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Marianne is honoured

Marianne Overton : Citation from the University of Lincoln, Jan 2011

Marianne has long been a prominent figure in the political, educational and community life of Lincolnshire. Raised in East and South Africa, educated there and in London, she graduated in Zoology from Kings College, and spent some years teaching before marrying and moving to Lincolnshire.

Since then, she has devoted herself to public service, in local politics, in health and in education. A long-standing independent representative in regional politics, she sits on North Kesteven District Council and on Lincolnshire County Council. She was instrumental in the establishment of Lincolnshire First, the regional group of independent politicians, and is Leader of the independents on the County Council. She stood for parliament and received strong support.

Marianne is a Trustee of Relate Lincolnshire, the relationship people, a former regional Chair of the Society of Biology, and is active in many local and community organisations.

Marianne is a Non-executive Director of NHS Lincolnshire and continues to devote her time to a range of environmental and community causes.

These include persuading the Council to retain local respite homes for the recovering sick, campaigning for library and heritage services, and taking forward the debate on the Nocton Dairy scheme, a local controversy which has gained national standing for its significance in the future of large-scale factory farming in the UK.

In all her public service, Marianne has never forgotten her roots as a zoologist and teacher. She is passionately engaged with conservation issues, and in her role as Director of Biosearch, she brings together this passion with her commitment to education and young people.

Biosearch Expeditions organises expeditions for people to remote third world regions to do field research in conservation management. Only this last Christmas, she spent her time at a wildlife park in Malawi, leading a group of young people in helping the staff and scientists there with the identification of rare species and recording game populations.

She joined the Board of governors of the University at a very challenging period of their history. She brought her own distinctive style and approach, being never afraid to question, to delve deeper into issues, and to explore all options. Her contribution to securing the present success of the University as a Governor was very special. She stood down from the Board in 2009, having become leader of the official opposition group on the County Council, and has been much missed. In the light of her real and lasting contribution to the wider education of young people of Lincolnshire and to the development of the University, and in anticipation of what she will continue to do for the people of this region into the future, the University of Lincoln conferred on Marianne Overton the award of Fellowship of the University Honoraria causa.

JANUARY NEWS 2011

“WHAT DOES MY COUNCILLOR DO FOR ME?”

News from your local, Independent Councillor,

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and successful New Year

Your opinion wanted

Nocton Dairy

Respond to the new application for 3770 cows by January 11^th. Google “North Kesteven planning on line”, accept the conditions and type in Nocton Heath or 10/1397/FUL. According to the consultant, the number of cows is reduced in this first application, pending sufficient land to spread the waste.

Budget

Both NKDC and LCC have proposed budgets on the web. Now is the time to comment and get changes made before final budgets are agreed in February.

A hot issue for us is the state of the roads following winter damage. Last year the Conservatives cut this budget drastically and planned to cut it again this year, despite big objections from me and the other Independents. We have made some progress in this new budget, but it needs supporting through to the final budget. Respond on line before Jan 26^th, lincolnshire.gov.uk/budget and copy me in so I can support you better. See my separate press release for more issues.

Big Success: Bonner House and Harrison House reprieved

Last year all eight Council-run homes providing intermediate and respite care were planned to close. I visited our local homes and was amazed at the high quality of care and excellent work being done in getting people well again and able to return home. “We need more of this, not less,” I said. Independents ran a campaign, even making a video to bring the voices of the residents directly into the corridors of power. This kind of care is more expensive for a few weeks, but it gets people out of hospital, better and in their own home, so it is extremely cost-effective. That is why we introduced it in the first place. The Council has now agreed and given our local homes a reprieve. The number of these short-term beds is now set to increase, saving on long-term care. Now we can work to make them still more efficient.

Congratulations

Sarah Moody (aged 16) from Branston joined our expedition this Christmas to live and work in the wild in Central Africa., to help conservation. Sarah plans to be a vet and also got the chance to work in the Wildlife Sanctuary and shadow the vets there. Apart from my own son, Sarah is the youngest team member on these expeditions. Also in the team was Lauren Smith, a student from the University of Lincoln. Also we took letters from children in Navenby and Martin and set up exchanges with a school in Malawi and a charity to assist, called Malo.

We worked closely with the Malawian scientists and park staff helping with the anti-poaching patrols, recording game populations and identifying rare species to show that the Park is worth protecting. This international recognition brings further resources. Our long-term commitment is rewarded with increasing game populations. This year we actually saw and captured rare species for the first time. Pictures: www.biosearch.org.uk

Information

Relate Opens New Shop: Re-latte

Relate Lincolnshire, where I am a long-standing Trustee, is delighted to announce that 137 High Street has become a Relate coffee shop and dress/suit agency, next to the new Relate Centre. You can browse at your leisure, have a social cuppa and consider your purchases! You can also take replaced items or unwanted Christmas presents and get something back on them! You get half the takings, unless just donated.

Mobile Libraries

Use them or lose them. Thanks for your response to this comment in a previous newsletter, and to Elspeth o Rourke, saving the service at Coleby. The mobile library comes to the village hall every fourth Friday at 12.15 for half an hour. Why not link it to a lunch club at the Thorold Arms?

Litter picker wanted at Coleby

Ring Elspeth on 01522 810173

Report excessive litter on 01529 414155

Report dangerous potholes on 01522 782070

Thanks

Thanks to all the many good neighbours, the “snow team” and staff involved in tackling the extreme weather conditions. Despite being “lean teams”, environmental, health, care and highways staff pulled out all the stops to keep services running as far as humanly possible. Thank you.

January diary dates

January diary dates

12^th U3A Wellingore 10am

15^th West Kesteven Wildlife Watch at Belton House 10am

19^th Marianne to receive an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Lincoln 10.30am

28^th Independent’ Event, Sleaford 6-8pm

29^th Burns Night, Coleby 7.30pm

Wishing you all a Happy and Successful New year

Best wishes to you all,

Marianne Overton

http://councillors.lincolnshire.gov.uk/cllrmoverton

www.independentvoice.org.uk www.facebook.com http:/councillors.lincolnshire.gov.uk/cllrm.overton

Does this make you smile?

A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to 'clean up' the bird's vocabulary

Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even more rude. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute.

Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer. The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and
said "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behaviour."

John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behaviour, the bird spoke-up, very softly, "Might I ask what the turkey did?"