Lincolnshire readers share their views on news in Stamford, Rutland, Spalding and Grantham
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 Father’s Day cartoon from John Elson.
Don’t forget, you can always get in touch by emailing news@lincsonline.co.uk
My commitment is steadfast
After 34 years of dedicated service, I am announcing my resignation from the Stamford Town Council, effective immediately. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the residents of Stamford who have supported me throughout my tenure. Your trust and encouragement have been invaluable.
I will provide a fuller explanation for my resignation after July 5, 2024.
Though I am stepping down from the town council, my commitment to our community remains steadfast. I will continue to serve the people of Stamford as a district councillor and work towards our shared goals and aspirations.
Thank you for your continued support.
Harrish Bisnauthsing
Stamford
End result is brilliant
Over the past few weeks, Stamford and Rutland Pressure Washing Services very kindly cleaned all six lichen infested wooden benches and the paving slabs in St Michael’s churchyard and the end result is simply brilliant!
Can’t thank John Regis and his team enough for all their hard work, which was given freely.
Duncan Lingard
Chairperson, Stamford-in-Bloom
We should all do a bit
Bourne in Bloom is coming up and it would be lovely if the town could be tidied up for the judges. I pick litter up every day as I am walking around the town and dig weeds from the sides of the walls in the town centre.
If we all did a bit then the town would look lovely as Bill and his friend do well with the baskets and the tubs so maybe if we all tried harder we could be rewarded with a gold.
Brenda Jones
Bourne Civic Society Chairman
Where were they?
I was disappointed to see only four Stamford town councillors at the important commemorative event to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day and there was only one of last year's newly elected town councillors present! To make matters worse the newly elected mayor was noticeably absent from these important proceedings whilst the former mayor was present!
I attended the former mayor's last civic event at All Saints Church where under a third of the 21 Stamford town councillors were present which included a small proportion of last year's newly elected councillors. I therefore beg the question what are these 'new' Stamford town councillors actually doing for the town after all they were elected by the people of Stamford ?
Name and address supplied
Without grant, site is not viable
On April 9, I sent a Freedom of Information request to SKDC seeking details of the feasibility study and the environmental investigations that took place at the very beginning of the Cummins/St Martins saga.
FOIs normally take 20 working days to process. In exceptional circumstances a council can delay for a further 20 working days. After 44 working days, not having received an answer, I wrote to SKDC to see why they were in breach of their own rules.
Almost immediately (some coincidence, eh?) I got a response with a 'partial refusal' of my request. Naturally, the refusal covered everything I really wanted to know but allowed information already in the public domain.
The reasons for refusal boil down to protecting 'sensitive commercial data'.
More like covering up the embarrassing fiasco this expensive white elephant has become. If you start by paying 20% more than the value of the site, things are only bound to get worse.
We're still waiting to see if SKDC get a government grant to rescue the site from the pollutants which the initial environmental searches failed to uncover. According to the council leader, without that grant the site isn't viable.
Ian Dodd
Sovereign Way, Stamford
Is gender dispute necessary?
Having read the article in the June 7 Journal regarding the gender neutral discussion at Grantham Town Council, I feel obliged to comment on this subject. I was under the impression that on the recent council’s election we were supposed to be represented by councillors to deal with real problems that pertain to the town. I do not think it is an important subject to argue about whether a person is a chairman or chairwoman. As for calling somebody a chair is nonsense. I have never talked to a chair, sofa or settee. Chairman or woman are there to head a meeting that will discuss issues that are important for the Town. This gender neutral nonsense has, over the years, gone too far. Men are men, women are women, boys are boys, girls are girls. That is what I have been brought up with and have never had a problem with.
So please stop wasting time demanding that gender neutral terms are used and get on with the job you were elected to do and concentrate on the important matter of brightening Grantham, which desperately needs doing. Do the job you were elected for.
Gerhard Angermayer
Grantham
We all know who Councillor Tim Harrison is, he's our council's chairman. Councillor Rob Shorrock though is missing the point in his councillor gender row if men are forced to surrender again in the name of women's rights. Rewriting the Oxford English Dictionary is not the solution if spaceman becomes spaceperson, seaman seaperson, foreman, foreperson and human becomes huperson.
Individuals should be asked which they prefer, chairman, chairwoman or chairperson when referring to them.
At least this would conform to the wokist agenda of everyone choosing their preferred ID.
Rod Hatherill
Lodge Way, Grantham
Cycle paths should be used
In response to D Turgoose’s query (letters, June 7 issue) I was prompted to write by a cyclist using the main A607 beside Belton Park and travelling towards Grantham on May 9. He was seemingly oblivious to the queue of traffic behind him which was unable to overtake safely due to on-coming traffic. One can only wonder why he wasn’t using the much safer, shared pedestrian/cycle path on the opposite side of the road. Seemingly he was more than happy to ride on the pedestrians-only pavement once he reached the edge of the Manthorpe Estate, having risked his life by riding on the busy rural section from Belton to Grantham in between HGVs, buses etc travelling at speed only a few inches away from his bike!
If cycle paths are provided they should be used, but cyclists must respect pedestrians sharing the same paths. As a pedestrian it would be appreciated if cyclists could ring their bells when approaching, or shout a warning if no bells is available, rather than passing unannounced at very close proximity, which can be frightening as well as dangerous to all concerned.
Lynda North
Grantham
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