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Letter writers from Stamford, Spalding, Grantham and Rutland share their views




Readers have had plenty to say on what’s in the news.

Here we share some of the letters, emails and comments that have come in over the week, including this cartoon from John Elson.

John Elson cartoon is sponsored by the Assist Group
John Elson cartoon is sponsored by the Assist Group

Send your letters to: news@lincsonline.co.uk

Outstanding library is in firing line

Rutland County Council is fast becoming a not fit for purpose organisation. Residents are continually asked to pay over inflation council tax rises year on year and get ever diminishing services.

An outstanding community facility, the Ryhall Village Library looks set to be in the firing line for closure. The cost of repair and maintenance is said to be over and above budgeted for. In reality a much inflated figure by the council to suit its agenda.

It was only this December that the council announced its plans for a New Living Well Services with the view of integrating library, health,well being and adult learning services into one. To quote Councillor Christine Wise from the cabinet: "More integrated services will work closer together out in the community to provide the support that people need and achieve best possible outcomes.” Now the council wants to close an earmarked facility which was going to deliver this new service. You cannot deliver this from a mobile library bus.

There was an investment amount of £950,000 earmarked by the council for this new plan announced in July. To be used for for its library buildings to deliver this service, albeit it was exploring options for Ryhall Library due to the age and condition of the building.

It was stated the council also wants library buildings to become community spaces where people can meet and spend time together, coffee mornings, reading clubs, youth groups and toddlers. This happens 50% of the time already at the library in Ryhall.

A team of volunteers ensure the library is open six days a week. Over a thousand volunteer hours annually enables this valuable community service to be delivered.

The council quotes it does not have the money to bring the library building up to standard but they must be held responsible for not maintaining this asset over the previous years. The council have let the building deteriorate and now it is the Ryhall community who are going to suffer because of this negilence.

Public consultation generally only means one thing - its a done deal. Rutland County Council will only be going through the motions because you legally have to.

Do not close the library building and continue as had been planned with the New Living Well Service.

Invest in this valuable community asset.

It is not true that you do not have the funds when there is over £3m unallocated funds in the Community Infrastructure Fund. Use some of this money to carryout the necessary work to the library building.

Paul Douglass

Ermine Rise, Great Casterton

Sarah Andrews took this photo of a frosty tree on The Meadows in Stamford. Send your reader photos to: news@lincsonline.co.uk for inclusion online or in our daily newsletter The Briefing
Sarah Andrews took this photo of a frosty tree on The Meadows in Stamford. Send your reader photos to: news@lincsonline.co.uk for inclusion online or in our daily newsletter The Briefing

Starmer has got it wrong

Keir Starmer’s speech on January 5 outlining the government’s strategy for addressing waiting lists is wrong-headed. Targeting a 20% increase in the use of the private sector to cut waiting lists risks further embedding profit-takers into the health service.

Starmer says that he is “not interested in putting ideology before patients”, yet that is exactly what he is doing. It is the ideology of the private operators who will receive an extra £2.5 billion a year in government fundingunder his new elective reform plan to address waiting lists for planned care.

There is very little evidence that pumping money into profit-making companies is going to reduce waiting times.

Indeed, this approach was used by the Conservative government’s Elective Recovery Plan in February 2022, yet waiting lists continued to grow.

The country voted for change in July 2024, not more of the same, but when it comes to the NHS it is clear that the neo-liberal belief in the market continues to be pursued by aLabour government.

Hospitals are crumbling while the NHS is haemorrhaging at least £10m a week to private shareholder profits – money which could build a new operating theatre every week.

The NHS is Labour’s greatest achievement – focussing on improving just one metric will not work if the government is unprepared to tackle the recruitment and retention crisis and defend it from rapacious corporate interests.

New investment needs to carefully targeted – too often in the past extra spending for new NHS initiatives has disappeared into the pockets of the private sector without any real benefit to patients.

Without proper investment in staff there can be no world-class NHS, no improvements in patient care, reduction in the backlog or increased efficiency of services.

Godfrey Jennings

Save Our NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland

Should all cars have this black box?

My grandson, aged 17, has just passed his driving test and is naturally as pleased as punch. To make his insurance more affordable, he has installed a telematics unit (aka Black Box) in his car which not only monitors the speed of the vehicle but also driving behaviour, eg braking, cornering etc. If he crosses the line, the insurance company hike the cost of the premiums.

Considering that the most vulnerable on our roads are male drivers aged between 17-25 this is a great idea but why only target this age group - shouldn’t all cars be fitted with a similar device?

Duncan Lingard

Princes Road, Stamford

Trevor Wissen's brown sign effort
Trevor Wissen's brown sign effort

Do we need brown sign?

Referring to the article dated December 27 regarding brown signs - do we really need one?

Well here is my effort and suggestion.

Trevor Wissen

Braemar Close, Stamford

So many helped with flooding

Due to severe weather causing unprecedented local floods and icy conditions, we have recently experienced the disruption of a range of services in our town. We have faced the threat of flooding in Tennyson Avenue and along the River Witham through the town centre the flooding of Wyndham Park and homes in Belton Lane.

As our thoughts go to those affected by the flooding, a huge thank you is owed to everyone involved in managing the impact of our severe weather over the past week. From the immediate responders to those officers, volunteers and local businesses who have been involved in the ongoing maintenance and restoration of services and clean up afterwards.

Lincolnshire County and South Kesteven District Council, including all police and Fire and Rescue services and waste collection teams, worked tirelessly throughout in wet and freezing conditions to support, not only Grantham residents, but also communities in the south of the District afterwards.

Moving forward, a review will be taking place to understand why Grantham experienced such flooding. I have forwarded local feedback received during the incident to the officers involved.

The Lincolnshire Resilience Forum LRF is the lead authority in the event of an emergency. Town and Parish councils have an important part to play in delivering emergency support. Because we have our newly elected Town Council we can produce an Emergency Plan to enable us to provide local support, and work with the forum, once the Plan is established, in future. I will be producing the EP on behalf of the Council.

Where homes and businesses are at risk of flooding we must also take measures to protect our own property. For example, by purchasing sandbags in advance.

As a landlord the district council will support council tenants if needed.

Thank you again to everyone who helped and offered support.

Chamaine Morgan

South Kesteven District Council and Grantham Town Council

What happened at the meeting

Following the resignation of Tim Harrison as chair of Grantham Town Council during the budget setting meeting on Thursday, January 9, I thought it would be useful to provide a number of facts about what happened at this meeting.

1) Grantham Town Council, like every other parish and town council in the country, has a legal duty to set a budget and from this propose a precept which will be included in the council tax charging for this year.

2) During the budget discussion, Coun Steve Billinghurst, who is the vice chair of the personnel committee, proposed that the meeting should go into a closed session to discuss staff salaries, as this is a restricted item. This was agreed and the press and visitors were asked to leave for the session.

3) During the discussion, Chairman Harrison stated that he had asked the CEO of SKDC to carry out a job evaluation. Both the chair (Coun Tracey Forman) and vice chair of the Personnel Committee (Steve Billinghurst) stated that they had no knowledge of him doing this and it was beyond his authority. They are correct, as all staffing matters reside with the Personnel committee.

4) It is a matter of record that Chairman Harrison has failed to engage with the personnel committee. Last summer he placed himself on a recruitment panel and told the vice chair of personnel that the chair of personnel committee would not be involved. This was never agreed with the personnel committee. Again he was acting beyond his role and authority.

5) Both Tracey Forman and Steve Billinghurst stated that their roles were untenable as Chairman Harrison had effectively undermined them. They both resigned from their roles on the committee.

6) Chairman Harrison then stated that he was resigning as chair of the Town Council and exited the room.

7) The meeting eventually reconvened. A budget was passed and a precept. Coun Harrison, and a few others, did not return to the meeting to discharge this legal obligation.

These are the facts of what happened. Despite allegations against Labour councillors promoted by Coun Harrison on social media, we have only tried to ensure that the town council operates in accordance with the law (The Local Government Act 1972) For some reason, the former chair has found this difficult to accept and had taken on the role of 'leader' and acted as though he has executive power. Parish and town councils do not have a statutory role of leaders. Decisions are made by the whole council and then implemented by the clerk to the council. The chairperson of the council does not hold any special power to act unilaterally.

I hope this helps provide some clarity on the matter.

Coun Rob Shorrock

Grantham Town Council - Springfield Ward

Send your letters to: news@lincsonline.co.uk



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