Nettleham Parish Council Responds to Lincolnshire County Council's Library Proposals Describing them as 'Irrational'

The following letter has been sent to Lincolnshire County Council's Head of Libraries and Heritage:-

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Dear Mr Platt 

Re: Proposed changes to library provision in Lincolnshire 

Further to your letter and Information Pack dated the 20 June 2013, the Parish Council held an Extraordinary Parish Council meeting on 11 September 2013 regarding the above proposals and in particular the proposal to close Nettleham Library. 

At the above meeting the Parish Council unanimously resolved to formally object to Lincolnshire County Council’s proposal to close Nettleham Library in May 2014.  The Parish Council’s reasons for objecting to the proposals are summarised as follows:-

1. As stated in your letter the statutory responsibility for providing Public Libraries lies with Lincolnshire County Council and the proposals to transfer your statutory function to voluntary organisations/Parish Councils is simply irrational.  
2. The Parish Council acknowledges that Lincolnshire County Council has to make savings due to the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review, however, a 31% reduction in the library budget is totally unreasonable; cuts of 5-10% would be acceptable.
3. If the £1.9 million reduction sought in the library budget was spread across those living in the county (over 700,000) this would equate to merely 5p per person per week, which illustrates the absurdity of your current proposals.  
4. On the 50p coin that was issued in the year of the Millennium there is depicted “Public Libraries”, which was intended to celebrate 150 years (1850 – 2000) of such libraries across the whole of the UK. If LCC proceed with their current proposals, they will in effect be dismembering the work that was undertaken by our forefathers over that long period of time.
5. These proposals would have a significant impact on children’s educational needs, especially in the current economic climate.  Furthermore the elderly population would be adversely affected as they would be unlikely to access the proposed retained libraries due to transportation/health issues, etc.  A large proportion of the elderly do not have access to IT equipment which is becoming more and more necessary to undertake day-to-day activities. 
6. A library is not just about borrowing books; it is also a hub for seeking assistance from the professional library staff for a great number of activities including assisting with IT issues and gaining necessary information.
7. The library service could continue to be undertaken by LCC if it adopted a more commercially astute approach in terms of the running of this service.  For example, Nettleham Library at present only occupies a 1/3 of the overall building and rather than expecting other organisations to take over the management of the library service, some of the remaining 2/3 of the building could be rented to small/medium sized businesses thereby securing an income that could be used to off-set the costs associated with the running of the library. 
8. We have serious concerns in relation to the costs stated in the consultation document especially in relation to the support costs which were the highest in the country; some investigations need to be undertaken in relation to these costs. 
9. The online consultation process was not user friendly and the timetable (being held during the summer period) was grossly unfair.  Moreover, the requirement to lodge an Expression of Interest before the end of the Consultation process was fundamentally flawed. 
10. Finally, a topic of this magnitude should be decided by the whole Lincolnshire County Council voting on the matter and not by LCC’s Executive Committee; such an approach is quite frankly undemocratic. 

Despite its formal objection the Parish Council nevertheless decided as a fall-back position that it would submit, on a without prejudice basis, an Expression of Interest prior to the 30 September 2013 deadline. 

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Local residents voiced their concerns over Lincolnshire County Council proposals on BBC Radio Lincolnshire yesterday (24th September) when Melvyn Prior broadcast for 3 hours from outside the library.

You can listen again to 'Melvyn in the Morning' by clicking here.

Thoughts on the New Labour Party Leader - 'Red-Ed' Miliband

The mood in the Conservative camp is one of 'undisguised mirth', as David Crow put it, at the election of Ed Miliband as Leader of the Labour Party.


Leader of the Labour Party
Ed Miliband MP.

On Saturday night, shortly after the result was announced, staff at Conservative headquarters in London were, it is understood, popping open the champagne.  Advisers to Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron think the next election is more winnable than ever.

Much of this relief is understandable. Ed Miliband’s victory has sounded the death knell for New Labour, that election-winning machine which the party had come to hate.  The Conservatives have always said Tony Blair was unbeatable and feared that David Miliband, his last disciple, would also prove a tough opponent. 

Ed Miliband sees no shame in closing the door on the Blairite past, and everything it stood for.

"The era of New Labour has passed, a new generation has taken over."

Were the word used yesterday, in his first major interview since winning the crown, with the BBC's Andrew Marr.

There is nothing 'new' however, about the team that now leads Labour.  Ken Livingstone is not only the party’s mayoral candidate, but also topped the poll in the race to sit on the party's governing body - the National Executive Committee.  Lord Kinnock, red-flag bearer for the left wing, was one of Ed Miliband’s most vocal supporters.  Despite Blair’s attempts to consign them to history, the union barons are once again an important voice in the political debate.

Beyond the same old faces.  Gone is the emphasis on social mobility, on reward for hard work and entrepreneurial spirit.  It will be replaced by 'equality', essentially old-fashioned redistribution of wealth. Labour no longer wants to have more pie – it just wants to cut it up more evenly.

The banks will be bashed; the rich will be soaked; the private sector will be banished from public services. This is the manifesto on which Labour will fight the next election.

For Ed Miliband is not the joke that his opponents are trying to portray him as.  No, he is not as good as Blair, few politicians are.  But he is still a credible leader considering recent peers.

Susan Boyle of X-Factor fame
before and after.

He is much better than Neil Kinnock, the 'Welsh windbag' that voters simply would not vote for in 1992 – no matter how much they hated John Major and his completely divided government.  As Gordon Brown’s favourite number cruncher, he is clearly economically literate, unlike Harriet Harman, and will be able to twist facts and figures to attack the government as only a Brownite can.  He is no professional for the media, but his smile is nowhere near as scary as Brown’s, and the transformations that can be managed today, with a little coaching, are staggering - think Susan Boyle.

If he can convince the big trade unions to keep industrial unrest in check, his populist brand of socialism could tap into the banker-bashing zeitgeist.  As could his claim that the deficit can be reduced without much pain.  Voters might say they back tough cuts right now, but it is easy to say that before their impact starts to bite.

Worst of all for David Cameron is that Ed Miliband is a relative unknown – both in politics and public.  A fresh face gives him an enormous advantage - which his brother, David Miliband, would not have had

Echo Reports Lincoln MPs Twitter Misjudgement, But Triumphs On BBC Radio Lincolnshire

The Lincolnshire Echo is today reporting that Karl McCartney MP, Conservative (Lincoln), who posted a message on his Twitter feed has strongly criticised people who oppose plans supported by the parliamentarian to bring horse racing to Lincoln's West Common.

The comments came after the paper reported on the Lincoln Commons Advisory Panel's decision to reject plans for the racecourse and recommend to the City of Lincoln Council's Executive that it does not grant an initial lease.

Above: Karl McCartney,
Member of Parliament for
the Lincoln Constituency

Mr. McCartney tweeted:

"It says a lot that Labour councillors and anti brigade try to judge everyone's motives by their own standards and twisted hate-filled republican logic."

The paper reports that the tweet has left residents and the six hundred people who signed a petition against a racecourse wondering whether Mr. McCartney is listening to them.

Ms Jane Kirman of Hewson Road, voted Conservative in the General Election. is reported to have said:

"He should listen to the people who put him into power."

The Lincolnshire Echo asked Mr. McCartney how he thought people might feel and report that he said:

"I would never insult the six hundred people who signed the petition as they have rightly wanted to have their say, but the premise of the information in the petition is incorrect.

"The problem has been the way the proposals have been wrongly portrayed by those who willfully have done so, aided and abetted by certain media.

"Yesterday's story in the Echo started with the line 'plans to bring back racing on Lincoln's West Common'. This is not the case because the plans put forward are about looking at whether it is viable to do so and do not say it should definitely go ahead at all.

"This has been about The Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Company Ltd and Lincoln Racecourse Trust being allowed to investigate if racing is viable."

The company, of which Mr. McCartney is a director, is asking Lincoln City Council for a heads of term lease. It is with this lease secured that the company would start to work up a masterplan. But the Commons Advisory Panel, the paper reports, has agreed that if the company wanted to create a masterplan, it should go ahead without the lease, which the company wants to demonstrate the authority is interested in the project.

The authority will decide later in the year whether to accept the recommendation.

Mr. McCartney later edited his Twitter feed to read:

"It says a lot that some Labour councillors and a tiny majority of anti brigade try to judge anyone's motives by their own standards."

Mr. McCartney, early this morning, spoke on BBC Radio Lincolnshire and talked about the Echo's story and vehemently denied that he did not listen to local people and that a deal had already been done.

Apology from the BBC

Readers may recollect that I commented in my General Election Summary Briefing that the BBC's One Show last Thursday aired a piece about is being from a priviledge background going to hamper David Cameron's attempts to become Prime Minister. Iain Dale picked up the story and there was some coverage in the press about the BBC receiving over one hundred complaints.

I have had this by way of a responce to my complaint:

"Thank you for contacting us about the recent One Show item on class and politics. We've now had the opportunity to discuss your concerns with the editor of the programme and he’s asked us to pass on his response to you:

"I am sorry you felt the film was unfair to the Conservative Party and I would like to start my reply by acknowledging that we should have made clear that the film was one of a number of profiles of the main political parties. In this case the aim was to show it was no longer necessarily the case that voters felt a politician’s public school education or privileged background was a reason not to vote for them. The views of potential voters were evenly balanced on this point in the film and we highlighted the fact that Labour’s 'toff' attacks on the Conservative candidate at the Crewe and Nantwich bye-election had not worked. The film also highlighted Tony Blair’s attendance at a public school termed 'the Eton of the North' by one contributor. However I do accept that, overall, the reporting style and tone of the film may have under-played these points and led some to the impression of unfairness to the Conservative Party. The One Show production team is very aware of its responsibilities to ensure fairness in our output and I apologise that, on this occasion, the film did not fully do justice to that aim."

"We'd like to assure you that we've registered your comments on our audience log. This is the internal report of audience feedback which we compile daily for all programme makers and commissioning executives within the BBC, and also their senior management. It ensures that your points, and all other comments we receive, are circulated and considered across the BBC. Thanks again for taking the time to contact us with your concerns."

Former Council Leader Drops Planning Application

Former Leader of West Lindsey District Council, Cllr. Bernard Theobald, (Wold View Ward), has dropped attempts to build a country house following rejection on appeal the Lincolnshire Echo is reporting.

Cllr. Theobald submitted proposals to develop a five-bedroom property on land he part-owns with colleague Cllr. Stuart Kinch, (Torksey Ward) and their respective wives for £155,000, before drawing up designs to turn the former sawmill site into a residential property at South Owersby in June.

The application was due to go before the council's planning committee with a report recommending it should be approved but was removed after serious concerns were expressed about it. Following the authority's failure to meet a statutory deadline to make a decision, Cllr. Theobald sent an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. But the former leader has now admitted defeat in his bid to build the property on the land after the Planning Inspectorate dismissed his case.

In the report, case inspector Alison Lea said:

"It is clear the council had concerns in respect of the approach adopted by the planning officer in the report marked draft/incomplete.

"Although the council failed to articulate those concerns in any detail, in my opinion the council did have substantive reasons to justify delaying the determination and this is not a case where development which should clearly have been permitted has been prevented or delayed.

"Indeed, I do not agree with the conclusion reached in the draft/incomplete report and have dismissed the appeal."

Cllr. Theobald said:

"It's a standard format – they look at the planning application, take a view and come to a decision.

"You never know which way it will go. That application has run its course."

BBC Radio Lincolnshire is also reporting that the a planning officer who was suspended by West Lindsey District Council has now resigned from the authority.

At a meeting of Nettleham Parish Council it was reported by Cllr. Malcolm Leaning, Liberal Democrat (Nettleham Ward), that Mr. Ian Dickinson, the Planning Officer who was responsible for the Lincoln Rugby Football Club's planning application had been sacked. The Chairman of the Parish Council, Cllr. Terry Williams pointedly requested that Cllr. Leaning wished the minutes to reflect that Mr. Dickinson had been sacked and Cllr. Leaning confirmed that was what he had been told. The following morning Cllr. Leaning clarified, via email, that:

"Although I repeated what I had been directly told last evening - I now have been informed that Ian Dickinson has left WLDC by ‘mutual agreement’.

"He is briefing the temporary Head of Planning today on his outstanding work which will include the ‘Rugby Club’ application."

Gillian Merron Surprise Appearance on Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two

Much to the surprise of many no doubt Gillian Merron MP (Lincoln) appeared on tonight's BBC 2 'It Takes Two' - the sister show of the BBC's highly acclaimed Strictly Come Dancing.

Gillian Merron appears in prime time on BBC 2's 'It Takes Two' about twenty minutes into the show commenting on the government's Dance4Life inititive.

The Minister of State for Public Health recently launched a nationwide government campaign to get 100,00 more people active through dance.

The Department of Health’s 'Dance Champions' Group, including Arlene Phillips - a former judge on Strictly Come Dancing who left earlier in the year and was replaced, controversially by Alisha Dixson - former Come Dancing presenter Angela Rippon, Capital Radio’s Lisa Snowden and Strictly Come Dancing pro Darren Bennett, joined with Gillian Merron to announce a nationwide tour to get the country dancing in the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games.

The City MP spoke of her experience in joining Lincoln's Park Street Age Concern's 'line dancing' class, to illustrate how dance can bring people together and improve fitness and flexibility for all ages.

Gillian Merron said:

"Our Dance Champions are some of the best known and leading talents of the dance world, but you don’t have to be a professional to enjoy dancing and feel the positive effect it can have on your health.

"People of all ages and abilities can get active to music and have a lot of fun too.

"Park Street Age Concern's 'line dancing' class is a perfect example of how everyone of every ability can get involved, and I was pleased to launch today's campaign using this lesson from Lincoln.

"The Chief Medical Officer recommends that adults do 30 minutes of physical activity at least five times a week, but over 27 million of us don’t manage it. With the leadership of the dance champions, we want to capture the national enthusiasm for dance and get at least 100,000 more adults active through dance in the run up to the 2012 Olympics.

"The Dance Champions will help to make Dance4Life 'come to life' for thousands of people across the country"

Certainly she has stolen a march on Conservative parliamentary hopeful, Karl McCartney in terms of publicity by bagging a few moments in the prime time evening slot show. Karl had previously managed to generate a full front page of the Lincolnshire Echo earlier in the year when he appeared with shadow Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt outlining potential plans for the Lincoln Racecourse on Carholme Road - an achievement that not even Ms. Merron has managed in her twelve year career. Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Reg Shore has also been getting some publicity for his campaign against Bernard Theobald's leadership of West Lindsey District Council and investigations into possible fraud and mismanagement in the planning department.

Local County Councillor Appears on BBC's Newsnight

Lincolnshire County Councillor, former Parliamentary Candidate for the Lincoln Constituency in 2001, Cllr. Mrs. Christine Talbot, Conservative (Bracebridge Heath and Waddngton Division) appeared on last night's Newsnight programme on the BBC 2 television channel commenting upon the South West Norfolk Constituency's meeting to deselect Liz Truss who a few weeks ago was selected as their parliamentary candidate.

Introducing the item, iconic Newsnight presenter, Jeremy Paxman, said:

"If someone told you a year ago the greatest challenge to David Cameron's Tory leadership would come from a bunch nick-named the 'turnip taliban' in rural Norfolk, you'd have had trouble being believed.

"Tonight's meeting about whether to de-select Elizabeth Truss as candidate because they didn't know she had an affair with a married Tory MP, Mark Field, a few years ago was surely the most exciting thing to happen in Swaffham since a cardboard box was seen blowing down the High Street.

"In the event a majority backed her, and back down from a confrontation with Mr. Cameron."

After a video package by political correspondent Michael Crick, including footage of Sir Jeremy Bagge - named as leader of the turnip taliban - and the suggestion that if Mrs. Truss was not de-selected he may stand for parliament for a newly created party - Christine Talbot emerged with Sue Catling, a management consultant, Conservative candidate for Calder Valley in 2005 who was de-selected and replaced by Mrs. Truss. Cllr. talbot was asked about the disconnect between the membership of the party and the wider electorate. She responded:

"The problem we face within the party is this centralised control that's going on. And when the rule changed in July that only six candidates could go forward to the selection process it narrowed it down. In the good old days at least twenty went to the first interview and the Association picked those themselves."

Later Cllr. Talbot, responding to criticism of the narrownes of the membership of the Conservative Party says:

"At the end of the day their is a cross section of members in this country which are now in associations they are the people who have got to work with people."

More than two hundred members of South West Norfolk Conservative Association turned-out to participate in the meeting. The final result was 132 for and 37 against keeping Mrs. Truss as the candidate. Speaking following the confirmation of her selection Mrs. Truss said:

"I am absolutely delighted to have been confirmed as the Parliamentary Candidate for South West Norfolk and very much look forward to working with everybody with in the Conservative Association to kick the Labour party out at the election."

Watch the BBC Newsnight's Report on Liz Truss here.