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

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.

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."

Press Hostility Forces Councillor's Resignation

Lincolnshire County Councillor, Rev. Sara Cliff, Conservative (Lincoln East Division), has resigned as a member of the county council following 'unwarranted hostility in the press'.

Rev. Cliff was born in Manchester and had been resident in Lincoln for four years, when she was elected in 2009. She was a Governor of Waddington Redwood School. Rev. Cliff left teaching in 2001 when she held the position of Head of Year, as a science teacher, with responsibility for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. Her work as a Methodist Minister reflected her lifetime involvement of working with the voluntary and community sectors.

Rev. Cliff's attendance had been a cause for concern and the Daily Mail reported that a Lincolnshire County Council spokesman had confirmed her poor attendance as having been flagged up to the Conservative Party by authority clerks. She is the only county councillor to have this happen in the three years of this council.

Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, Cllr. Martin Hill, Conservative (Folkingham Rural Division) admitted he had spoken to Rev.Cliff about her attendance levels six months ago, the paper reported.

"There is no doubt her attendance of late has not been good at all."

In a statement to the Lincolnshire Echo, Rev. Cliff said:

"I have taken the decision to resign my position from the county council.

"While I did feel willing and able to carry on representing the people of Lincoln East, in view of the unwarranted hostility in the press, I am clear that this action is in the best interests of the Methodist church, the county council and my own family.

Following criticism from local residents, and in the press, that the outgoing councillor had not allocated her 'Big Society Fund', Rev. Cliff clarified that:

"As a matter of record I have awarded my Big Society Fund to St Barnabas to help support the excellent services they provide."

County Council's Executive Vote to Close Linelands

Lincolnshire County Council’s Executive today voted unanimously to implement proposals for Lincolnshire's care services. The plans include five care homes closing in September and the other three -  including Linelands in Nettleham - will close at the end of March next year after suitable private alternatives are found.

Above: Unison members demonstrate outside Lincolnshire
County Council headquarters. © 2011 Lincolnshire Echo

The authority argues that delivering a better quality of social care in the future requires delivery by the private sector and the end of council-run care facilities. The authority expects savings, potentially running to millions of pounds. The plans will mean many jobs will be lost, although, Leader of the Council, Cllr. Martin Hill, Conservative (Folkingham Rural Division), insists that:

"the driver behind this is not financial savings."

Executive Member for Adult Social Care, Cllr. Graham Marsh, Conservative (Alford & Sutton on Sea Division), told the meeting:

"I think it's very disappointing that some people would wish to deny people personal choice by insisting that we maintain expensive, out-of-date buildings to deliver services which can be delivered as far more cost effective, and as good quality, in the private and third sectors.

"When I retire, if I'm unfortunate enough to need services, I don't want to be given the same choices that my parents had, which was take it or leave it as there's nothing else available."

"This is change for the better – today's decision will be looked back on as the day the lives of care home residents took a huge stride forward in quality.

"We know the word 'closure' could be seen as negative and, very understandably, cause some carers and families to be worried. However, what we are closing are old, outdated homes – both the current and future generations of residents deserve better."

A rally against the proposals, co-ordinated by Unison outside the County Council’s offices, ahead of the executive meeting rallied only twenty-five people. Those at the rally could just be heard chanting:

"Martin Hill, here us say, how many homes have you shut today?"

Mrs. Elaine Smith, whose mother is a former care service user in the county, interrupted proceedings by shouting comments from the public gallery throughout the meeting until she declared that members of the council's Executive councillors were telling 'fairy tales' and Cllr. Hill was forced to suspend the meeting and threatened to have her removed from the public gallery. Mrs. Smith left the gallery.

Mrs. Smith told The Lincolnite:

"I think it’s totally wrong. Initially they were saying they want a mixed economy of care, which obviously includes public sector care as well as private care.

"There won’t be any mixed economy. There won’t be a benchmark and I do worry about the future of care that people will receive that now will lose these services and will need them in the future."

Mr. John Sharman, Lincolnshire Branch Secretary for Unison, unconvincingly tried to make an ill-informed link between the tough measures being taken by the Coalition Government as a result of the economic legacy left to the previous Labour government :

"What happens when the market gets it wrong?

"Let's remember that the whole attack on public spending and public services is predicated on another part of the market getting it wrong.

“I have no confidence whatsoever in using the private sector market as a regulator of services."

"I wouldn’t want to give false expectations in saying that we believe that a campaign will guarantee [the county council will keep its public care services], but if I didn't have that hope, and if I didn’t believe that what we do could produce a result, I'd pack up and go home, quite frankly.

"I have no intention of doing that."

Mrs. Phyl Lynn, a senior member of staff at Linelands, said:

"It's horrendous. These homes are a lifeline for the residents there. They're important for people to mix with other people. It's everything to them."

Nettleham Parish Councillor Giles McNeill said:

"There are two issues. The first is weather it is right to close the current stock of council-run care homes, the second is the issue of how the staff of these facilities have been treated.

"I have no particular problem with the County Council looking to make the best provision possible available to local residents, unfortunately that means beloved local facilities are having to close. However, it is clear to me that the way the staff have been handled has been very much below standard - the offcious letters, the endless churn of senior staff as individuals have seemingly jumped ship. There have clearly been severe problems in terms of the management of the very valuable human resourse the council employs."

Conservative-led Council Rejects 22% Pay Increase for Councillors

Conservatives-led Lincolnshire County Council paved the way for an extra extra £250,000 to help community projects after councillors rejected plans to increase their allowances.

A cross-part consensus at Lincolnshire County Council agreed yesterday to forgo a twenty-two point two percent increase, which would have seen allowances for the seventy-seven members rise from £8,184 to £10,000, saving just shy of £140,000 a year.

A further four and a half percent inflationary increase could have swelled this figure by a further £450, but instead a freeze will be implemented until 2013.

Mileage rates will, however, increase in line with H.M. Revenue And Customs' guidance from 40p to 45p a mile.


Cash included in the council's budget for any potential allowances change will be redistributed to help community, voluntary and charitable initiatives. The Conservatives added they would have to be in the 'spirit of the Big Society'.

Yesterday's vote confirmed rumours that the ruling Conservatives were planning to kill off the controversial proposal to increase allowances. The recommendations for an increase were made by an independent panel last year. But there was still an overwhelming sense of unease in the council chamber as councillors faced the prospect of deciding their own pay.

Cllr. Mrs. Christine Talbot, Conservative (Bracebridge Heath Division) led the calls to remove the responsibility from members. She said it was a 'tricky topic' which emerged repeatedly year after year.

"I would like to suggest that because we have had an Independent Remuneration Panel. In future an independent body should be charged with setting the pay and allowances we receive as elected members to avoid any potential conflict of interest."

Reprieve for Local Residential Care Home

Lincolnshire County Council has revealed more details on its proposals to improve respite and day care centres across Lincolnshire with brand-new, state-of-the-art facilities.

Closing five council-owned care homes is expected to save taxpayers one million nine hundred thousand pounds a year whilst those opposed to the scheme claim it to be "another nail in the coffin".


The proposal recommends the authority's homes in Lincoln, Gainsborough, Boston, Spalding and Louth should be closed. With the potential for up to two hundred and thirty jobs losses. But the remaining three facilities in Nettleham, Sleaford and Grantham are expected to see changes if the plan is approved next month.

Linelands, in Nettleham provides twenty-seven beds, including fifteen for intermediate care and fifty-six day care places per week. Under the plans, the number of beds remains the same, but the number of day care places drops to forty-five.

Protests against the changes have been taking place throughout the year. Mrs. Elaine Smith, who cares full-time for her mother, Mrs. Lilian Smithson, and has used both Linelands and Bonner House in Sleaford for planned respite care is reported in the Lincolnshire Echo as saying:

"We made it clear that we were not just fighting to keep Linelands open, but all of the eight care homes.

"It does not make good business sense to have spare beds available for respite.

"The vast majority of people who go to these homes have a carer and it’s another nail in the coffin for carers who save the Government millions and millions of pounds a year. It's appalling."

The Conservative-controlled authority says it costs nearly one-thousand pounds per week for a bed in its care homes. This would decrease to five hundred per week for a bed under a new system run by private and charitable companies.

The paper reports that the authority insists changes are required with the introduction of personal budgets, which provide people with more choice by allowing them to buy the care they want, rather than a council choosing where they go.

The county council intends that any monies raised from selling buildings would be reinvested in providing better dementia care services.

Leader of the Council, Cllr. Martin Hill OBE, Conservative (Folkingham Rural Division) is reported to have commented:

"It's not about saving money, it's about providing a much better service and much more dementia services."

The local Branch Secretary of Unison, Mr. John Sharman, said:

"We can see our campaign has saved three of the homes and we would say this is a partial victory."

Nettleham Parish Councillor, Giles McNeill, said:

"Local residents will be pleased that pressure from a number of sources, including Nettleham Parish Council, has potentially secured the future of Linelands. The County Council face difficult decisions in this area and the whole basis of financial planning for the authority must be being examined."

Leader Will Not Now Visit Linelands

As reported yesterday Cllr. Martin Hill, Conservative (Folkingham Rural Division), Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, had planned to visit Linelands carehome in Nettleham today. But following the unrelenting intrusion of the local press has had to call off today's visit and will reschedule it for another time.

The County Council is deciding how it will provide care to the county's ageing population. This includes the option of shutting eight care homes.

Cllr. Hill agreed to visit Linelands after being challenged in the Lincolnshire Echo by carer and union representative Ms Phyl Lynn to speak to those involved at the care home.

Cllr. Hill said he postponed the visit due to high media interest, but a new date would be rearranged. He said:

"I want to talk to the residents without them having to speak publicly or being intimidated by the presence of a camera.

"After I have been to Linelands I will be very happy to give interviews."

County Council Leader To Visit Linelands

The Lincolnshire Echo is today reporting that the Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, Cllr. Martin Hill, Conservative (Folkingham Rural Division) will come meet with carers and campaigners tomorrow at Linelands, Nettleham, which has an uncertain future following the council's review of care services.


There will be no formal meeting, but staff and residents will be able to speak to him as he tours the building.

Cllr. Hill's decision to visit is in response to a challenge made in the paper by Linelands carer and union representative Ms Phyl Lynn, who asked Cllr. Hill to 'really understand what the services are providing' before making a decision.

The county council is considering how it will provide care to Lincolnshire's ageing population, with closure one of the options.

Cllr. Hill is reported to have said:

"It will help inform us how services are delivered and how they could be delivered in the future, ahead of our decision on shaping care for the future next January."

Cllr. Hill will be joined by Adult Social Care Executive Member, Cllr. Graham Marsh and the County Council's Assistant Director for Adult Social Care, Ms Carolyn Kus.

Campaigners believe the future of the care homes is a 'done deal' and want care to come before profit.

Leader of the Opposition, Cllr. Mrs. Marianne Overton, Lincolnshire Independent (Branston & Navenby Division) has previously said any plans to close the existing homes and replace them with new buildings could be 'doomed to failure'.

Concrete proposals on what the county council is planning are expected to emerge in the autumn.

National Award Shows County Is In Safe Hands

Update to 'County Council Leader Nominated For Award'.

‘Five years of exemplary leadership’ have been nationally-recognised as Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, Cllr. Martin Hill OBE, Conservative (Folkingham Rural) is named ‘Leader of the Year’.

Over the past five years, Cllr. Hill’s inspirational leadership has won acclaim from staff, partner organisations and community groups, who acknowledge the council as a driving force behind progressive change. Now, Cllr. Hill has been selected from among a strong field of candidates as Leader of the Year at the Local Government information Unit (LGiU) Awards. The organisers were looking for a leader who listened to the concerns of all councillors, ensuring that competing voices and priorities were heard, while successfully addressing the concerns and aspirations of the local community.

Councillor Martin Hill said:

"I am honoured to accept this award. It is particularly meaningful because of the work the LGiU do themselves in championing local democracy and supporting the work of councils. I must say the shortlist looked particularly daunting, so to be the final recipient was an extremely pleasant surprise.

"There is no doubt that there will be more challenges to face in the future, and I would like to thank my political colleagues and officers at Lincolnshire County Council, without whom this journey would not continue to be possible."

Cllr. Hill became Leader of the Council in early 2005 and, supported by a new executive, set about transforming the entire ethos, performance and reputation of the authority. His inclusive approach healed deep divisions within and between political groups, encouraging constructive debate in place of acrimony. Meanwhile, innovative new scrutiny and councillor development arrangements enabled elected members to grow, energising the entire political function.

Among those supporting Cllr. Hill’s nomination was Rt. Rev. Dr. John Saxbee, Bishop of Lincoln, he said:

"Councillor Martin Hill has not only restored the efficiency and effectiveness of Lincolnshire County Council, he has restored its integrity. The way we do things round here is now much more transparent, inclusive and collaborative. The county owes a great debt of gratitude to Martin for his exemplary leadership over the last five years."

The Bishop's sentiments were shared by Cllr. David Parsons, Vice Chairman of the Local Government Association, who said:

"Martin Hill is an outstanding council leader. Under his leadership Lincolnshire County Council’s reputation has been transformed, locally, regionally and nationally. I was asked through the IDeA to work with Martin in the early stages of his leadership. I was therefore aware of the challenges he faced and was able to see at first hand how he set about establishing a new direction for the county council and how successful he has been in taking colleagues and partners with him."

Following last month’s Comprehensive Area Assessment, in which Lincolnshire County Council was praised for 'performing well', Cllr. Hill is now focusing on 'recession-proofing' plans to protect frontline services, while keeping council tax low, as the effects of the economic downturn continue to bite. Alongside this, he will be leading the development of a Sustainable Community Strategy, reflecting residents’ aspirations for the future.

County Council Leader Nominatated for Award

Cllr Martin Hill OBE, Conservative (Folkingham Rural), Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, has been shortlisted in the category of ‘Leader of the Year’ in the Local Government Information Unit awards.

The awards are intended to recognise and reward the contributions of individual councillors across eight categories, and Cllr. Hill has been nominated by fellow councillors and officers at the council for his achievements. The winners will be announced on Thursday, 4th February 2010.

Cllr. Hill became council leader in early 2005, and supported by a new executive, he set about transforming the entire ethos, performance and reputation of the authority. His inspirational leadership has won acclaim from staff, partner organisations and community groups, who acknowledge the council as the driving force behind progressive change.

Cllr. Hill was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2008 for services to local government, and the authority was praised in last month’s Comprehensive Area Assessment for 'performing well'.

The Local Government Information Unit works with local government and councillors to influence and improve the sector and deliver the best possible outcomes for communities. The Local Government Information Unit believes that councillors are the backbone of local democracy and work tirelessly for communities.

For more information about the awards visit the Local Government Information Unit website.