May 2024 Minutes
Belton And Manthorpe Parish Council
Chairman - Councilor Adrian Charity, Low Road, Manthorpe.
Clerk - Chris. Morgan, 10 Manchester Way, Grantham NG31 8RR
Tel. 07758762811
Minutes of the Belton and Manthorpe Parish Council Meeting held on 15th May 2024at 7.30pm in The Old School Room Belton
Present Cllrs Cllr A Charity Cllrs S Thompson, R Hallam, M Simpson, J Ashford S Syddall, Cllr Ian Stokes (SKDC)
In attendance Chris. Morgan (Clerk and Proper Officer).
1) Chairman’s Remarks. The Chair, Adrian Charity, thanks everyone for attending and for electing him as Chair of the Belton and Manthorpe Parish Council. He went on to thanks SS for all the hard work he had put in as Chair, over the years, and hope that he would be as successful
2) Apologies for Absence – None
3) Declarations of Interest – Nothing declared by anyone, and there were no matters on the agenda where any councilors present had any pecuniary interest to declare.
4) Minutes of the last meeting held 21st February 2024 – It was RESOLVED to adopt the minutes as a true record, proposed by ST seconded by MS and the minutes, were, duly signed by the Chairman and Clerk. – Matters arising – All covered by agenda items.
5) Belton Liaison Comm/National Trust – Ian Cooper was not at the meeting, but he had forwarded an email to the Clerk where he had updated the P.C. on NT matters CM read out the email “we’ve just replaced the main gates on the entrance as they were beyond repair- they look much better!
Car park is nearly complete - we are starting the chip and spray of the main routes next week but that won't cause any issues as it's being phased to ensure access is still open for visitors.
Other than a few bits left that will be the project finished and hopefully vastly reduce the parking issues we've had in the village previously. We are also putting a member of the team on the main drive regularly to give that message to people walking in as well as enabling us to capture their membership cards.
Restoration of the Bellmount tower will start in late June or July and will be finished by end of September- this will include resurfacing the small car park and will enable visitors to access the viewing tower.
Repairs to pathways in the gardens and outdoor play area after the flooding will also happen over the summer
We are planning a community festival as part of heritage open days in September but will pass details on once we know what that looks like - but to reassure residents it will be a daytime only event during our normal opening hours.
The hedge cutting has been a success although we are aware we still need to remove the ivy and other intrusive planting which the garden team will do shortly.
Finally, we are already seeing anti-social behaviour in the parkland as the weather improves and are working with the police to identify the main individuals- just in case residents see an increase in police presence although it's more likely to be at the Lion Gates end of the estate.
6) Road Safety Concerns. CM and AC reported to those present on a meeting that had been held with LCC Highways and the LCC Cll – Paul Martin - 1) Provision of a Pedestrian Crossing on A607 Manthorpe Village. - The criteria for installations of Pedestrian Crossings is out lined on the L.C.C. Website. Although it was apparent that the criteria for traffic flow would be met. The criteria for the actual number of pedestrians crossing at this point would not be, at this time. L.C.C. need to work to actual numbers now and not potential for the future. If the pedestrian flow increases then it could be looked at. However if any 3rd party funding was available, even though it did not meet the criteria, the provision may be considered. The cost would be bet £100k and £150k.
2) Traffic calming measures on A607 Manthorpe, entering Manthorpe from the Belton end. Rowan will look at the provision of "30" and "Slow" markers on the A607, once the weather has improved. The markings are not that durable and if it were to be done now they would soon get erased.
3) Speed enforcement on A607 - This is a matter for the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership and as a P.C. we are all ready in contact with them. The Community Speed watch is also an option and has proved successful in other parts of the County. However in the P.C. area there are not enough volunteers, at the moment, to make this viable. P.C. to continue to collate the speed figures from the reactive sign
4) Speeding Traffic through Belton - Again a matter for L.R.S.P. and the P.C. have been in contact with them and the L.R.S.P. have completed checks. - The average speed of vehicles from the Barkston Lane survey (30mph) was 27.4 There was some evidence that some vehicles were exceeding the speed limit at a speed that would make the drivers liable to action or prosecution by the Police. There have been no injury collisions here recorded in the last 3yrs. The results of the survey together with an analysis of collision data show that the criteria required for either fixed or mobile speed camera enforcement, is not met. P.C. to continue to monitor and collate evidence by their own reactive speed equipment. This site has also been identified as a site where the C.S.W. could be used, but as 3 above there is a lack of volunteers. Again P.C. to collate evidence from their reactive speed sign.
5) The safety around the Belton Garden Centre entrance/exit and the junction into Belton was discussed. The speed limit had been reduced there and the L.R.S.P. Mobile camera team do operate on the A607 in that area. It was also discussed re the overhanging foliage at the junction, which made visibility difficult when you are emerging from the Belton junction. Rowan did say that the foliage had been trimmed earlier in the year, but he would arrange for further trimming.
6) H.G.V.'s regularly travelling along 5 Gates Lane in contravention of the weight restriction. Inf by Rowan that L.C.C. now have a Lorry Watch scheme, details on L.C.C. web site. P.C. to promote on their web site and inform local "complainants" about the scheme.
7) Update Re Ash Tree Solar Farm AC had recently attended a meeting with other local P.C’s and Low Carbon, it would be reasonable to say that some of the other P.C.’s were opposed to the proposal. A revised Planning Application had been submitted which had altered the footprint of the proposal which was reduced, but the panels would be denser there was also the addition of battery storage An alternative suggestion had been put forward by AC re the routing of the utilities which may mitigate some of the objections. A general discussion took place by all present and it we RESOLVED that the P.C. would support the application on the condition that the actual utilities were rerouted. Propose SS seconded ST and unanimously agreed.
8) Finance
CM had circulated a Financial report prior to the meeting, along with the spread sheet outlining Income and Expenditure there were no queries from councilor’s (Finance Report attached). RESOLVED, to accept the report and agree to the payments that had been made. Prop. AC seconded ST. CM then spoke about and explained to those present the Annual Governance Statement and went through the relevant figures.
8.1 – Resolved The Annual Governance Statement 2022/2023 (Section 1) had been circulated to those present and was unanimously approved
8.2 Resolved – The Accounting Statement 2022/23 had been circulated (Section 2) as well as the relevant bank reconciliations and the variance explanations and these were unanimously approved.
8.4 Resolved – The amount of monies in the account, from the sale of Constables Field (£82,700) and the previous balance in the account, was fully discussed and approved that this is for the purchase of land to extend the Burial Ground, and are to be ring fenced for this purpose. This would be reviewed again in 2025.
9) Planning Applications since the last meeting - CM had circulated the relevant details prior to the meeting. There was nothing contentious and no objections had come to light from the P.C.
10) Any Urgent Business – (a) CM reported that Eve Farley had resigned her post as Councilor has, she had moved away from the village. CM had notified SKDC and the process to “recruit” another Councilor had begun with the relevant notices displayed. CM explained to those present the process that had to be adopted to find a replacement. (b) A request was made to ask Ian Reilly of Alison Homes to attend the next meeting in August CM to ask the question. (c) Community Speed watch was again brought up and the issue of speeding vehicles through Manthorpe. A discussion took place by all present. RESOLVED – To try and reintroduce the Community Speed watch initiative and recruit some volunteers. RH and ST both stated that they would be happy to do a leaflet drop in their respective areas with the CSW information and the request for residents to volunteer for this. (since the meeting leaflets have been printed and will be distributed as agreed)
11) Date and Time of Next Meeting – Dates for next year’s meeting were agreed: August 27th 2024 at The Old School Room Belton, at 7.30pm. November 19th 2024 at Manthorpe Church Hall at 7.30.pm February 11th 2025 at Manthorpe Church Hall at 7.30pm. May 13th 2025 at Belton commencing at 7pm to include Annual Parish Meeting, Annual Parish Council Meeting and the quarterly Parish Council meeting commencing at 7.30pm
There being no other business the meeting closed at 20.53