Letter writers from Stamford, Spalding, Grantham and Rutland share their views with LincsOnline
Readers have once again 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.
Send your letters to: news@lincsonline.co.uk
Feedback was surprising
It must have come as a surprise to the leader of Rutland County Council that it is likely judging by the feedback from those attending the meetings arranged by our local MP Alicia Kearns that her electorate favour a merger with South Kesteven, North Kesteven, South Holland and North Holland.
Was is not that long ago that the council leader extolled I am the only one that can make a decision on devolution. When challenged at a council meeting by our local MP and elected councillors that really it would be a good idea to ask the electorate. The leader succumbed to these demands, but not before clearly stating she had spoken to South Kesteven Council and they were not interested and had already made their minds up they were Lincoln bound. RCC’s consultation with the electorate amounted to a meaningless website miniscule multi choice questionnaire. At a special meeting of the council to discuss the choices available on devolution the leader clearly stated a vote would not be granted to elected members of the council..
Well we thought that was that, but wait is that a noise coming from the SKDC saying they would very much like Rutland Council to join them and three other district councils. This sounds like a very good idea say the electorate and they voice their consent to our very active local MP Alicia Kearns at two meetings she personally arranged get to hear what Rutlanders would prefer.
Hang on a minute, said the leader of RCC I have already sent our response to the Minister and my preferred options. What is going on? Democracy was the cry. Have you heard of it or maybe it passed you by?
Just what am I and the council going to do now? What you should have done in the first place? But what can that be? Ask what Rutlanders would prefer?
It makes more sense to merge with SKDC. The historical links are strong especially with Stamford. Travel to work patterns, housing etc. The Parliamentary boundary Stamford and Rutland.
More democracy and less autocracy is required from Rutland County Council that's the least Rutlanders expect.
It’s about time Rutland County Council gets its act together before it gets consigned to the history pages.
Paul Douglass
Great Casterton
The options are rushed
I attended the public meeting chaired by MP for Rutland and Stamford Alicia Kearns (Con) at Stamford Arts Centre to discuss options for merging different local councils.
Aged 66, I believe that out of the 50-plus people in attendance I was the youngest person there.
I also viewed and watched a similar live link video meeting held in Rutland a few days earlier and the same scenario was observed; not one young person at either meeting.
Fewer than 150 people at both meetings is no way a clear mandate to proceed with a Stamford-Rutland merger out of the entire South Kesteven County boundary areas, and the entire population of the Rutland boundary areas.
A very misleading straw poll ‘show of hands’ at the ends of both meetings is not an accurate representation of both council populations either.
During the meeting held in Stamford, some people spoke in support and against, but not a single comment was made by any resident as to how a merger would benefit the South Kesteven taxpayer.
The MP made it clear during the meeting the hostility she had received towards these ideas, coming from hard-pressed taxpayers living in the Grantham area, South Kestevens other "largest populated and ignored area btw.
What was very interesting is that the MP also mentioned that on more than one occasion she was laughed out of Parliament when asking for yet more rural funding to bail out Rutland, such is the perception of the very high Rutland running costs and council taxes at Westminster.
Politics aside, having listened to all the rushed options available, the alternate ideas of the SKDC areas joining with Lincolnshire County Council under the leadership of Martin Hill is a much better long-term taxpayers’ financial option for all those living in South Kesteven, in my view.
SKDC taxpayers are in no position to bail out Rutland's self-inflicted high independence overheads, but Leicestershire's much superior tax base could.
Name and address supplied
We don’t want ugly bollards
I am in utter disbelief that this lovely old town has to suffer yet another carbuncle on its streets in the shape of rising bollards! Both ends of High street? What's the point? If they're not on Ironmonger Street and Maiden Lane too, vehicles will still get in and out! Bollards are not only ugly but will probably take months of upheaval attached to their installation. All that work when you could just install cameras. The operative checking the morning and evening operation of the bollards: what a joke and an absolute waste of money and resources! Use that money to install the cameras which will also stop cyclists who are some of the main offenders. If bollards go ahead, I would like to know how you intend to deal with cyclists in the precinct. For goodness sake stop putting these expensive hare-brained schemes before common sense. This has not been thought-through at all!
Corinna Hoptroff
Conduit Road, Stamford
In favour of bollard proposal
Regarding the subject of rising bollards on Stamford High Street, I am in favour of this proposal as there are too many vehicles traversing the pedestrian area at all times of day. Yesterday there were delivery vehicles travelling along its length trying to negotiate around shoppers some mothers with prams and pushchairs. There was a contractor who was trying to repair a CCTV installation near Boots, special dispensation should be provided in such situations otherwise access to delivery drivers between 7am to 10am or after 5pm should be sufficient.
Elderly drivers are often seen driving along the high street, many find negotiating café tables and chairs as well as pedestrians bewildering. They do not have the reactions and focus to drive along the high street, maybe have easier access and provision for disabled parking near Marks and Spencer and at the top of Ironmonger Street.
George Hayward
Stamford
Bollards will bring safety
There definitely should be bollards protecting the pedestrians. It is very dangerous when vehicles enter the area. Elderly people cannot get out of the way quick enough. I am surprised nothing has been done before.
Ann Hayward
By email
Article brought back memories
The article in last week's Journal on the Weigh House at Muston Gorse (Journal 28.3.25) has great significance for our family. My father and family lived at Duke’s Wharf Farm, which was just across the track from the weigh house. On the photograph there is a gap in the wall where a brick was taken out by my uncle so that he could shoot rabbits for "the pot". My great grandfather, David Weston, used to walk from Redmile every day to load one of two coal wagons which were horse-drawn up to the castle. My aunt and uncle used to walk up the track to the castle for Sunday school. If there was an empty wagon they used that to ride back home, using a wooden pole for a brake!
Andrew Weston
Fulbeck
Shocked and appalled at austerity measures
The National Pensioners’ Convention is shocked and appalled at the scale of the austerity measures in the government spending review (Wednesday, March 26) which will undoubtedly see an increase in poverty across the generations.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement announced even more brutal cuts to welfare and other public spending than anticipated, which will badly impact the most vulnerable in our society.
The idea that these measures will plug a fiscal hole in the economy completely ignores the problems and costs they will inflict, not to mention the downright suffering they will cause to those least able to cope.
The government’s own Department of Work and Pensions impact assessment of the Spring statement found:
● 3.2 million families will lose £1,720 a year from their income.
● 370,000 people claiming PIP [Personal Independent Payment] will lose it, on average they will lose £4500 a year. Another 430,000 who would have been eligible in future will not get PIP at all.
● 150,000 people will lose their access to carer’s allowance, equivalent to one in 10 unpaid cares.
NPC General Secretary Jan Shortt said: “Unpaid family carers looking after our oldest and most vulnerable save this government and country hundreds of billions each year.
“Now they may lose their care allowance because they are looking after someone who no longer receives part of their PIP payments.
“We remind the government that these caring people save you between £162 and £193 billion a year. Without them, those with care needs would be forgotten and forsaken.
“ If the government made a much more robust attempt at resolving the crisis in the NHS and social care, then everyone could be looked after properly instead of relying on filling in complex and inhuman application forms just to be able to survive.”
Jan added: “ The cut in the Universal Credit health element will also mean that those who lose out will face financial difficulties and growing health problems in the future.
“All household bills will increase next month which makes survival for those on limited income increasingly difficult. The 4.1% increase in the state pension is already devalued and by the time it is paid it will be in deficit.
“Policies that increase poverty and ill health are shameful. Yet, the rich continue to grow their wealth unabated while ordinary people are hit hard.
“Ironically, a third of those caught up in the benefits system would be retired but for the increase in state pension age.
“But the ageist attitude of employers creates barriers for those older people who still have knowledge, experience and background and would be an asset to any company.”
Rodney Sadd
Crowland
Send your letters to: news@lincsonline.co.uk
