Councillor expresses interest in making part of Bottesford Beck an official nature reserve

A councillor has said he would be interested in making part of Bottesford Beck a designated nature reserve.

Ashby Lakeside Ward Cllr Max Bell confirmed his interest after a North Lincolnshire Council place scrutiny panel meeting. Councillors heard about the council’s maintenance regime for its local nature reserves (LNRs), and other sites.

This included the beck and “a different approach” since last year to minimising possible incidents at Ashby Ville Nature Reserve.

It was heard the beck, which runs from near British Steel to the south of Ashby and Bottesford and into the Trent, is due for coppicing of nearby trees next month. Local residents have recently claimed a section of the beck and its adjacent bridleway, between Ashby Lakeside and Holme Lane, has been ‘neglected’.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Bell confirmed he would be “very much interested” in an LNR designation for part of Bottesford Beck. He noted in particular possible funding implications and helping protect green space near Wisteria Way.

North Lincolnshire LNRs

A panel-requested presentation by the council’s assistant director for environment and public protection, Lisa Swainston, set out the area’s LNRs and their maintenance. There are 17 in North Lincolnshire covering 310 hectares. This is an average of 1.89 hectares per 1,000 people, almost double a national target.

Local authorities declare LNRs on land they own, or lease, with support from Natural England. Before 2003, there was only one in North Lincolnshire.

“We do have management plans for all of our nature reserves, except Barton Wolds, which is in draft form,” the council officer said. The council’s LNR team also maintain other non-designated sites, including Bottesford Beck and Alkborough Flats. Cllr Bell asked if there was any particular reason these were not LNRs and for a section of the beck, how to, “for want of a better phrase, upgrade to a nature reserve”.

Ms Swainston said she was not aware of specific reasons. Making an area an LNR involved a process through Natural England. Sites chosen are locally important for wildlife, education, geology and enjoyment.

“There is a review at the moment around the opportunity to upgrade Alkborough Flats. We are constantly assessing the opportunity to upgrade more of our areas to nature reserves.”

Panel chair Cllr Judy Kennedy asked what difference designation makes. There may be additional financial support, from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). “I think from a community point of view, there’s a benefit because it protects that site,” added Ms Swainston. Community access is required.

On maintenance, the council officer confirmed for Bottesford Beck: “From October, we’ll have coppicing to the trees around there.” Maintenance periods at all sites had limits for reasons such as avoiding nest disturbance.

Ashby Ville ‘different approach’

Asked by Cllr Kennedy about ensuring appropriate uses of nature reserves, Ms Swainston said: “In the last year and this year, we had a very different approach with regards to Ashby Ville.”

A multi-agency group was created, and high signs installed with emergency services for people in distress at the lake. “If someone was in sight of one of these, we zone it off,” she explained.

In 2023, there was “a particularly huge piece of work with regards to visibility and presence on the site”, not just the weekly inspections of open water nature reserves the council does anyway. There was also “a collective partnership approach to communications”, with the council, police, fire service, and more coordinating safety messages.

The council has not received the same volume of anti-social behaviour complaints as before, nor have there been more serious open water incidents.

The site had come into its own too. “The jet ski club that are on there have really embraced being part of that visibility and keeping an eye on things.”

“I was around there yesterday,” said Cllr Bell. “It does feel like this summer has been quieter,” though he noted wetter weather assisted. He raised again Bottesford Beck’s state, in terms of accessibility.

“There’s a couple of stretches of Bottesford Beck, where I don’t think they are accessible for wheelchair users” he said, noting vegetation growth. He stated it would be good to promote the most accessible LNRs to residents. The council officer promised to look into and feed back in future.

Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe