“WHAT DOES MY COUNCILLOR DO FOR ME?”

Cllr Marianne Overton marianne.overton@biosearch.org.uk 01400 273323

“WHAT DOES MY COUNCILLOR DO FOR ME?”

NOVEMBER 2008
Report from your local, Independent Councillor,
MARIANNE OVERTON

Some good news
Grant Success of over £37,000! I am always happy to add support and help grant applications for our local communities. Congratulations to Potterhanworth and Wellingore whose play areas will benefit from £7,755 and £22,500 respectively. Of that £2,253 was from NKDC for Potterhanworth
and all of the rest was from Lincolnshire County Council. Great news! Congratulations to pre-school
Happy Days, whose grant of £6,795 for Navenby Pavilion was from the Lincolnshire Aggregates, DEFRA funding held by LCC. The Kids Kouncil has won £900 from the youth opportunities fund. Well done all. We have had the Big Interview for our Big Lottery application for Welbourn
Village Hall (just under £300,000), so we now wait with baited breath!

Pelican Trust
The Pelican Trust thanked me for my help in getting all-day concessionary fares returned. The Pelican Trust in Lincoln employs people with learning difficulties and help people get jobs.
They have a printing works and carpentry shop, which makes diverse dovecots and village notice boards

Youth Activities
Directly in response to requests, I set Youth activities as a priority. Branston Youth Club is now running well. In the Cliff Villages we have now got both NKDC and LCC staffed and active in
our area.
Kids Kouncil Wellingore/Navenby Assisted by Wellingore Parish Council The activities day at RAF Waddington followed a chance meeting with the Station Commander who helped us.
Go For It Firebird Street Dance project & skate park over the Oct. half term LCC youth bus comes to Navenby with youth worker, Luke on Friday evenings Lincolnshire Young Farmers Club Harmston continues to thrive Theatre in a day. Sat Nov 22nd Wellingore 10am-4pm See poster.
Open to all 8-12 and 12-15yrs West Kesteven Wildlife Watch We met to plan the calendar for next year; I can send you a copy.
Information

Grants
I have some good grant sources and a new one for Children and young people that includes revenue and capital purchases. I can help with wording the applications for success and letters of support. We have had good success so far.

Money Advice
NKDC has an officer to help, benefits advice on line. Someone will come out and help you fill in the form if necessary. A new pension advice helpline can also assist.

Community Web Site
Any community group can have a free website hosted by LCC. Send photos and script to Gemma at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/communitysites communities@lincolnshire.gov.uk

Concessionary fares
All concessionary fare passes issued before April this year will need replacing before the end of October. RAF Waddington There will be increased activity in the first 2 weeks of November.

At Council:
Leadenham Amenity Site
Thank you all very much indeed for your strong support of the amenity site at Leadenham. If there are any more petitions to come in, please let me have them a.s.a.p. so I can get them presented formally. We have already achieved a written undertaking from the Council to keep Saturday and
Sunday opening. As the budget is squeezed next year, it is really important to let them know that we will fight to protect our services. Thank you and well done.

Cultural Services Review
Despite above average spending, the service is only “fair” which is not good enough. External Audit agreed that decisions to cut services did not support the aims of an improved service and was not based on evidence of performance nor community needs. They refer to a
“weak use of evaluation and an inability to measure impact”. We deserve better. I spoke loud and clear at the scrutiny meeting this week when eight more petitions were presented protesting against the illogical reduction in library service. (Written report is available)

Sleaford Power Station
The latest proposal for Kirkby La Thorpe comes to planning on November 4th 5pm. As before, the
room is limited so please book, NKDC.

Nocton Hall War Games
The planning rule that allows land to be used for any purpose for not more than 14 or 28 days in any calendar year does not apply in the case of Nocton Hall because it is within the curtilage of a building. NKDC is seeking an injunction to prevent events taking place here.

NHS Waiting times
Department of Health statistics for August show that nationally the NHS has met its commitment to ensure that 90% of patients who require admission to hospital and 95% of patients not
needing admission, start treatment within 18 weeks of referral from their GP. This means that the operational standard has been met five months ahead of the end of December 2008 deadline. The new NHS Lincolnshire where I am a board member has been externally assessed and scored well.

Have your say
Police survey
With a new Chief and a new budget, now is a good time to have your say!
www.lincolnshire-pa.gov.uk/survey/

Invitations
Relate Lincolnshire: 70th Birthday! Bishop John Saxbee is speaking at our AGM on Wed 26th Nov 6-8pm in the New Life Church, Newland, Lincoln Please come along! 01522 524922
enquiries@relate-lincs.co.uk
Theatre day November 22nd
Nov.Surgeries: 10.30am Navenby
Office 26th, Branston Library Sat 15th.

Best wishes in all your endeavours.
Marianne
Cllr Mrs Marianne Overton
Independent Councillor for Cliff Villages on
North Kesteven District Council and for
Branston and Navenby on
Lincolnshire County Council
www.independentvoice.org.uk