July 2022
District Councillor's Report July 2022
FORMER LEA RD SCHOOL GAINSBOROUGH
A developer wants to turn a former school in Gainsborough into new apartments. Wright Leonard has applied to West Lindsey District Council to convert the former Lea Road School into 28 new units.
The developer said the principal elevation, fenestration and window styles will remain the same or close to the existing style, while a number of proposed roof terraces included in the plans will be hidden from street view. Documents submitted by the developer to West Lindsey District Council explain the reasons for creating the apartments.
It reads: "Our scheme is intended to bring life back into this run down and disused building, and provide affordable, quality spaces to live in the town of Gainsborough while taking care to ensure the originality of the architecture remains." Lea Road School first opened in 1906 and closed in 1993,.
The building was rented out as office space after that before becoming disused. The photos submitted with the plans now show the building's door and windows boarded up as it sits vacant on the street.
HEMSWELL CLIFF MANAGED ESTATES CONTRACT RENEWAL
The Committee heard from the Senior Community Action Officer regarding the renewal of the Hemswell Cliff Managed Estates contract. She provided a history of the area and demonstrated how significant improvements had been made, as well as upcoming changes that would continue the work already undertaken. Members were thankful to the Officer and her team for the support provided to residents and the gains shown by their hard work. A Member of the Committee highlighted that this was one of several estates that were managed in a variety of ways, with positive steps being taken to unify areas for the future. The Officer was again commended for her work in the area and, on being proposed and seconded, with a unanimous vote it was RESOLVED that
a) the proposal to offer a five-year contract to Hemswell Residents Company in respect of Estate Management Services for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028 be approved; and
b) oversight of the contract renewal procedure, including any minor housekeeping changes, be delegated to the Assistant Director of Homes and Communities, in consultation with the Chairman of the Prosperous Communities Committee and the Chairman of the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee
THRIVING GAINSBOROUGH 2024: CINEMA AND LEISURE SCHEME
The Assistant Director of Planning and Regeneration presented to Members the last report of the evening, explaining that the purpose of the report was to update Members on progress with delivery of the Thriving Gainsborough 2024 Cinema and Leisure Scheme and to seek approval for the proposed delivery method and associated expenditure.
Members heard that planning approval for the scheme was now in place, which included an historic façade that met the requirements of the Gainsborough Town Centre Conservation Area. Funding for the scheme was also now in place, with the success of the Levelling Up Fund bid increasing the total capital budget available. Despite very challenging times since 2020 as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic, Savoy Cinemas Ltd remained committed to the scheme and were in place ready to deliver.
It was explained that the chosen site, the Lindsey Centre, had a complex and restricted title and required intervention from the Council in order to deliver a viable development option. Under Section 203 of the Housing Act (2016) Councils were granted powers to deal with title matters for the benefit of approved development.
The Assistant Director set out the steps required in order to progress the delivery of the town centre leisure scheme. Committee Members were supportive of the proposals and recognised the opportunities available for building a strong future for the town. The need to consider climate related risks, such as carbon impact and also how to make new developments energy efficient, was highlighted with the Assistant Director agreeing that this was a consideration in the development of the plans and proposals. Page 11 Corporate Policy and Resources Committee- 14 April 2022 Subject to Call-in. Call-in will expire at 5pm on
RESOLVED that
a) the acquisition of the freehold property title number LL126969, known as the Lindsey Centre for £375,000 as per the Sale Agreement at Appendix 3 (subject to matters at 4.6 being completed) be approved; and
b) the utilisation of section 203 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 to make an application to the Land Registry for the purposes of Land Appropriation of property title LL126969 be approved; and
c) the sale of property title LL26969 to Savoy Cinemas Limited as per the draft Sale Agreement at Appendix 6 upon completion of the demolition scheme of works, be approved, with any changes required to this agreement to be delegated to the Assistant Director of Planning and Regeneration in liaison with the Monitoring Officer and S151 Officer; and
d) the delivery model as set out at 7.2 to secure the construction and ongoing operation of a four screen cinema and leisure scheme in Gainsborough be approved; and
e) an increased budget and expenditure of up to £6,105,366 reflecting the cost of the Lindsey Centre acquisition be approved, the increase being met from a capital receipt of £375,000 upon its sale to Savoy Cinemas Ltd.
Did you know West Lindsey District Council provides a bulky waste collection service for household items?
Booking an appointment has never been easier thanks to upgrades made to our online booking system. Customers can go on to our website and book a bulky waste collection without any manual intervention from staff. A 48 hour collection time slot will be given at the time of the request.
Customers have the right to cancel a request within 14 days of placing your order, with a minimum notice of 24 hours before the collection date. For those customers who cannot book online they can still contact our customer services team and speak to an operator to book an appointment.
Rob Gilliot, our Operational Waste Services Manager said:
“Our Bulky Waste collection service offers residents an opportunity to dispose of items they cannot get rid of themselves.
“This value for money service also gives customers peace of mind that what is collected from the Council will be disposed of in the correct manner, without the worry that items will be fly tipped. Our easy to use booking system is now live.
“Customers will also be able to receive updates from the crews once the items have been collected and receive notifications if there is an issue with a collection.”
Before asking us to collect your old items, it may be suitable to donate the item to a charity. More details can be found on our furniture reuse page. Any items we collect won’t go to landfill, they will be delivered to the Energy from Waste Facility at North Hykeham and will help generate power for local use.
Alternatively, you could ask the supplier of new goods if they provide a service to remove and dispose of the old item. If they don’t, another option would be to take them to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre.
All large bulky household items need to be left outside the property where it is easy to gain access for their removal.
Any electrical items collected are sent for recycling under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations, via Repic, who are an industry leading producer compliance scheme. Mattresses are also sent for recylcing and do not go to the Energy from Waste Plant.
Items that are collected under this scheme are free-standing furniture and appliances such as:
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tables and chairs
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washing machines
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carpets
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suites
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beds
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wardrobes
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cookers and similar
Please be aware that are unable to collect the following items:
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garden refuse, unless in prepaid sacks or in West Lindsey’s garden waste wheeled bins
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bricks
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concrete
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tyres and car parts
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cast iron boilers
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plasterboard
There is a minimum charge for this service for items worth up to 6 points, for items of more than 6 points there will be an extra cost.
Please see fees and charges page for current charge.
WEST BURTON POWER STATION – LEASE OF LIFE
Coal power station West Burton A will be staying open for six months longer than originally planned at the government's request. Two of the station's four 500MW units will be operating for an additional six months after their planned closure date to provide energy throughout the winter.
The plant will be on standby in support of the government's attempt to reduce reliance on gas and boost 'energy security,' at a time when the cost of fuel and energy has soared. Matt Sykes, the managing director for generation at EDF, said the government first asked the company to consider an extension back in April.
HEMSWELL FIRE INCIDENT
Cllr Summers [ Glentham] and myself are to be appraised of the contents of a report into this incident . The report is not a public document.
White Paper on Landlords and Tenants
A Fairer Private Rented Sector
The Government published a White Paper white paper on the private rented sector was published in June, to be found via this link https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-fairer-private-rented-sector
DEVOLUTION /LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM:
District councils in Lincolnshire are still wary that a bid for devolution of powers to a combined Greater Lincolnshire authority could lead to all councils being dissolved as part of local government reorganisation.
City of Lincoln Council’s Labour leader councillor Ric Metcalfe updated his fellow councillors on the latest news around plans to bid for the second round of devolution by all Lincolnshire councils on Tuesday night.
The two issues of devolution and local government reorganisation are often conflated by people as being the same thing, but are different in a number of ways.
Under devolution, Lincolnshire’s councils, along with North and North East Lincolnshire, are bidding for a new overarching Greater Lincolnshire authority, likely lead by an elected mayor, which would allow them to take some control of some legislative power and funding from central government. Under this, the existing councils would continue as is.
However, Councillor Metcalfe warned of fears that there was “some talk” in government about the “possibility that those newly created combined authorities might start to draw up to themselves some of the current responsibilities of district councils.”
The worry is this could lead to the separate argument for local government reorganisation, which could see the existing seven district councils, including the county council, dissolved into one or more unitary councils.
“That’s one of the things all district councils need to be aware of, and indeed ready to make the case against, because that would turn combined authorities into stalking horses for county unitaries,” he said.
It followed a question from Conservative Hilton Spratt who said “too much power has been concentrated in the centre,” adding the pandemic had demonstrated “the local council were able to deliver for local people to local needs”.
Following the meeting, Councillor Metcalfe told Local Democracy Reporters that district councils “keep reasserting that we’re very happy to cooperate if it benefits our total area, with a combined authority, and we’ll even swallow this crazy idea of a directly elected mayor, if it will give us some more powers to do things that we can’t currently do.
“Obviously we’re looking for the benefits, but we are also very guarded, obviously about this being used as a stalking horse to reorganise local government in a way that wouldn’t be acceptable to us.”
“We know our local area, we’re close to it, we know how to respond and organise services on the ground.
“Big county councils, big unitary authorities are very remote but we’re close to the ground… we serve our local communities extremely well and we’d like to keep it that way.”
Councils were disappointed to have not been involved in the latest round of deals announced in February.
Invites instead went to Cornwall, Derbyshire & Derby, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, Durham, Hull & East Yorkshire, Leicestershire, Norfolk, Nottinghamshire & Nottingham, and Suffolk.
However, bosses have previously said they remain committed to the next bid, expected sometime next year.
BARCLAY’S BANK, GAINSBOROUGH
Is to close leaving Gainsborough with 2 banks; namely TSB and HSBC, Westminster and Lloyds closed a few years ago. Market Rasen has recently experienced closures of banks .
THE FORGE HEMSWELL see attachment
This was subject to an Appeal, which was Dismissed .I attach the document for your perusal.
DISTRICT CLL’R DIARY
JUNE
6 June PC Hemswell Cliff @ 7:30pm
9 June Regulatory WLDC @ 6:30pm
24 June Events Leisure Heritage wldc @ 2pm
29 June Glentworth PC @ 7:30pm
JULY
4 July Full Council @ 7pm
5 July Corringham PC @ 7:30pm
7 & 28 July CP&R WLDC @ 6:30pm
27 July Glentworth PC @ 7:30pm
28 July Willoughton PC @ 7:30pm
I was at a meeting the other day and one person asked me what I really did as the District Cllr and I gave them the usual pat- I attend council meetings, I produce regular reports oral and written when I attend parish council meetings etc – and then he asked, but what else do you do in you capacity as a cllr and are good value for the allowance you receive’.
There is much I do below the radar which I rarely mention in my reports and as you are pushing me, and rightly so, I will tell you of what I have recently been involved with which you may appreciate and answer your question directly. And as a caveat, I am sure my colleagues ie district cllrs are doing similar work in their patches to help and support their constituents in conjunction with their political duties.
I will not reveal the identity of the person in respect of confidentiality
A person in my patch was referred to me by a parishioner, he was living in dwelling run by a housing association but not a large one!
He requires a knee operation. Whilst waiting an appointment for surgery, he has been unable to take a bath or a shower, [which is over the bath] because he cannot physically get into the bath due to his condition.
This situation has been the case for the best part of 5 years. He gives himself a strip wash every day. The housing association had visited a few years ago, however the officers did the talk but not the walk. Moreover his kitchen units were well best past their sell by date and damp was identified also in the kitchen. You could even see daylight through the roof tiles! He was getting nowhere and bouts of depression had set in He was frustrated by it all. and it needed someone to square the circle. His quality of life was diminishing and I became terribly concerned about his situation.
I visited the said person listened to what they had to say and noticed that his reclining chair was not functioning properly and it was beyond repair. The recliner chair is now being replaced because I happen to be a trustee of a charity that helps people in such situations and my fellow trustees supported an application.
I immediately wrote a diplomatic letter to the housing association asking them to re visit the matter. Within a week they were on to it and although the problems are as yet unresolved, he is now on the list for things to be addressed and I shall maintain a watching brief that the housing association is not fobbing us off with the talk and not the walk.
Moreover, the person now has a blue badge and the higher rate of attendance allowance
I do think, that had I not intervened as the district cllr, there would have been any progress on his needs. It may not always have that positive outcome but it did in this instance.
I see myself as a Community Cllr, I always have since i was first elected in 2010.I bring this example to your attention to demonstrate what i am about under the radar, it is how I interpret my role
PDJ Howitt-Cowan
25/06/2022