New Year's Message

I would like to wish all the people of Grange-de-Lings, Nettleham and Riseholme, the people that I am pleased to represent on West Lindsey District Council, my best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2016.

Edinburgh, Scotland

In January I was pleased to represent the district council at the Association of Public Service Excellence's (APSE) Annual General Meeting in Edinburgh. Despite having written my dissertation at university on devolution of the Scottish Parliament, this was my first visit to Scotland, and post the independence referendum of the preceding autumn, it was with a renewed sense of pride that I arrived in the capitol of this part of the United Kingdom.

By February the processes for both local and general elections were well underway. Having been appointed by Sir Edward Leigh and the Gainsborough Constituency Conservative Association to be Agent for their campaigns I found myself particularly busy running a parliamentary campaign, and thrity-seven district council candidates - including myself - in elections. Fortunately the alignment of general and district elections being held on the same day will not happen again until 2035.

Above: Giles McNeill enters the polling

 station at the Old School, Mill Hill,
Nettleham

It was, on a personal level, my highlight of the year that I was re-elected as a district councillor. I was proud to top the poll with 54.5% of those who voted backing me. It was the first time that a Conservative had topped a poll in a district council, local election for our area since 1979. I am particularly grateful to so many people who supported me, helping me secure re-election as one of the Nettleham ward's two district councillors. I will continue to work hard for all residents.

Local government continues to face a tough financial settlement with central government and your local councillors are very much on the front-line. West Lindsey is well placed to adapt to the changes that reducing monies from central government will necessitate. But it means that we are having to make genuinely difficult choices about what services stay and what services have to go. I do not envy colleagues who are less well placed. County Councillors are consistently and continually criticised for cutting services; yet it is a triumph, albeit not necessarily one of their own making, that there will be more libraries open in Lincolnshire, for longer periods, than three years ago. Nevertheless with responsibilities to an ageing population the county council must choose to provide services to the vulnerable and elderly, fulfilling statutory responsibilities.

I was very pleased to be offered the opportunity to continue my service as Chairman of the Governance and Audit Committee by the Council's Leader, Cllr. Jeff Summers and also to continue in the role as the administration's Chief Whip.

In October I had the good fortune to have lunch with the Prime Minister, David Cameron MP, and we spoke in congratulatory tones on the successes of the election campaign.

Above: (Left to Right) Nettleham Parish
Councillors Joe Siddall, John Evans and
Terry Williams present the Nettleham
Neighbourhood Plan to West Lindsey
District Councillors Steve England and
Giles McNeill.

I was pleased with the progress that has been made in tackling issues in the district council's planning department. As a member of the Planning Committee and a Nettleham Parish Councillor I have been engaged in and followed the process of the emerging Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan. On Thursday, 28th January 2016 local residents will be able to have their say on the plan in a referendum. Then in May we will once again be invited to go to the polling stations to vote in elections for the county's Police and Crime Commissioner. I am certain that participation will be higher than the paltry 15.3% achieved in the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections. 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 backing Marc Jones for the post as he has the passion and vision to really move Lincolnshire Police forward, unlike the lack-lustre, poor performance of the current incumbent, widely expected to retire at the election.

In 2016 I hope we can renew our commitment to make our communities better, putting aside partisan tendencies, and working with one another 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

New Year's Message

It is with continued pride that I serve and represent the people of Grange-de-Lings, Greetwell, Nettleham and Riseholme on West Lindsey District Council.

The obvious highlight of the year was the Royal visit in March to Nettleham of His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent. He came to officially open the Bishop’s Palace Site which Nettleham Parish Council has been working to make into an amenity area. If you haven’t visited the site yet, it is well worth taking a stroll through.

In February I was very pleased to act as Agent for Conservative candidate Mrs. Pat Mewis in a by-election to the Scotter ward of West Lindsey District Council. I am pleased to say that Pat and her team’s efforts secured victory for her and we welcomed her on to the council, early in the year.

The Conservative administration at West Lindsey, acutely aware that the benefits of growth and an improving economy are not being felt by everyone, once again froze our portion of the Council Tax.

I was surprised, pleased and delighted to be elevated to the Chairmanship of the Governance and Audit Committee at West Lindsey District Council in May; having previously been Vice-Chairman in the preceding year. I continued my role as the administration Chief Whip. 

If there has been one issue that has been most prominent in 2014 it has been planning. Be it new homes to be developed, the Lincoln Eastern By-Pass or Wind or Solar Farms; they have all generated considerable interest from local people. As a member of the Planning Committee at West Lindsey I have tried, within the constraints of the planning system, to get the best possible results. Planning decisions must always be determined on planning grounds. The best representations that we receive at the committee are when people come armed with our local planning policies and demonstrate how a proposed development conflicts with those policies. Based on the number of appeals, which have been upheld by the Planning Inspectorate, in the council’s favour; I think we are doing a very good job for our residents.

It was with sadness that I learnt of the death of Nettleham Parish Councillor Allan Bonney in October. He will be much missed. I have been pleased to support and welcome his successor Mr. Richard Porter to the council, who will formally sit with us for the first time this January.

As we approached the end of the year my time, and that of my colleagues, has become increasingly focussed on getting the district council’s budget to balance. It has not been easy. Tough decisions continue to lie ahead and that means that the local elections in May will be terribly important. They will be a choice between a competent Conservative administration that has weathered the choppy waters of austerity and has a plan for the future or the risk of the untried and untested alternatives. 

I have very much enjoyed the past two years as a district councillor for the Nettleham Ward. I hope that local people will be kind enough to re-elect me in May so that I may continue to keep our community at the forefront of the minds of local decision-makers.

For each and all I offer my sincere wish for health, prosperity and happiness in 2015.

Sir Edward Leigh MP Protests Library Cuts

Sir Edward Leigh, the Member of Parliament for Gainsborough, has protested the scale of cuts to libraries in Lincolnshire. Writing to Lincolnshire County Council, the MP called local libraries “an absolutely vital local resource” and said they “inculcate in the young a sense of the adventure of learning and provide access to new avenues of knowledge for them to explore”.

“No one disagrees with the need for savings to be found and for cuts to be made.

“But it is necessary we in Lincolnshire think about the long term. If we close too many libraries now we are ending a long and organic tradition that has been cultivated for generations. When prosperity returns, it will be much more difficult to restart these libraries and the services they provided, especially if property is sold off to become residential or commercial units.

“I’m sure an analysis of the long-term costs and benefits would show that it would be immensely wiser to make cuts elsewhere in budget and keep as many of these libraries open as possible rather than to cut off innumerable future generations from the immeasurable benefits of a local library.”

Sir Edward also pointed out that the County Council could be more pro-active in finding solutions for libraries to remain open, citing the case of Nettleham where the parish council have sought a minimum five-year lease in exchange for operating their local library, but have been turned down.

“Nettleham Parish Council are being perfectly reasonable in their demands, and they deserve a much more favourable reaction from the County Council.”

The Save Lincolnshire Libraries campaign has sought judicial review from the High Court regarding the County Council’s libraries plan.

Cllr. Giles McNeill, Conservative (Nettleham Ward), and a member of Nettleham Parish Council, said:

“I welcome Sir Edward's intervention. The way the Parish Council and the local community are being treated by Lincolnshire County Council is not what I would expect. Cllr. Nick Worth, who is the portfolio holder at Lincolnshire County Council with responsibilities for the library service, should re-consider his intransigent position. Surely we both want the same thing. Nettleham Library to remain open, run by community volunteers.”

Power Cuts and No Running Water Cause Concern

Residents in Nettleham, Welton and Scampton were without a water supply for several hours last night, with intermittent power cuts also affecting the area, the Lincolnshire Echo reports. 

Anglian Water informed residents that the cuts, which struck local villages around six o'clock last night, following a brief interruption in the power supply, were caused by a pump that had failed in the area.

Mrs. Karen Falloon, noticed the cuts when she returned from work in Lincoln. She said:

“I got back from work and I noticed that the phone had reset.

“My husband then told me that the power had cut for five minutes. An hour after the cut I noticed that the cold water had stopped running, and it didn’t start until eleven thirty.”

“It can cause sanitary issues. Almost half of Nettleham’s residents are retired people, which is the biggest problem.”

Another local, described how she got into a bath of scolding water, due to being unaware that she was without cold water. She said: 

“I suffer from a bad back so I usually have a warm bath in the evening. 

“Last night I took my pills and there was no cold water, I didn’t realise until I got in. It was also a lot of water that’s gone to waste.”

She praised Anglian Water for providing advice and contacting affected residents in the area to inform them of the problem. She added:

“I received a call from Anglian Water to say that the cause was a broken pump and that it would be back by 11.30pm. 

“Anglian Water were very good in dealing with it. I checked with my next door neighbour and they were also contacted.”

West Lindsey District Councillor, Cllr. Giles McNeill said:

“Since the developments in the area, there have been a few power cuts. You’d expect the infrastructure to be more resilient. 

“I don’t want it to have to happen again as it is quite worrying when you don’t have a running supply of water for a few hours. 

“I represent a lot of the elderly and the vulnerable in the village and to be without power and water can cause great anxiety. We need our utilities to be resilient, robust and reliable.”

Nettleham Named 'Best Kept Village', Again!

Above: Nettleham Beck

Nettleham village, just north of Lincoln, has again been name one of the county’s best kept village in an annual competition.

Lincolnshire’s Best Kept Villages & Small Towns is an annual competition that celebrates villages all around the county. Nettleham came top of the Class III 'large villages' category, with Washingborough, south of Lincoln, gaining second place. Other winners in different categories include Scothern, Caistor, Butterwick and Silk Willowby.

Nettleham has been successful in Class III for a number of years, winning the category eleven times, coming second five times and third twice over the past half century, and in 2012 was jointly named champion of champions with Tealby.

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

“Nettleham is a beautiful village thanks to the hard work of both Parish Council and local residents.
“Once again I am proud that we have won against stiff competition.”

The Best Kept Villages and Small Towns Competition started in 1962 by Lincolnshire Branch CPRE and Community Lincs. It aims to encourage residents in those areas to 'appreciate their surroundings and take pride in the communities in which they live'.

Residents' Views Sought on £3,000,000 Cuts

West Lindsey District Council is preparing itself for continuing reductions to the central government grant, which is a significant portion of the authority's income, in the future.

Above: A consultation event is well attended at the Old
School, Mill Hill, Nettleham.

With a prolonged and difficult financial climate the government has announced further cuts to the Council’s grant over the next three financial years. It means the Council will need to find £3,000,000 of savings.

To do this the Council needs to understand what local residents think about current services provided by the Council and what should be the Council's priorities for the future. Local residents, across the district, have had the opportunity to attend workshops. For those residents that have not attended they are invited to complete an online questionnaire (click here) to ensure that their views are heard.

Cllr. Giles McNeill, Conservative (Nettleham Ward), said:

"I hope as many people as possible will take the survey. It is really important that we get a good sample of respondents as it will help us ensure that valued services are retained, whilst services that the vast majority of people don't support can be cut.

"I attended the event at the Old School in Nettleham and was very proud of the turnout from Nettleham, Greetwell and other neighbouring parishes." 

All responses must be submitted by Monday, 2nd September 2013. Residents with any questions should e-mail: engagement@west-lindsey.gov.uk.

West Lindsey is Home to Lincolnshire's Best Kept Village

Residents and parish councillors gathered in Nettleham this week for the unveiling of a bench recognising the village as one of the best kept in Lincolnshire.



Photo: M. Leaning

Nettleham was named as joint winner of the Best Kept Village 50th Anniversary award, organised by Community Lincs. Sponsored by the Heritage Lottery Fund, this special award was given to Nettleham - and also to Tealby - for having the most consistent scores in the past 50 years of the competition.
Pennells Garden Centres, which sponsor the annual award and donate trees to the winning villages each year, donated a bench to both of the overall winners. Managing director Richard Pennell said:

“These two villages over the years have been consistently good. The enthusiasm of the people involved and the care that they take is great.”

The Lincolnshire Best Kept Village competition has been run by Community Lincs since 1962. In that time Nettleham has won its category (for villages between 2,001 and 7,000 residents) 11 times, most recently in 2010. Tealby has won its category eight times, coming second on 10 occasions.

Speaking at the presentation of the bench on Nettleham village green, chairman of Nettleham Parish Council Cllr Terry Williams said: “This was very much a tri-partite effort. It was an effort on the part of our residents, businesses and the parish council.

“I thank the residents all for their contribution over a 50 year period, for making sure our gardens are kept neat and tidy.

“I also thank the businesses around the village for making sure their premises are neat and tidy and making sure they have flower displays.

“The contribution of the parish council has been making sure the verges are tidy and cut.”

Co-ordinator of the awards for Community Lincs, Teresa Palmer, said villages were judged on their presentation, including whether there was any litter, how memorials and churchyards were kept, whether wildlife is catered for, and community spirit. She said:

“One of the strong points of Nettleham is there are so many different groups and so much going on for all age groups.”

West Lindsey District Council has supported the competition for many years and both Nettleham district councillors, Cllr. Giles McNeill, Conservative and Cllr Malcolm Leaning, Liberal Democrat, attended the presentation. Cllr. Malcolm Leaning said:

 “I am delighted my home village of Nettleham, where I was born, has come equal first over the past 50 years in the ‘Best Kept Village in Lincolnshire’ competition.

“Having been a member of Nettleham Parish Council for 48 years I can remember the first time we voted to enter the competition in 1967 – which was also the first time we won it!

“The award of a seat will ‘sit’ and be well used on Nettleham village green.”

For more information go to http://lincolnshirebestkeptvillages.co.uk

Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Alan Hardwick should Resign Urges District Councillor

Cllr. Giles McNeill, Conservative (Nettleham Ward), has called on Police and Crime Commissioner Alan Harwick to resign following the humiliating ruling by a High Court Judge at a hearing in Manchester.

Mr. Justice Stuart-Smith said the the Commissioner's decision was 'irrational' and 'perverse', determining that the Chief Constable's suspension was therefore unlawful.

Cllr. McNeill said:

"It is clear that Alan Hardwick is not up to the job of being Police and Crime Commissioner. He has bungled this suspension of the Chief Constable, Neil Rhodes.

"It was clear that something was amiss when, having referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, they decided that the matter was not sufficient for their investigation.

"The time has come for Commissioner Hardwick to do the honourable thing and resign."

Commissioner Hardwick, Independent (Lincolnshire Force Area), has appointed the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester to undertake an independent investigation.

Snowy Weather

Local residents are being encouraged by Conservative-led West Lindsey District Council to clear snow and ice during bad weather.

There is no law stopping individuals from clearing snow and ice on the pavement outside a persons or from public spaces.

A number of town and parish councils have made preparations for severe weather. Residents can find contact details for their parish council here to find out what support is available.

To keep up to date with the weather follow this link Weather information. Information on Gritting and snow clearance can be found following the link,

People using areas affected by snow and ice also have responsibility to be careful themselves.

It is unlikely an individual would be sued or held legally responsible for any injuries on the path if  cleared carefully.

Local residents should ensure they use common sense and not make the pavement or pathway clearly more dangerous than before.

Tips and advice on clearing snow and ice

• Start early - it’s easier to clear fresh, loose snow compared to compacted ice that has been compressed by people walking on it
  
• Do not use hot water - this will melt the snow, but may replace it with black ice, increasing the risk of injury
  
• Be a good neighbour - some people may be unable to clear snow and ice on paths from their property
  
• If shoveling snow, think where you are going to put it so that it doesn’t block people’s paths or drainage channels
  
• Make a pathway down the middle of the area to be cleared first, so you have a clear surface to walk on
  
• Spreading some salt on the area you have cleared will help stop ice forming - table salt or dishwasher salt will work, but avoid spreading on plants or grass as they may be damaged by it
  
• Pay particular care and attention to steps and steep gradients
  
• Use the sun to your advantage - removing the top layer of snow will allow the sun to melt any ice beneath; however you will need to cover any ice with salt to stop it refreezing overnight
  
• If there’s no salt available, sand or ash are good alternatives

Games Machine Cash Stolen from Village Pub

Lincolnshire Police are investigating after cash was stolen from a pub gaming machine.

The incident is understood to have taken place at around 9:00pm on Wednesday, 9th January 2013 from the White Hart Inn, High Street, Nettleham.

It is thought that four men, who were drinking in the pub, smashed the front of the machine and stole the cash box. They then left the pub and may have left the area in a dark coloured car.

Anyone with any information is asked to call Lincolnshire Police via the non emergency 101 number, or call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Cllr. Giles McNeill, Conservative (Nettleham Ward), said:

"This is a very serious crime and I hope that we can expect a proper investigation by local police. Obviously if any one has any information I encourage them to contact the police or Crimestoppers.

"I can only imagine how distressing this is for the pub's landlord and local residents. I urge people to be vigilant in the future."

EXCLUSIVE: 'Tractor' Spontaniously Combusts on Washdyke Lane, Nettleham

Remains of the 'Tractor' that caught fire on
Washdyke Lane, Nettleham

Residents of Washdyke Lane, Nettleham have been left shocked after what has been described as a 'tractor' caught fire earlier today. Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue were called to the scene shortly after midday.

According to an eyewitness account the driver of the vehicle was seen running from side-to-side of the engine with a small extinguisher trying to bring flames under control. The tractor’s fuel tank burst, spilling fuel down road, with flames up to twenty feet high, visible from the A46 ring road at its height.

Around lunchtime on Tuesday, 2nd October 2012 the vehicle caught fire and by two o'clock, the road remained closed between the end of Kingsway to the bus-stop and the Highways department had been contacted.

Firemen used two main jets and two breathing apparatus, and extinguished the fire. One fire engine remained on scene to clear out the area. The cause of the fire is still unknown. No one was reportedly injured in the incident.

Passengers on the No. 11 bus, arriving in Nettleham from Lincoln, as they turned on to Washdyke Lane were faced with a scene of carnage on the carriage way.

District Councillor for the Nettleham Ward, Giles McNeill, speaking at the scene, said:

"It seems to have been a very severe fire, and very serious incident. I have spoken with a member of Lincolnshire Police to understand what may have happened here today.

"I am not aware if anyone has been injured at this early stage. I hope that those involved are safe and well and that answers will be forthcoming." 

PCC2012: Richard Davies Supports Local Residents On Nettleham Custody Suite Proposals

Conservative Candidate for Lincolnshire's first Police and Crime Commissioner, Cllr. Richard Davies, has supported local residents in both Nettleham and Lincoln by opposing current plans to move the West Parade Police Station's facilities to a new build at the Police Headquarter's site on Deepdale Lane, Nettleham. Cllr. Davies said:

"Lincolnshire Police have floated the idea of moving Lincoln’s West Parade Police Station and Custody Suite to Nettleham.

"Looking at the current evidence and plans for the relocation of Lincoln City Police Station I do not think that Nettleham is the best place to locate a custody suite. 

"On the broader issue of city wide policing: I believe Lincoln city centre needs a policing presence in the form of a police station, including custody suite – West Parade may not be the best location but we need a comprehensive business case and consultation of all options before a decision is made"

Forty New Jobs In Nettleham

Mr. Ridge (centre) with members of his team.
© Picture: 2012 John Jenkins, Lincolnshire Echo

As many as forty new jobs will be created following the opening of a new call centre in Nettleham.

Complaint Handling Services has opened an office on the Deepdale Enterprise Park recently, and initially has employed 20 people the Lincolnshire Echo reports. However, following the initial success of the company, they are looking to employ a further batch of telephone operators.

Mr. Rob Ridge, Director, said:

"We deal with payment protection insurance claims initially but we also have a company called Pension Handling Services helping customers with their pensions. 

"Everything has gone really smoothly since the initial 20 people started work here in June.
"Hopefully the business will grow and we are looking to expand to around 60 employees at this site. 

"We are part of a bigger company with offices in Leicester and Manchester but Lincolnshire was very attractive to us. 

"For a start, it is cheaper to set up here than in the bigger cities and the recruitment costs are lower here. 

"Having said that, we are struggling to recruit quickly enough at the moment, but I suppose that is a good thing."

The new call centre has provided residents with an opportunity to get into work, for which they are grateful.

Mr. Mohammed Sait, from Lincoln, moved to the city from London to live with his partner. He said:

"It was about six weeks from leaving London and moving up here that I was out of work. 

"Everyone who works here comes from a different background and age group and they make an excellent team. 

"When I was working in London there was no time to think but here everybody takes their time to make sure that they get things right."

Complaint Handling Services has also provided young people their first taste of full time work. Master James Robertson, from Welton, said:

 "I finished college and wanted to find a job. I heard about this and decided to give it a go. It wasn't really what I wanted to do but I have really enjoyed it so far and I will be looking to stay in this area of work for a while."

Mr. Simon Beardsley, Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce, was delighted with the news of more jobs.

"It is good to see a company have the confidence to invest in the county especially while the general economic circumstances seem challenging." 

"It is good to see employment being created at such a significant level by a local firm."

Complaint Handling Services are currently employing please contact them on 01522 596400 for more information.