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.