Meeting with Minister Provides Hope for Hawthorn Road Users

Sir Edward Leigh MP has welcomed assurances from the Rt. Hon. John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Transport, following a meeting with local county, district and parish councillors and representatives of the campaign to save Hawthorn Road from closure, about the scheme's funding from central government.

Above: (Left to Right) Mrs. Sally Lidbury, Mr. Peter Moore, a
civil servant, Rt. Hon. John Hayes MP, Minister for Transport,
and Sir Edward Leigh MP

Concern has been raised by local residents that the scheme, as currently proposed, will lead to the closure of Hawthorn Road in Greetwell, just prior to the boundary of the city of Lincoln, having a detrimental effect on the ability of local people to commute to and from Lincoln. The group protesting the closure does not question, nor oppose, the bypass. However, they consider the retention of the road, as a carriage way, essential.

One of the group's spokesmen, Mrs. Sally Lidbury, told the minister:

"Our objective is to seek support from the Department for Transport to facilitate a minor change to the current scheme. We are not here to ask for additional funding, or short-cuts in the policy process. We strongly support the Lincoln Eastern Bypass but object to the closure of Hawthorn Road. We feel that residents will be disproportionally disadvantaged as a result of the closure under current plans."

Following the meeting District Councillor Giles McNeill, who represents the parish of Greetwell where the proposed closure is designated to occur, said:

"I think Lincolnshire County Council have been unsure as to the security, after the end of the current financial year, of the £49.5million being supplied to the project by central government. The minister has been able to reiterate the assurances of the Secretary of State that the money - key to making this project happen - will not automatically disappear in March next year. I am confident that Lincolnshire County Council will want to be absolutely certain that the cost of retaining the use of the road for motor vehicles is not prohibitive, but would expect that a revision is now very much something the county council will want to pursue."

Cllr. Ian Fleetwood, who represents Cherry Willingham and Reepham, at Lincolnshire County Council, said:

"If the money is not going to vanish I can’t see why the county council will not engage with the local residents to see if an affordable option is open to them. The minister was able to point us in the direction of the Local Enterprise Partnership which has just got additional monies from central government, and may be able to support the marginal additional cost of a road bridge, estimated at around £100,000 on the £96million scheme."

Sir Edward Leigh MP said:

"This meeting has been very positive and productive. I welcome the minister's offer to help support the common sense of retaining the vehicular access on Hawthorn Road. I hope to work with Lincoln's Member of Parliament, Karl McCartney, to persuade Lincolnshire County Council to think again and make this minor change and am fully prepared to bid for money from the LEP."

The minister agreed to write to the county council to provide additional details regarding the funding arrangements.

County Council Leader Slams Independent West Lindsey Councillor as 'Ignorant'

Conservative Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, Cllr. Martin Hill OBE has had to intervene and write a letter to the Lincolnshire Echo following comments made by an Independent West Lindsey district councllor, describing them as 'ridiculous and completely false'.

Two weeks ago, Cllr Chris Darcel made a number of claims that were so far-fetched they seemed unworthy of being answered. 

However, given that these claims were then repeated in last week's paper [The Lincolnshire Echo], I feel it's important that the record is set straight. 

Over the last few years the county council has had to take bold action to help put right the nation's finances, left in such a disastrous state by the previous Labour government.

Unlike some, we refused to bury our heads in the sand. We pushed ourselves to find new ways of doing things, finding savings of around £150m while protecting the vital services that our residents rely on.

And we have done this in an open and transparent manner, with the vast majority of decisions taken in public and all our accounts and committee records published online for all to see.

We also make sure we give people ample opportunity to voice their views, a recent example being our three-month consultation on local library services, which received hundreds of responses.

And by getting the public involved we were left in the enviable position of having a plan that not only saved money but extended services too. 

Unfortunately, we have now been asked to reconsider our decision and hold further discussions with a not-for-profit company that is interested in running services.

I would also like to underline the council's commitment to building the Lincoln Eastern Bypass.

Major projects like this are complicated and inevitably bring challenges.

We are now making a small adjustment to our design so we can address the planning inspector's concerns. 

Let me be clear though – we will build an eastern bypass, and this will not only relieve congestion by improving traffic flow in the city, but will have a tremendously positive impact on economic prosperity for the county as a whole. 

The points Cllr Darcel raised about the county's new Energy from Waste Facility were ridiculous and completely false. 

A full technical assessment took place to identify the best option for Lincolnshire, and the county council's officers negotiated a very good deal.  Far from wasting money, the contract has saved taxpayers £30 million over the next 25 years.

I'm afraid Cllr Darcel is simply ignorant of the facts both in respect to the alternative ways of dealing with waste, and with regards to the finance arrangements. We have tried to correct him on numerous occasions but, sadly, he refuses to accept when he's wrong. 

By being sensible with our finances and living within our means, we have successfully navigated perhaps the most challenging years local government has seen. 

Simply put, thanks to our efforts and those of our colleagues around the country, the nation is now in a far better position, with the economy starting to look far healthier.

Cllr. Martin Hill - Conservative Leader of Lincolnshire County Council

Nettleham Library Will Not Be Volunteer-Run By Parish Council

Following Lincolnshire County Council’s decision to proceed with its implementation of library closures, Nettleham Parish Council has now been left with no alternative but to withdraw its Expression of Interest in running a community-led library in Nettleham. 

Nettleham Parish Council had decided, in principle, at an extraordinary parish council meeting held on Wednesday, 19th March 2014, to submit a business plan to operate a community-led library in the village; this being conditional upon Lincolnshire County Council agreeing to an extension of the time in which to do so, renegotiation of section 2.2 of the Heads of Terms (the agreement between the county and parish councils), and finally the outcome of the judicial review.

A spokesman for Nettleham Parish Council said:

“The Parish Council believes that it has made every effort to bring about the establishing of a Community Library in the village but sadly the intransigence of the county council to negotiate a more realistic lease agreement has made this impossible. 

“Lincolnshire County Council would not agree to a minimum five year lease on the existing building, insisting that its Model Heads of Terms are applied allowing it to break the lease arrangement at any time.”

Nettleham Parish Council did not feel it could invest the time and money into this venture under such conditions and expressed appreciation to the ninety residents who had come forward to volunteer their services in an effort save this vital community asset.

The spokesman continued:

“The Parish Council is also grateful to County Councillor Jackie Brockway for her considerable mediating efforts with Lincolnshire and hopes it is not too late for any other interested parties to step in.”

The Chairman of the Parish Council Terry Williams added:

“This is an extremely disappointing outcome, but the Parish Council was left with no choice in the matter due to the insistence of the County Council on the inclusion of a condition in the Lease of the Building that meant they could terminate the arrangements at the drop of a hat.”

West Lindsey District Councillor for the Nettleham Ward, Cllr. Giles McNeill, commented:

“It is absurd that Netteham's library will almost certainly close despite Nettleham Parish Council and over ninety local volunteers having come forward to continue to operate a local library.

“Nettleham Parish Council requested a slight extension in order to put together the business plan, given the delays on the part of the county council this seemed a reasonable request. The business plan is important because it gives the county council assurance the community-led library will be successfully delivered; a request was also made to reconsider part of the agreement between the parties.

 “Nettleham Parish Council has had no option but to withdraw from the process, leaving local residents with an uncertain future for the library in the village.”

Lincolnshire County Councillor Nick Worth, Executive Member with responsibilities for Library Services, defended the county council's position saying:

"We offered the parish council a 10-year lease on the current library building. However, as is standard practice, this includes a clause allowing us to break the lease if the community hub is underperforming. 

"This is an important clause that's needed to ensure the public receive a quality service. 

"We thank the parish council for their efforts, and we will now focus on working with Lincolnshire Co-operative who have submitted a business plan for Nettleham."

In Nettleham, a bid from a community group has also been withdrawn, but Lincolnshire Co-operative remains in the running.

A total of thirty libraries are threatened with closure following the decision of Lincolnshire County Council's Executive who have decided to make cuts of £1.7 million to the Library budget by removing professional staff.

The move has been criticised by campaigners who lobbied unsuccessfully for the council to drop the proposals, and which are now subject to a judicial review. The county council has proceeded with the cuts despite receiving a petition against the closures which gained more than 23,000 signatures.

Communities across Lincolnshire provided thirty firm bids to run the libraries as 'community hubs'.

Liberal Democrats and Independent Win By-Election Contests

In a close fought contest, for the Lincolnshire County Council seat of the Scotter Rural Division, Liberal Democrat, Lesley Rollings has succeeded in her third attempt to win the seat. The Conservatives' candidate, Richard Butroid, came in second, followed by candidates from UK Independence Party, Nick Smith, and the Lincolnshire Independents party, Chris Darcel.

Above: (Left to Right) Front row: John Gilliam, Matt Boles, Harriett Fowler, Cllr. Trevor Young, Barry Coward (unsuccessful district candidate), Cllr. Lesley Rollings and Cllr. Reg Shore (WLDC Liberal Democrat Leader),
Rear row: Behind Cllr. Rollings is Cllr. David Dobbie and his son, Rhys, Keith Panter, Paul Key, Harry Warriner, Heather Shore, Adi O'Neil, John Rollings, Cllr. Pat O'Connor.

In the Scotter Ward of West Lindsey District Council election Christopher Day, who ran with out descriptor on the ballot paper, secured victory, followed by John Cox, Conservative, Barry Coward, Liberal Democrat and Dr. Howard Thompson for the UK Independence Party.

Speaking at the Count, Conservative Party Agent, Giles McNeill said:

"I think these two results are very interesting in two ways; firstly, that whilst the Lib Dem candidate improved their share of the vote in the county contest, it actually went down in the district contest. The election of the Scotter Parish Council Chairman, Cllr. Chris Day and Cllr. Mrs. Lesley Rollings suggests that local residents want local candidates. This is something I am sure will be taken on by the [Conservative] party locally. 

"Secondly, despite the widespread misconception that the UK Independence Party is continuing to find supporters, this is not supported by the evidence of these two elections. In May, earlier this year, UKIP came second in the county contest. Today they are in third place and have lost seven percentage points since May."

Mark Valadares, on the Liberal Democrat Voice blog, subsequently observed:

"Lincolnshire wasn’t kind to Liberal Democrats in the 2013 County elections, with our vote share dropping by three-quarters and two of our five seats lost, so a December by-election in Scotter Rural wouldn’t have seemed to be promising much other than more pain, especially with UKIP in second place in May, but in a fine rebound, the seat was gained from the Conservatives on a 22% swing. 

"Admittedly, the West Lindsey District ward of Scotter didn’t see matching success, but our vote, small though it was (14.3%) held up pretty well."

Full results for the County Council contest are available here and here for the District Council contest.

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:-

-----

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. 

-----

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.

Nettleham Parish Council To Object to County Council Library Proposals

Last night Nettleham Parish Council decided to join with other parish, town and district councils across Lincolnshire in objecting to proposals brought forward by Lincolnshire County Council.

Lincolnshire County Council, like other local authorities across England, are dealing with a difficult financial settlement from central government. Substantial reductions, savings or new revenue stream need to be found to balance the authority's budget.

Among the ways to achieve this is a cut of 31% to the Library Service budget, which will require a reconfiguration of the service away from a local authority model to a model with greater community engagement, through the use of volunteers running libraries in rural areas. Nettleham is one library that the county council would like to see run by volunteers.

Nettleham Parish Council held an Extraordinary Meeting at Nettleham Village Hall, Brookfield Avenue to consider the county council's proposals. Cllr. Terry Williams, the Chairman opened the meeting and explained how the meeting would be conducted. He introduced his fellow councillors, the council's officers and welcome 35 members of the public. The Chairman outlined the county council's proposals before welcoming Mr. Gary Porter, from the Library Service, and Cllr. Mrs. Jackie Brockway, Conservative (Nettleham & Saxilby Division) to answer questions from the public.

Questions were asked about the process that political leaders would be taking, the county council's need to make spending reductions, difficulties at pilots with regard to volunteer access to computerised library management systems, the effect on reading groups and disabled access to alternative mobile library provision.

Following the question and answer session, Mr. Porter left the meeting. Residents were then given the opportunity to make their views on the proposals, all universally against the proposed changes.

Cllr. Mrs. Brockway made a statement, she outlined that she had been working hard to dissuade her colleagues at the county council from pursuing this policy and was not prepared to support it. She stated she was really please with the quality and thoughtfulness of the comments made by local residents and that it gave her encouragement.

Finally the members of the Parish Council would debate and discuss the matter. Each Parish Councillor spoke. Cllr. Malcolm Leaning - who is also a district councillor - Liberal Democrat (Nettleham Ward), harked back to his use and the arrangements of the bookcase at the Church Institute in the village.

Cllr. Giles McNeill, Conservative (Nettleham Ward), also a district councillor, spoke in favour of objecting to the county council's proposals. He said:

"There are plenty of arguments about the specific proposal for Nettleham and the proposals more generally. I would like to offer another option for those campaigning against these proposals to pursue. The County Council is run by a coalition of Liberal Democrats, Independents and the largest group is the Conservatives.

"The Liberal Democrats' manifesto from march makes no mention of the Library Service. However the Conservative Manifesto said this: 

"We will encourage more people to play their part in stronger communitites by encouraging volunteering and neighbourliness as well as a greater use of public buildings such as schools and libraries where approriate.  

"We Promise to... Continue a countywide library network with better access and opening hours. 

"I was Jackie's Agent in the recent local elections and Agent for nine other county candidates across the district, eight of the ten were elected. I have to say I am ashamed that so little regard is being paid to the promises made so recently."

Cllr. McNeill also stated that, following debate at the district council on the preceding Monday evening, he had joined the working party at West Lindsey District Council that would be submitting the district council's response to the proposals.

Cllr. Joseph Siddall described the 'consultation  document' as 'an insult to the word'. Whilst Cllr. Mrs. Janice Clayton, the Deputy Chairman of the Parish Council, wanted the county council to 'react positively to the public out cry and reconsider their position', however, she said she was 'a bit disappointed with the turnout tonight'.

Finally Cllr. Williams, address the meeting as a member of the Council, not in his capacity as Chairman, describing the proposal saying that the '31% reduction is wholly unreasonable' and that he hoped that as the provision of libraries was a statutory requirement that a case might be brought against the county council to the high court on the grounds that the decision was 'irrational', citing the use of the word in the case of the Police and Crime Commissioner's Suspension of the Chief Constable.

The Parish Council resolved to object in the strongest possible terms to the proposals for Nettleham Library and, without prejudice, would form a working party to put forward an expression of interest in a community led library bid for Nettleham; although it was made clear that this was a fall back position.

Save Nettleham Library Group Holds First Meeting

Over seventy people overflowed from the small function room at the White Hart, High Street in Nettleham yesterday evening at the first meeting of the Save Nettleham Library Group.

Organiser, Emily Evision, opened the meeting to discuss the proposed changes to library services in the county being put forward by Lincolnshire County Council who have to save multi-millions of pounds from its budget. Mrs. Evision said:

"It has been fascinating across party lines, the village has come out incredibly strongly protective of its library as a resource.

"Our fear is that we currently have a library that is open four days a week, and we are being offered a library bus, for four hours, every two weeks."

District Councillor Giles McNeill, Conservative (Nettleham Ward), briefly addressed the meeting and afterwards said:

"Local people recognise that we are living in difficult financial times for local authorities. I wanted to show my support to keep Nettleham's library open.

"I think, at this stage, local people are hoping they will be able to convince Lincolnshire County Council not to cut the library service in Nettleham.

"My concern is that the meeting last night did not formally agree to look at other options - such as a community, volunteer-led library - and with a tight window of opportunity to make an expression of interest to the County Council this may prove a disadvantage if we are to keep the library in some form going forward."

Lincolnshire County Council say that the library service needs to change if it is to remain affordable and better meet local needs. They point to successful community-led ventures in Saxilby and Waddingham as a way of improving service and value for money outcomes.

Nettleham Library Threatened with Closure

Lincolnshire County Council, who run local library services, have to make £125 million of savings. Already nearly £90 million has been achieved but a further £35 million has to be found in the next two years. The Library Service, which current has a budget in excess of £6 million is expected contribute by saving around £1.9 million on its current budget. It is proposed that a number of local libraries, including the one in Nettleham, be run by teams of volunteers.

 

Nettleham Parish Council met last night, and briefly addressed the proposed changes to library services within the village. Whilst it was not possible to include a full and substantive discussion on the matter, some consideration took place and representation were received from members of the public.

 

Nettleham Parish Council had been surprised by the county council's plans, only hearing last Friday that changes to the library service were needed, with other residents across the county, when the plans were leaked, prior to Monday, 2nd July, when public consultation was due to begin. The leaking of these plans has caused distress to staff in the libraries, who face an uncertain future, and who found out about the changes through local media's reports of the leak and not in line with the planned consultation timetable.

 

One local resident, Emily Evision, of Sudbrooke Lane, said:

"I had a moment to speak and tried to state the needs of all parts of the community, and how strongly people feel about saving our library. Councillor Jackie Brockway tried to change the [County Council's] decision into an opportunity to get something that works better for us. Giles McNeill offered us his support, and I believe that all of the Parish Councillors were unhappy with the idea of losing the library.

"[The Parish Council] decided to bring the subject up for proper full discussion at the next meeting in July. At that point we can table questions and be a part of the discussion. They also decided to hold a special public meeting on the library closure in early September."

District Councillor Giles McNeill, Conservative (Nettleham Ward) added:

"I want to see our library remain open and if that means looking at a range of different options to do that, then we must.

"Local Council's face a difficult time - on the one hand demand for services continues to increase, whilst on the other the money local authorities receive from central government is reducing. This is putting enormous pressure on politicians to square the circle and do as much as possible with constrained resources.

"I am really proud that local residents are taking the initiative to fight to retain a library in Nettleham.  I have offered my support to the campaign to 'Save Nettleham Library' and am prepared to put my money where my mouth is, so to speak, and offer a portion of my Councillor Initiative Fund monies to help any local community group look into the question of taking on running Nettleham Library.

"The information age presents great challenges to the traditional model of a library - but potentially it provides great opportunity for local people to recast a local service into more suitable provision, dynamic and reactive to local needs."

Details of the 'Save Nettleham Library' campaign group can be found on facebook. A petition has been started and can be found online here.

Edward Leigh Responds to Saxilby Terror Attack Link

Edward Leigh MP, who represents the Gainsborough Constituency in Lincolnshire, has said he has ‘every confidence’ in Lincolnshire Police as they assist with the suspected terror attack investigation.

Mr. Leigh was speaking as the Lincolshire Police force was supporting officers from the Metropolitan Police during a search on a house in Saxilby.

It is believed that one of the men arrested in connection with the killing of a soldier in Woolwich on Tuesday used to live in a house on Hotchkin Avenue, Saxilby with his family. Mr. Leigh said:

“Every effort must be made to ensure terrorists feel the full weight of British justice.”

“I have every confidence in Lincolnshire Police and their work in coordination with the Metropolitan Police.”

The Woolwich attack happened at 2.20pm on Tuesday as horrified witnesses, including children, looked on. Eyewitnesses say the victim was hacked to death by two men, named locally as 22-year-old Mr. Michael Adebowale and 28-year-old Mr. Michael Adebolajo. After the attack they waited for police, asking people to film and take photos of them.

One man, thought to be Mr. Adebolajo, was filmed holding a meat cleaver and knife, his hands covered in blood. He told onlookers he carried out the attack because British soldiers are killing Muslims every day.

They were shot as police tried to arrest them, are now under armed guard at separate hospitals in London.

Residents in Saxilby, near Lincoln, have spoken of their shock after police raided the former home of Mr. Michael Adebolajo.

The house, in the normally sedate Lincolnshire village, is believed to belong to his father, Mr. Anthony Adebolajo, understood to be a nurse.

District and County Councillor Jackie Brockway, who represents the Saxilby Ward of West Lindsey District Council and Nettleham & Saxilby Division on Lincolnshire County Council, lives in Sykes Lane, Saxilby. She was on the estate this morning offering to help however she could.

“I heard about this on my way to an appointment and I have come here to give my card with my contact details directly to the police. I want to say that any residents who need support or help to get in touch.

“We want to make sure that everyone is comfortable and not concerned in any way.

“I understand the police have got this very well organised. Obviously it is a serious police operation and it’s important for them to know that the community supports them.

“Regarding the incident in Woolwich I am absolutely horrified that this could happen on the streets of Britain. But I think we must be calm and go about our daily lives and support the authorities in their duties.”

Lincolnshire's UKIP Councillors Embroiled in Racism Row

The Sunday Mirror report that, despite a claim that UKIP have cracked down, the newspaper have investigated 'sickening rants' on social media.

Lincolnshire County Council's Leader of the Opposition, Cllr. Chris Pain, UKIP (Wainfleet and Burgh), who is the party's East Midlands regional Chairman, is named by the paper as the author of a commment that reads:

"Have you noticed that if you rearrange the letters in 'illegal immigrants', and add just a few more letters, it spells, 'Go home you free-loading, benefit-grabbing, resource-sucking, baby-making, non-English-speaking ********* and take those other hairy-faced, sandal wearing, bomb-making, camel-riding, goat-*******, raghead ******* with you."

Cllr. Pain claims his Facebook account had been hacked.

Another, Cllr. Ms Tiggs Keywood-Wainwright, UKIP (Boston North West), has complained that mosques being built in 'quintessentially English' Cambridge, asking:

"Is nowhere sacred for the Brits in Britain any more?

"Bottom line is we have too many muslims in this country!" 

Cllr. Ms Keywood-Wainwright has admitted that she 'probably' regrets some of her remarks. Claiming that she meant that in some areas there were too many Muslims, defending herself saying:

"My GPs are all Muslims and I have no problem with them at all.

"One of them is extremely nice and very, very good at her job."

At Lincolnshire County Council's Annual Meeting, held on Friday, 17th May 2013, All 16 UKIP Councillors refused to sign an anti-racism declaration, proposed by Group Leader, Cllr. Rob Parker, Labour (Lincoln West). Cllr. Pain said:

"I cannot support this document. It actually pushes forward the chance of multi-culturalism, one of the fundamental things that's wrong with our society.

"UKIP's stance is not racist. Our stance is on space and space alone."

Cllr. Mrs. Jackie Brockway, Conservative (Nettleham & Saxilby) said:

"I'm very concerned that there's a theme developing that seems to be attacking the vulnerable adn we need to be careful about that."

County Conservatives Form Coalition with Liberal Democrat and Independent Councillors

Conservative councillors on Lincolnshire County Council have forged a coalition with a number of Liberal Democrat and independent councillors to provide a stable administration following the council moving to no overall control in last weeks local elections.

Above: Tim Iredale (BBC Look North) talks to Cllr. Martin
Hill OBE and Cllr. Chris Brewis. (Photo: S. Edwards]

In a direct snub to former Opposition Leader, Cllr. Mrs. Marianne Overton, who leads the Lincolnshire Independents Group, Conservatives made it clear that they were not prepared to entertain Cllr. Mrs. Overton as a partner in any deal. Speaking to the Lincolnshire Echo, Cllr. Martin Hill OBE, Conservative Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, said:

"The Conservatives have been blunt in that we want to work with independent councillors - but not with the Lincolnshire Independent Leader Marianne Overton.

"I told Marianne in a meeting [that] if I was to offer her a cabinet role at Lincolnshire County Council, I would lose my job [as Leader of the Conservative Group].

"In her role as Leader of the Opposition since 2009, Marianne has crossed the line in criticising the council during what have been very difficult economic times for everyone.

"It would be almost impossible to work with her."

The new contingent of 16 UKIP councillors will form the offical opposition on the Council. Whilst Labour have in recent days, like the Liberal Democrats, elected new leaders after their incumbents decided to step down.

Conservatives Improve Poll in Nettleham & Saxilby Contest Whilst Liberal Democrats Drop to Third Place

Conservatives were celebrating in the Nettleham and Saxilby Division as Cllr. Mrs. Jackie Brockway, Conservative (Nettleham & Saxilby Division), was re-elected as the area's Lincolnshire County Councillor.


Above: Cllr. Mrs. J. Brockway

In 2001 the Liberal Democrat's successfully got their candidate, Ray Sellars, elected who secured 44% of the vote, he was successful in securing re-election in 2005 with 48% and in 2009 again with a 61% share of the vote. In September last year, at the by-election, following Cllr. Sellars untimely death, they dropped into second place with a 25% share of the vote. Last Thursday they dropped further to 21% and, in an additional humiliation, dropped to third place behind the U K Independence Party's candidate.

Meanwhile the Conservatives have surged from having 34% in 2005 and 2009 to 43% in last September's by-election. In the most recent election the Conservative candidate improved both her poll to 44%, and increased her majority.

The UK Independence Party had a good night locally, picking up 24% of the vote, mopping up votes from the Lincolnshire Independents and English Democrats who where not fielding candidates, but did do so last September when they recieved 8% and 1% respectively, the other gains by UKIP came at the expense of the Liberal Democrats.

Finally the Labour party held steady in the division with 11% of the vote, which is what they recieved back in September, last year. There vote was up from the 6% they recieved in 2009, but down on the two polls of 18% achieved in 2001 and 2005

Starting Pistol Fired in 2013 Race for County Hall

Nominations for the local elections taking place on Thursday, 2nd May 2013 for Lincolnshire County Council have drawn to a close.

But the quantity of nominations for each political party - or in some cases the lack thereof - can reveal a considerable amount about the state of the political parties in Lincolnshire.

As the various parties line up like race horses on the starting line, waiting for the staring pistol to be fired, it is clear some mounts have the stamina to stay the course and go on to victory whilst others will limp in to last place. In these elections, in this race, it is winner takes all and so whomever is first-past-the-post matters.

First off, the Conservatives. Having had a voluptious administration of 61 of a possible 77 councillors over the course of the past four year term, led by Martin Hill, the party is a powerful force in the way in which the county is governed. They fielded a full slate of 77 last time and have done so again. No signs of any weakness in this stallion. Whilst perhaps past its peak of four years ago, nevertheless odds are on for this favourite.

Secondly, the Lincolnshire Independents. The official opposition at the authority for the past four years after a disasterous set of election results for Labour allowed for a coalition of the willing (Lincolnshire Independents, other Independents and members elected for the Boston By Pass party (which later merged with the Lincolnshire Independents)) to cobble together the support to allow Marianne Overton to become Leader of the Opposition. Fielding 29 (38%) candidates, up for 16 (23%) last time around. Certainly not enough candidates to put Mrs. Overton within reach of the magic 39 seats needed to have a majority. Make no mistake this is a bona fide political party. However, with the inherant instability of not having a whip expect contradictions, surprises and chaos. A scratchy performer.

Next, the Labour party. They have increased their deployment from 63 (87%) last time to a full slate. The party, back in opposition at Westminster, has found popularity in the polls at this midway point in the parliament. No doubt regaining some disaffected supporters who left during their time in government. Riding high in the polls nationally may not translate to victory in Lincolnshire. Expect a good showing for the party restoring their numbers back into double figures and a return to the opposition benches at county hall.

The Liberal Democrats. Well. They fielded a slate of 64 (83%) last time. This time that has dwindled to just 37 (48%) of the available seats to contest, also short of the half way mark. They are in no danger of forming an administration. Known for their ability to win by-elections this will be a test of their ability to retain incumbents - a key issue for a party which has dropped since the 2010 General Election from poll ratings of above 20% to around 10% now. Seats which they have held in successive elections, such as those in Gainsborough, are likely to be vulnerable to a Labour advance. Expect a poor performance, unlikely to complete the race unscathed.

UKIP, or more fully the United Kingdom Independence Party, are - if you believe the spin - 'a new force in british politics', they are 'breaking the mould' and becoming 'the real opposition'. Or put another way they are what the Liberal Democrats used to be. A party of protest. Fielding an impressive 60 (77%) candidates, up form 10 (13%) in 2009, they hope to capitalise on their party's current momentum. In April last year they started being included in poll reports. Moving from low single digits in April last year to a more sturdy double digit figure of 10-12%; putting them toe-to-toe with the Liberal Democrats in many polls. Their party leader Nigel Farage MEP is expected to tour the county during next week. However, don't expect a tide of purple to swell around County Hall. Like the Lincolnshire Independents, many of their candidates will be new to politics and to campaigns. This has the potential to cause them difficulties during the campaign and create doubt in the minds of electors. Pundits are predicting an upset for some Conservatives, who might lose at the expense of voters backing UKIP. Fighting slightly against the tide this time as the last county contest was held at the same time as elections for the European Parliament. At this stage an unknown quantity. Might be worth a flutter in the late stages.

There are a number of minor parties contesting some seats in the election. The Trades Union and Socialists Against Cuts candidates have made consistent, steady, if somewhat slow, improvements in the number of votes they have garnered to their Lincoln City Council candidates, since the last county contest in 2009. Fielding 6 candidates, up from just 1 last time. Not expected to win any seats, but may cause trouble for Labour in Lincoln. The British National Party have fielded 4 candidates, down from 22 in 2005. Considered, by those in the know, to be on their last legs, probably destined for the knackers yard. The Greens have fielded 1 candidate, down from 3 in 2009. Slightly surprising given that the party now has a MP, since the 2010 General Election.

Finally, there is that last special group that contest elections. Independents. Real ones. Not Lincolnshire Independents but  people standing who are not affiliated to any party. Actually independent. There were 20 Independent candidates last time around and this time 22. Despite popular myth that apathy is increasing; that people just simply are not interested in politics any more. As this is not a grouping or a party they move all individually in their own unique directions. An independent is not normally a contender in a contest, unless there is a very specific issue in a locality. Incumbert independents can usually be expected to retain their seats. There are none on the council at the current time. So do not expect the old grey mare to make the final furlong in record time.

In conclusion, there are 314 candidates contesting the 77 divisions of Lincolnshire, averaging out at about 4 candidates contesting for each seat. In 2009 there were 282 candidates. This time around everyone has the opportunity to vote Conservative or Labour. Most people have the option to vote UKIP. For a party that for years claimed to be the 'third party' to only field candidates before less than half the electorate is shameful. Whilst not all parties have stood in every division, it is nevertheless good to see a number of minor parties increasing their offering of candidates to the voters. It is good that there is a breadth of choice from the far-right to the far-left and everything in between. It is good for democracy for voters to have a real choice. And soon, voters will go to polling stations across the county an make that choice.

Details Emerge of Future for Linelands

A new facility for older people in Lincolnshire is set to be built in the county, providing what many view as the ‘future of care’.

Council land in Nettleham is to be developed into extra care housing, which offers an alternative to residential care for those still able to maintain their independence.

The site will be made up of self-contained dwellings, meaning residents will be able to live in their own home, with access to round-the-clock on-site support if they need it.

As well as developing the Nettleham site, the council will be investing more than £2.5m into extra care housing across the county between now and the end of 2014/15.

West Lindsey District Councillor, Giles McNeill, Conservative (Nettleham Ward) welcomed the development saying:

"Since it became clear that it was no longer an option for the County Council to be providing care facilities, like Linelands, in Nettleham, directly; I have campaigned vigourously for the site to be utilised for the provision of care for the elderly.

"I am really pleased that plans are now moving forward rapidly to make new provision available, I look forward to seeing full plans in the near future."

Superfast Broadband Internet Access Will Be Delivered Soon

Superfast speeds are just around the corner with a multi-million pound broadband project due to start imminently.

 

Businesses and communities across Lincolnshire are set to benefit from fast, affordable fibre broadband as the planned roll out of superfast broadband across the county - including in West Lindsey - was announced by Lincolnshire County Council this week (March 13).

 

The county council, West Lindsey District Council and the other Lincolnshire councils have signed a contract with BT to build on the existing telecoms infrastructure in the county so that at least 88 per cent of all premises should have access to superfast broadband by April 2016, with the council aiming for everyone else to have access to at least 2Mbp/s broadband. For the first time ever, broadband should be available everywhere in Lincolnshire.

 

The deal is the largest of its kind in the East Midlands and sixth largest nationally.

 

District Councillor, Giles McNeill, Conservative (Nettleham Ward), said:

“This is fantastic news for West Lindsey. Improving access to high-speed broadband is extremely important for us as the district has so many remote areas that will really feel the benefit. Earlier this month poor broadband was highlighted as an issue by partners working in farming and agriculture – which is a huge industry for us – so hopefully this will go some way to addressing that. We are excited to be working in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council to help our resid entsand businesses get online.”

“The internet is transforming our lives – at home, at work and at school. And thanks to this investment by local councils, BT and national government, everyone will be able to reap the benefits offered by digital technology. This project is going to dramatically improve broadband speeds across the county, bringing a wealth of opportunities for residents and businesses alike. This is the start of an exciting new era for our county.”

Initial information on what is planned can now be found online at www.onlincolnshire.org, although please be aware these details are subject to change. Alternatively, residents can contact Lincolnshire County Council’s customer service centre on 01522 782066.

The project, which is part of the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK programme, will see more than £48m of public and private sector money invested in improving the county’s broadband infrastructure. The cash includes £11.2m from the county council, £4m from the district authorities, £14.3m from national government and £18.8m from BT. Communications Minister Ed Vaizey said:

“It’s fantastic that for the first time, broadband will be available everywhere in Lincolnshire as the result of one of our largest superfast broadband projects in the country. The UK already does more business online than any other European country, and widespread access to superfast broadband will provide a tremendous boost to Lincolnshire’s local economy.”

BT was chosen following a competitive selection process. Work on the project will start imminently with the first superfast connections expected to be available in January 2014. The roll-out will begin with a period of planning and detailed surveying, before Openreach, BT’s local network business, starts work on the ground.

 

In addition, £300,000 from the European Regional Development Fund will be used to bring superfast speeds to east coast communities in and around Ingoldmells and Wrangle through wireless technology, with the improvements being carried out by Lincoln firm AB Internet.

Lincoln County Councillor Resigns

Rachel Hubbard has resigned as the Councillor for the Lincoln Bracebridge Division of Lincolnshire County Council.

Mrs. Hubbard was elected in June 2009 and in her four years with the council served as Executive Support Councillor to Cllr. Peter Robinson, portfolio holder for Community Safety, Cohesion and Diversity, and as a member of the Economic Scrutiny Committee.

Cllr. Martin Hill OBE, Conservative Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, said:

"It's a real shame that she's had to step down because of her health.

"A new councillor for Lincoln Bracebridge will be elected in May, but, in the meantime Cllr. Kelly Smith, who represents a neighbouring division, has agreed to fill in."

New Year's Message

I would like to wish all the people of Greetwell, Grange-de-Lings, Nettleham and Riseholme – the people that I represent on West Lindsey District Council – my best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year.

I am grateful to so many people who supported me last summer, helping me secure election as one of your two district councillors. I intend to work hard for all residents of the Nettleham Ward in 2013 and beyond.

Local government, across the country, is under increasing pressure. Councils are already tackling budget cuts of 28% and face a tough outlook.

The economic legacy left by Labour’s lassie-faire and lacking approach to debt – whether national or personal – is driving an unprecedented process of change as local authorities have to radically reform their services to meet the challenges the ‘Age of Austerity’.

Councillors are on the frontline. We are having to make the difficult choices about what services stay and what services have to go. We are choosing what can be transformed and what has to be decommissioned.

Elected by local people to protect their interests and represent them we must lead a process of innovation, adaption and change; doing so against a back-drop of declining trust in politics and politicians.

During my election campaign in the summer I made four pledges to local residents. 

At the time of the by-election I said that ‘Low Council Tax was my priority. It remains so. Your money must be spent well by the council, but I am sure you want to keep as much as possible for your own needs. Through my work on West Lindsey’s Governance and Audit Committee I scrutinise how effective the council’s organisation is and will continue to make the case for keeping the Council Tax frozen.

I also promised to bring the Linelands site back into use as an extra care home for the elderly with daycentre facilities. I am pleased to say that it is anticipated that a formal tendering process will begin soon to bring the site back into use as adult social care provision. I have been active on this issue, holding preliminary conversations with potential providers within the sector and encouraging them to prepare bids.

I made it clear that Nettleham was not the right place for operational police services to be moved from West Parade, Lincoln. I opposed the plans for a ‘Custody Suite’ at Police Headquarters on Deepdale Lane. I am very pleased to report that through concerted effort with fellow councillors at all levels and with the excellent campaign organised by SOLVE this view has prevailed and the new Police and Crime Commissioner, Alan Hardwick, who I met the day following his election, and who was able to reassure me, has scrapped this proposal.

Finally I pledged to protect our villages from unsuitable development. I am pleased that I now serve on the Planning Committee, giving me my say in development plans across the district – a firm voice for our communities.

The past year has been one of change. As a Governor at Nettleham Infants School, we changed to Academy status in September. I have been working to reduce inconsiderate parking which local residents find vexing. I am particularly concerned, and hope to tackle in the coming year, parking around the school when the school safety zone is not in effect and the reports of rudeness by parents to local residents.
In 2013 I hope to bring back on to the agenda the issue of flooding. Nettleham seems to have missed out since the floods of 2007 in getting real help to mitigate the risk of flooding. At the end of 2012 we came very close to a repeat of those floods, with the path along the Beckside between Church Street and Vicarage Lane flooded.

In May we will once again be invited to go to the polling stations to vote in elections to Lincolnshire County Council. I am certain that participation will be higher than the paltry 15.3% achieved in the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections. However, decisions are made by those who show up, so I would encourage everyone to go and vote and if circumstances require I would urge you to consider if obtaining a postal vote is the right thing for you. I am confident that the Conservatives will remain in control of Lincolnshire County Council, where they are delivering for all the people of Lincolnshire in these tough times.

In 2013 I hope we can renew our commitment to heal our communities from the woes of the global economic recession, put aside partisan tendencies, and work with our political opponents on the many things we agree upon.

For each and all I offer my sincere wish for health, prosperity and happiness.

Giles McNeill
Working hard for the Nettleham Ward of West Lindsey District Council

Riseholme Residents Demand Action After Collision on Riseholme Lane

Two teenagers have been injured in an incident on Riseholme Lane and local resident are calling for action. The two teenage boys, a sixteen year-old from Market Rasen and the a seventeen year-old from Grimsby, were hit by a car at 4.57pm on Tuesday, 6th November.

The older of the two boys is understood to be being treated for serious head injuries at Sheffield's Royal Hallamshire Hospital while the younger one has been discharged from Lincoln County Hospital after being kept in overnight for observation.

A  seventyh-four year-old man, from Lincoln, has been arrested on suspicion of failing to stop after the collision and has been released on police bail until Tuesday, 18th December .

It comes after one lady died in a crash on the road last July when her car collided with a tree.

Parish Councillor Mrs. Barbara Lane, said the road was used by drivers cutting through from the A15 to the A46. Speaking to the Lincolnshire Echo, she said:

"It tends to be used as a rat run and collisions like what happened on Tuesday don't surprise me at all. 

"They're always mending and repairing fences down Riseholme Lane after cars have hit them. All the residents down here are getting fed up. It's a good job there aren't very many children down here.

"Another problem we have is with students and coaches using the lane to get to Riseholme College instead of the main entrance. I don't know what the answer is but Riseholme Lane isn't in a very good condition either and really needs patching up."

Meanwhile, Mr. Martin Finney, a resident of Riseholme Lane, commented to the paper:

"If you're not careful you can easily get into some trouble on Riseholme Lane, whether you're a driver or a pedestrian."

Lincolnshire County Council's Area Highways Manager, Mr. Alan Brown, said:

"Once we get full details through about what caused this collision, we can assess whether any changes to the highway are needed."

Olympics Boost to East Midlands' Economy

The last fortnight has seen an outstanding performance by Team GB and celebration of their success across the country. However, these Games could not have happened without the hard work of suppliers across the country and new figures show that The Olympics have delivered nearly £7 billion of contracts across the UK.

The figures show that forty-four suppliers in the East Midlands have benefited from contracts worth £275million, boosting the economy, jobs and growth in the area.

Giles McNeill, Conservative By-Election Candidate for the Nettleham Ward, said:

“Not only have the Olympics shown the best of Britain, the Games have delivered £275million of contracts to the East Midlands’ economy.

“It is fantastic news that forty-four suppliers from across the region have contributed to making the Olympics the huge success they have been.

“Now we need to continue to work hard to make sure this Olympics legacy boosts the economy, tourism and participation in sports in the years ahead.”

Work on the iconic Olympic Stadium has brought huge benefits to firms in Lincolnshire. Tarmac PreCast Concrete Ltd. of Stamford has provided precast concrete for the terracing. Sidebbottom Richardson Cheng Ltd. of Spalding took on six new members of staff to help with stadium engeneering design work. Meanwhile William Hare Painting of Grantham were contracted to paint the 6,000 tonnes of steelwork at the stadium. Smith Construction (Heckington) Ltd. won the contract to build the £1.6m athletes' drop-off point and warm-up track, connected to the main stadium.

Labour Gain Lincoln East In By-Election

Cllr. Robin Renshaw, Labour (Lincoln East), was celebrating his victory and return to Lincolnshire County Council in the by-election that took place in the city yesterday. He returns to the authority after being kicked out of the seat in the 2009 contest and will serve for a term of seven months, until May next year.

Cllr. Renshaw won the contest with 563 votes (48.79%), a majority of 249 over Mr. Simon Parr, Conservative who received 314 (27.21%). The Labour Party's vote was up 14.47 percentage points since the 2009 contest, whilst the Conservative poll was down 11.82 percentage points. The swing was 8.56% to Labour from the Conservatives.

In third place was Mr. John Bishop, Liberal Democrat, with 95 votes. The Liberal Democrats share of the vote was down by 18.42 percentage points since the last County Council elections.

In joint forth place were Ms Pat Nurse, for the United Kingdom Independence Party, and Mr. Nick Parker for the Trade Unionist Socialists Against Cuts, who both received 79 votes (6.85%).

In sixth place was Cllr. Elliott Fountain, for the English Democrats, who polled just 24 votes (2.08%).

The turnout was very low with just 18.47% of voters making the effort to cast ballots in the contest.