Mountsorrel

TRIBUTE. The flag on Mountsorrel Parish Rooms is being flown at half mast in February as a sign of respect for former Chairman Roy Bennett who sadly passed away from cancer.

Born in the shadow of the quarry tip on Crown Lane Roy opened his first shop next to the Swan Inn (then the Nag’s Head) before moving to the village Market Place where the fishing shop bearing his name still stands.

Roy was a councilor in the 1970s and 80s and Chairman from 1977 to 1981.

Not just a councilor, Roy was for many years a Trustee of Mountsorrel United Charities and deeply involved in Mountsorrel Royal British Legion (serving as vice-chair) and Soar Valley Rotary Club. As a Rotarian he not only served as president but also as a well known gentleman in a red suit every December, a role which by all accounts he loved.

Roy dedicated his final years to fundraising for Prostaid.

FIELD BEYOND HALSTEAD PARK. The day after Valentine’s Day, residents of the Halstead Road/Walton Way area were saddened to find that a popular path was seemingly “off limits” to locals looking to walk to and from the village centre

This is the path beyond the playing field, and links through to Cufflins Pit Lane.

Signs had been erected advising that the field is privately owned.

This is especially upsetting at a time when walking and exercise are considered essential to a healthy lifestyle.

On this subject, the Mountsorrel Parish Council Facebook page states “Further to recent enquiries regarding the erection of signs on land close to Cufflins Pit Lane – The land is controlled by Tarmac, however Tarmac is a tenant of the land itself not the owner. This means that it is not within Tarmac’s gift to put in place any permanent arrangements for this land. The land is sub-let for the grazing of horses and with the recent increase in dog walking activity in particular, the tenant has not been able to occupy the land in accordance with their expectations due to concerns around health and safety and animal welfare.

“We will investigate the possibility of agreeing a permissive path route, however we have been informed that it would need to be a designated route and suitably fenced to try and strike a balance for the mutual benefit of all concerned”.