2010/11 CAAV Presidential Team
(From left to right: Robert Hicks, Rowland Beaney and Simon Pallett)
Rowland Beaney FRICS FAAV - CAAV President
Rowland Beaney is Suffolk born and bred. Following three years at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester (1974-77) he completed his training at Bidwells in Cambridge before joining his late father, Peter Beaney, in the family firm of R C Knight & Sons at Stowmarket. The firm merged with Lacy Scott of Bury St Edmunds in 1997. He is senior partner of Lacy Scott & Knight and is based at Bury St Edmunds.
In 1991 he took over from his father as Hon. Secretary of the Suffolk Association of Agricultural Valuers. More recently he has been Convenor and then Chairman of CAAV Eastern Group. He joined the old Lord Chancellor’s Panel of arbitrators in the early 1990s and is now on the RICS President’s list. He is closely involved in organising the training of arbitrators offered by Rural ARBRIX and represents rural practice interests on the main ARBRIX committee.
In the course of a wide range of work, Rowland deals regularly with professional and landlord and tenant issues. He acts as an advocate and expert witness and sits as an arbitrator when the parties do not have the good sense to settle by agreement.
Rowland has been married to Judy for nearly 30 years and both of their children are involved in the profession. Kate is an urban based chartered surveyor working in Manchester while Thomas is completing his APC in London.
Away from work Rowland is a long serving governor of Culford School near Bury St Edmunds. He enjoys travelling, remains fascinated by history and puzzled by politics, and lingers on playing veterans hockey.
Robert Hicks FRICS FAAV - CAAV Vice-President
Robert Hicks was born and brought up in Cornwall and now lives in North Devon on a 70 acre beef farm with his wife Lorna which is also home for their three daughters. Robert and his wife also run a successful holiday cottage enterprise.
Following three years at the Royal Agricultural College, Robert has worked as a Rural Surveyor in Devon and Cornwall from 1969 to 1991. In 1991 he branched out on his own practising throughout Devon and Cornwall specialising in agricultural landlord and tenant matters; rural land management including SPS, cattle documentation, etc; Town and Country Planning applications and advice for both applicants and Councils including taking matters to Appeal; advisor to the Devon County Tenants Association; and as a specialist property valuer. He is regularly employed as an expert witness at various Courts and Tribunals. He is also responsible for approximately 400 Methodist Churches and Manses in Devon and Cornwall.
Robert is a past Chairman of the Devon and Cornwall branch of the RICS; a past Chairman of the Western Counties branch of the Agricultural Valuers Association; past Chairman of the Rural Practice Division of the Devon and Cornwall branch of the RICS; and is the current Devon representative on the CAAV Council and a member of their Executive Committee. His professional achievements also include membership of the RICS Panel of Arbitrators and the SPS Appeals panel for DEFRA. The firm of Robert H Hicks now comprises Robert and his co-director Johanna Merritt and employs two female chartered surveyors.
He has been an elected member of Torridge District Council for over 10 years, has been head of the controlling Independent Group and now Chairman of the Policy, Performance and Resources Committee and Chairman of the Bideford Harbour Board. In the time that he has been an executive member, the Council has gone from the third worst in the country to midway between good and excellent.
His favourite weekends follow a set pattern - Saturday gardening and Sunday roast dinner with the family followed by a night out with the lads and a card game of "euchre".
Simon Pallett BSc FRICS FAAV - CAAV Junior Vice-President
Simon Pallett was brought up in Hungerford, Berkshire. Following three years at Reading University (1974-1977), where he took a first in Estate Management, he completed his training with Banks & Slivers of Evesham, Worcestershire. He moved to Newbury in 1979 to join his father John Pallett at A W Neate & Sons becoming a partner in 1981.
The firm grew and merged with Dreweatts to become Dreweatt Neate in 1987 where he subsequently headed their Rural Division. In May 2009 the firm merged with Carter Jonas. He serves on the firm's Management Board.
Simon has in the past been chairman of the Berks & Oxon Rural Valuers Association, continues to be a long-standing CAAV Council representative and current chairman of the CAAV Property Committee. He was also past chairman of the RICS Rural Valuation Committee. He is a member of Arbrix and is on the RICS President's arbitrators' appointment list.
In the course of a wide range of work throughout central southern England, Simon specialises in farm and estate management, rural property sales and purchases, valuations (including appointed valuer to the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation), landlord and tenant work and regularly acts as an expert witness. Whilst opportunities are few and far between conducting sales by auction of property and farming stock is a particular interest.
Simon takes a particularly active role in the Newbury & District Agricultural Society who organise the Royal County of Berkshire Show each September. He was their youngest chairman (aged 31) and served for many years as Chairman of the Board of Management.
Simon has been married to Carol since 1983 and they have lived at Chieveley near Newbury since 1988. Their son James is a chartered accountant working in London and their daughter Catherine has recently graduated from Exeter University. Any spare time is spent gardening, watching rugby or 'crop walking' (as shooting is known in the office).