Residents of Scartho Top question fees and service quality from Greenbelt Group for green space upkeep since 2014.
Many residents pay fees to Greenbelt. This excludes those in the first building phase. They think the fees are too high, and they also question the quality of service provided. They’re very concerned about trails and litter.
Greenbelt believes it’s taking really good care of things. They admit some paths became wet recently. They say this happened because of the weather.
A local councillor, Dan Humphrey, spoke up about it. He said some folks don’t want to pay and others dislike the quality of the care they receive.
Residents pay £184 yearly for maintenance. They also pay over £40 in admin fees. Humphrey thinks the spaces should be top notch. He noted a lack of communication and reported polystyrene in a stream back in May.
One resident, Julie Styles, has fought Greenbelt for years. Her fight revolves around quality and accountability. She owed around £600, and she claims Greenbelt details no specific work, nor do they provide individual costs.
Another resident, Helen Blake, says there’s zero accountability. Paths are very muddy, she stated. Her husband cannot use his wheelchair because of it.
There were recent meetings about these green spaces. A member of parliament arranged one of them. Greenbelt went to two meetings, and residents could attend two too.
Councillor Ron Shepherd got involved. He contacted Greenbelt three years ago. They said it was a personal issue with the homeowner.
Greenbelt says residents knew their maintenance duty. This would have been explained when they bought property. They encourage residents to report concerns. A group estimates millions live in similar setups in the UK.
Greenbelt says fees didn’t truly increase. They managed more property in 2021 mid-year. They charged less that first year, but full yearly fees were higher. Admin fees follow a similar pattern.
Greenbelt says contracts allow management charges. They also cover related costs. This includes actions needed to enforce payments.
The company offers meetings before billing. It provides a services statement to each resident. They outline work planned including costs. They also offer an interactive website for updates, and residents receive a yearly statement with a managed area map.
Greenbelt says it did not restrict meeting access. They have a policy against threats and bad behavior. One homeowner threatened staff; this led to restrictions.
Greenbelt states it maintains spaces well. This occurs despite littering and vandalism. Wet paths are from wet weather, and the paths will get better when it dries.
Recent work fixed fences and grills. Extra trash pickup occurred near play areas. Greenbelt lacks record of Cllr Humphrey’s report. They removed the polystyrene shortly after.
Greenbelt says they often pick stream litter. They cannot control others’ behaviors, though. They asked those doing it to change.
Greenbelt says their services are affordable and are high quality. Their team remains available to help customers. They want continual service improvement.
Grimsby Live says Greenbelt does not select path types. The type was specified during the planning phase. The company manages lots of sites, and they bill eighty thousand residents. They promise to respond within 20 days.
