May 2022
WLDC Annual Council
Subject to Full Council, the new Chairman of WLDC is to be Angela Lawrence [who represents Caistor] on the retirement of Cllr England who has served 3 years.
Leader of the Council Cllr Bierley remains in this post as does Cllr Wellburn as Deputy Leader.
Subject to approval I remain on CP&R, Licensing and Regulatory Committee and Leisure, Tourism Events and Heritage working Group. I retain membership of two outside bodies, namely Charles Cooper Almshouse Trust and WL Churches Festival.
District Cllr’s Engagements for May:
- 4 Global Berry Public Consultation Hemswell Court 3pm
- 7/8 WL Churches Festival part 1
- 9 Annual Council Guildhall 7pm
- 11 English Heritage Event Gainsborough Old Hall 10am to 1pm
- 14/15 WL Churches Festival Part 2 giving talks on Church Silver @ Corringham both days
- 16 Hemswell PC Hemswell Village Hall 7:30pm
- 18 Glentworth Parish Meeting, The Church.7pm
- 26 Willoughton Pc &7:30pm
Selective Licensing:
This was up for renewal in Gainsborough and to be extended into the Hemswell Ward, Wold View and Market Rasen. At the March Full Council, a cross party group, which included myself, managed to bring the consultation to a halt and to have the whole matter looked at. This was unprecedented and created quite a stir at the time. At the meeting of Prosperous Communities last week, it was recommended that Selective Licensing was to be reviewed and also to look into alternative options to bring dwellings owned private landlords up to standard. It was felt that the majority of landlords are good and that there are a minority rogue landlords who should be the focus.
Devolution survey amongst business sector
This week, you may see a Devolution survey being circulated across Greater Lincolnshire, which is being coordinated by The Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership aimed at engaging with businesses on the subject.
As you know all Greater Lincolnshire Councils are exploring the opportunities of Devolution but this is still in the very early stages.
As West Lindsey District Council looks to its future and the possibilities ahead, it is vital that the views of our businesses are heard. It is recognised that we have important economic links in Greater Lincolnshire, across the Humber Bank, into the East Midlands and beyond.
In order to maximise our opportunities for the benefit of our communities, our young people and our families, we must ensure that we have a balanced approach. To do that we must listen to how our businesses see the future and how balance can be achieved and supported for the good of all.
Hemswell Antiques
I understand that Hemswell Antiques on the market for £4.5 million.
Visitor Economy research survey launches across Lincolnshire:
Visit Lincoln has started a 12-month research programme across Greater Lincolnshire with thousands of visitors, residents and students. It will allow them to properly understand what’s needed (now and in the future) to have a thriving and well connected visitor economy across Lincolnshire.
Tourism, hospitality, events, retail and leisure were the worst hit by covid. Visitor sentiment has shifted hugely, and it is important to understand what visitors are thinking and feeling so that we can respond as business owners, operators and leaders in this sector.
Visit Lincoln is surveying hundreds of residents and visitors, but they are only one side of the story, they also need to know about your business and operations so there is a 360 insight into what’s going on.
Trinity Arts
Is now showing films – Downton Abbey film and Operation Mincemeat are two being advertised.
Corringham Parish Council:
I have serious concerns for the PC after 5 cllrs and 2 clerks have gone within a period of 6 months.
Out of the 10 communities that make up the Hemswell Ward, Corringham is spending c just over c£4k on the Platinum Jubilee and there is nothing tangible to show for it after the celebrations!
Heat or Eat: Tackling Rising Costs:
“Residents are telling me they are having to choose between heating and eating – no one should have to make that choice,” and the pressure will be keenly felt as we go into autumn. Central Government should be doing much more to help local residents; by increasing the warm home discount for energy saving measures, a windfall tax on fossil fuel, cut VAT on fuel and insulation, and to support alternatives to fossil fuels. The £200 loan should become a benefit thereby stopping us paying back the loan at £40 per year for the next 5 years And we should be accelerating energy efficiency where possible eg LED lighting, switching off the switches etc
Those in bands A to D are receiving £150 off their community tax and this includes people who receive full housing benefit and has to be applied for.
This is placing much pressure on food parcel distribution.
And we need an Energy Policy which is basically nuclear complemented by renewable energy.I note that West Burton is being seriously considered as the first nuclear fusion a nuclear power plant
And we face two substantial solar farms namely one at Gate Burton and the other in Corringham which are subject to Government approval by passing the normal route for planning applications. I anticipate these two projects being approved and we must remain vigilant over proposed wind farms in the District especially in the Hemswell Ward.
Using Less Energy:
The Warm Homes Discount gives money for poorer households to insulate their homes and increase the energy efficiency with solar panels, for example. This is limited by who can access it and which companies are allowed to do the work and needs to be expanded. Scrapping the £153 average “green levy” on energy bills, without supporting household energy-saving measures, gives a short-term bung, like the recent £150, but would do nothing to address the underlying problem of many homes needing to be more efficient in the long term
Local Plan for Greater Lincolnshire - Resetting the planning rules:
You just have time to put in a couple of comments before the deadline on May 9th. My response has been on lack of control of urban growth, especially since facilities and services are already struggling - our roads and NHS, for example.
My second main concern is the change to a presumption in favour of turbines. We can always say ‘yes’, but this takes away much of our ability to say ‘no’.
Planning after the Queen’s Speech:
The briefing document said the purpose of the planning reforms was to,
“improve the planning system to give communities a louder voice, making sure developments are beautiful, green and accompanied by new infrastructure and affordable housing”.
High Time to improve highways:
Road condition is by far the most important work that highways does, and also shows the least satisfaction, dropping to a new low. In a recent survey, only 18% of people were satisfied with the speed of repair and 23% on the quality of repair. About half the significantly increasing number of complaints were upheld at least in part, costing money that would be better spent on repairs. Performance is reviewed quarterly. Many of our unclassified roads are below standard (29%),
Holding Highways to Account:
Fixmystreet.com is still the best place to report what is needed, so the location is clear. On specific repairs, I use your reports on fixmystreet.com to highlight areas where the contractor, Balfour Beaty is failing and need to get the job done at once. Balfour have struggled with staffing, but we are holding them to their contract, so they have had to sub-contract in part. We have been using the new Pothole Pro from JCB that does repairs better, cheaper and faster, and we need it more in order to keep up with repairs.
It is now less than a year to WLDC District Elections and I hope to enter the fray to retain the Hemswell Ward as an Independent. The next election is on Thursday 4th of May 2023.
PDJ Howitt-Cowan