2025 Minutes

Councillors present:  Paul Bakker, Alan Bowling, Carol Markwell, A Gregory, Richard Keeler, P Bavin, Linda Page, Paul Nesbitt, Geoff Parnham and Scott McGrane. Yolanda Martin arrived at 7:30 from work. Cllr A Bowling took the Chair. 11 members were present. LCC Councillors Carl Edgoose-Zagorskiy & Cain Parkinson were also in attendance.

25/34

Apologies: Roland Wright (d) sent his apologies, these were accepted. SKDC Cllr P Gadd sent his apologises as he had two other meetings that evening.

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Declarations of Interest; None

25/36

Notes of the 2nd  of July Meeting: These were agreed and signed as a true record, proposed by C Markwell sec L Page Unan.

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Clerks Progress Report: all covered under this agenda.

25/38

Finance Report No 3 2025-26: Councillors as usual had received the reports taken off the Scribe system prior to the meeting. The Clerk went through the report in the detail explaining all the payments.

Salaries £1888.25. L&O; Grass Cutting £1101.58 VAT ££183.54, Bird spikes £26.09 VAT £ 

Signs £86.02 VAT £14.34 Weedkiller £7.99 VAT£1.33.

Office/General; Conference £108.00 VAT£18.00, Office £24.45 VAT 4.07. Newsletter £800.13 VAT £2.59, Belton Fest. Poster £ 25.20 VAT £4.20, plaques £95.  Bank Charges £9.45. Total Expenditure: £4208.49 VAT £231.017 Income: Donations £130 Interest £60.48.

To be paid Salaries any L&O payments, Repairs, Grass Cutting, Open Evening, Belton Festival, Office, Audit, Defib spares, Plus, any back-pay due to employees in 25/38a.

Income Due; Precept of £16500 due along with Community Cleaner grant of £692.

Proposal to accept by G Parnham sec C Markwell who duly signed off the accounts.

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25/38a

Employees’ Salaries: the annual Local Government Salary Scales have been received and are back dated to April 25. The scale the community Cleaner was on has been deleted so he moves up one SCP point. Both employees will be getting the new rate for their scale points. These increases will add around £500 in total to the costs for 25/26. This had been factored into the budget. It was proposed by C Markwell sec G Parnham that these be implemented by the clerk at the next pay date. Unan. A team of G Parnham, C Markwell & P Bakker to meet with the Clerk to assess what will be required when he decides to retire. As nearly 50 years’ experience on the council and the last 21 as clerk his role has grown/changed considerably.

25/39

Leisure & Outdoor:

1. Play Safety Report/Parish Tour : most jobs completed those that aren’t, will be done when conditions are favourable. Fifth Ave climb/fitness equipment, loose and lost covers etc. trying to source. It’s a Kompan item.
2. Londonthorpe; bird spikes for the top of the new swings will be fitted ASAP by the Clerk & P Bakker. Some Crown Raising/Pruning to be done by a Working party if possible. All equipment looking fine. Usage has gone up considerably, with numerous families seen picnicking during the fine summer weather. 
3. Bridge End Grove: Equipment: All new play equipment being used more. The Plaque has been purchased.  After the complaint from a resident of Primrose Way signs have been purchased and await erection. Permission has been obtained to affix sign to the wall. It was reported that a horse had been tethered on the park but was gone when the Clerk attended. Police, RSPCA contacted but no help received it had though gone when the clerk visited. It is classed as Fly Grazing and should be reported to SKDC. Possibility of a new fence and gate to be discussed at next L&O meeting..
4. Withambrook/Community Orchard. Cllr Bakker and the Clerk have been continually watering the orchard on regular basis during this dry summer. All trees growing well. Work still required to remove remaining brambles more weedkilling too be done. A discussion was had about erecting a fence around the site, it was decided the clerk should further investigate the cost of a three-bar fence and fitting and report to the next L&O meeting. Possible fence cost £1000-£1500 +fitting. Some more tree work needs doing, once again a possible working party task. We are expecting the SKDC Tree Survey will be due again soon, this may throw up other tasks. P Bakker & the Clerk at different times have trimmed back the brambles on the drive.
5. Hills & Hollows: little to be reported, work planned for this autumn include felling of a few overbearing Cherry trees and the removal of the plastic guards. A working party to be arranged to do the above and burn the brash after the works are done. Less motorcycle activity has been reported recently at this site, but Police/SKDC are planning a day of action to catch these people and the menacing Electric Scooters. The student given permission to take samples reported she found little of note.
6. Jubilee Mount/Blessed Hugh More Site: ACV renewal request was sent it to SKDC, who in turn sent to their solicitors at LCC. Clerk received a reply which points to the purchase of the land, and requesting more information. Also, evidence of/from people who use the site. This has now been done including the collection of a few more signatures. It is felt that there had been a slight misunderstanding by the person dealing with it and the Clerk contacted G Dawkins at SKDC asking him to clarify this. This has now been done. The amended form has ben sent and our latest understanding is it should be done by the end of the month.

We were contacted by SKDC Cllr Noon about the possible rewilding of the site; we have some reservations on this. These include a need for a management structure to be in place, the correct mix of planting, the need for pathways to be created and kept clear. We do not wish the half in our parish to be included in this as we want open spaces for children to play on. Cllr Noon to be asked for more information copying to our Cllrs Gadd and Stooke. Pathway clearance to the bench has again been done by R Keeler with the Parish Strimmer. He has also reported that a tree has fallen from the Leased Land over the fence on to the BHMS side, this could be a working party task for the planned meet on the 5th October. Will be checked out before then.  

The application for a Grant from a Pot held by SKDC has been applied for, this is to put in the steps proposed in the pathway to assist the drainage situation. This will be for both the Pathway to the Hall and to the Jubilee Seat, approx. 22 steps and the drainage pits as required. Clearance of the rubbish by the Sandringham drive entrance will be included. Cost of the lowest quote was £6100 from ARC. The job needs to be completed by the end of February 2026, and we will not know if we have the grant until at least October. So, it was proposed by R Keeler & sec by P Bakker at the L&O meeting that we place our order and still go ahead as planned, even if we don’t get the grant. The monies could be taken from three different budget headings relating to Recreation. This was agreed on a proposal by P Nesbitt Sec L Page. Clerk to order the work.

7. Millennium Garden: Belmont Pupils Gardening Club will restart third week of Sept to get ready for replanting for the spring. It’s all looking good. It was agreed we should purchase some more Daffodil bulbs too plant around the outside of the garden this autumn to replace those lost when the boards were replaced.
8. Best Kept Gardens Competition: one more round of judging planned to separate some closely scored plots.

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25/40

 Planning Applications: Solar Farms; Ash tree has joined Welby North and Church Lane as being passed, the one on the horizon being Glebe Farm Heydour. Some members of the council (AB< PBk< GP< RK< and the Clerk) attended the Consultation Event, which took place after the closing date for objections etc! we as a council made our points of concern very clear to them. It has been called in by Cllr Trotter so we will get the opportunity to speak. Cable routing again a concern to all.

Bloor’s: Cllrs Bowling, Bakker, Parnham, Wright and the Clerk were to meet with their management team on the 2nd September. No show by the area manager, but a meeting was held with their two site managers. We stated still have concerns over flooding on both Somerby Hill and Eatch’s estate. The path they have put in does not have a drainage system so runs off on to Eastwood Drive. We stated that the footpath was not fit for purpose as its washing away already We were told it is as per the adopted plans! Site manager is to visit to take a look.

Road closures: 6th-19th September (Water) 20th—26th Sept (Gas). Sales/show homes open week 25th/26th Sept. Footpath from Eatch’s Estate will be opened by then with a pedestrian link only (Chicanes will be in place). Site manager is to visit to take a look. Landscaping will be in place from the show home to the path and around the pond. Pond will be fenced. Compound will be moved when the road from A52 in situ. Building at the back of the site is the new substation for the site.

Up to 50 homes could be built before end of June 2026. Then between 50-80 each year until complete. Homes nearest A52 will be the first built.

One the afternoon of this Council meeting during the thunderstorm the footpath washed away!!

All the compressed limestone top, washed out onto Eastwood Drive, just as we had been stating. Cllr Wright living close by called in Bloor’s who immediately sent out a road sweeper to clear some of the mess away. A meeting has been arranged for the Bloor’s Directors on site sometime on the day after this meeting, Cllr Wright will attend if he see’s them at the path. One neighbour still talking with them about compensation for the flooding. We understand an offer of compensation has been made. Original Application for 6 Burleigh was refused, and they have come back with another option, this again we have objected to on the same grounds. We have just heard that the new build application we objected to at the Harrowby Farmstead has been withdrawn. We have objected to the 33 First Ave removal of Solar panels. Others received dealt with as necessary.

Southern Quadrant again we hear that the bridge is delayed even further possibly 2027 now.

SKDC Local Plan: Cllr Bowling and the Clerk attended the meeting along with Cllr’s from other neighbouring councils. We had two direct interest s PWOG Barracks & the Garden Village. We did complete the forms on offer, but we requested that other Cllrs added their responses and although the details were sent to all councillors only a few replied to the Clerk with any responses! Clerk has completed them taking into account comments received.

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25/41

Police Meeting re H&H - Including Highways Etc. SKDC/Police combined day of action planned to try and catch the offenders. Both unlicensed motorcycles and the dangerous e-scooters will be targeted. We offered to assist as potters but were told it would all be kept secret!

Clerk was asked by telephone by a caller from outside the parish for assistance with putting in the K Gates as discussed earlier in the year. He informed him that the councillors had decided against it as it would restrict access by disabled on mobility scooter users. Also, the costs associated with putting as many as 5 of them in.

Highways: Cllr C Parkinson was thanked for raising the concerns over the visibility of the speed restriction signs around the parish with the Highways Manager. Some have been rectified but others such as Harrowby Hill and Londonthorpe have not. Information being sought re the ownership of the landowner on Harrowby Hill, Y Martin will try and assist on this. G Parnham & Y Martin will join in on the NK/SK Police teams meeting.

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Emergency Planning Team: The Lincs Resilience team will be attending our Open Evening, and further steps can be taken after that. We do now though have two safe havens agreed, The Church of Ascension Edinburgh Rd and St Johns Church Londonthorpe. CPR Training interest shown.

Councillors to push these at the Community Event and the Open Evening.

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Community Engagement: Belton Festival 13/14th Sept: AB, to provide Gazebo; P Bk Stands; PA literature, pegs, rope, snacks etc. Others indicated that they would assist are RK, CM, LP, SM YM, PN.  A rota has been drawn up. Cllrs to push Emergency Resilience Team, CPR Training Event and Volunteering in their conversations with visitors.

Open Evening 24th Sept: All councillors are expected to attend. As stated Lincs Resilience will be attending, the police have been invited but not confirmed. Our LCC councillors have also been invited and will attend. PA to organise; literature, prizes, grants, refreshments etc. P Bk will provide the Stands.

Tom Childs Awards: two winners one in each Category, these have been informed.

Newsletter all delivered.

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25/44

 Local Government Reorganisation Report Back: to date we have not received anything new on this, we showed our support for the SKDC plan.

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25/45

Policies: Amended Equality& Diversity, IT, GDPR, Vulnerable People and Tree Management were renewed; these were agreed and signed off by the Chair.

25/46

Councillor Area of Responsibilities: All points raised during the meeting.

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Correspondence: All covered within the agenda or forwarded to councillors as received.

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Matters for the 12th November 2025 Agenda: Precept 2026-27 any reports form working groups.