'Their own Spalding facility could be used for meetings'
Here are this week's Spalding Guardian letters...
I read recently that South Holland District Council held a special meeting to discuss a new “strategic alliance” with Boston and East Lindsey authorities.
The meeting, lasting all of 16 minutes, took place in the marquee suite at Springfields Events and Conference Centre. Why hasn’t the council-owned and run South Holland Centre been used?
Their function hall, I am sure, would have accommodated all those who attended, and one would imagine, at minimal cost.
With plans for the Centre to re-open for the summer holidays for the showing of films, I hope consideration will be given to utilise the function hall for future meetings.
Sheila Field
Spalding
'Lobbying is legal and inevitable'
Regarding the Spalding Today article ‘Council to call in police following alleged abuse’.
It was reported that (Sutton Bridge Parish Council) chairman Simon Booth, claimed councillors were receiving calls and emails telling them how to vote and this was unlawful.
However, lobbying, (defined as attempts to influence the votes of legislators) is both legal and inevitable in politics.
Councillors must expect the public, who they are there to serve, to make their opinions known. It is part of the job.
Council rules state that no motion may be passed at a meeting unless it was on the agenda.
The chairman’s father, Coun Michael Booth, however, succeeded in getting a motion passed (to involve the police) which was not on the agenda.
I will continue to encourage Sutton Bridge residents to lobby their councillors on matters of importance, to give my opinion on social media, and as a council member, do my best to achieve good outcomes for the village.
At the ‘Pop Up Picnic’ on August 23 to be held in the Memorial Park at which the Parish Council will have a booth and an ad-hoc Parish Meeting in the Curlew Centre (date to be decided), residents will have the opportunity to talk to the councillors who are charged with representing their views and at the World Café event on September 11, they will have the chance to have their say. I hope people in the Parish will take these opportunities?
Colin Robinson
Sutton Bridge parish councillor
Thought for the Week
Sea Sunday is not about beach holidays or wild swimming but is about a time of National Thanksgiving for the work of Mission to Seafarers.
The ‘Mish’ is known across the world by the blue flag with white flying angel. This flag will be flying this Sunday in front of Long Sutton St Mary’s parish church.
It is a familiar and welcome sight for 170 years to countless generations of merchant seafarers as well as fishermen.
It is an international organisation for justice and compassion started all those years ago by a little girl’s question in Cleavedon Somerset to her dad who was a vicar: “Who looks after those men daddy.” In contemporary terms : “Who cares for the carers.”
The East coast including Spalding has been a place where seafarers have plied their trade even on the Welland with the merchant venturers.
You may feel: “What has all this to do with me?” But we are dependent on seafarers.
Look in your cupboards around your house . Over 95% of all items are brought to us by shipping.
Although conditions are better now than they were 170 year ago, the sea is still a dangerous place.
More than 300 ships a year of all sizes are still lost at sea despite modern safety, navigational aids and technology.
More than 200 Flying Angel clubs are to be found in over 50 maritime countries across the globe. They are a home from home, a brief respite on shore before the next three to four weeks of work on the water, of tiredness, six hour shifts, noise, fear , and isolation.
Seafarers have friends and family too so please give thanks for those who go down to the sea in ships and serve us on the High Seas.
Fr Jonathan Sibley
Vicar of St Marys Long Sutton, Lutton, Dawsmere
