West Lindsey District Council Leadership Contenders Emerge

West Lindsey District Council's ruling Conservative group were left leaderless after voters in the Market Rasen Ward kicked out the council's leader Adam Duguid, who had become the Conservative leader in January earlier this year.

Following a net gain of one seat in local elections the Conservatives now have the opportunity to select a new group leader who will ultimately become Leader of the Council, and are expected to do so at the Group's Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 20th May 2010.

The first names to emerge into fray are Cllr. Ian Fleetwood, Conservative (Bardney Ward) and Cllr. Chris Underwood-Frost, Conservative (Scottor Ward). Two men from opposite sides of the district - Scotter in the north-west and Bardney in the south-east.

Cllr. Fleetwood previously held the position of Conservative Group Leader at the authority and is also a Lincolnshire County Council member representing the Bardney and Cherry Willingham Division. In previous contests Cllr. Underwood Frost has also feature as a possible leadership figure.

Cllr. Burt Keimach, Deputy Leader under Adam Duguid's leadership is also expected to enter the leadership contest.

Cllr. Geoff Summers, Conservaitve (Middle Rasen Ward) and Cllr. Jeff Summers, Conservative (Waddingham & Spital Ward) are both expected to enter the race for Deputy Leader.

Police Seize £100,000 Haul In Undercover Operation

More than £100,000 worth of drugs and stolen property have so far been recovered in a special undercover police operation centred on Gainsborough.

Cocaine with a street value of £50,000 and the proceeds of burglaries including lap-top computers have been discovered in the first six weeks of increased action funded by the West Lincolnshire Crime Reduction Partnership.

Chairman, Cllr. Geoff Wiseman, Conservative (Middle Rasen Ward) said:

"Police intelligence alerted us to an increase in crime - particularly committed by people driving into West Lindsey from neighbouring areas - and the Crime Reduction Partnership was delighted to be able to pay for the hire of vehicles and for camera technology which identifies vehicles owned or being driven by known criminals."

The result is that in the first six weeks of the operation sixty-seven arrests have been made which relate to forty offences.

Insp. Phil Baker said: "

Our team of six officers have been working in Gainsborough, Market Rasen and the surrounding villages and the operation has been a huge success.

"The money provided by the Crime Reduction Partnership allowed us to hire vehicles which cannot be identified as police vehicles and this is vital. Equally important is the camera technology which alerts us to vehicles that have been involved in crime before and we have been able to stop and detain the drivers; sometimes as soon as they enter Lincolnshire."

Cllr. Wiseman said the Crime Reduction Partnership had been delighted to help fund the operation which is continuing to pay big dividends.

"The police are sending out a clear message to thieves that if they try to operate in West Lindsey they will be hunted down, caught and put away. We are entirely behind that and I am particularly pleased that the camera technology we have helped to fund sends criminals packing even before they have a chance to cause misery in our district."

£200,000 to Help Tackle Dysfunctional Families

The Lincolnshire Echo is reporting that almost £200,000 of Government cash has been dedicated to tackling problem families in Lincolnshire.


The cash will be used to employ a team of seven who will work to slash rates of antisocial behaviour, domestic violence alcohol and drug abuse and teenage pregnancy. Lincoln, West Lindsey and Boston have been targeted as areas where help is needed.

This was confirmed by the Rt. Hon. Dawn Primarolo MP, Labour (Bristol South), Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, when announcing a further eighty-eight new Family Intervention Projects across the country.

The Government states that research published in November proves that Family Intervention Projects have a lasting impact on the families that have worked with since the scheme was launched in 2007.

Ms Primarolo said:

"Family Intervention Projects challenge, confront and support parents and children to help them change their behaviour for the benefit of the whole family and wider community.

"Prevention is the best way to stop problems with families escalating and impacting their neighbours."

The money awarded by the Department of Children, Schools and Families and Lincolnshire County Council is supplemented by cash already made available by West Lincolnshire Community Safety Partnership and, together, will pay for five key workers plus a manager and administration assistant.

Chairman of the West Lincolnshire Community Safety Partnership, Cllr. Geoff Wiseman, Conservative (Middle Rasen Ward) said:

"We will change behaviour to enable 'chaotic' families to live independently in communities and improve the quality of life for those families.

"We also aim to improve the quality of life for families in the wider community who are 'victims' or witnesses to the behaviour of the chaotic families. 

"It is fantastic news that our bid has been approved and we will be advertising for staff very soon and hope to have the team in place by the end of March and be making a real difference to the lives of the families and the communities concerned very soon after that."

Acknowledgement: Lincolnshire Echo | News | 23/01/10