Press Hostility Forces Councillor's Resignation

Lincolnshire County Councillor, Rev. Sara Cliff, Conservative (Lincoln East Division), has resigned as a member of the county council following 'unwarranted hostility in the press'.

Rev. Cliff was born in Manchester and had been resident in Lincoln for four years, when she was elected in 2009. She was a Governor of Waddington Redwood School. Rev. Cliff left teaching in 2001 when she held the position of Head of Year, as a science teacher, with responsibility for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. Her work as a Methodist Minister reflected her lifetime involvement of working with the voluntary and community sectors.

Rev. Cliff's attendance had been a cause for concern and the Daily Mail reported that a Lincolnshire County Council spokesman had confirmed her poor attendance as having been flagged up to the Conservative Party by authority clerks. She is the only county councillor to have this happen in the three years of this council.

Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, Cllr. Martin Hill, Conservative (Folkingham Rural Division) admitted he had spoken to Rev.Cliff about her attendance levels six months ago, the paper reported.

"There is no doubt her attendance of late has not been good at all."

In a statement to the Lincolnshire Echo, Rev. Cliff said:

"I have taken the decision to resign my position from the county council.

"While I did feel willing and able to carry on representing the people of Lincoln East, in view of the unwarranted hostility in the press, I am clear that this action is in the best interests of the Methodist church, the county council and my own family.

Following criticism from local residents, and in the press, that the outgoing councillor had not allocated her 'Big Society Fund', Rev. Cliff clarified that:

"As a matter of record I have awarded my Big Society Fund to St Barnabas to help support the excellent services they provide."

Weather Does Not Deter Lincolnshire Show Goers

© Prima PR and Marketing

Regardless of the weather, over 60,000 visitors attended both days of the 128th Lincolnshire Show.

The first day of the show saw a six percent increase in visitors on last year, credited to the warm weather on Wednesday, and spirits were not dampened by the rain on Thursday.

Organisers reported a five percent increase on trade stand bookings from 2011 and the number of visitors from across the UK entering livestock and equine competitions also increased.

It is estimated by show organisers that for every £1 spent at the show, a further £20 has been generated in the local economy.

Hotels and Bed & Breakfasts in the area experienced heightened demand for overnight stays from an extra 18,400 visitors. For many businesses in Lincolnshire, the show provides an opportunity to showcase local produce and services. Showground Director Jayne Southall said:

"We’ve had a fantastic show and it’s been wonderful to see everything come together.

"We had a big boost to visitor numbers with the wonderful sunshine on day one. 

"Although numbers were down on Thursday, the showers seemed to do little to dampen enthusiasm and we had a steady flow of visitors arriving throughout the morning. 

"The show has proved itself, once again, as a major visitor attraction which helps to bring Lincolnshire’s wider visitor and tourism story to a national audience."

© Malcolm Leaning

Edward Leigh MP, who represents the Gainsborough Constituency, within which the Lincolnshire Showground is located, visited the West Lindsey District Council tent and  met with local councillors and joined in with the keep fit dancers from the West Lindsey Leisure Centre, Gainsborough.

Linelands' Site Community Land Trust Ruled Out by Parish Council

Nettleham Parish Council has decided not to pursue obtaining the Linelands site on All Saints Lane in Nettleham following the authority's meeting on Thursday, 21st June 2012.

A suggestion had been presented to the Council, in April, by Mr. John Mathers of Community Lincs, that a Community Land Trust scheme might be one way of ensuring that the Linelands site remains in use as a care facility.

Section 79 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 defines a Community Land Trust as:

A corporate body which 

1.  is established for the express purpose of furthering the social, economic and environmental interests of a local community by acquiring and managing land and other assets in order
   1.  to provide a benefit to the local community;
   2.  to ensure that the assets are not sold or developed except in a manner which the trust's members think benefits the local community.
2.  is established under arrangements which are expressly designed to ensure that:
1. any profits from its activities will be used to benefit the local community (otherwise than by being paid directly to members);
2. individuals who live or work in the specified area have the opportunity to become members of the trust (whether or not others can also become members);
3. the members of a trust control it.

It is understood that Longhurst Housing Association, which owns the neighbouring Church View facility, is considering options for the site. These include a physically joint new development to the existing scheme to allow for shared facilities. A split freehold would make this idea very difficult to pursue. Any scheme is in the very early stages, until Lincolnshire County Council commits to progress plans further with Longhurst they are not prepared to invest resources in potentially abortive pre-development work.

The Linelands building remains closeed and boarded up.

Local MP Welcomes RAF Scampton News

Edward Leigh MP applauded the decision by the Minitry of Defence to station the Red Arrows and the RAF’s Air Surveillance and Control System (ASACS) unit at RAF Scampton for the foreseeable future. This will include resurfacing the runway at RAF Scampton. Mr. Leigh said:

"I have just been informed by the Minister that they intend to keep RAF Scampton open. This is a vindication of our long campaign and a credit to all those who have worked so hard to keep RAF Scampton open. The Red Arrows are a treasured part of North Lincolnshire and I welcome their continued presence. The MoD’s investment in RAF Scampton’s runway demonstrates a welcome commitment to the future of the base. It is appropriate that the decision to keep open the historic home of 617 Squadron, the Dambusters, comes in the month which a lasting memorial will finally be opened to the brave men of bomber command, many of whom flew from bases in Lincolnshire. 

"It is fantastic news that we will keep all the jobs associated not only with the Red Arrows, but also with the ASACS unit, within the local area. 

"I have always been clear on my desire to keep the Red Arrows flying out of the home of the Dambusters and I welcome the MoD’s vote of confidence in North Lincolnshire."

Edward Leigh has been running a campaign to keep RAF Scampton open since the closure of the base was first proposed – triggered by the cost of runway resurfacing.

Support Needed to Improve Broadband Internet Speeds and Coverage in West Lindsey

West Lindsey District Council is asking local people to back their campaign for Superfast broadband in Lincolnshire.

In the next few months Lincolnshire County Council will be starting on a £57 million project to provide Superfast Broadband in the county. It takes you less than 5 minutes to show your support for Superfast Broadband in the county by registering your interest on a website (register by clicking here). This could make a big difference to our campaign.

By supporting the campaign local residents will help the authority to convince commercial suppliers that there is sufficient demand for better broadband in Lincolnshire. The information provided will allow the council to identify the areas in the county that currently have good or bad services.

Police Authority Responds to Parish Council's Concern

Cllr. Barry Young, Chairman of Lincolnshire Police Authority, has responded to a letter from Nettleham Parish Council regarding the proposed new Police Station to be built at the Police Headquarters site on Deepdale Lane in the village.  Mr. Young writes:

"We very much appreciated the opportunity which our attendance at your recent Extraordinary Parish  Council meeting gave us to explain our thinking and try to allay some of the very understandable, although not always entirely valid, concerns expressed. 

"I note the resolution passed by the Parish Council after we had left and comment as follows:

1. Lincolnshire Police Authority has specific statutory responsibilities which mean that we simply cannot undertake to defer individual substantive decisions such as this until the arrival of the Commissioner towards the end of November. However, in reality, the "Lincoln Project" of which this is just a part, is still very much in its embryonic stages and I foresee much if not all of the time between now and then being needed for the completion og our current investigations, considerations of appropriate technical reports and further consultation, let alone any entry into the formal planning process if ultimately we decide that it would be appropriate to proceed in any particular way.

1. We have always made it clear that dialogue with the Parish Council will continue throughout as appropriate and we value the important role you play in linking us to the Nettleham community's views.

1. I not that in the meantime the Parish Council is opposed to the current proposals.

"I look forward to further discussion with the Parish Council as matters develop."