Day centre service campaign and Stamford's new skatepark among stories in Mercury Memories

February 24, 2012

Day centre services in Stamford and Bourne are set to be kept open following a Mercury campaign.

Readers responded in their hundreds when Lincolnshire County Council announced plans to close its day centre services to save money.

The move was linked to the introduction of a personal budget scheme, which lets care service users decide where to spend a care grant instead of the council providing care for them.

We sent almost 500 coupons from readers opposing the plans after our campaign, which was launched in November.

Others responded to the council’s online consultation or organised petitions.

The overwhelming response prompted the county council to delay its decision on the plans.

Now the public outcry has resulted in a U-turn.

As a result of a report published this week, Stamford Day Centre, in Ryhall Road, Edmonds Close Day Centre in Stamford, and the Stamford and Bourne Learning Disability Services, based in Abbey Road, Bourne, are among 31 centres in the county that will remain open.

The new and long awaited design proposed for the replacement of the skatepark on the Recreation Ground, Stamford, has been released to the public this week.

The park which is suitable for skateboarders BMXers and roller bladers has been designed by the UK’s leading concrete skatepark company, Maverick Industries, who will also be responsible for constructing the facility.

Stamford Skatepark Committee chairman Marc Stanier said: “It has been a long and frustrating road but now we have got to the planning permission stage we are very pleased and excited.

“The skatepark is important because the primary user group is eight to 30-year-olds with the majority being teenagers, who generally feel that there is very little for them to do in the town.

“Every age apart from teenagers are catered for on the Recreation Ground, the park for the younger children, the bowls for the older generation, but apart from team sports not much for teenagers. I think the skatepark sits nicely with creating public cohesion of the town.”

Water companies are in talks about pooling together their resources to tackle drought.

Anglian Water which supplies water to Stamford and Bourne from Rutland Water, could use reserves from Severn Trent, which supplies Rutland.

The Environment Agency has declared a state of drought in the east of England. The water level of Rutland Water is down 25 per cent on where it should be at this time of the year.

But the area where Severn Trent is based is still flush with water and the companies could soon begin to trade between themselves.

Water strategy manager for Severn Trent David Essex said: “Technical discussions are underway and this could happen as early as June.”

If Severn Trent and Anglian Water strike a deal then up to 30 million litres of raw water per day – enough to supply 100,000 homes in the Anglian Water region – could be transferred 80 miles from Birmingham to Newark under the Severn Trent Water scheme.

25 years ago

February 21, 1997

A decision of whether to allow new supermarkets in Stamford, Bourne and Market Deeping, has been put on ice until next month, when site visits and a special meeting will be held.

But although some councillors have welcomed the deferral, made at Tuesday’s South Kesteven District Council planning committee, others are infuriated by the delay.

Supermarket representatives and the public travelled to Grantham for the meeting, only to hear planning chairman Paul Genever, say: “I move a site visit on all of the applications which can be attended by the whole planning committee and local members, followed by a meeting just about supermarkets.”

His views were echoed by vice-chairman John Wilks who said: “We need to look at these plans in detail and with care. It took three and a half hours for me to read through all the different reports, and any proper debate on these applications will take just as long.”

A vote in favour of site visits and a special meeting gave a result of 14 for, 12 against.

Sparks will quite literally be flying at the Nene Valley Railway in the coming weeks – but it’s all for a major stunt for the hit television show London’s Burning.

Following the cliffhanging final episode in the last series, Blue Watch will be back in action over the next few weeks filming sequences for the new series which will be shown from September.

Filming is expected to take place on the stretch of Nene Valley Railway between Wansford and Castor, but the exact location and date is being kept under wraps.

London’s Burning press officer, Michael Park, said: “Because of the danger to the public, we really would urge people to stay away from the film set, which is why we are keeping the whole thing very low key.”

Householders in Rutland are facing an average rise in council tax bills of more than £100, while some services are under threat due to a shortfall of funding.

Rutland County Council is having to save £2.8 million from its original budget to meet the government’s capping limit of £23.6 million.

At a meeting of the policy and resources committee on Monday councillors recommended a Band D rise of £108.61. This will raise the Band D charge from£568.63 to £677.24.

Final approval of council tax rates is due to be made at a full council meeting on February 27.

The effects of restrictions in spending for Rutland, “will be grave,” forecast committee chairman and council leader Eddie Martin.

He said: “We will be facing some anxious moments, the cuts will feel like a knif in everyone’s heart.”

Customers should benefit from efficiency gains made by water companies since privatisation, according to the Office of Water Services (OFWAT).

Ian Byatt, OFWAT’s director general of water services, has already begun work on the next review of pricing limits.

He said: “At the review I will expect companies to demonstrate improving standards for their customers. Efficiency gains will allow prices to come down in real terms, despite continuing investment requirements”

50 years ago

February 25, 1972

Stamford Borough Council were asked on Tuesday to make a loan of £10,000 towards development costs of the town’s Arts Centre.

After a meeting between Arts Centre Committee representatives and the full council, it was decided to refer the request to the finance committee.

The finance committee will consider the possibility of making the loan and submit a recommendation to the next council meeting on March 14.

In a letter to the Council the chairman of the Arts Centre Committee, Mr. H, A. Staveley, pointed out that £20,000 would probably be needed to improve the Assembly Rooms.

The committee have been leased the Assembly Rooms, Old Theatre and adjoining land by the Marquess of Exeter for 45 years at an annual rent of £5.

Coal deliveries will not be made in the Stamford area for several weeks, but old people and other emergency cases will not go without fuel.

Mr Don Rogers, branch manager of Ellis and Everard Ltd, said that the situation was unlikely to ease for several weeks.

“We are still making no deliveries to the general public but we are continuing to deal with emergency cases.

“I am afraid that it will be quite a time before we can resume normal service.”

Local firms are still struggling to keep going but in most cases production is being maintained on a restricted basis.

Newage Engineers have answered local appeals for help and have supplied generators to Stamford and Peterborough Hospitals, Browne’s Hospital, and, with the help of Froment Engineering, to the old person’s homes at Easton-on-the-Hill.

In addition, meals supplied to elderly people by the canteen, have been maintained.

A statement from the company said: “Within an hour of the emergency regulations coming into force, demand for the company’s generators, reached as unprecedented level.”

The Government’s new rent rebate scheme was condemned for penalising thifty people, at a Stamford Borough Council meeting, on Tuesday.

The Council had decided to hold a special meeting about the scheme – which comes into effect in April – so that members could ask questions.

Ald R. Grainger thought it was wrong that people should have to declare their savings when they applied for a rent rebate.

“The National Savings movement has been pleading for years for people to save and now to take savings into account when people apply for rebates is just penalising the thifty,” he declared.

“I believe this should be deleted from the rent rebate application form. If people want to save money they should be able to do so without losing part of their rent rebate because of it.

“It is not fair to penalise people who have saved during their working lives to make provision for their retirement.”

Ald George Riley was also concerned when the Borough Treasurer Mr W. R. Cooke aid that 10 per cent of the cost of rebates, during the first year of the scheme , would come from the rates.

“It seems unfair to me that people living in private houses should have to contribute to these council house rebates through the rates,” said Ald Riley.

100 years ago

February 24, 1922

Stamford Borough Auditors – Messrs. Walter Goodley and J. G. Robinson, the retiring Borough Auditors, being the only nominees for the office, are again returned unopposed.

Football Club at the Drill-hall, Stamford, on Friday evening, a waltzing competition was won by: 1. Miss G. Hibbitt and Mr S. Tallis; 2. Miss M. Fairlie and Mr. R. Harper; 3. Miss E. Knighten and Mr. B. Knighten. The proceeds, £5 6s. 3d., aid the club funds.

Stamford Choir Suppers – About 40 sat down at St. Martin’s church choir supper on Thursday evening last week, the Rev. F. Davenport, R.D. (Vicar) presiding. The company were entertained by Mr. and Mrs. A. Lenox, with an excellent conjuring performance, and songs were contributed by Messrs.W. L. Jones, G. Sanders, G. Henson, R. S. Cox, C. F. Dodman & H. Burton. The adult members of St. John’s church choir, together with friends, spent an enjoyable time on the occasion of their annual supper at Barton’s restaurant. The Rev. W. H.N. Secker (Rector) presided. A happy time was spent in social intercourse and games.

A Handy Book for Gardeners. Doubtless this summer Messrs. W. and J. Brown, the well-known seedsmen of Stamford and Peterborough, will repeat their successes for so many years gained at the leading shows. This is in itself a strong recommendation to gardeners of the value of seeds supplied by this firm. No expense is spared to supply vegetable and flower seeds of the highest quality, and all seeds are tested and proved satisfactory before being sent out. The new season’s catalogue just to hand includes prices and particulars of their vegetable and flower seeds, and in addition it forms a handy compendium of instructions, from the pen of an expert, giving directions for the growing of all the varieties.

Bourne

Benefit Concert - the net proceeds of this function amounted to the gratifying sum of £31 2s. It has been decided to make an immediate grant of £5, and to ask the Charity Trustees to distribute the balance at the rate of £1 per week.

• When Railwaymen Are Ill – The General Committee of the Hospital have agreed to give, as an experiment for one year, free institutional treatment to subscribers to the local railwaymen’s hospital fund or members of their families, including children up to14 years of age, on payment by the railwaymen’s fund of a sum of £30.

• Currant Growing – In connection with the Kesteven Education Committee Horticultural Sub-Committee, the first of a weekly series of lectures was given in the North-street schoolroom by Mr. P. H. Arch, F.R.H.S., who delat with the question of profitable currant-growing. The room was well filld with a keen audience. The lecturer said that last summer over £300,000 was paid to Belgian, Dutch and French growers for imported currants. The key to pruning was to annually remove the older wood and to encourage and preserve as much new wood as possible. The “Mite” trouble was dealt with, and Mr. Arch believes in growing young trees for profitable crops, and not retaining bushes after eight years.

150 years ago

February 23, 1872

The National Thanksgiving – There are to be services at three of the churches in Stamford on Tuesday next – at St. Martin’s at 11 a.m., at St. John’s at 3 p.m., and at All Saints at 7 p.m. Collections are to be made after each service – at St. Martin’s in aid of the Bishop Patteson memorial fund, at St. John’s and at All Saints in aid of the schools of the respective parishes.

On Wednesday a meeting was held in the Assembly-rooms, Stamford, under the auspices of the Association for Stopping the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors on Sunday. There was a good attendance: the chair was occupied by the Hon Captain C. Hobart. Addresses were delivered by the Rev. E. Matthews, M.A., Rev. J. Escott, Rev. A. H. Vine, Mr. Holkings, Mr. C. Chapman, and others. A resolution was carried that a canvass be made upon this question in Stamford, and a committee was appointed to carry out these arrangements.

The Stamford Temperance Society have been holding meetings in the Corn-exchange for ten nights, which have been very largely attended. Addresses have been given by about 30 members of the society: and on Tuesday a lecture was delivered by J. W. Kirton, Esq., on “Home, Sweet Home.” Mr. Grimes, of Pickworth, presided. The total attendance at these meetings was over 2500 persons.

On Saturday last, whilst three men were engaged in taking down one of the chimneys at the Midland railway station, Stamford, for the purpose of re-building it, one of the large corner stones fell on to the scaffolding upon which the men were at work, and knocked it down. Fortunately the men fell on to the flat roof which covers the entrance to the booking office, and so escaped with a severe shaking and a few bruises. A great number of the tiles were stripped off the roof of the station-master’s dwelling, and a large plank fell through into the sitting-room.

Four of the coal offices at the Midland coal depot, Stamford, were broken into on Tuesday night or early on Wednesday morning last, but the plunder the thief obtained from all of them did not amount to more than 7s. in money and stamps. Entrance was effected by breaking a square of glass, and then unfastening the catch to the windows. The thief is believed to be one who is well acquainted with the offices.

Oakham – Mary Ann Smith, wife of Joseph Smith, of this town, was taken before C. H. Frewen, Esq., of Cold Overton, on the 14th inst., charged with attempting to procure goods under a pretence of telling silly girls their fortune. She was sentenced to twenty-one days in the house of correction at Leicester.

Bourn – On Tuesday last a large gathering took place in the Corn-exchange, the object being to assist in the liquidation of the debt upon the Market Deeping Wesleyan chapel. After a public tea, of which about 450 partook, there was an entertainment of vocal and instrumental music, succeeded by a lecture by the Rev. W. O. Simpson, of London: subject “Village Life in India.” The chair was occupied by Mr. Charles Roberts, late of Bourn. The net proceeds are said to be about £40.

200 years ago

February 22, 1822

Stamford market-hill on Friday last was infested by a group of pickpockets, supposed to be the confederates of a woman who was a few days ago committed to gaol at Huntingdon for having base coin in her possession, as a caravan stood for the whole of the day under the Warren wall in St, Martin’s, and was next day seen at Peterboro’ market, where the name “John Aldridge,” and the Freemason’s Arms, which had before been painted on it, were obliterated – probably in consequence of the notice given in our last paper. In Stamford market, four fellows and a little boy were observed to beset Mr. Myhill Addy, of West Deeping, and he was kindly cautioned by a friend against what they seemed to contemplate; but still he was soon afterwards robbed of a pocket-book, which fortunately contained only a draft for £76 drawn in his coach concern; and the thieves not daring to attempt to negotiate it, threw it into the yard of the Roebuck public-house, where it was picked up by the son of Mr. Ellerby, butcher, of Elton, and restored to Mr. Addy. The depredators were dressed in a way to prevent suspicion of their being connected: one was attired as a gentleman’s servant, one assumed the appearance of a farmer, and two looked like mechanics; but that they acted in concert was clearly observed by a gentleman who watched them for some time on the market hill.

In the night of Saturday last, the body of Mr. S. Dougal, of Granby Lodge, near Uppingham, was discovered lifeless in a pond on the premises in his occupation. It appeared to the coroner’s inquest held on Monday by Mr. Jones, that the deceased had spent the afternoon of Saturday convivially at a public-house in Uppingham where there was a pig-feast, and in returning home in the evening, wishing to enter at the back-way of his house, he is supposed to have accidentally fallen into the pond, where in his helpless state he perished. He was not discovered until midnight, when his absence alarming his family, search was made for him. Mr. Dougal was in his 74th year, and much respected: he was surveyor of the highways, and clerk to several turnpike trusts.

The Earl Lonsdale, who has long suffered a distressing malady in the eyes, underwent the operation of couching in London on Friday last: we are happy to say the operation affords every hope that the Noble Lord will recover his sight.

The Rev Thos. Foster, of Tinwell, near this place, returned to his tenants 30 per cent. on his glebe land, from the rent due at Michaelmas last.

Lady Willoughby de Eresby returned 15 per cent. to her tenants in this county at her late audit.

On Saturday was committed to the gaol of Boston (by the Mayor), Wharf Scrivener, to six months’ hard labour, for neglecting to attend the time of training the militia at Stamford in October last, he having been hired as a substitute.

John Christopher and others have been committed to Northampton county gaol, respectively charged with entering certain woods of the Marquis of Exeter, in the night time, with intent illegally to destroy game.