May 2025 Minutes Annual Parish Meeting
Woolsthorpe by Belvoir Parish Council
Annual Parish Meeting 14th May 2025 18:00hrs
Attended
Cllr McCallion
Cllr Packer
Cllr Duff
Cllr Hardcastle-Waugh
DC Leadenham
6 Villagers
1. Chair’s Welcome
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting
2. Apologies for absence.
None received
3. Signing of the Minutes from the Annual Parish meeting held on 29th April 2024.
The minutes were agreed and signed by the Chair
4. Chair’s report about the Parish Council activities during 2024/25.
A slightly quieter year with no major incidents and no major planning applications.
Cobleas Cemetery tap now signed over to Diocese.
On top of village maintenance in the village and are looking to do other bits in the future.
The Playground was in need of work but was well used.
5. Presentations from groups within Woolsthorpe by Belvoir
District Councillor Rob Leadenham
Cllr. Leadenham informed the Council of an email invitation to a devolution meeting at SKDC and strongly encouraged attendance by as many parish councillors as possible to ensure effective representation.
Cllr. Leadenham reiterated that he does not bring politics into Parish Council meetings. It was noted that Mark Whittington had lost his seat in the recent county election; his significant contributions to the region were acknowledged and appreciated. Cllr. Leadenham would be meeting the newly elected county councillor and reported that Mark Whittington had offered his continued support and advice despite no longer holding office.
The Parish Council was thanked for embracing the VE Day celebrations. A commemorative lantern was lit as part of the event, and appreciation was expressed for the Council’s involvement in marking such an important anniversary. The event received funding and was well attended by the community.
Work was ongoing with Sarah Turtle to gather mapping data for the village’s gullies. It has proven to be a challenging task, with significant costs involved in obtaining the maps, and there remained uncertainty about whether all necessary information would be included. A full report on flooding would be provided at a later date.
Cllr. Leadenham would follow up on the progress made by Mark Whittington regarding the proposed stop sign on Cliffe Road and will raise the matter with the newly elected county councillor. If councillors were unable to make contact with the new county councillor directly, they were advised to go through Cllr. Leadenham.
A councillor raised concerns regarding recent issues involving vehicles and reminded attendees to report any incidents to PC Mark Barr or via the police non-emergency number 101.
It was noted that the number of PCSOs across Lincolnshire has reduced to just nine. However, the force has recently been granted £5 million in funding to recruit an additional eight police officers.
Village Hall Committee
A summary of recent and ongoing general maintenance was provided and included roof repairs, lighting upgraded to LED, external painting and planning, bar refurbishment and kitchen refurbishment.
A variety of events and activities have taken place or were planned throughout the year, including live music gigs, bingo nights, food van visits, auctions, and birthday parties. A dog club would also begin using the hall and field for community dog training sessions. These activities continued to grow in popularity, with increasing community engagement each week.
Councillors commented that the hall was looking significantly improved.
It was noted that in the past, the hall had been underused, but the current aim was to establish it as a sustainable and valued community asset. Efforts were being made to ensure it remained a going concern, with the message that everyone in the village was welcome to use and enjoy the facility.
Funding had been received to support the VE Day celebrations and a new round of funding has now opened for village halls, which can be used for further maintenance projects such as flooring and general repairs. A community poll would be conducted to gather ideas on what additional improvements or initiatives the funding could support. Additionally, an application would be submitted for a VJ Day grant.
It was noted that although the hall was not currently a registered charity, this remained an option for the future if deemed beneficial. The hall continued to operate in accordance with all guidelines applicable to village halls and social clubs. Additionally, it had joined the Lincolnshire Social Club and Village Hall Associations, from which regular updates and guidance are received.
A discussion took place regarding the potential rebuild of the village hall and future development within the village. It was noted that the current lease on the village hall has 50 years remaining and therefore, if the land were to be repurposed, an alternative village hall would need to be provided to ensure continuity of community facilities.
It was considered imperative that Belvoir Castle be made aware of the importance of involving the village community prior to the planning stage of any proposed developments, to ensure local voices are heard and considered from the outset.
Defibrillator training was held the previous evening, organised by Malcolm Duff, who was thanked for arranging the session.
Speedwatch training was scheduled to take place during the evening between meetings. The plan following the training was to recruit additional volunteers and begin coordinating regular Speedwatch sessions.
6. Close of Meeting
The meeting closed at 18.26.