Read Rob's May update here ...
Annual Report
I have been aiming to get round to every Annual Parish Meeting and Parish Council AGM to give a brief summary of the past County Council year. A new administration (ReformUK) took control of the council in May 2025. Only small number of the new controlling group has had any experience of being a councillor let alone a County Councillor. The administration announced a number of policy plans echoing what their national leadership had said. These included preventing new staff from joining the local government pension scheme and bringing in DOGE which it was claimed would seek out waste in the county council. It was pointed out that every new employee had a legal right to join the scheme so that proposal was shelved. We were told DOGE would come to Lincolnshire in July 2025. This has not happened and will not happen now.
The previous administrations campaign to get a better government funding deal for Lincolnshire has finally borne fruit. This has meant 50 million pounds extra this year and more extra funding next year. This could have meant a 0% county council tax but instead a 2.99% was levied.
Proposals over how to recommission services for some people with disabilities have caused concern for families. Concerns raised in contacts from families include worries about possible reductions of support and respite care for people with complex needs. At the time of writing the lead councillor for these services is to have further consultations prior to making a decision. If residents have concerns about this please ask them to contact me.
A project to improve Grantham High Street to encourage better use has been cancelled. One project started under the previous administration is now moving to construction stage and that is the North Hykeham Relief Road. This will complete the ring road around Lincoln.
The opportunity to scrutinise what the council is doing has been reduced because documents produced for meetings have been slimmed down. Experienced councillors want to dig down into the small print to scrutinise the reasons for decisions the council leadership wants to make. To do that they need detailed reports.
Every meeting of the Council is open to the public to view in person or online. Meetings can also be watched on YouTube and this will include this Friday mornings Full Council Meeting.
Springwell decision to be challenged
Last month I reported that the Secretary of State had approved the application to build the solar installation. As the local county councillor, I attended the event recently at Scopwick along with our MP Dr Caroline Johnson to hear the joint announcement from the County Council and North Kesteven District Council that they were applying for a Judicial Review into the Secretary of States decision. If the go ahead is given for the Review, then it will determine if the proper process was followed. The Review is not about whether or not having a solar farm is a good idea.
Why resurface a road that looks OK?
I was asked this question at a parish council meeting recently . As residents will see around the county a number of roads are being “surface dressed” with “tar and chippings”. This is a continuation of work which has been done for a many years.
Every year Highways engineers survey our roads, of which we have a lot in fact some 5500 miles worth. The reason for the work is that where the engineers deem it appropriate the road surface is effectively sealed to prevent break up which can occur particular in winter months. This is caused by the expansion and contraction of moisture in small fissures in the surface. In simple terms the work is a preventative measure prolonging the life of the road surface and also increasing grip tyres can have.
New Community Speedwatch launched
Last month I reported that Metheringham was to have Speedwatch group. Training (which I attended) this month was given by the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership. Volunteers should be seen in the near future around the area recording vehicles traveling in excess of the speed limit. This scheme has been proven to increase road safety, and I will be joining them when I can.