The Parish Council have begun a project to determine what can be done to meet the recreation needs of the expanding village population, currently over 6,300 people.

The most recent updates will feature at the top of the page, with updates appearing in chronological order. To view information abnd updates about the different YVYV Sub-Groups, please use the buttons below.

Information About Venues & Activities in Bidford

• To view a timetable of activities by venue in Bidford please click this link (opens PDF)
• To view venue information including capacity, booking details and costs, please click this link (opens PDF)

Update Tuesday 29th March:

You can view the Approved Terms of Reference documents by clicking on the links below (both links open PDF).

Approved Terms of Reference

Approved Terms of Reference for Walking & cycling Sub group

Update Saturday 19th February:

You can download a copy of the Walking & Cycling Sub-Group Zoom Meeting Notes from Thu 3rd Feb by clicking this link (opens PDF).

The Walking and Cycling Working Group is holding a meeting via Zoom - you can join the meeting using the following details:

Time: Feb 3, 2022 07:30 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84667873719?pwd=Tmt2UWs0eEpaOVdPT0wyQjBJOVA5dz09

Meeting ID: 846 6787 3719

Passcode: 286867

WALKING & CYCLING FEEDBACK FROM SURVEY

GENERAL COMMENTS

• Expand cycling and walking paths.
• Path/cycling along old track bed in Broom
• Widen the pathways around the village, even by cutting the grass back where it has overgrown the path to allow access with a pram
• Horse riding

ACCESS

• Be able to get through the gate at the bottom of Kings Lane, like we always used to be able to! It is a lovely walk along the train track but is now blocked. WHY?
• Better access to the meadow
• Dugdale to have a gate so I can get easier access, due to disabilities it’s hard to do the longer walk, so we have to drive to places.
• I’d like to be able to access Dugdale field safely from my estate
• I'm unable to let my eldest son play at the nearest sports field with friends as the only access is via a busy main road with speeding issues, narrow footpaths partially blocked with parked cars
• Push my child around the meadow in his pushchair however there is no suitable path.
• So many walks and path are overgrown or closed. Less and less places to go walking with kids and dogs.
• The Big Meadow where we walk has a loose stone pathway around it and it is very difficult to walk on. I think as we age we will not be able to access this facility.

DOGS

• Dog walking and relaxing picnic areas.
• Let my dog off the lead in safe place

WALKING

• Info on local walks
• More walking
• Safe walking on Honeybourne Road and Marlcliff due to speeding motorists, we need automated road signs slow down to encourage motorists to slow down or speed cameras
• Specific running routes/track,
• More footpaths for walks
• To feel safe whilst walking on local footpaths
• Walk from Broom to Bidford on the Alcester road but can't due to no footpath
• Walk more on better quality footpaths e.g. the Heart of England footpath between Broom and the Coop.
• Walk more. Some pathways especially in Broom are very overgrown and we’re not able to access them
• Walk to Bidford safely (I don’t drive)
• Walk to Stratford
• Walk within trees, the Big Meadow is a beautiful open space, there is nowhere within walking distance go walk among trees. A community orchard would be ideal

CYCLING

• Please provide safe cycling paths either on the road or make paths between villages cycle friendly
• With regard to cycling you are probably aware of Salford Priors Parish council efforts to create a cycling route from Evesham through to Alcester on old railway paths and a connection from Broom Junction to Stratford https://salfordpriors.gov.uk/leisure-trails/
• Bike track for small children / pump bike track
• Build trails for bikes
• Cycle paths
• Cycle paths
• Cycle paths, as roads are so dangerous. Picnic in the park but there's always tons of cars and dogs.
• Cycle safely with the children segregated from fast moving traffic
• Cycle to Stratford safely on a defined path and also walk to the Dr's surgery
• Cycle to the Big Meadow with children Walk to Broom via the old railway line
• Cycle. Traffic speed in the village makes cycling a dangerous pastime
• Cycling - no safe cycling paths
• Cycling. The roads are too narrow around here to cycle safely.
• Long bike ride. Establish dedicated circular bike path from east to west.
• More availability for cycling routes away from main roads
• More cycle routes.
• Mountain bike
• Mountain Bike
• Off road running and off-road cycling
• Proper cycling path for cyclists & walkers & runners in all directions, but especially Stratford greenway
• Stratford have the measured mile. A concrete track around the recreational ground. Would love to be able to cycle around the big meadow or somewhere similar on a similar surface.
• Cycle safely and extensively around Bidford and beyond with the children offroad.
• Road cycling (a dedicated cycle path would be safer than road cycling)
• Cycling on safe cycleways
• There are no dedicated cycling routes suitable for children to ride and it would be nice to see the old railway line repurposed as per the “Greenway”
• USE A CYCLE TRACK

The prize draw for the survey took place, via Zoom, on Monday 1st November @ 6.00 pm.

An interim report on the survey results has been posted below.

You will see there are now a number of next steps for the project:

• Completing the analysis of the 414 survey responses
• Confirming the future plans of the parish’s existing venues and clubs
• Visiting potential sites for future facilities
• Preparing the first draft of a Parish Recreation Strategy including proposals for involving all the volunteers to help deliver the strategy
• Presenting the draft strategy to a public meeting
• Keeping residents informed and involved as the project develops

This section will provide an archive of all reports published by the Parish Council.

Click here to view the interim report on the Parish Recreation Survey 25 October 2021 (opens PDF)

Report made to the Parish Council at its September Parish Council Meeting.

Bidford-on-Avon Parish Council are researching what the village requires to meet the recreation needs of our growing community - both sporting and leisure, indoors and outdoors - all of which help to promote local health and wellbeing.

Survey forms have been delivered to every household in the parish, but 233 households have already replied to the survey online.

Emerging results include:

• Considerable interest in better walking and cycling routes, which matches the current best-used locations
• Already 11 offers of help with new clubs including fitness and dance fitness for all ages, which matches 83 households already interested in exercise classes
• Nearly 60% of households responding to the survey so far consider the parish needs a new leisure / youth activity centre

Following the analysis of hard copy as well as online responses, a more detailed report will be presented to the parish council meeting on Monday 25th October. This will lead into further discussion about a recreation strategy for the parish, when a number of aspects will be reviewed including:

• The unmet demand for local recreation
• Interest in forming new sporting clubs
• Facilities to meet the demand – a combination of improvements to existing facilities and the potential for new facilities
• Access requirements – both in terms of individuals, and location within the parish including cycle and walking links to existing and potential sites
• The viability of any proposed new facilities in terms of usage and running costs, and options for long-term management
• Design implications in response to climate change

The parish council would like to record its thanks to all the local businesses that have kindly given prizes for the prize draw, which will be drawn in October (date TBC) and the winners informed personally.

Long-term residents of Bidford will have noted the population increase over time:

• 1971 – 2,822 (census)
• 2001 – 4,830 (census)
• 2011 – 5,350 (census)
• 2019 – 6,316 (estimate, to be confirmed by the 2021 census)

The Parish Council have appointed experienced parish clerk Andrew Maliphant to take the project forward, with a remit to:

• Quantify the recreation needs of the expanding village population
• Consult with current clubs and venues about their own aspirations
• Review local green sites
• Help to develop recreation facilities as shown to be required
• Involve all local residents in the process

A survey of youth requirements in 2019 concluded:

• Responses from the consultation identified gaps in community provision for young people, particularly teenagers.
• A new Youth Centre will help to address this gap.
• Not all young people will want to attend a Youth Centre; a Youth and Engagement Leader will be able to identify other suitable activities for young people and help to integrate young people into existing activities.
• Another clear priority was a desire across all age groups for increased access to physical and outdoor activity, with many ideas for activities being promulgated.

The next step is to send a wider recreation survey to every household in the parish, to collate the needs and aspirations of all local residents, many of whom have arrived in the parish since 2019. The results of the survey will be used to prepare a draft recreation strategy for the Parish Council to discuss with parishioners during Autumn 2021.

For further information please contact Mrs Elisabeth Uggerløse the Parish Clerk on 07718 628925 or via info@bidfordonavon-pc.gov.uk – we look forward to being in touch.

BIDFORD-ON-AVON PARISH COUNCIL
YOUR VILLAGE YOUR VOICE
WORKING GROUP TERMS OF REFERENCE
REVISED AND UPDATED 25 JULY 2022

Members

Membership may be increased by co-option up to a maximum of 21, but will include:

• Three parish councillors, appointed by full council at the May meeting
• The parish clerk
• Chairmen of working sub-groups as they are formed (see below)

New members will be invited to say what they bring to the group, and what are their local connections or memberships. Members who fail to attend six meetings in a row will be considered to have left the group.

Chairman

The chairman is not required to be a Parish Councillor. The first chairman to be determined by the Parish Council and thereafter elected annually in May by members of the Your Village Your Voice WG. The chairman will be responsible for convening working group meetings and for making monthly reports to the full parish council.

Purpose

The purpose of the working group is to develop and implement a recreation strategy for all residents of Bidford-on-Avon parish, based on the feedback from the recreation survey.

Deliverables

• A recreation strategy for the parish, including preferred sites for recreation
• A local cycling and walking infrastructure plan
• Business plans for potential new facilities, to inform future project delivery
• Development plans for existing facilities in partnership with the owners
• New sports and recreation clubs in partnership with local volunteers

Activities

The Working Group will:

• hold regular meetings, either in person or via Zoom
• involve local volunteers in its activities
• gather professional advice and information on good practice
• gather funding information to inform recreation developments
• agree a communication, consultation and engagement strategy
• liaise with Warwickshire County Council, Stratford-on-Avon District Council and other public bodies as required
• approve all reports prior to publication
• agree all consultation documents prior to publication
• actively support and promote the development of recreation facilities and opportunities for parish residents, including outside the parish where necessary

Scope / Jurisdiction

The scope of the Working Group covers any matters relevant to recreation for Bidford-on-Avon parish, excluding the remit of the Facilities Working Group for local play areas, but working with the Facilities and Community Working Groups as appropriate.

Guidance from the Parish Council

Working Group progress will be reported monthly to the parish council for information and approval. The parish council will support the work of the group and volunteer sub-groups, and will approve the final recreation strategy, the cycling and walking infrastructure plan, and any business or development plans that go under the parish council’s name, based on the approvals of work so far and the final documents. The Working Group will manage all tendering processes, but the parish council will determine any contracts that involve parish council funds. All other matters will be determined by the Working Group, including setting up a community enterprise if necessary to develop and manage any new project.

Meetings

The Working Group shall elect a chairman and secretary from their number and may form sub-groups to deal with specific areas of business.

Three members or one-third of the total group membership, whichever is the greater, shall constitute a quorum at meetings. Decisions made by the group should normally be by consensus, though the chairman shall have one casting vote if required. Members may be polled outside the meeting if a decision is needed at short notice.

The Working Group shall keep minutes of proceedings and shall cause the minutes to be recorded and open to public scrutiny.

The law and custom applying to the conduct of parish council meetings will apply to the group where there is no specific provision in these terms of reference. For example, all members of the group must declare any personal interest that may be perceived as being relevant to any decisions or recommendations made by the group and may not vote on any matter that may relate to a personal interest.

Sub-groups

These will develop over time, but may include:

• Recreation interest / clubs
• Research / feasibility into new recreation interests
• Walking and cycling routes
• Existing facilities forum
• New facility business planning
• Fundraising
• Publicity
• Events

Each sub-group will need its own terms of reference and appointed chairman.

Conflicts of Interest

The Working Group and any sub-groups must always contain a majority of individuals or organisations that would naturally not bid for any paid work as part of the group’s activities. Should any member have an interest in bidding for any work paid out of group funds, that member must leave the room while the relevant spending approval is discussed and decided.

While working together, the interests of the Working Group are paramount to all other interests. If a member of the Working Group acquires information from its activities which could be of private benefit elsewhere, the approval of all members of the group should be requested before it can be so used. Equally, any outside interests which might conflict with the Working Group should be declared.

A member may be asked by unanimous vote to leave the Working Group if they overstep any of these terms of reference or otherwise bring the group into disrepute.