Nominate your hero
The awards would not be possible without the support of the community-focused businesses who are on board again this year and who are just as keen as NKDC to ensure the huge amount of community-centred endeavours which goes on within the District are celebrated, applauded and awarded.
You can nominate anyone living, working and carrying out their voluntary community work within North Kesteven within the ten categories at www.nkawards.org
Storms and Floods Our emergency workers struggled to cope with the widespread deluges. Huge thanks to so many people who rolled up their sleeves, shifting trees, managing sand bags and redirecting floodwaters. Thank you also for the ongoing work with me to make sure the drains are clear, reporting them on www.fixmystreet.com and texting or e-mailing me so I can speak to the officers and make sure their significance is properly understood and action taken. Even in the emergency periods, the fixmystreet website was used as the primary allocation of Council Highways staff. The County Council is the lead Flood Authority and have the task of co-ordinating with all the other bodies.
NK Plan and Budget
I was pleased to support the business plan and budget at NKDC this year, crafted from an extensive and inclusive process to support local people, places and our environment. Passed unanimously by Council for the first time in years!
Especially pleased to see funds ear-marked for investment in health and wellbeing, including mental health and for reducing our impact on the environment and climate change. A £220m ten-year investment strategy includes improving facilities and our future income with the business park, cinema and the town centre. I am optimistic for high quality services here in housing, leisure, waste management, environmental services, economic development and hopefully, good planning.
Government support was relatively good in this election year but there are known reductions and uncertainties ahead, particularly in whether we get to keep your business rates for local spend and in the proposed fairer distribution of funds across the country.
Hence the District Council tax is rising by £4.95 per year per household. County Council tax makes up the biggest portion of the bill and is rising by 3.5%.
Lincolnshire County Council
The County Council budget includes care for adults and children, which needs proper long-term funding. I’m working on that at the LGA. The £490m this year is not expecting any noticeable cuts. Savings have been made from new and better care contracts. Pay-outs for damaged cars has been higher than expected, and still more is needed and included for Highways this year.
The portion of tax for the Police is also up by 4.5%. Chief Inspector Vickers has agreed to come and discuss how to work with us locally to get the best outcomes on March 18th at Navenby 7-9pm
Sustainable Future: Are you in?
A fair/forum inviting all people of all ages in the Cliff Villages to share ideas on living in a sustainable way and responding to climate change
When and where Rogation Sunday afternoon, May 17 2020 in Wellingore Memorial Hall. (On Saturday May 16 there will be a plant sale at Wellingore Church)
What we need now: a representative group of people who will take part in making the day a huge success. Please contact me if you can help; Ann Avery 01522 810278 or 07460 774 036
Heritage Weekend – March 28-29
Celebrate Lincolnshire’s heritage and visitor attractions for free, with lots of special activities too.
Mrs Smith’s Cottage
3 East Rd, Navenby, LN5 0HF
Nicki, Artist in Residence, will be creating prints from wallpaper that will be open for members of the public to try, they will be able to add to a large display and also create a print of their own that they can take home. The University of Lincoln will have an exhibition that will explore and explain the wallpaper from within Mrs Smith’s Cottage. There will be a behind the scenes tour that will be led by a guide. Open all weekend from 10am – 4pm.
VE Day and Grants
Bank Holiday Friday 8th May
Our Cliff Villages are aiming to have a string of events over the weekend, so get your bunting out! There are some useful grants for local activities;
- Fund NK 2020 NK Grants Apply by March 31st
We also do a Sports Fund to assist athletes - Armed Forces Covenant Reopening end of April
Including a pot for a digital hub The Community Covenant Grant Scheme is to help local projects that aim to strengthen the ties between members of the armed forces community and the wider community in which they live. The Covenant Fund has £10 million each year to support the Armed Forces Covenant by funding projects which address specific priorities. There are two funding routes: small grants, for applications up to a maximum of £20,000 large grants, for applications of between £20,001 and £500,000 Application forms and guidance notes are available on the gov.uk website – Opens in a new window.
Grants for sportspeople: Apply by March 31st https://nksports.com/nk-grant-programs - Sport England Community Asset Fund gives between £1000 and £150,000 to enhance local sports and recreational facilities. Apply anytime. www.sportengland.org/funding.
Supporting you on Planning
Three contentious applications
The Rendering Plant at Norton Disney was heard at the Bentley on Feb 3rd, with a recommendation from North Kesteven District Council that it be refused. Councillors had previously viewed the site at first hand. The applicant made his case and local resident and Parish Council Chairman gave powerful speeches. As local member, I opened the debate. The application was refused unanimously, on the grounds of industrial development in the open countryside, damaging the setting of an important heritage site, that was unjustified and unnecessary.
Crematorium at Norton Disney
The new crematorium in the open countryside was refused by us at NKDC and went to appeal under an external Inspector. Cllrs Mary Green and Chris Spray attended the whole of the long day hearing in the NKDC Council offices and were able to usefully contribute. The Council team and the applicant team were both five strong. We await to hear the outcome.
Intensive pig rearing unit below Harmston
Our consultants have assessed the information on smells provided by the applicant and the application is now expected to come to committee on March 17th 5pm at North Kesteven District Council. Public welcome.
Please add your comment and see more information on “planning on-line North Kesteven” 19/1085/FUL link
Transport Plan – your view?
The new Lincoln Transport Strategy 2020-2036 is out. The priority to support planned economic growth does little to assist maintenance of the current network. Instead it seems to focus on transport as a means to increase building projects and is very light on public transport, cyclepaths and walking routes. It focusses on the Southern bypass of Lincoln, now called the “Hykeham Relief Road”, accompanied by much future housing. The catchy title of “eco-hub” at Bracebridge Heath is a bus interchange, but hard to spot how it will be better. Congestion is expected to increase to a six-minute wait at junctions.
Boundary Changes
The ward boundaries are important as they link villages that naturally work well together. The government wants to change the boundaries so that we all represent the same number of electors. Currently the Cliff Villages is pretty well on the button, and should stay together, but neighbouring areas may create a damaging knock-on effect. Your view is important and can help us keep the villages together. reviews@lgbce.org.uk If you would like to write in mentioning the connections between Navenby and Boothby Graffoe in particular, that would be much appreciated. My contributions will be on the web at www.lincolnshireindependents.org.uk
Supporting Local Services
Pick-up a Poo
Health messages from children are very powerful. We are offering a £25 book voucher for the winner of a competition run by North Kesteven District Council, encouraging people to pick-up after their dogs.
A positive approach would be welcomed (for example praising those that do).
Entries to be submitted by 30th April 2020 (NKDC EP Team can visit and collect the entries or these can be provided digitally if you are able to email the entries to us)
Standing up for local service The NK Independents were standing up for local services this week. At full council we called for a rapid return of a full post office to the centre of Sleaford and for our council to put their minds to assisting, possibly with premises. We also called for better emergency health services at Grantham day and night. The knock -on effect of closing Grantham at night, has resulted in long waiting times at an over-stretched Lincoln hospital. We deserve better.
Events
Jordan Williams of Wellingore is fund-raising for Help the Heroes, paying respects at the memorial sites in France as part of a group. His event last week was hugely successful. If anyone would like to contribute to his Battlefields Bike Ride in June, please contact Jordan Williams on 07878 561 166 or his Mum, Carol Williams on 07757 676 039
Congratulations to Eric Seddon of Harmston
Eric was the life and soul of his Twenties event celebrating his hundredth birthday with a 1920’s with costume, dance and great food from his daughter of Di’s Pies. (More on Di’s great Pies next month)