Obituary for Nettleham Parish Councillor Allan James Bonney

Nettleham Parish Councillor Allan James Bonney , born Monday, 18th September 1939, passed away on the morning of Friday, 3rd October 2014. 

Allan was by trade a Builder and Civil Engineer having served his apprenticeship under John Laing & Sons Ltd. After his retirement he came to Nettleham in October 2006 and settled in Highfields, Nettleham with a smaller and more manageable garden than he had been used to.

Allan James Bonney 1939 - 2014

Before moving to Nettleham he had been President of the Middlesex Bowling Association and a member of the English Bowls Association Committee. He was a member of the Nettleham Bowls Club where he collected old newspapers on their behalf to raise funds and was the ‘Greens Advisor’ for Bowls Clubs in Lincolnshire.

He was first elected to the council in 2010 where he filled one of three vacancies following the retirement of councillors Meg Davidson, Alf Frith and Ray Sellars. It was not long however before he would have to seek re-election to council the following year. He was successful and continued his service to the parish.

In 2011 Allan was appointed by the council to the Skate Park Steering Group and served as a Deputy on the Property Committee, Planning Committee and Mulsanne Park Users Committee. In 2012 he was appointed to the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee and became a full member of both the Planning Committee and the Mulsanne Park Users Committee. He was also appointed as one the the parishes first two Snow Wardens, along with the Vice-Chairman of the Council, Cllr. Mrs. Janice Clayton.

In 2013 he came off the Musanne Park Users Committee and was promoted by the council to be the lead Snow Warden, also becoming one of the parish's Flood Wardens. Finally, in 2014, with his health impaired, he stepped back to be a deputy again on the Planning Committee and relinquished his roles as a member of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee, and both the Flood and Snow Warden roles.

Allan's four year service to the parish of Nettleham was characterised by a determination to ensure the best for local people, that the council's resources were properly spent and represented value for money. He was never afraid to challenge and enquire about the actions of other authorities and bodies which affected the lives of people within the parish.

Allan was no stranger to the local Domino and Cribbage Club where he was an active member. He served on the Committee of Nettleham Garden Club and helped at their Saturday morning store.

The flag at the Old School, Mill Hill, Nettleham is expected to be flown at half mast on Monday, 6th October 2014. A service of Cremation will take place at 11:10 on Friday, 17th October 2014 at Lincoln Crematorium. 

Allan is survived by his wife Teresa, daughter Hazell and son Ian, together with his seven grandchildren

Conservatives Hit Right Note in Langworth

Nettleham & District Conservatives have enjoyed an excellent summer's evening of entertainment and refreshment at the Memorial Hall in Langworth.

Members of the Nettleham & District Conservative Branch
with Mary and Edward Leigh MP

Over forty people, including local party members and supporters, gathered in the venue to listen to the first public performace of the Lesley Cullen Quintet, who had recently formed, together with other musicians.

A substantial cheese board was available for guests to indulge in, together with an impressive array of homemade desserts and strawberries and cream.

Edward Leigh MP, who represents the area, said:

"This has been an excellent event. The branch always puts on a good occassion and this is no exception. It is good to see many friends, and also new faces."

EXCLUSIVE: West Lindsey Conservatives Elect Leadership

Above: Cllr. Burt Keimach
Below: Cllr. Ian Fleetwood

West Lindsey District Council Conservative Group met in a closed session last night for their Annual General Meeting at the Guildhall, Marshall's Yard, Gainsborough and elected their leadership team for the coming civic year.

Re-elected as Group Leader was Cllr. Burt Keimach, Conservative (Market Rasen Ward), who will doubtlessly become Leader of the Council at the meeting on Monday, 23rd May 2011. Cllr. Keimach said:

"I feel confident that we are a strong team able to achieve our aims."

In a tight contest for the group's deputy leadership incumbent Cllr. Mrs. Irmgard Parrott, Conservative (Cherry Willingham Ward) was eased out by Cllr. Ian Fleetwood, Conservative (Bardney Ward). Cllr. Keimach is still to appoint a Chief Whip. Other elections included Mr. Giles McNeill as Group Secretary and Mrs. Meg Davidson as the Group Treasurer.

The Group also discussed the Leader's appointment of the various Chairmen for the Council's main Committees which will be confirmed at the Annual Council Meeting. A further meeting will be held next week to determine representaions on outside bodies.

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.

Shore: "I don't agree with Nick."

Cllr. Reg Shore, Liberal Democrat (Stow Ward), has surprised many with comments made to the Lincolnshire Echo, in an article published today, about the local election contest for West Lindsey District Council due on Thursday, 5th May 2011. Cllr. Shore is quoted as saying:

"I don't agree with Nick. I never have and that's based on the issue of student fees."

 'West Lindsey Focus' delivered
prior to the 2010 General Election

The shock disclosure that Cllr. Shore does not and has not ever supported Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat Leader is somewhat at odds with the facts. Cllr. Shore having appeared in election literature last year with Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for the Gainsborough Constituency, Cllr. Pat O'Conner, and the Deputy Prime Minister.

Cllr. Shore is also reported to have provided the following withering critique of his leader:

"Nick Clegg will not sort flooding or has vision for West Lindsey".

However, one of Cllr. Shore's district and county colleagues described him as 'Canute' - a man who sat in the waters as they rose during his time of leadership of West Lindsey District Council in 2007.

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.

 

£100,000 Flood Prevention Project to Start at Fiskerton

Work to strengthen flood defences in a West Lindsey village is set to start next week.

 

Fiskerton has been plagued by flooding problems for more than twenty years but now their misery is set to come to an end.

 

West Lindsey District Council has teamed up with a number of partners to help deliver an innovative solution to the problem.

 

Plans have been drawn up to intercept much of the surface and land drainage from the uphill side of the village and redirect it, back under, rather than through the village.

 

Mr. Tony Adams, Flood Prevention Officer at West Lindsey District Council, thanked everyone involved in making the scheme possible. He said:

"The involvement and contribution of the Church Commissioners, the tenant farmer, The Witham Third Internal Drainage Board and the Parish Council have been invaluable and without their support and passage through the school, then this scheme could not have come about."

Work is expected to start on the scheme on Tuesday at Fiskerton Church of England Primary School.

 

This part of the work is expected to be complete by September, in time for the children to return after the summer holidays.

 

Other and more extensive work will be carried out in the field north of the village hall and lesser works in the fields to the east and west and is expected to be complete by the end of September.

 

The work has been made possible thanks to funding from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs.

 

Cllr. Mrs. Meg Davidson, Conservative (Fiskerton Ward) said:

"This is exciting news - although there have been a few hurdles to overcome it is great to know it is going ahead.

 

"It really good how many people have worked together to make this happen, it has been a real team effort.

 

"Residents of Fiskerton were affected quite badly in the 2007 floods because of the pressures of the existing drainage systems and this news will give them a real boost.

 

"West Lindsey has done a huge amount of work in working with residents, making sure they knew what was happening and why.

 

"I would like to thank staff at West Lindsey for getting the DEFRA grant; it is a real credit to them."

Cllr. Mrs. Jackie Brockway, Chairman of Community and Waste Services Committee at the council, said:

"West Lindsey and its partners have worked very hard to secure this money for the Fiskerton flooding scheme.

 

"I am absolutely delighted that work is going to start and hopefully it will relieve the problems for residents."

Disruption to the village as a whole will be kept to a minimum as work to all but the village hall and the school works will be via the entrance to the airfield at Reepham Road.

 

Work will be limited to the hours of 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings.

 

Part of the village hall grounds will be closed to ensure safe work and access.

 

Partners involved in the scheme include:

• The Church Commissioners
• The Tenant Farmer, Mr Philip Good
• The Witham Third Internal Drainage Board
• Anglian Water
• LincolnshireCounty Council - Highways
• LincolnshireCounty Council - Fiskerton C.E. Primary School
• West Lindsey District Council

Search For Oil Continues In Fiskerton

The Lincolnshire Echo is reporting that drilling tests searching for oil under a disused RAF airfield in Lincolnshire have been allowed to continue.


Cirque Energy (UK) Limited has until Wednesday, 31st March 2011, to complete its investigations near Fiskerton after Lincolnshire County Council granted the company more time.
The energy business had been required to stop work at Fiskerton Airfield on March 31, 2010.

However, the search at the Reepham and Fiskerton No. 1 wells can proceed following a decision by the county council's planning and regulation committee.

Cirque Energy will be required to make a separate application if it finds oil and wants to expand operations.

Committee Chairman, Cllr. Ian Fleetwood, Conservative (Cherry Willingham & Fiskerton Division) is reported to have said:

"I have been to Fiskerton Parish Council meetings and they have not registered any issues with me."

Cllr. Fleetwood, who was re-elected as a West Lindsey District Councillor for the Bardney Ward, last week and added nodding donkeys had not been a campaign trail issue.

Temporary planning permission allowing one exploratory bore hole to be drilled was first granted in July 1997. This was extended further in March 1998 and in 2002 permission to allow oil production was given to Cirque Energy.
The nodding donkeys were later left unused for five years and work has just recently been carried out to prepare for future testing.
Ministry of Defence land manager, Defence Estates, and West Lindsey District Council made no objections to the application during the consultation period.

Cllr. Mrs. Meg Davidson, Conservative (Fiskerton Ward) is reported to have said rising oil prices could make the business near the village 'economically viable' for its owners.

Conservatives Strengthen Control on West Lindsey District Council

The Conservatives have retained their grip on West Lindsey District Council, dispite coming second to the Liberal Democrats in the poll of twelve of the twenty five wards of the local authority.

Following today's local election result the composition of the authority is: Conservatives 21 seats, Liberal Democrats 14, Independents 1, Independents (unaligned) 1.

Before the election the Conservatives had 20 seats, the Liberal Democrats 13, there were 2 Independents, 1 Independent (unaligned) and one vacancy.

The Liberal Democrats polled 9,770 votes whilst the Conservatives polled 9,553. Despite this the Conservatives made a net gain of one.

Meanwhile, Labour had their best showing in a poll for West Lindsey District Council with 1,902 votes representing over 8% of the popular vote. The United Kingdom Independence Party also performed well, securing over one thousand votes in five contest across the district - their highest poll since the boundary changes of 1999.

Unfortunately, Leader of the Council since January, Mr. Adam Duguid, Conservative (Market Rasen Ward), lost his seat in a closely contested battle for the Market Rasen Ward. Town Mayor, Cllr. Ken Bridger, Liberal Democrat (Market Rasen Ward) won the seat. Conservatives were celebrating their win in the Hemswell Ward when Cllr. Paul Howitt-Cowan defeated Mr. Scott Pritchard.

In the closest contest of all, Cllr. Mrs. Heather Shore took the Scampton seat by just one vote from Conservative contender Mr. Roger Patterson.

Deputy Chairman (Political), Mr. Giles McNeill, of the Nettleham & District Branch, said:

"We are very pleased with this result. We have managed to hold all the district council seats in the branch area that had a contest, it is good to see Cllr. Ian Fleetwood (Bardney Ward), Cllr. Mrs. Irmgard Parrott (Cherry Willingham Ward) and Cllr. Mrs. Meg Davidson (Fiskerton Ward) all re-elected.

"We are also pleased with the result in the Nettleham Ward, despite it being retained by incumbent Liberal Democrat, Cllr. Alf Frith, local conservatives increased our poll of votes by 341, which is very positive, which represented a 3.2% swing to the Conservatives from the prevous contest for the seat."

Full results are:

• Bardney: Ian Fleetwood (Conservative) elected 604, Robert Smith (Liberal Democrat) 321, Sharon Spicer (United Kingdom Independence Party) 169. Turnout 66.53%
• Cherry Willingham: Irmgard Parrott (Conservative) elected 1,204, Brian Gulliver (Labour) 534, Steven Pearson (United Kingdom Independence Party) 143, Trevor Stephen (Liberal Democrat) 1018. Turnout 73.19%
• Fiskerton: Margaret Davidson (Conservative) 502, Christopher Darcel (Independent (non-aligned)) 240, Clare East (Liberal Democrat) 180, Carol Pearson (United Kingdom Independence Party) 129, Melanie Tointon (Labour) 154. Turnout 71.47%
• Gainsborough East: Melvyn Starkey (Liberal Democrat) 1,019 elected, Timothy Davies (Conservative) 597, Richard Doran (Labour) 606, Thomas Johnson (United Kingdom Independence Party) 224. Turnout 49.21%
• Gainsborough North: Thomas Brown (Liberal Democrat) 1,457 elected, Nigel Bowler (Labour) 608, Julian Myers (Conservative) 854. Turnout 55.78%
• Hemswell: Paul Howitt-Cowan (Conservative) 599 elected, Scott Pritchard (Liberal Democrat) 536, Anthony Wells (United Kingdom Independence Party) 113. Turnout 65.52
• Market Rasen: Ken Bridger (Liberal Democrat) 1,292 elected, Adam Duguid (Conservative) 1,120, Deborah Theobald (Independent Group) 276. Turnout 64.11%
• Nettleham: Alf Frith (Liberal Democrat) 1,763 elected, Giles McNeill (Conservative) 1,098. Turnout 75.83%
• Scampton: Heather Shore (Liberal Democrat) 815 elected, Roger Patterson (Conservative) 814. Turnout 71.6%
• Thonock: Lesley Rollings (Liberal Democrat) 889 elected, Keeley Henderson (Conservative) 592. Turnout 67.72%
• Waddingham and Spital: Jeffrey Summers (Conservative) 1,014 elected, John Beaver (United Kingdom Independence Party) 355. Turnout 72.61%
• Wold View: Thomas Regis (Conservative) 555 elected, David Kitchen (Liberal Democrat) 480, Bernard Theobald (Independent Group) 228. Turnout 65.56%

West Lindsey Nets £181,000 To End Flood Misery

Two bids for flood alleviation funding totalling £181,000 compiled by West Lindsey District Council have been backed by the government.

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has announced that £96,000 has been awarded towards a project at Fiskerton and a further £85,000 for work at Sykes Lane in Saxilby.

A further £53,000 has been awarded to a Lincolnshire County Council project to provide highways improvements and a water course diversion scheme in Waddingham which will also ease flooding.

A delighted Leader of West Lindsey District Council, Cllr. Adam Duguid, Conservative (Market Rasen Ward) said recognition from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was a just reward for councillors and officers who have worked tirelessly to bring flooding relief to local people.

"The terrible events of June 2007 focussed everyone's attention on the need to do as much as possible to prevent property flooding on that scale ever happening again. By implementing these grant funded schemes, approximately 90 households that were previously vulnerable to flooding will be protected.

"We have done remarkably well to secure a slice of only £5 million available nationally - West Lindsey was the only district council in Lincolnshire to be successful - and we are fully committed to doing everything we can to get more funding for other schemes in our area that urgently need implementing."

The terms of the funding mean that schemes have got to be complete by March 2011, and in Fiskerton work is due to be completed as soon as August 2010.

The Fiskerton project is the result of West Lindsey District Council, the Third Witham Drainage Board, developer Morris Homes and the local parish council all working together on a scheme which will intercept water from the north of the village and then divert it under the village - rather than through it - to the drains to the south and then out to the North Delph.

The scheme is designed to resist a six hour storm with an additional thirty percent capacity built in to allow for climate change.

In Saxilby there are known flood risk problems on Sykes Lane and the funding award will be used to tackle flood risk from surface and ground water after heavy rain and to re-route water away from the village towards established and maintained watercourses to the north.

Making the funding announcements, Environment Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said:

"Local authorities have a crucial role to play in tackling flooding and it's vital that they have these funds now so that work can begin on resolving local flooding immediately. At the same time they will have the chance to develop the understanding and skills they need for the longer term. We wanted to make sure these funds went to where they are most needed and where they can make the biggest difference."

Nettleham's Lib Dems Fail To Support Flood Prevention Bid

Last night Nettleham Parish Council agreed to a proposal by Cllr. Giles McNeill to attempt to draw down new funding from West Lindsey District Council to assist in Flood Prevention.

The funding package of £165,000 was announced in West Lindsey District Council's Budget at the beginning of March and made a priority for the district by Cllr. Mrs. Meg Davidson, Conservative (Fiskerton Ward), who is also a Nettleham Parish Councillor. A bid for somewhere in the region of £10,000 will be made.

In the floods of June 2007 numerous properties were flooded and the Parish Council were active in investgating and seeking recommendations for solutions. To that end the Parish Council engaged the services of Faber Maunsell, leading consultants on such matters and a report was produced. A key recommendation was:

"Development of a hydraulic model of Nettleham Beck and its tributary through Danby Hill."

This would assist in the analysis of various scenarios and potential solutions. Whilst every other member of Nettleham Parish Council were able to support this proposal. Cllr. Alf Frith, Liberal Democrat (Nettleham Ward) and Cllr. Ray Sellars, Liberal Democrat (Nettleham & Saxilby Division) could not support the proposal.

Cllr. Giles McNeill said:

"I think it is what we have come to expect from [Cllrs. Sellars & Frith], they dither and attempt to rationalise their actions, but in reality they didn't have a good reason to object, it was political posturing and not in our community's interest.

"The money from West Lindsey District Council lets us take action that helps to build the argument for making improvements against the flooding risk situation in the village."

Public Meeting Held To Discuss Flood Scheme For Fiskerton

The Lincolnshire Echo is today reporting on the major new plans, that we reported on here earlier in the week, as having been put forward to tackle flooding Fiskerton at a public meeting.


They report that officials unveiled proposals that aim to collect and store water from the beleaguered village of Fiskerton, in order to reduce pressure on drains and sewers.

The scheme would intercept water from the north of Fiskerton and then divert it through existing pipes under the village - rather than through it - before it flows out into drains.

The £100,000 project was revealed last night to a village hall packed with locals.

District and parish councillors have teamed up with drainage officials, housing chiefs and other groups to hammer out a scheme that aims to reduce the amount of ground water getting into the sewage and drainage system.

They are also offering locals a "one-off" opportunity to help to repair watercourses on the land of homeowners who may not even know such things are on their land.

But while no-one at the meeting could question the need to combat flooding, concerns were raised about whether some locals might have to pay to maintain the watercourses.

The paper reports on Mr. Tony Adams, an environmental official at West Lindsey District Council, as saying:

"There is a problem in Fiskerton and practically everywhere else in the district, and even wider still. This problem in Fiskerton was highlighted in the flooding of 2007, as it was everywhere else in West Lindsey.

"Part of the problem has been with ditches in what is referred to as the Morris Homes site. But we have problems throughout the village, and Fiskerton now has a unique opportunity to resolve them."

The aim of the meeting was to seek the community's support for the plans. But the final say will be made by councillors. The timeline outlined at the meeting would see the scheme finished by August this year.

Acknowledgement: LincolnshireEcho | News | 05/03/2010

Local Conservatives Visit Hill Holt Wood Social Enterprise

Today, Leader of West Lindsey District Council, Cllr. Adam Duguid, Conservative (Market Rasen Ward), Cllr. Mrs. Meg Davidson, Conservative (Fiskerton Ward) - Chairman of the Council's finance committee and Giles McNeill, paid an impromtu visit to Hill Holt Wood to see how West Lindsey District Council's support was training young people in new skills and leading them into work.

Right: Cllrs. Duguid and Davidson inspects plans a student is following to construct wooden bollards with Co-Founder Nigel Lowthrop.

Hill Holt Wood is a small, 34 acre woodland operating as an environmental social enterprise and controlled by a voluntary board of directors representing local communities and councils as well as local and national businesses.

At Hill Holt Wood the approach of the management of the woodland is in a traditional sense, as a habitat to be conserved but we also look to the future and utilise the natural resources to achieve employment, education and training goals. Hill Holt Wood is a centre for learning for a diverse range of learners of all ages and abilities.

Through support from projects such as Hill Holt Wood and the Future Jobs Fund, 150 unemployed young people will be trained in the green building industries of the future.

Left: Cllrs. Duguid and Davidson in the almost complete Community Hall and beyond, through the doors, the 'rammed earth' meeting hall.

We saw the building work that is afoot on the new Community Hall, Refectory and Meeting Room - made from rammed earth, a technique not seen on these shores since the Romans. The building is being created using entirely sustainable materials sourced locally where possible and utilising many innovative building techniques. We saw how plastic-slate tiles are being used which are partly-made from recycled plastic and were given an invaluable insight into the many possibilies that eco-developement will potentially afford West Lindsey in the future.

Initially the Community Hall will be heated by split-log boiler the logs for which we will source locally. This energy will be stored in the form of hot water and released into the underfloor heating system - very Roman.

Right: Cllr. Duguid and Giles McNeill at the Hill Holt Wood sign.

An excellent project really demonstrating the very best of what can be achieved by Social Enterprise.

£100,000 Flood Scheme For Fiskerton

A £100,000 project could soon be underway to relieve Fiskerton of a flooding problem that has dogged the village for more than 20 years.

An open meeting has been called for Thursday 4th March 2010 to discuss innovative plans to intercept water from the north of the village and then divert it through existing pipes under the village - rather than through it - to the drains to the south and then out to the North Delph.

The meeting, in the village hall at 7.30pm, will seek support from the local community. If this is forthcoming the work could take place over two weeks in August later this year.

West Lindsey District Council, the Third Witham Internal Drainage Board, Morris Homes and the parish council have been working on a scheme to reduce the amount of ground water getting into the sewage and drainage systems to reduce the risk of flooding all over the village.

West Lindsey's Public Protection Manager, Mr. Chris Allen, said:

"There is still detailed design work to be done and some finance has yet to be secured.

"But if something is not done the problems will only get worse and the public meeting will be a chance for local people to get answers to their questions and be reassured about the project."

The new scheme is designed to resist a six hour storm with an additional 30% capacity built in to allow for climate change.

Mr. Allen added:

"The resilience of this proposed scheme far exceeds anything else being planned in the district with the period 2085 to 2115 being the storm event size, including climate change, that is being planned for.

"We believe the scheme will relieve at least six known problem areas in the village by allowing the existing systems to function normally. In turn this will allow us to focus our attention on repairs and upgrades that are actually needed."

EXCLUSIVE: Lincolnshire's Conservatives Welcome Rt. Hon. Sir John Major

Right: (Left to Right) Mr. David Surtees, Sir John Major, Cllr. Mrs. Meg Davidson, Conservative (Fiskerton Ward), and Mr. Peter McNeill.

Over four hundred Conservatives from across Lincolnshire came together last night to welcome the Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH, Conservative Prime Minister between 1990 and 1997, to a gala dinner at the Epic Centre, Lincolnshire Show Ground, North Carlton, to raise funds for the coming General Election later this year.

Left: Local Conservatives gather prior to dinner at the Epic Centre.

The evening was preceded by an exclusive cocktail reception hosted by Mr. Hugh Bourn, President of the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, followed by Pre-Dinner Drinks, of Buck's Fizz or Orange Juice, as the hundreds of Conservatives from Boston & Skegness, Brigg & Goole, Cleethorpes, Gainsborough, Grantham & Stamford, Great Grimsby, Lincoln, Scunthorpe, Sleaford & North Hykeham and South Holland & The Deepings constituencies.  Guests enjoyed a menu of Roast Plum Tomato Soup with Basil Herb Dumplings, Roast Rack of Pork followed by Crème Brulée and Coffee.

Right: Sir John addressing local Conservatives.

Sir John addressed the assembled throng and gave and excellent speech encouraging activists to always remember that it is too easy to talk of small government, low taxes, social responsibilityand loose ourselves to abstracts, that we must always ask 'how does what I do help ordinary people?' Sir John also answered questions from the floor. 

A raffle and silent auction was held which raised many thousands of pounds for local Conservative campaign funds.

Video Blog #11 - Linelands Care Home Consultation

The Lincolnshire Echo is today reporting that campaigners who are trying to prevent council care home changes in Lincolnshire have made a 'Save Our Services' rallying call.

The impassioned plea was made as residents in Nettleham, north of Lincoln, met yesterday in protest at the county council's plans to replace eight care homes with privately-run provisions.

Linelands, in Nettleham, is one of the facilities which would be affected by the authority's proposals but people who use the service within the village say turning day care and respite centres into state-of-the-art residential care homes is unnecessary.

The authority's executive is expected to vote on the proposals in April, when feedback from public consultations to be considered.

Mrs. Elaine Smith, from Ashby-de-la-Launde, south of Lincoln said she was hopeful the meeting at the Black Horse pub, in Nettleham, would be the first step in allowing campaign groups from across the county to join together against the proposed redevelopment. Her mother, Mrs. Lilian Smithson, needs regular care, is quoted in the paper as saying:

"There have been public meetings and the council has come round and given its spiel about what the plans are, but there has been a lot of opposition to what the council is saying."

Lincolnshire County Council executive member for adult social care, Cllr Graham Marsh, is quoted saying:

"These are exciting plans which will change the type of support available for those using our services and provide people with better options."

Have your say on the consultation at http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/shapingcare.

Linelands Consultation Meeting is 'Frank and Emotive'

Yesterday evening local residents met at Nettleham Junior School on Mill Hill around six o'clock for a two how consultation meeting. In attendance were members of the Adult Social Care team from Lincolnshire County Council.

Umoung those who are elected members of various councils there was Leader of the Opposition at the County Council, Cllr. Mrs. Marianne Overton, Lincolnshire Independents (Branston & Navenby Division). Cllr. Ray Sellers, Liberal Democrat (Nettleham & Saxilby Division) and Cllr. Mrs. Meg Davidson, Conservative (Fiskerton Ward), on West Lindesy District Council - who is Deputy Chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee at the County Council.

A number of parish councillors attended, they were: Cllr. John Hill, Chairman of the Planning Committee, Cllr. John Evans, Chairman of the Parish Plan Committee, Cllr. Giles McNeill, Chairman of the Mulsanne Park Users Committee, Cllr. Mrs. Val Darbyshire. It was very good to also see Rev. Jenny Rowley who was in attendance.

No appearance was made by Nettleham's two district councillors; Cllr. Malcolm Leaning and Cllr. Alf Frith, Liberal Democrats (Nettleham Ward) which is surprising to say the least on such an important matter which will effect so many people living within the local community.

The attendance was somewhere in the region of between 70-80, which is very good considering that the meeting had to be rescheduled. This included a number of staff from the care home.

Many local residents and the politicians had their say on there views and the members of the Adult Social Care team did well responding to questions and presenting the information they had to hand.

Giles McNeill said:

"I think the evening went very well, whilst at times the discourse was frank and emotive, at all times it remained civil. It was clear to me that what the people of Nettleham and surrounding area want is to keep the respite and day-centre provision currently provided by Linelands and add to it additional care services, such as extra-care provision and nursing care."

Video Blog #10: Rand Group Asset Sale Begins

The remains of a once successful Lincolnshire company is set to be picked over by online auction-goers The Lincolnshire Echo reports. The Rand Group, and its subsidiaries UCS Plant and UCS Civils, called in the receivers in November last year – with the loss of two hundred jobs.

Starting today bidders can bid for the former company's assets, with a week long ‘eBay-style’ sale through Eddisons auction website. But county business leaders say that while it is sad to see the firm fail, it could offer opportunities for other local firms.

Mr. Simon Beardsley, chairman of the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce, commented to the Lincolnshire Echo that the auction would elicit a variety of emotions.

"On one hand the creditors who were owed money at the time the company ceased trading will be hoping that the sale will gain the maximum return in order for them to receive a contribution towards the amounts they are still owed."

"There are likely to be tinges of sadness and regret from former staff and owners of the company.

"But, there will also be those who will see this as an opportunity to use their entrepreneurial spirit to bring pieces of equipment back into economic use."

Eddisons director, Mr. Jason Pinder, said they have already seen a great deal of interest from companies far and wide.

"It was a really good company and it's such a shame to see it go down."

"But there has been a high demand for catalogues.

"There are 800 to 900 lots, and the market for them could be worldwide."

Bidding starts this today at http://www.eddisons.com/.

Sunday Express - Stainton-by-Langworth Pet Cemetary

Related content 'Cllr. Meg Davidson in Sunday Express?'.

The Sunday Express is reporting that villagers whose last resting place is a discreet plot in a country churchyard may well be turning in their graves.


The paper mentions that plans are afoot to open an environmentally-friendly burial ground where pet lovers can be interred alongside their beloved animals.

The village of Stainton-by-Langworth, north of Lincoln, will become the only place in England where humans can be buried with their dogs, cats and even hamsters forever.

West Lindsey District Council gave permission for the scheme because the local churchyard of St. John the Baptist is, like many others in Britain, fast running out of space.

Mrs. Deidre Oswin, who lives in nearby Langworth village, is quoted as saying:

"Some people might take to the idea but it is a very peculiar sort of planning application. It’s quite unusual, to say the least."

Cllr. Mrs. Meg Davidson, Conservative (Fiskerton Ward), is reported as saying she was braced for an outcry and the need for a special planning meeting to explain what the project was about. But she was surprised to find that, after some initial concern, the plan was approved without opposition from the district or parish councils. Mrs Davidson is reported to have said:

"It did seem very strange at first and we didn’t quite know what to make of it all.

"We didn’t know what the local reaction would be as nothing like that has happened round here before, but after everything was explained there were no real objections.

"Many people thought it made sense because graveyards, as everyone knows, are running out of space."

An acre of the four-and-a-quarter acre site will be dedicated to animal burials and the rest of the space will become a 'green' human burial ground. The application indicates that the burial site aims to have a low impact on the environment while maintaining a rural appearance.

People who choose to be buried there will have biodegradable shrouds instead of wooden coffins, with a tree or flat plaque to mark the grave instead of a traditional headstone.

The site will remain agricultural and wildlife will be encouraged. It is intended that, over time, it will turn into a small wood and orchard.

The paper report that the Environment Agency has issued a licence for the burial of animals at Stainton-by-Langworth and believed it would become the first burial ground in England where pets could be buried with their owners. A spokesman explained:

"We have never heard of a burial ground like this before.

"It seems like a new but rather strange trend – people not wanting to be separated from their pets in death, that is."

There are nineteen pet cemeteries in England and Wales but so far none has been linked with human cemeteries.

Related content on the web: Yahoo India

Acknowledgement: Express.co.uk | UK News | 24/01/10

EXCLUSIVE: Cllr. Meg Davidson in Sunday Express?

It is understood that Cllr. Mrs. Meg Davidson, Conservative (Fiskerton Ward), is likely to appear in tomorrow's Sunday Express in a story about the proposed joint human-animal burial ground proposed for Stainton-by-Langworth.

In a publicity coup that any local councillor would be proud of Cllr. Mrs. Davidson has secured, it is understood, coverage in the national paper which has a circulation of over 600,000.

The relationship between a man and his dog, has been widely documented as being something of a special bond. Now, that bond – whether it be with dog, cat, horse or reptile – can go beyond the grave.

West Lindsey District Council has granted planning permission for a human and animal burial site, near Stainton by Langworth, north of Lincoln. According to the council, the applicant is from Cherry Willingham in Lincoln, but they were unavailable to talk about the scheme.

However, the application states that one acre of the four and a quarter acres will be dedicated to animal burials. The rest will be a 'green' human burial ground.

Langworth Group Parish Council members said it had not raised any objections to the plans.

Mrs. Deidre Oswin who lives in Langworth said:

"Some people could take to it, but it is a very peculiar sort of planning application to put through.

"It's quite unusual to say the least, but I guess there is no problem with it."