2025 May Minutes
BICKER PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the ANNUAL Parish Council meeting
held on Thursday, 8th May 2025 at 7pm
In the Gedney Room, Bicker Village Hall
Present:
Cllr Bateson - Chair
Cllr Kelly – Vice Chair
Cllr Carrott
Cllr Pell
Cllr Mountain
Clerk – Alison Delaney
PUBLIC FORUM:
The Annual Parish Meeting ended at 7.40pm and those members of the public who had attended left the meeting room – see separate notes of the Annual Parish Meeting for information on what was discussed.
14/25 Appointment of Chair and signing of declaration of office: Cllr Bateson was thanked by all Councillors present for his excellent service as Chair for the previous year. He was nominated to continue as the Chair by Cllr Pell, seconded by Cllr Mountain. The meeting resolved that Cllr Bateson become Chair. Cllr Bateson accepted and signed the Declaration of Office.
15/25 Appointment of Vice Chair and signing of declaration of office: Cllr Pell was nominated by Cllr Carrott. Cllr Kelly seconded. The meeting resolved that Cllr Pell become Vice Chair. Cllr Pell accepted. Councillors thanked Cllr Kelly for her service as vice chair last year.
16/25 To receive declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011:
Councillor Carrott – Member of Bicker Windfarm Trust and Trustee of Bicker United Charity
Councillor Mountain – Parish Council representative on Bicker United Charity
Councillor Kelly – Parish Council representative on Village Hall Committee and Member of Bicker United Charity.
17/25 To receive apologies for absence and acceptance of any reasons given:
APOLOGIES - were received from Cllr Brown who was unwell and Borough Councillor Cantwell who had relatives visiting. The meeting resolved to accept the reasons for absence.
18/25 To nominate representatives on the following external bodies:
a) Bicker United Charity: It was resolved that Cllr Mountain should continue as the Parish Council representative at Bicker United charity.
b) Bicker Village Hall Committee: It was resolved that Cllr Kelly should continue as the Parish Council representative at the Bicker Village Hall Committee.
19/25 To receive updates from Borough and County Councillors:
No update was available at the meeting, as Borough Councillor Cantwell was absent.
20/25 Notes of the last Annual Parish Council meeting held on 15th May 2024 were accepted and approved as the Minutes. Proposed by Cllr Carrott, seconded by Cllr Pell. The Minutes were signed as a true copy by the Chair.
21/25 Notes of the last Parish Council meeting held on 10th April 2025 were accepted and approved as the Minutes. Proposed by Cllr Mountain, seconded by Cllr Pell. The Minutes were signed as a true copy by the Chair.
Cllr Kelly asked whether joining the resilience group was mandatory. ACTION: Clerk to find out from Cllr Cantwell or LALC
22/25 Clerk’s report on matters outstanding:
Fix My Street report – Entrance to Marsh House. Status changed to: Action COMPLETED
Fix My Street report – Graffitti on Playground and School Signs in School Lane. Status changed to: INVESTIGATING
Fix My Street reports – white railings broken at 3 locations (Morley Lane, Donington Road and Fore Lane). Updated 27.04.25 - SCHEDULED
Fix My Street report – dumped tyres near solar farm. 07.05.25 Status: COMPLETED
Cemetery grass cutting – Contractor attended on 22.04.25 and 08.05.25. Clerk spoke to contractor on 22.04.25 about ensuring they strimmed around the gravestones and on 06.05.25 asked them to use their leaf blower to remove strimmed grass from the headstones as well.
Moles in the cemetery: pest control sub-contractor attended and set the traps, returned on 22.04.25 to check them, two moles were caught.
Cemetery tap replacement and repairs to paving around the war memorial – awaiting quotation.
30mph speed limit – Clerk has emailed the Housing Association and asked them to either remove the straight pedestrian access from Bishop Way or put a metal barrier across it, so children are slowed down if they run out of it. No response yet from the housing association. Clerk has chased.
Noisy swing and annual safety inspection – Clerk checked all the swings following a report to a Councillor and there was no noise. Following Councillors approval, Clerk has booked the Playground Inspection Company to carry out the annual safety inspection in August.
Allotment rent: Two rents for 2025/26 have been received since the last meeting. One payment is still outstanding which the Clerk has chased.
White railings around the village: Clerk has contacted the contractor who painted the play equipment in the park for us previously. He will carry out a survey and provide a quotation for painting/repair.
23/25 To Receive Finance Report
a) To approve April payments: The Schedule of payments for approval at the May meeting was approved. Proposed and signed by Cllr Pell. Seconded and signed by Cllr Kelly.
b) To review and approve the Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2024/25 (The “AGAR”):
- Councillors reviewed and accepted the internal audit report on page 3.
- Councillors received and approved the Annual Governance Statement (Section 1) at page 4.
- Councillors received and approved the Annual Governance and Accountability Return Accounting Statements (Section 2) at page 5.
- Councillors noted the Clerk had set the Exercise of Public Rights to run from 3rd June 2025 to 14th July 2025. Councillors agreed that if any person interested wished to inspect the accounting records for the previous financial year, the Clerk would arrange to meet them at the Village Hall.
- Councillors reviewed and approved the additional information necessary for the submission of the AGAR. Namely, the Bank Reconciliation; bank balances, Explanation of Variances; Confirmation of the Dates of the Period for the Exercise of Public Rights.
- The AGAR having been approved by the meeting, the Chair and Clerk signed the Annual Governance Statement (page 4) and the Chair signed the AGAR at (Section 2 – Accounting Statements) on page 5.
- ACTION: Clerk to return the AGAR to PKF Littlejohn LLP and add a copy to the Parish Council website. Clerk to date and publish the Exercise of Public Rights document on the Parish notice boards and on the Parish Council website.
24/25 To Discuss Planning Applications Received Since Last Meeting:
There were no applications for consideration at this meeting.
ACTION: Clerk to ask Councillor Cantwell if he can provide a map showing the current and known proposed BESS and Solar Farm locations around the village.
25/25 To Receive Correspondence:
Email re: repairs to the church clock. Councillors considered they would be willing to make a contribution towards converting the parish’s clock to an electric auto wind system at a cost of approximately £10,000. However, they did not feel they were able to do so at the moment but if the work could wait for 8-10 months, then they might be able to access funding from other sources. Councillors encouraged the church trustees to approach the Wind Farm Trust for a grant and local parishioners for donations as well.
26/25 To Receive Members Reports:
A resident had asked if the strip of grass outside the houses at 1-8 Donington Road, can be included in the regular grass cutting around the village. ACTION: Clerk to confirm who owns the strip of grass before a decision is made.
An allotment tenant had asked one of the Councillors whether we wanted them to keep the unused allotments free from weeds until they were taken. ACTION: Clerk to speak to the allotment tenant to find out more details of the type of work they would carry out, the cost and whether they had public liability insurance.
Road closure notices at the entrances to the village off the A52 were causing much confusion and were in the middle of the road. They relate to a closure taking place from 4-6th June in Cowbridge Road for Anglian Water. ACTION: Clerk to contact LCC Highways to request they are moved nearer to the closure.
The Fir Trees in the playing field look like they need some attention One looks like it might be dead. ACTION: Clerk to obtain a quote for removal/cutting back.
27/25 Any Other Business: There being no further business, the meeting ended at 9.03pm.
28/25 Date of Next Meeting: The next meeting of the Parish Council is on Thursday, 12th June 2025 at 7pm at the Gedney Room, Bicker Village Hall.
Signed: …………………………………………………
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Date: …………………………………………………