Grand Stand Fenced Off Amid Safety Concerns

Nettleham Parish Council working with Nettleham Football Club has been forced to fence off the Grand Stand at Mulsanne Park following concern highlighted in a Health and Safety Report submitted to the Council.

The Parish Council's Property Committee had raised some concerns at a meeting earlier in the year that, following the annual Village Inspection, that there may be some areas of concern relaing to the Grand Stand. A site meeting was organised between representatives of the Parish Council and Football Club and it was agreed that an inspection by a qualified Health and Safety Assessor take place.

The Parish Council were advised to fence off the area and seek the expert advise of an engineer as to the sturctural viability of the stand and the effect of a number of remedial action undertaken on the stand may have had to the stands viability.

Chairman of the Mulsanne Park Users Group, Cllr. Giles McNeill said:

"It is unfortunate that we ahve had to take this action. It is also unfortunate that this is having an impact on the Football Club; closing off the stand reduces access to the away duggout. The stand, and the seating seperately, has been assessed as having potential structural problems which the Council and Football Club must address and, I am confident, will address as quickly as possible."

WLDC Grant Up To £100,000 To Help Welton Reach Their Goal

The Lincolnshire Echo is reporting that sports facilities in a village, identified as important to football development, in Lincolnshire could be given £100,000 funding.


Welton Manor Park playing fields, in Welton, are the subject of redevelopment plans by the village's football club and parish council which could cost up to £600,000.

West Lindsey District Council has agreed in principle to provide £100,000 from a cash pot for sporting projects in villages near Lincoln, if the two groups can secure the remaining funding within the next two years.

According to planning documents, the village football club runs more than thirty teams but some have to play in nearby areas due to a lack of facilities at the playing fields.

This situation is believed to be 'hampering' the club's development and prevents it from offering opportunities to women and disabled footballers.

Welton is viewed by the Football Association as a 'strategic area' for developing the game within the county and improving the site is expected to help this progress.

Welton-by-Lincoln Parish Council has been working in partnership with the football club for a revamp of the site, which aims to include new football pitches, changing rooms and accommodation for a number of sports activities plus meeting rooms.

Clerk to the Parish Council, Mrs. Julie Murray is reported to have said financial help from West Lindsey would be of 'great benefit' to the proposal.

"It's a project which is really in its infancy at the moment and we are trying to raise some funds for it to go ahead.

"Several funding sources have been approached and West Lindsey is one of them. We have been talking about this project for two or three years. It's been something on the back burner for a while as we have been trying to raise funds."

£75,000 pitch on cards for Market Rasen

A £75,000 replacement artificial turf pitch is on the cards for the De Aston School in Market Rasen.

Members of West Lindsey District Council are looking to contribute £30,000 towards the project which eventually be repaid through savings made under a new leisure contract.

It is hoped that the balance of money needed will come from the school and the Football Foundation.

Leader of the Council, Cllr. Bernard Theobald said:

"The County Council paid for the artificial pitch more than 25 years ago and the district council paid for floodlights so it could be used by the community in the evenings.

"It continues to be well used - particularly by football teams - but sadly it now reached the end of its expected lifespan.

"The replacement of the artificial pitch will bring hugh benefits to a large number of people in the Market Rasen area. We will be asking the Council to set aside £30,000 in next year's budget and to recoup it from savings achieved over the new five year leisure management contract."