Giving Local support

A607

Thank you for your kind support on the improvements now in place. It is better, though of course, we would have liked the whole road redone. It should further improve after the top dressing next year completes the job.

NK Seniors' (over 50’s)

I attended the last event “Soup and Surprise” along with about thirty others. It was a good do. More members are welcome, either to attend or to keep in touch as a reference group to speak up for seniors. Contact Liz Peto on 01529 460757 lizpeto231@btinternet.com

Wellingore and District U3A

Like our sister organisations in Branston and Harmston, we continue to thrive. Monthly meetings are on the second Wednesday of each month at 10am in the Wellingore Memorial Hall. In addition, a host of interest groups include gardening, pub lunches, walks, history, theatre visits and a new antiques group just starting up. New members are welcome or you can come as a guest to see.

West Kesteven Wildlife Watch and RSPB Explorers continues to grow. Congratulations to Jake Beatty on becoming an assistant leader. We had around 25 people to the November monthly event, a fungal foray in Twyford Woods, led by our entertaining expert, Jane Ostler. The next event is the Christmas party in Welbourn Village Hall 10am on Saturday 11^th December for quiz, crafts and fun. Welcome all 8-13 year olds, and younger children, if accompanied. A calendar is available listing exciting, mainly local, events next year, including a big Wild Art Day, a visit to see the puffins at Bempton Cliffs and walk on the fossil rocks at Filey.

Trees

The Woodland Trust is inviting people to photograph "My View" with suggestions where adding trees would make an improvement. Demand for the LCC free trees scheme fell as people seemed to run out of places to put them. However, there are ideas and support on the web. www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/myview

Tuesday Lunchtime

Join the over 60’s Lunch club at the Joiners’ Arms 12pm Tuesdays, only £5 for 2 courses.

Your opinion wanted

Nocton Dairy

The new application has gone in and is being validated. Once accepted by NKDC as complete, it will be on the web for you to read and respond. Google “North Kesteven planning on line”, accept the conditions and type in Nocton Heath.

Spending cuts

The reduction in management has now been decided, painful but necessary.

The adult social care service is being reorganised. There is a clear move away from LCC providing the service, but buying in some services instead. Giving personal budgets means they buy from anywhere.

I have spoken up against the closures, which are a false economy when greater costs are created if people don’t have proper care. These services are now being commissioned. I also spoke up against dropping the Alzheimer’s sitting service to enable carer’s to have a break, as there is no alternative in place. Carer’s are creating an accreditation scheme to provide confidence in private sitters in future, which will help. There may be room for small businesses and the voluntary sector to step in. These will be ever more important as the public sector reduces.

The government has not yet announced how much each council will receive, only that the overall total will be 30% less over four years, especially in the first year. The tax is effectively capped as there is a 2% grant if the Council sets a nil increase. (Parish and Town Councils can still set their own budget.) There is likely to be a “core offer” of services from LCC and some services dropped. The budget is planned to go to the Executive in January and full Council on February 11^th. We will know more in January.