March 2010 - Report from your local, Independent Councillor,

Sad News
Sadly, District Councillor Marjorie Duncan died recently. Her dedication and cheery support of her communities will be much missed. Condolences to her husband, Derek and family

Good News: Congratulations to…
Hilary Proctor, Sandy Dunford and their team for organising another superb night out at Leadenham watching a top class performance.

To the Kid’s Club and parents, especially Chris Stevenson and Iwan Jenkins for an excellent student exchange with Moletai in Lithuania. Over half term, we hosted the return visit of ten students and 2 teachers on a fantastic programme of activities, wonderfully managed by LCC youth workers. Brilliant, well done all.



Lives: Cliff Villages
In April our fifth LIVES volunteer is qualified and operational. Volunteers are properly trained and equipped to respond in emergency call-outs, often attending before the ambulance. When time is so vital, LIVES volunteers are really important in our rural areas and really do save lives. Anyone who would like to volunteer, please get in touch.

Your opinion wanted
Who has gone above and beyond?
You can celebrate our community by nominating an adult or young person for a community service award from the District Council or the County Council. NKDC deadline is March 8 and for LCC March 16th. Forms are on the web.

Thanks

Eight County Homes
Thanks very much for all your correspondence and support. There has been a big response. We successfully made a video bringing the residents’ views directly into the corridors of power. The official consultation has closed, but write to me and I will put your points to good use. Alternative suggestions include a private buyer to take over and alternative land for accommodation. The decision has now been delayed to April or May. You can see some clips about the issue on www.channellincolnshire.co.uk

Additional Needs
Thank you for your support. Many parents and headteachers were deeply concerned about plans to move the support funding for children to central funds of some schools, not connected with the needs of the individual children. The Independents did halt the decision by calling it in and I explained the case. This enabled a rethink which has brought some improvements. For one thing, the schools will not lose out this year whilst better funding arrangements are more carefully considered.

Budgets
Lincolnshire County Council’s prudent 2.5% per cent council tax rise has been given the go-ahead. The £441m for 2020/11 includes some efficiency savings and we were able to support most of it, having been involved in its development. Based on your responses to our questionnaire, Independents proposed not cutting a highways budget by 30% over three years, keeping the eight Council homes and reducing spend on PR by 20%. We may not win on the day, but we have sewn the seeds and expect improvements.

The Conservative proposal does include among the highest borrowings in the country, and there was much discussion about a £5.5 million rise in funding for the chief executive’s office under the heading “consultants fees”.

North Kesteven budget going to Council on March 4th includes a 1.7% tax increase to cover losses in income and some increased demands.

Information
Crime Prevention
The Neighbourhood policing teams will do crime prevention surveys for you. Beware about “free” offers from other sources.
www.lincolnshire-neighbourhoodwatch.co.uk

Lincolnshire Tourism
New website for Lincolnshire Tourism starts on March 8th www.visitlincolnshire.com

Two Useful Numbers you can use
For Highways repairs 01522 782070
For roadside clean-up 01529 414155

Events from the March Diary

4th NK School 2-4pm Political question time
6th 11am Archbishop of Cant in Lincoln lecture
6th 7pm Welbourn Roving supper
7th Wellingore Scouts Hut collecting jumble 10am- noon
11th 10-11am Marianne’s surgery in Navenby Village Office. Bring issues for fixing.
12th 7-9pm Cliff Village Voluntary car scheme gathering at Marianne’s house
13th Schools Biology poster competition
13th/14th Heritage Weekend free entry most places, including Mrs Smith’s Cottage 10am.
13th/14th Harmston WI Art Exhibition, Sat 2-5pm & Sun
11am-4pm.
17th St Peter’s Coffee morning, Catwalk, Navenby 10.30
17th Irish night at the Joiner’s Arms, Welbourn
20th WI Soup and Cheese £5 Wellingore M’ Hall
24th Build a rocket at Harmston Memorial Hall 6.30pm
£5 01522 722462
26th Talk by Marianne on Malawi at Martin School
26th U3A launch Wellingore Memorial Hall 2pm
27th Navenby coffee morning Methodist Hall 10.30am
27th Opening of Welbourn Village Hall!!!


A spring in your step

STOP PRESS
Congratulations to Molly Brien and Bethany Alford of Branston Community College for their fantastic achievement getting into the finals out of 750 schools in the debating competition at Cambridge. Proud teacher Caroline Hewerdine took them to the event, which they said was “fabulous”. Well done.

Feb 2010 Good News: Congratulations to…

Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne came to open the new hospital that NHS Lincolnshire, on which I am a non-executive Director, has built at Spalding. The chairman introduced me, and HRH said how busy I must be and how did I fit all that in? I said that coming from her, that was very funny!

Police Community Support Officers
A huge thank you for your support in this campaign. We have been successful. LCC has agreed to fund the whole amount of £1.5m for three years. The District Councils are free to separately add further support for particular community safety projects. The new funding brings all PCSOs (about 157 in Lincolnshire) under the same contract, working closely with councillors and the local communities to improve community safety in a wide range of ways. Well done all!

Your opinion wanted


Filming at Bonner House

Harrison House & Bonner House to close?
Eight homes owned by the County council are proposed for closure. Channel Lincolnshire and the Independents have been making a video to enable the voices of the residents to be properly heard. There is room for private providers, but not everyone can afford them and more will be needed in future. There seems little point in closing what is clearly working well to get people back on their feet and home. Add your voice to the consultation by 16th February 01522 782155. www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/shapingcare

Additional Needs
County Council proposals for children in need levels band 1-5 out of 8 are to be encouraged to attend mainstream schools and for the funding to no longer be attached to the child’s needs, but instead given to the schools in disadvantaged areas who are overall poorer performers. I seek improvements because if the needs of these vulnerable children are not met, then the longer term costs may be huge.

Harmston Quarry has applied to extend their three planning permissions from 2012 to 2034. Respond by 25th February to me or to http://eplanning.lincolnshire.gov.uk/eplanning loadfulldetails.do?aplld=27996 Ref. 252/09.

Feedback
Budget
Thank you very much indeed for the excellent feedback you gave which is informing my Council budget negotiations. The overarching responses are attached, but most clear was the desire to do away with some of the PR machine, using internet if necessary. Also popular was efficiencies in internet procurement and charging for fast planning. Reducing staff was popular, but definitely not the PCSOs. Whilst people felt a small tax increase was probably inevitable, there was no stomach for any large increases. Reduced main street lighting got a mixed reaction, as did reducing the capital programme.

Information....

Friday 26th February 2010 is National Wear Red Day and your chance to help the British Heart Foundation fight heart disease.
Order your free fundraising kit today at bhf.org.uk/red or call us on 0845 241 0976.

Grants
Grants of £400 are available for ‘scrapping your old boiler’! http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Home-improvements-and-products/Heating-and-hot-water/Boiler-Scrappage-Scheme


Free Training for the voluntary sector
For a full programme, ring 01522 551683
abimbola@volunteercentrelincoln.org.uk
www.volunteercentrelincoln.org.uk

Extreme NK
There are places on 8 weeks activities for 9-17yr olds who don’t get many opportunities and young carers. Ring Greg 01522 870252
The Cliff Villages is planning to provide more activity days again this year, starting with children who didn’t go last time.
Half term activities are running at Carre’s 01529 306888 and at NKesteven Centre 01522 883311

Child care Job
Debbie and Neil are looking for a caring, reliable and enthusiastic person to work with their four year-old autistic son to help him communicate and make sense of the world.

Douglas will be starting Applied Behavioural Therapy in November. Experience would be great but not essential as full training will be given. This is a rewarding and unique opportunity, especially those with an interest in child development. 8-10 hours a week available, good rates of pay and lovely working environment in Harmston. Contact 01522 723133

Jobs for long-term unemployed, 18- 24yrs
NKDC has commissioned Hill Holt Wood to deliver the Future Jobs Fund scheme which will create 40 jobs for young people in the District.

The jobs that will be created will last for six-month periods and include a number of outdoor focused roles, such as driving, gardening, forestry, administration and eco-construction. Apply through the Job Centre Plus 01522 346000. www.totaljobs.com/Lincoln www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

Voluntary car scheme for Cliff Villages
This is up and running. Ring 01522 723365. A small but important service for people who cannot use the bus for the journey they need. Medical needs are subsidised by the Parish Councils.

Parking Control
The government passed the responsibility to local councils who are discussing how to organise it.

Events from the Diary

5th Pantomime in Leadenham Village Hall 7.30pm
6th Feb Bring and buy Book Sale for Mrs Smith’s Cottage at the Navenby Methodist Church Hall
7th Feb “Shoo, shoo baby, the entire history of Cabaret.“ Book on 01400 272835 hilary@leadenhampc.co.uk
12th St Chad’s concert Chris Garrick & John Etheridge 7.30pm
15th-19th Lithuanians exchange visit to the Cliff Villages
16th Soup and Pancake lunch Navenby Methodist Church 11.30am
26th Meeting of all Independents from all over the
East Midlands meeting at Lincoln Cathedral.

Very best wishes for a healthy, happy and successful 2010!

Jan 2010 Congratulations to.....

Good News: Congratulations to…

Richard Wilson from Navenby opened Swallowbeck, a new million pound Day and respite centre with 7 beds for people with learning difficulties.

Raised beds in the lovely new garden are an opportunity for sponsorship

Branston launched the improved village hall, sponsored by County, District and Parish Councils and the community, with the Lincoln Brass Band. Well done all!


Equality and Diversity tops in NK
NKDC is the second local authority in England to achieve a high benchmark for the way it includes and values all aspects of equality and diversity.

“One Place” Scores
On the overall score of performance, now called CAA “One Place”, NKDC scored 3 out of 4, “performing well”, one of the best in the East Midlands. Good report is on http://tinyurl.com/yj2ka68 LCC improved in all categories, even adult social care at last and also scored 3 out of 4, “performing well” overall. Same website, worth a look.

Your opinion wanted
Budget
As our government is so short of funds, there is likely to be a severe reduction in funds of both District and County Councils of 13-20%. Schools take half the budget, and as they are protected, then the reductions of £80-100m over 3-4 years, must come from the £600m remainder at LCC. I have sent a list of ideas to help me gauge your opinions and better represent your views. We may even have an emergency budget after the elections, so it is as well to be prepared.

Help set NKDC Priorities
www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/priorities

Sale of 8 Homes
Some County Councillors want to sell the homes to access the capital funds to build something better, though I am concerned it might not be affordable for most. I visited Harrison House in Grantham and Bonner House in Sleaford. There is one resident of 16 years, other occupants are on respite or NHS care from hospital. The homes were clean, welcoming and all the occupants had nothing but praise. The lack of en suite loos didn’t seem to be a big issue. They were pleased to be consulted. Let me know what you think. Consultation event below.

Other News

Free IT Training for voluntary workers
Sleaford (Community Lincs) 13 Jan 10
Ring Matt Hopkins on 01790 72000
mathewh@vael.org.uk

Joint planning the future
A new Central Lincolnshire Joint Planning Committee has been created to deal with forward planning for West Lindsey, North Kesteven and Lincoln. The new Conservative Chairman was in trouble with a planning application and has resigned.

LCC Community Grants
New forms appearing on the web soon. The deadline for applications is March 1st 2010.
www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/communitygrants.

Welbourn Village Hall
The improvements are progressing well, due to finish in early March, so we are open for bookings. Navenby Village Hall fund-raising begins in earnest now the plans are agreed.

Housing
I have tackled the Council on lack of consultation on new Council housing in Wellingore and asked for compromise. Half the money is from District Council coffers and half from external funds.

Events from the Diary
7th Outing to Billy Elliot in London
8th 6-8pm Consultation at the New Life Centre on
Mareham La, Sleaford, opp. the care home.
Sleaford Std http://tinyurl.com/ygglmp5
9th/30th 10.30 Navenby Methodist Coffee morning
13th 10.30-12.30 Navenby coffee morning for
St Peter’s at 79 High St
16th 10am Surgery in Branston Library
16th Biosearch lunch at Hilltop, Welbourn
23rd Coleby Burns night
29/30 7.30pm Pantomime at Leadenham Vill. Ha.
2.30pm on Sat and the following w/e

Very best wishes for a healthy, happy and successful New Year!

Kind Regards,

Marianne Overton
http://councillors.lincolnshire.gov.uk/cllrmoverton/
www.independentvoice.org.uk