survey and wondered if Councillors knew anything. Councillors said they did not.
In relation to overhanging trees, the resident had asked 8 months ago for the trees in Cowbridge Road to be cut back. Highways had carried out the work recently, and the resident was very pleased.
The resident said there remained issues with contractors’ vehicles not following the traffic management plan. They were driving onto the verges and depositing mud on the road. This week, European Energy had sent a road sweeper down to clear it up, which the resident appreciated.
The public forum ended at 7.15pm and those members of the public who had attended left the meeting room.
123/25 Chair’s remarks:
The Chair thanked everyone for coming to the meeting.
124/25 To receive updates from Borough and County Councillors:
County Councillor Brookes reported the following:
In relation to a drainage channel installed across the footpath, which had been discussed at the last meeting, the property owner had not sought a permit, so enforcement action would be taken by the relevant borough council department.
In relation to the query from a resident discussed at the last meeting about the speed limits in certain areas of the village, Cllr Brookes confirmed the 30mph limit in Rookery Road ended at the junction with St Swithins Close and after that it changed to the National Speed Limit, so where the pedestrian access to Bishop Way joined Ing Drove, it was the National Speed Limit. It was this junction that the resident was concerned about children running into the road from, when cars were still going quite fast. Cllr Brookes said that cars should be slowing down by that point to ensure they were at 30mph when they reached the 30mph speed change at St Swithun’s Close. Cllr Brookes said he would speak to Highways about moving the 30mph limit beyond the Bishop Way pedestrian access for safety reasons. He considered we would need a Traffic Regulation Order to do that, which could take some time to take effect. ACTION: Clerk to email Cllr Brookes to put the request in writing.
Cllr Brookes notified the Parish Council that LCC’s Executive Committee had recommended a 2.99% increase to Council Tax from April 2025 at their last meeting.
Cllr Brookes introduced Stuart Evans who is the Borough Councillor for Swineshead and Boston Fen. Stuart will be the Conservative candidate for Cllr Brookes role when he retires on 1st May 2025. Cllr Carrott asked whether local government reorganisation/devolution would impact Parish Councils. Cllr Brooks felt that PC’s would become even more important after devolution, as the feeders of information to the Local Authority. Cllr Cantwell believed that PC’s would likely receive more powers following devolution.
Borough Councillor Cantwell reported the following:
There is an enquiry taking place in relation to flooding along the South Forty Foot Drain recently. Early indications are that the Environment Agency should have stopped pumping water into the drain earlier than it did.
Cllr Cantwell has spoken to the planning officer to pass on residents concerns about the 6 house development in Drury Lane. Cllr Cantwell is aware that the Borough Council have been instructed to increasing housing supply.
Cllr Cantwell has passed on concerns to BBC from parishes about the quality of road cleaning and footway lighting.
Three Battery Energy Storage Systems were given permission to proceed at the last planning meeting. Cllr Cantwell is working to mitigate the effects of those on residents. A shared traffic management system, a way of tracking who is responsible for any damage to roads, a local liaison committee. Health and environmental impacts could be catastrophic if there was a fire or other accident. BBC need to ensure the proper protections and procedures are in place.
BBC Councillors have received pay increases. Cllr Cantwell has decided to donate half of his increase to Bicker Buds and Thistles Market Garden.
Cllr Brookes, Cllr Evans and Cllr Cantwell left the meeting at 7.47pm.
125/25 To receive apologies for absence and acceptance of any reasons given:
APOLOGIES - were received from Cllr Mountain who was unwell. The meeting resolved to accept the reason for absence. No apologies were received from Cllr Brown.
126/25 To receive Declarations of Interest in accordance with The Localism Act 2011:
Cllr Kelly – Parish Council representative on The Village Hall Committee and Bicker United charity.
Cllr Carrott - Bicker United charity and the Windfarm Trust.
127/25 Notes of the last meeting held on 9th January 2025 were accepted and approved as the Minutes. Proposed by Cllr Pell, seconded by Cllr Kelly. The Minutes were signed as a true copy by the Chair. ACTION: Clerk to publish the minutes on the PC website.
128/25 To receive reports from representatives on outside bodies:
Village Hall – Cllr Kelly reported that the Village Hall Committee has not met since the last Parish Council Meeting.
Bicker United Charity – Cllr Mountain was not at the meeting to provide a report.
129/25 Clerk’s report on matters outstanding:
Dog waste bins – the slightly altered locations for the bins were agreed by BBC and they will be installed before the end of February, along with the larger bin in Monument Road. One of the bins is refurbished, not new, so the total cost is reduced to £655.77 plus VAT.
FixMyStreet - Two instances of fly tipping in the village and the poor state of the road surface in Lowgate Avenue were reported by the Clerk on FixMyStreet. The broken streetlight on Drury Lane was also reported and we are waiting a quotation to repair from BBC.
JDM - Bicker Buds notified the Clerk that industrial rubbish from JDM had blown into the neighbouring Horshmans Lane. Clerk notified our contact at JDM, who arranged for it to be cleared.
War Memorial – the cleaning has been arranged with Proctors for the morning of Tuesday, 18th March 2025.
Electoral Roll – Clerk gave Councillors a form to complete to request a copy. ACTION: Clerk to return the forms to BBC.
Gritting: Clerk had spoken to LCC Highways who explained The A52 and B1181 Mill Lane are on the precautionary salting network, so when salting is indicated, these will be done. No where else in Bicker will be. Drury Lane and Monument Road are on their severe routes which means they would be treated in a period of considerable bad weather, after the precautionary salting network has been done. Bus routes do score when they are identifying routes, but they are not automatically salted.
130/25 To Receive Finance Report
a) The Schedule of payments for approval at February meeting was approved. Proposed and signed by Cllr Pell. Seconded and signed by Cllr Carrott.
b) Councillors approved the two email quotations from BBC for fixing the streetlights in Drury Lane and Donington Road (at a cost of £350 plus VAT each). Councillors noted that the work had not yet been carried out and no invoices received. Proposed by Cllr Carrott and seconded by Cllr Kelly.
c) Councillors approved the invoice from LALC in the amount of £54 plus VAT to purchase three additional hours of website management support. Clerk commented that the support was excellent and very helpful. Proposed by Cllr Carrott and seconded by Cllr Pell.
131/25 To Discuss Planning Applications Received Since Last Meeting:
a) B/25/0016 – Erection of 24 two storey dwellings including the installation of a new access to the highway and communal areas at Land to the east of Donington Road, Bicker, Boston between Thornton House in the North, and to the east of Beulah and Nathan. Councillors had received two letters from residents in relation to this application, which they read and considered at the meeting. ACTION: Councillors instructed the Clerk to respond with the following comments to Boston Planning: There is currently a surplus of new build houses in Bicker that remain unoccupied, which would indicate the village is already overdeveloped. The village will not benefit from more housing being built without additional infrastructure to support the community.
b) B/25/0021 – The Gauntlet Bicker, Butler, Back Lane, Bicker, Boston, PE20 3BB. Councillors considered this application and had no comments to make.
Cllr Pell queried whether the building work currently taking place at JDM was that which had been approved, as it seemed taller than a single storey. ACTION: Clerk to check the approved plans and circulate information to Councillors.
132/25 Lancaster Memorial Event: It was agreed by all Councillors present that this event should take place on Saturday, 12th April 2025 at 11am, with refreshments after at the Methodist Church Hall. St Swithun’s Vicar, Mark Williams, would be invited to lead the service, and the Mayor of Boston would be invited. ACTION: Clerk to consult with the necessary people to make the arrangements.
133/25 To Receive Correspondence:
a) The Clerk had received two emails from a resident regarding students being able to leave Fen Park School, Bicker during the school day. Councillors said they had received concerns from other residents as well in relation to the police being in attendance and stones being thrown. ACTION: Clerk to write to the Headteacher setting out the concerns, asking what the school was doing about them and inviting the Headteacher along to the next PC meeting.
b) Email – National Grid – Eastern Green link 3 and 4 – Community update – this information was noted by Councillors.
c) Email – Fidra Energy Limited re Hammond BESS – this information was noted by Councillors.
d) Email – Survey re Highways and transport services – this information was noted by Councillors.
e) Email – BBC re Boston Plan public consultation – this information was noted by Councillors.
134/25 To Receive Members Reports:
Cllr Pell reported there were molehills in the cemetery again. ACTION: Clerk to find another company to deal with them.
Cllr Pell said that the water tap in the cemetery was leaking and the wooden frame around it was rotten in places. ACTION: Cllr Carrott said he would have a look at it and see what needed to be done.
It was noted that the seat by the village pump needed replacing as did some of the white fencing across the bridges and along the Old Eau. It was noted that the fencing over the bridges was the responsibility of Highways.
Bicker Buds had asked the Clerk if the PC would pay for the two brown bins they used when they collected green waste. The bins were usually kept at the Methodist Church Hall and the PC had paid for them in the past. Bicker Buds did not know how much they would be this year as they had not received the invoice, but they thought it was about £20 for each bin. Councillors thought they had cost more than that but were willing to pay for them if they were in that range. ACTION: Clerk to check how much had been paid last year and notify Bicker Buds that the PC would pay for them again this year if the cost was roughly the same.
135/25 Any Other Business:
Meeting dates for 2025/26: It was agreed by all Councillors present that meetings would be kept to the previous year’s template of the second Thursday in each month, starting at 7pm with no meeting being held in August or December. The dates of the meetings would therefore be:
10th April 2025
8th May 2025 – Annual Parish Meeting and Parish Council Meeting
12th June 2025
10th July 2025
11th September 2025
9th October 2025
13th November 2025
8th January 2026
12th February 2026
12th March 2026
ACTION: Clerk to add these dates to the website and book the room with the Village Hall.
136/25 Date of Next Meeting: The next meeting of the Parish Council is on Thursday, 13th March 2025 at 7pm at the Gedney Room, Bicker Village Hall.
There being no further business the meeting ended at 8.57pm.
Signed: …………………………………………………
Name: …………………………………………………
Date: …………………………………………………