'Shock and Anger' As Labour Council Candidate is Convicted of £100,000 Fraud

Labour Parliamentary Candidate for the Gainsborough Constituency, David Prescott (son of former Deputy Prime Minister John (now Lord) Prescott), has taken to twitter to distance himself, and party leader Ed Miliband, from a convicted fraudsters' standing as a Labour Council Candidate.

Above: David Prescott (Labour Parliamentary Candidate

for Gainsborough), Labour Party Leader Ed Miliband and

Ms Charmaine Bowers, Labour Party Candidate for the

Gainsborough North Ward

Mr. Prescott tweeted:

"I'm shocked & angry one of our council candidates has pleaded guilty to fraud. She has been suspended by the party."

The Grimsby Telegraph reported yesterday that Labour District Council Candidate Ms Charmaine Bowers, of Laceby Road, Grimsby and her mother Mrs. Tina Bowers, both pleaded guilty at Plymouth Crown Court to six counts of fraud by false representation and has been jailed for a festival ticket fraud involving more than £100,000.

Prosecutor Andrew Maitland said the pair, who came from Tavistock but now lived in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, were involved in the "sophisticated" fraud between December 2012 and July 2013.

He said Charmaine had falsely claimed on a Facebook page she modelled for Nuts magazine and had access to promotional tickets. He said she had also claimed to earn £8,000 per month modelling for Dior and MAC cosmetics. He said:

"This was a carefully constructed fraud" and the former Face of Plymouth contestant "presented herself in this glamorous life".

Mr Maitland said records seized by detectives found there were "at least 311" people who paid up-front for a unique entrance wristband and confirmation slip.

County Councillor Criticises Town Council Colleagues

A Liberal Democrat County Councillor has launched a bazaar attack on his colleagues on Gainsborough Town Council.

Cllr. Mick Tinker, Liberal Democrat (Gainsborough Hill Division) has demanded to know why his Liberal Democrat colleagues (they have 12 of 18 councillors) in control of Gainsborough Town Council failed to discuss a planning application until only a handful of days remained before a decision would be taken by Lincolnshire County Council.

The criticism is published on the Gainsborough Liberal Democrats website it points out that Gainsborough Town Council received the planning application at the end of November last year, and mentions that three council meetings elapsed before the matter was discussed.  Cllr. Tinker, doubtlessly with one eye on re-election in 2013, objects to a proposal for a waste and refuse facility which will see the districts rubbish being processed potentially close to homes, which have yet to be built.

Whilst it is odd that Cllr. Tinker has attacked a council run by his Liberal Democrat colleagues, what is truly surprising is that Mr. Barry Coward, the Chairman of Gainsborough Liberal Democrats, who took up his post at the start of 2012, has decided to publish the article on an official party website. It will be interesting to see what, if any, response follows from the Liberal Democrats on Gainsborough Town Council.

Edward Leigh MP Welcomes Eric Pickles' Visit

Mrs. Suzanne Scott, Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP,
Edward Leigh MP and Cllr. Burt Keimach.

Edward Leigh, who represents the Gainsborough Constituency, welcomed the Rt. Hon. Eric Pickles MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to the Gainsborough Constituency on Thursday, 13th October 2011 together with fellow Conservatives, Leader of West Lindsey District Council, Cllr. Burt Keimach and Cllr. William Parry, the authority’s Chairman.

The Secretary of State visited the Hemswell Cliff Primary School to open the community’s new ‘Room of Requirement’ – named with the Harry Potter books in mind. Head teacher Mrs. Suzanne Scott said:

Eric Pickles MP is shown Marshall's Yard
in Gainsborugh flanked by Cllr. Keimach
(Left) and Edward Leigh MP (Right)

“It's a great honour to welcome the secretary of state to our school.

“We are looking forward to using this facility along with our community.”

After opening the facility, The Secretary of State, Edward Leigh, Councillors, council officers and other stakeholders were briefed on the need to regenerate dilapidated former RAF bases into thriving communities. Mr Pickles said:

“I will rattle the MoD's cage on this as this is a place we should celebrate.”

Conservatives Maintain Control of West Lindsey District Council

The Conservatives have maintained their overall control of West Lindsey District Council, and have topped the poll of all twenty five wards.

In the first 'whole' council elections to take place in the district since 1999 the Conservatives emerged as the clear winners of the contest increasing their share of the vote by more than seven percentage points.

Almost 250 presiding officers and poll clerks worked throughout the day, as people cast their votes from 7:00am to 10:00pm.


Support staff also toured the district, which ranges from the Lincoln fringe villages of Saxilby, Nettleham and Fiskerton in the south to Gainsborough and Caistor further north.

Approximately 100 cross-party activists crowded around the rows of tables at the West Lindsey Leisure Centre’s sports hall, in Gainsborough to observe the count of the ballots.

The first box arrived just fifteen minutes after the polls closed, triggering a steady stream of ballot boxes.

The Counting process began at 11:00pm and following more than three hours of verifying the papers, the first result was announced at about 2.45am, with Conservative Ian Fleetwood holding his seat in the Bardney ward.

The former Conservative Group Leader said:

"I am feeling elated. The brilliant news for the taxpayer is we are now on a four-year election cycle and it will cut down on election expenses.

"I will still continue to serve them in the best way possible."

Above: Conservatives celebrate as Roger Patterson takes
Scampton ward from the Liberal Democrats.

The Liberal Democrats had a bad night losing three councillors, including: Scampton, Gainsborough North and Gainsborough East. In Scampton ward Roger Patterson won by just ten votes - a considerable achivement having lost by one vote last year. In Gainsborough North and Gainsborough East Labour had elected it's first two councillors since Irene Tyson was elected in Gainsborough North in the local elections of Thursday, 2nd May 2002.

Council Leader Burt Keimach was quietly confident his party's track record and policies to make at least £1.5 million available to community projects would lead them back into power.

Despite losing £2.5 million of Government funding over the next two years, he said there would be no redundancies in 2011-12 and the authority was aiming to be entrepreneurial by inviting businesses to bid for £3 million.

This would be in the form of a "Dragon's Den-style" initiative, in which the Gainsborough-based authority receives a stake in a company in return for providing money.

The biggest, and saddest, shock came for the Conservative group when one of the council's most widely respected members lost her seat. Mrs. Meg Davidson was ousted by Cllr. Chris Darcel (Independent), who had led a bitter, personal campaign against the mild-mannered, hard working, councillor in the Fiskerton ward contest; losing by just 19 votes.

The Liberal Democrats vote was down considerably (8.62% points) as was the Labour vote, due to the limited number of candidates fielded. Independents came third in the poll with 7.58% of the vote.

The result of the election means that the Conservatives are in a commnding position to lead the authority for the next four years whilst the Liberal Democrats, Labour and various Independents will struggle to have a significant impact.

The final result is Conservatives 21, Liberal Democrats 11, Labour 2 and Independents 3.

Budget 2011: WLDC Consultations

West Lindsey District Council would like to offer all residents and local businesses the opportunity to have your say on how you think the Council should spend its budget for 2011/12.

 

As you will no doubt be aware, times are challenging for local government. With reduced budgets from central government it is critical that we direct our resources in a way that benefits our residents and meets their needs and priorities.

 

The Council will shortly be setting the Council Tax for 2011/12 and, as part of this process, we want to weigh up which services or areas should be prioritised in terms of spending. We would therefore like to invite you to take part in an event which will be used to feed in your views on how you think Council Tax should be spent over the next year.

 

As always, it is important that we hear from all members of the community, so we hope that you can spare about 2 hours of your time to attend one of these events. You do not need any specific knowledge of the Council to take part.

 

The event will take place in a friendly group atmosphere on the following dates and locations:

• Monday 29th November 2010 at Scotter Village Hall at 3:00pm .
• Tuesday 30th November 2010 at Saxilby Village Hall at 6:30pm.
• Tuesday 7th December 2010 at Caistor Town Hall at 3:00pm.
• Tuesday 7th December 2010 at Caistor Town Hall at 6:30pm.
• Thursday 9th December 2010 at Guildhall, Marshall’s Yard, Gainsborough at 3:00pm.
• Thursday 9th December 2010 at Guildhall, Marshall’s Yard, Gainsborough at 6:30pm.
• Tuesday 14th December 2010 at Old School Hall, Nettleham at 6:30pm.

Attached below is the poster advertising this event. If you have any questions or queries please contact Katy Allen on 01427 675149 or on katy.allen@west-lindsey.gov.uk.

 

Go Ahead For 2,500 New Homes Plan

A major housing development which will help double the size of Gainsborough in the next twenty years has been given the go-ahead.

Leader of West Lindsey District Council, Cllr. Burt Keimach, Conservative (Market Rasen Ward), has welcomed the news. He said:

"This is excellent news for Gainsborough as it means the development that will support the regeneration of the town can be decided locally. It also fits in well with the Government's agenda for people to shape their own future

"We can now proceed to determine the application in line with the Planning Committee's decision and continue the regeneration of Gainsborough."

As previously reported, the council granted outline planning permission for 2,500 homes to be built on land south of Foxby Lane, in the South West Ward of Gainsborough.  However, because the scale of the development is different from the local policy, the final decision had to be approved by the Government.

This week, the council received a letter from the Government Office for the East Midlands. It read:

"In the Secretary of State's view, the proposed (application) does not raise issues of such wider significance as to require a determination by him and he has, therefore, concluded that your council should decide the application."

Plans for the development include two primary schools, shops, a doctors' surgery and a multi-use centre.

The development will be complemented with large open spaces and parks and access to nearby woodlands together with pedestrian and cycle routes.

Chief Executive of the Council Mrs. Manjeet Gill said:

"This new development is another positive sign of confidence in the future of Gainsborough. It will provide a major employment boost in the construction stage and will eventually support 1,500 new jobs in the business, industrial, retail and home worker sectors.

It's crucial we get the plans right by ensuring the right infrastructure and services will be in place to cope with the increase in demand and we look forward to seeing the details of the planning application."

The applicant will now need to submit further 'reserved matters' applications, to deal with the detail of the site.

The timescale for this and the start date for building is in the hands of the developer.

However, it is planned that the development will take 12-13 years to complete with about 200 new homes being added each year.

New Community Sports Centre Opened In Gainsborough

Above: Marshalls Sport Pavilion official opening
(Left to Right) Mr. Brian Dalby, Mr. James Nicholson,
Cllr. Mrs. Jackie Brockway, Cllr. William Parry and
Mr. Chris Barry.

A new energy efficient sports facility, which has cost almost £900,000, has been built in West Lindsey to benefit the whole community.

Marshalls Sport Pavilion on Gainsborough's Middlefield Lane has been fitted with solar water heaters to provide hot water to the showers and basins, natural ventilation in the function room, efficient lighting and much more.

The facility was officially opened by the deputy chairman of West Lindsey District Council, Cllr. William Parry, Conservative (Scotter Ward).

Cllr. Parry said: "I was privileged to officially open this superbamenity building of changing rooms and function roomfor the Marshalls Sports Clubs.

Funding from the Football Foundation and Gainsborough Development Trust, as well as the District Council, has enabled this excellent sports facility to be built."

West Lindsey District Council took over the running of the site from Marshall's Sports and Social Club about three years ago.

The original pavilion was in a bad state of repair and unusable.

However, sports groups continued to play on the fields and used portable cabins to change in to their team colours.

Now thanks to the funding, a new energy saving building has been built, providing top class facilities for teams to use.

It has been designed by the council's Technical and Contract Services team and Ross Davy Associates and was built by local contractors Gelders. Mr. Steve Gelder managing director of Gelders said:

"It is a fantastic building and by using local contractors you get more of an affinity with the project."

The facility has the following:

• Six changing rooms with their own showers and toilets
• A large function room
• Kitchen and stores
• Two official changing rooms
• Bag/equipment storage
• Entrance foyer with toilets
• The car park has also been extended.

Mr. Brian Dalby, Director of the Gainsborough Development Trust, said:

"This really is a superb facility. The money we have put into this project is surplus from the work carried out on the Riverside and it is good to see this project has also brought money into the town."

Mr. Chris Barry, Technical Advisor for the Football Foundation, grew up in the town and uses the facility regularly said:

"It is fantastic to see this good quality building open in Gainsborough as this is something that has been needed for a long time."

Mr. Graham Lyner, Chairman of the Lincolnshire Football Association, who has been campaigning for a facility like this for about ten years said:

"There has been a lack of facilities in Gainsborough. This building is absolutely wonderful. I would like to say congratulations to everyone who has been involved in making this come true. It is a credit to the town."

Cllr. Mrs. Jackie Brockway, Conservative (Saxilby Ward), chairman of Community and Waste Services Committee was pleased to be at the launch. Speaking to everyone involved in the project, she said:

"You have not just built a building you have built a legacy of opportunity, good health and community. You have not just done it - you have done it well and I thank you."

The facility is fully inclusive for different social group mixes and will help the 14 children's teams, bowls, and cricket and football teams.

Mr. Dave Andrews, Chairman of Marshall's Cricket Club, said seeing the building had made him speechless. He said:

"It is a fantastic facility - beyond my wildest dreams."

From Wednesday, 1st September 2010, the facility will be handed over to Gainsborough Town Council, who will be taking over the running of it.

Mr. Paul Leeder, Clerk to Gainsborough Town Council, said:

"I think this is a fantastic facility. A lot of people have put in a lot of hard work in to getting this facility here. It would be good to get more people to use it not just sports groups."

Market Traders Will Move to First-Class Refurbished Market

Loyal Gainsborough market trader Mr. Flynn Harding ca not wait for the town's £3 million refurbishment to be finished.  The end of the work will mean the traders can move back into their brand new Market Place home on Tuesday, 24th August 2010.

Stallholders will be able to take advantage of a first-class trading environment.  Mr. Harding works on the fruit and veg stall on the market.  He said:

"Moving the market to a new temporary site was always going to be difficult.

"But I am sure it will all be worth it in the end when we have a town centre that will rival any other in Lincolnshire and for miles around."

Mr. Harding has been working on Gainsborough market for 25 years. He said:

"It is a good atmosphere working on the market. You have good banter with people who come back to see you week after week.

"The refurbishment has affected the whole town but everyone is looking forward to getting back to normal.

"It will certainly look a lot better once the work has been completed."

A job of this size is bound to take time, but compared to other areas the Gainsborough work has been done very quickly, to minimise disruption.  Traders and retailers have been fully informed and consulted throughout the whole process.

The council has frozen the Tuesday stall rents since April 2008 and, in response to requests from traders reduced the Saturday rents.  A special family fun day is now being planned to celebrate the official re-launch of the market.  Celebrity Chef Rachel Green, has agreed to return to the town to mark the occasion and will give a cookery demonstration on the day.

Mr. Peter Thurlow, Co-op manager said:

"We are really looking forward to a positive trading performance when the market returns.

"It will look absolutely stunning. There has been a lot of investment in Gainsborough in recent years, especially with Marshalls Yard and it is fitting the town centre has been updated to.

"We hope local residents and people in surrounding villages and towns will continue to support the market."

Leader of West Lindsey District Council, Cllr. Burt Keimach, Conservative (Market Rasen Ward), explained the refurbishments have been carried out to benefit the town and the local traders.

"We need a modern town centre to serve Gainsborough as it continues to grow and prosper over the next 20 years, when the town will benefit from the Growth Point status which means the town will double in size."

Big Improvement Plans for Gainsborough

The cost of bringing all homes in Gainsborough's South West Ward up to the national Decent Homes Standard has been estimated at £5.5 million.

The figure is contained in a Neighbourhood Renewal Assessment commissioned by West Lindsey District Council aimed at making improvements to the whole area.

The report says that on average each property in need of work will cost £6,300 to repair and it is envisaged that only a very small number of properties will need to be demolished - instead the emphasis is likely to be on retro-fitting existing properties to bring them up to scratch.

At a meeting of the Economic Development and Regeneration Committee, councillors agreed to take the next step towards making improvements by holding an open day with residents to discuss the options and gather local views.

Housing and Renewal Manager, Mr. Grant Lockett said:

"The consultation report confirms much of what we already thought. The area contains 1,390 homes and 75% of them are terraced with 85% built before 1919.

"Much of the area has little or no open space or play areas and there is not much in the way of off road parking.

"Sadly, the most common type of crime in the area is criminal damage and this is a common finding in areas with high levels of deprivation."

The area also suffers from high levels of unemployment (7.5% compared to the West Lindsey average of 5.9%) and it is officially the most deprived area in the district. House prices are 38% lower than the district average and 52% below the national average.

Mr. Lockett added: "

In general, local people like the area, they find it friendly with a real sense of community with good access to shops and takeaways.

"And what most people seem to be agreed on is that more green space and children's play areas would be a great boost as would a really good clean up which would improve the way people feel.

"There is quite a lot of litter in the area and when this is coupled with a large number of run down properties there is a feeling that no-one cares - which is really unfair because we believe the residents really do care."

Sadly, consultation has revealed that 50% of over 75s feel very unsafe but any idea that young people are the main 'threat' does not hold true as 35% of them said they too feel unsafe on the streets.

Chairman of the Economic Development and Regeneration Committee, Cllr. Jeff Summers, Conservative (Waddingham & Spital Ward) said that the survey had also revealed that 42% of residents were receiving benefits, 15% were disabled, 25% had an income of less than £10,000 and there is a broad range of house types and ages.

"Throughout the consultation, unemployment was a common factor and many thought this was the major contributor to many of the other issues suffered in the area. More than 70% of people thought that unemployment was a big problem.

"People told us that the main barriers to getting a job were the low number of opportunities available, poor transport links, a low skills and education base and a benefit culture which means there is little incentive for people to find work."

Another plus point was that 57% of people in the area believed the police are providing an above average service and 58% believe that the refuse collection service is above average.

But dog fouling, vandalism and the misuse of drugs were all considered to be problems and more than half the business owners felt the Council could do more to help them make improvements to commercial buildings.

In terms of the homes themselves, the survey revealed that 90% of properties would benefit from having new central heating installed. This would also improve the energy efficiency and reduce running costs to householders.

The major hazard of excess cold was found in 48% of properties, 35% had a danger of a fall on the stairs and 15% had the danger of a fall on the level. There were also major problems with electrical hazards, food safety and the presence of carbon monoxide.

As a result of all these issues, the average price of a house in the area in 2009 was £61879 - well below the national average of £160,000 and the Lincolnshire average of just under £130,000.

Cllr. Summers added:

"There is no doubt that there is much to be done in South West Ward but we believe that with the co-operation and understanding of local residents we can make real and very tangible improvements."

Shopping Centre Plans Demonstrate More Confidence In Gainsborough

Plans for a shopping centre including a convenience food store in Gainsborough have been approved by West Lindsey District Council.

Applicants Tillbridge Developments and Thonock & Somerby Estates have got the green light to develop a former commercial site that has now been cleared off Corringham Road close to the Trent Valley Academy and opposite a modern housing estate.

A food store will be the main building on the site and there will also be five other units and parking for thirty-three customers and ten staff.

Leader of the Council, Cllr. Burt Keimach, Conservative (Market Rasen Ward) said:

"At a time when development throughout the country is still largely stalled as a result of the recession, this is another massive vote of confidence in the future of Gainsborough. It is vitally important that the largest town in West Lindsey will now act as a focal point to create jobs for the entire district that will benefit many families in all our communities.

"The fact that the town has Growth Point Status which will see Gainsborough double in size in the next twenty years will continue to make the area attractive to investors and I look forward to seeing more schemes like this which will ultimately benefit the whole district."

A report from planners warned of the need to protect the viability of the town centre from out of town developments, but approval came after a study calculated the catchment area for the Tillbridge development as being from the railway and The Avenue in the west, to the A631 in the east and from The Belt in the north through to Whites Wood Lane in the south.

Cllr Keimach added:

"Properties in this area are within a fifteen minute walk of the site which is the accepted guide. There are currently no convenience outlets in the main catchment area so as well as being a good new facility for local people, I think this scheme will also be well placed to serve new development planned for the area."

Permission has been granted subject to conditions including layout and design of an access road, landscaping and approval of a drainage system.

A spokesman for West Lindsey District Council's planning department confirmed that a second application, from a company called Morbaine in Cheshire, had been submitted for a site also at Corringham Road.

During pre-application discussions, Morbaine had been told that officers felt that the scale of their application was too large, but they applied anyway and the scheme was refused.
The latest position is that a written request has been received from a ward councillor that the new application should be reported to the planning committee rather than be dealt with by officers under delegated powers.

If this course of action is agreed the earliest date the councillors could consider it would be the July meeting. An objection has been received to this second application from Marshall's Yard.

The Council stressed that the authority needed to be sure that the scale of the development was in line with the local neighbourhood it would serve and that it would not have a negative impact on the town centre.

A Record Number of Candidates are Fighting the General Election

With nominations for the six hundred and fifty constituencies now closed, it has been confirmed that a record four thousand one hundred and forty-nine candidates are standing at this general election - equivalent to six point candidates per seat across the United Kingdom.

1987 (2,325) was probably the last time when the average constituency in England saw a three-way fight (alongside (four-way contests in Scotland and Wales).

In 1992 (2,948) we then saw the emergence of hundreds of extra candidates from the Green Party and the Natural Law Party, whilst 1997 (3,724) then saw the intervention of the Referendum Party, which stood in the vast majority of seats.

The total dipped in 2001 (3,133), but has since continued to rise, arriving at that figure of just over four thousand for this year's general election.

According to the Press Association, four minor parties are fighting more than 100 constituencies, which are:

United Kingdom Independence Party - 557
British National Party - 337
Green - 334
English Democrats - 106

There are more than one hundred other minor parties putting up candidates, with more than three hundred individuals standing as Independents as well.

In the Gainsborough Constituency the candidates are:

Edward Leigh, Conservative
Pat O'Connor, Liberal Democrat
Jamie McMahon, Labour
Steven Pearson, United Kingdom Independence Party
Malcolm Porter, British National Party

Local Parliamentarian to Chair Faldingworth Meeting

Mr. Edward Leigh MP, Conservative (Gainsborough Constituency) will chair a public meeting Today, Friday, 26th March 2010, to discuss noise from explosive testing at Faldingworth.

The meeting to be held at 7:00pm at the village hall will discuss investigations carried out by West Lindsey District Council on behalf of local residents. The Council has also been informing local people of test dates through their website and noise measurements have been taken from the garden of a local resident.

As there is no industry-specific legal guidance on noise from explosive testing, the Council commissioned specialist noise consultants to produce a report with recommendations about how the situation might be improved for local residents.

The consultants will give a presentation on their noise report and there will be an opportunity for questions after the presentation.

Mr. Chris Allen, Public Protection Services Manager at West Lindsey and Mr. Dave Norman from the Health and Safety Executive, will also be on the panel.

Mr. Allen said:

"The public meeting provides an opportunity to share the consultant's noise report on the Faldingworth site and to seek the views of local residents in taking forward the recommendations."

Liberal Democrat Dentist Cleared of Five Sexual Assualt Charges

Update to 'Lib Dem Dentist Denies Sexual Assault Charges As 'Bizarre' and 'Ridiculous'', 'Former Local Lib Dem Councillor 'Groped Breasts of Four Patients' Court Told', 'Dentist Facing Fresh Sexual Assault Charges In Court' and 'Three Charges of Sexual Assault Denied by Lib Dem'.

Dr. Adrian Heath, who failed to get elected as a Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament at the last General Election, was accused of 'weighing' the breasts of one of his victims before he 'tweaked' her nipple.

Right: Dr. Adrian Heath outside Nottingham Crown Court.

Dr. Heath, of Rosebury Avenue, Lincoln, was cleared by a jury at Nottingham Crown Court of five counts of sexual assault.

It was alleged he assaulted four different women between November 2007 and August 2008. After leaving the dock, Dr. Heath fell into the arms of his wife, Cllr. Mrs. Helen Heath, Liberal Democrat (Carholme Ward) and burst into a flood of tears.

During the eight-day trial, he described the allegation he groped one his patients at the Genesis Dental Care practice in Gainsborough, as 'bizarre' and 'ridiculous'.

Left: Dr. Adrian Heath with Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Cllr. Pat O'Connor, Liberal Democrat (Gainsborough North Ward & Gainsborough Trent Division).

Dr Heath denied ever touching the woman inappropriately. He said he was checking her glands around her mouth for signs of infection after she complained of an abscess.

He told the court:

"I unequivocally deny that I sexually touched her. I completely reject these accusations. I think they are bizarre. It's ridiculous."

Dr. Heath, formally a Liberal Democrat West Lindsey District Councillor for the Cherry Willingham Ward, who lost out to the Edward Leigh MP, Conservative (Gainsborough) in the 2005 General Election, left the court without making any comment.

Citizens Advice Bureau Sees Increase In Calls

The Gainsborough Standard is reporting that troubled economic times have led to an 'unprecedented' surge in people seeking help from staff and volunteers at the West Lindsey Citizens Advice Bureau.

The papers reporter, Ms Jen Foster, visited the Citizens Advice Bureau office on North Street, Gainsborough to learn more about the work they do.
West Lindsey District councillors have recently voted to give increased funding to the bureau.

Ms Jenny Barnett, Bureau Manager, is reported to have said

"This office does not just cover Gainsborough but the whole of West Lindsey. We offer general advice on a range of issues including debt, benefits, finances, tax, housing, consumer, family and relationship issues.

"Helping people builds on their self esteem and ultimately creates community cohesion. There are many volunteers helping at the bureau and this has been the ethos of the CAB for more than seventy years."

The Citizens Advice Bureau goes back to 1938 when the prospect of war loomed, the National Council of Social Services, the forerunner of today's National Council of Voluntary Organisations, established a group to look at how to meet the war-time needs of the civilian population.

The group recommended that Citizens Advice Bureaux be established, particularly in the large cities where social disorganisation was expected to be 'acute'.

War was declared on Sunday, 3rd September 1939 and the first two hundred bureaux opened on Monday, 4th September 1939. Arrangements for bureaux varied wildly – one even operated out of a horsebox. Seven decades later, the Citizens Advice Bureau are advising two million clients on six million problems from three thousand three hundred locations.

The Citizens Advice Bureau in Gainsborough is staffed by seventeen paid staff, and thirteen volunteers, and demand for their services is going up and up as the recession forces more people to get their heads round issues like debts, and redundancy. In 2010, the town's bureau expects to receive over eight thousand queries from more than two thousand people.

"The past year has been a particularly difficult time for people. There are those who would not have needed our services in the past who are now having to get in touch.

"Our services are always free, independent, and impartial, and everything discussed will remain strictly confidential."

Volunteers can use their time at the Citizens Advice Bureau to gain valuable skills for the workplace, increase confidence, keep active, or to try to make a difference to other people's lives.

She added:

"It is very rewarding and satisfying work. It is a chance to help people take control of their lives. We have a great team of hard-working staff and volunteers, and they all say they feel like they are giving something back to the community."

One of those volunteers is named as Mr. Phil Simon, the paper reports, who started at the centre about ten months ago, works on the 'gateway' advice line, where people phone in and Mr. Simon can assist them with their enquiry or helps refer them or put them through to the appropriate Citizens Advice Bureau agency.

"Spending time here is a great way to help a section of the local community, and the people here are superb which makes it all very enjoyable."

The Citizens Advice Bureau is in an independent charity with a core of funding through Government grants but they are also reliant on charitable grants.

"We are very grateful for the support of the district and town council, and we can use this funding to increase our services. One of our objectives in the future is to reach out to people in particularly rural areas."

The Citizens Advice Bureau on 26 North Street is open from 9.30am-1.30pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays with sessions by appointment only. Translation services are available.
To speak to an advisor, or if you would like to become a volunteer you can call 01427 810914. Advice provided is free, independent, confidential, and available to anyone regardless of race, agenda, disability, sexual orientation, age, or nationality

Edward Leigh MP: What a Conservative Government Must Achieve

Edward Leigh writes on ConservativeHome:

Introduction: A sorry state of affairs

Recently I was day-dreaming about what I might write on the subject of the first ten years of a Conservative government, if it happens, of course, and if I’m still around in 2020. So here goes, but just in case some eager Labour party researcher spots this, these are mine and no one else’s musings and they are only that!

Taking power for the first time in 13 years, the Conservative government had its work cut out. First of all we had the attitude that we wanted a society built on freedom, responsibility and aspiration. Our aim, our commitment was nothing less than balancing the budget during our mandate. With Public Sector Borrowing Requirement at £175 billion and the deficit running to £848.5bn as of January 2010, the financial outlook was bleak. Our deficit was equivalent to 59.9% of total national output and we were determined to undo the damage New Labour had inflicted on our economy and our communities. The main task facing our new government was how to neutralise the risk of both the IMF and Moody’s downgrading our AAA credit rating and the associated devaluation of sterling. Alistair Darling ignored the demands to cut more, and faster, and so it was up to the new chancellor to grab the bull by horns. It was never going to be easy, but with swift and decisive implementation of the right policies in the right places, we were confident that we could bring about a fundamental change in the way we spent taxpayers’ hard earned cash, and the way this country was governed for the better.

Read the full article here.

It's Official, West Lindsey Still In Growth Despite Recession

The latest figures recorded by the district council on business rates show an increase of 1.23% which equates to thirty-two additional businesses that have begun trading in the last financial year.

Chairman of the Economic and Regeneration Committee, Cllr. Malcolm Parish, Conservative (Welton Ward), said:

"The whole country has suffered a down turn during the recession and West Lindsey has been no exception to that.

"However, these figures show that overall our district is still growing and that is a tremendous feat which really does bode well for the future as trading conditions begin to ease."

Cllr. Parish was optimistic that growth would continue throughout the district - and particularly in Gainsborough.

"A £3 million facelift for the town centre is already underway which will make Gainsborough an even more attractive proposition for businesses and retailers.

"Key features of the plans are the use of York stone paving on the footpaths and in the pedestrian areas, timber seating, a performance area in front of the old Town Hall, improved lighting and signage, 'pop up' electricity supplies for the market and events, and new canopies for the market stalls.

"The project will reinstate the Market Place as a key focal point and provide a vital link between Marshall Yard and Riverside Walk and make the whole town even more attractive."

Gainsborough has been granted Growth Point status by the Government and the town is set to double in size over the next 20 years.

Free Car Parking on Saturday Afternoons

Shoppers in Gainsborough are to enjoy free parking on Saturday afternoons starting this week.
All the town centre car parks are covered by the scheme which is designed to support shops and market traders during the £3,000,000 refurbisment of the Market Place.

Chairman of West Lindsey District Council's Economic and Regeneration Committee, Cllr, Malcolm Parish, Conservative (Welton Ward) said:

"The new-look town centre will be a fantastic improvement for Gainsborough which will be enjoyed by local people and be an added attraction for visitors.

"But in the short-term there will inevitably be some disruption and we feel that by making parking free from 1pm on Saturdays we are going some way towards helping traders in what is already a difficult economic time."

The refurbishment work is scheduled to last until June, and the free parking concession is expected to cost the Council between £3,000 and £4,000 in lost revenue.

Cllr. Parish added: "

The car parks which will be free after 1pm on Saturdays are: North Street, Ship Court, Roseway, Bridge Street and the multi-storey in Beaumont Street.

"Clear signage is being put up to stress when payment is not necessary and I am sure people will take advantage of the opportunity to shop without having to pay to park."

The town centre refurbishment scheme is already underway and will provide a new-look Market Place with something for everyone.

New features will include designated seating areas, access to wifi and a space for entertainment by performance groups.

Cllr Parish said:

"Since Marshall's Yard opened in 2007 more and more people have been visiting Gainsborough. Now we want to bring the rest of the town up to the same standard and really show what we have on offer."

The project will initially focus on Market Place, Silver Street and Lord Street and further work will take place in Market Street and Church Street subject to funding.

Edward Leigh Considers Thoughtcrime

Edward Leigh MP, Conservative (Gansborough) writes on his blog:

"I have a tendency to read two or three books at once and have once again fallen into this bad habit. I am reading George Orwell’s 1984 once again and Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall (about the life of Thomas Cromwell) for the first time. The later is a study of the past, whilst the former was written as a study of the future that has now become the past.


"Wolf Hall highlights the degree to which government, both Protestant and Catholic, peered into men’s souls in Tudor times, which was frightening.

"1984 is not just a satire on Totalitarianism; it is satire on all dominant political thought processes. Nowadays, ours is a kind of vapid centralist social democracy which is utterly dominant in both the so called right and left parties all over Europe."

Read the full article here...

GE2010: Gainsborough: Edward Ligh 'I believe' #2

Edward Leigh (Conservative) MP for the Gainsborough Constituency in the first of a series of regular articles, published on his website, in which he will talk about the issues that matter leading up to the election, Mr. Leigh presents his views on the topic of social security.

Education

As the father of six children I am very interested in education. My wife and I have tried a mix of all types of education for our children; state and private, English and French, day and boarding, faith and secular.

I am not an educational theorist, I am only a parent. I believe that at the end of all this, no type of education is consistently superior to any other.

I do believe in the maximum variety of provision to suit all needs, skills and ambitions.

So my conclusion is clear. Head teachers, both in the private and state sectors must be free to run their schools with the greatest possible freedom.

They should be free to hire and fire staff in order to get the best.
They should be free to set wage rates to get the best staff, particularly where teachers are scarce, such as in the teaching of maths.
Head teachers should set their own curriculum and not be bound by a rigid national curriculum.
We should move gradually to a situation where they are able to decide on which pupils join the school and on the criteria upon which this is based. In fact, the overwhelming majority of schools should always be broad based in their ability range.
Eventually I would like to see a time when the money for a pupil’s education follows the pupil. Any pupil at any school should attract the same basic support from the state, with additional support for special needs according to a statement. This would have to be brought in gradually, starting in year R and building up steadily starting in deprived post codes. Naturally traditional HMI inspections would continue to weed out any incompetence.
I believe that if we break down the divisions between the independent and state sectors, if we set our schools free and if head teachers had to respond to parents, not government targets, then we really could have the best education in the world.

GE2010: Gainsborough: Edward Leigh 'I believe' #1

Edward Leigh (Conservative) MP for the Gainsborough Constituency in the first of a series of regular articles, published on his website, in which he will talk about the issues that matter leading up to the election, Mr. Leigh presents his views on the topic of social security.

Social Security


If I am going to ask the people in my constituency to vote for me over the next four or five months, I think they have a right to know what I believe in and what I would like to see a Conservative government achieve.

I am delighted that the Party is focusing on aspiration and responsibility. Years ago during the last Tory government I wrote a paper entitled Responsible Individualism. I know that this is an untidy phrase but by it I meant empowering the individual not to be selfish and self centred, and by improving his lot to help society at large, particularly in education and social security.

I am a Tory because I believe in our history, our traditions. Some may argue that it was the eighteenth century rational enlightenment that was the cause of our liberal tolerant democratic society, but in my opinion so many of our institutions and our society as a whole grew slowly over centuries. It is important therefore to place an emphasis on our history and traditions if we are to keep developing as a nation.

I believe that reason, science and progress can march side by side with the personal reassurance given by religious belief and that religious participation (although worryingly in decline) and ethics has contributed to the undeniable advances against poverty. And it is the decline of religion that has made Western society a less happy place in terms of personal fulfilment and supportive family, despite the immense advances made against poverty. The point here is that despite the huge economic advances and the population being better off why aren’t people happier?

Despite this however, there has been a decline in the supporting structure of the family. Of course, families can take many forms and any one of them can be valid in itself, but for most people the model of a man and a woman making an honest attempt at commitment to each other for life is best. Tax and benefit policies should reflect this.

In truth tax and benefit policies on their own are not going to make people stay together, but they send out a message.

One thing is certain. Benefits can influence behaviour enormously for lower income groups.

If you are faced with marginal tax rates, greater than anything faced by the very rich, and you increase your earnings but end up receiving fewer benefits, leaving you less well off overall, then that is a powerful disincentive to work and aspire to self reliance.

For many years I have argued for a much simpler tax and benefits system.

One of the most successful benefits is child benefit. The level of fraud and error is minimal. This is because it is modest and non-means tested.

During the years of which I have been the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee we have published numerous reports outlining the worrying cases of fraud and error in the current system.

What a Conservative government must do is gradually simplify the system and reduce means testing. It will take enormous political will to implement and carry this out but given the £100 billion bill from social security, the harmful effects to the economy of not doing so would be harder to bear in long term.

Next week I shall share my views and beliefs on the subject of education.
 
Acknowledgement: Edward-Leigh.net | Edward's Ramblings | 07/01/10