West Lindsey News - West Lindsey District Council

West Lindsey District Council
West Lindsey News
The magazine for West Lindsey residents Spring 2011
Positive about
young people
Full story on page 5
Market Rasen’s
new Household
Recycling Centre
See back page
West Lindsey News 3

West Lindsey News
When you have finished reading
this magazine please recycle it
2 West Lindsey News
is your magazine
Edited by the Communications Team at
West Lindsey District Council and produced in
partnership with North Kesteven District Council.
Each copy costs approximately 11p to produce.
Editorial
Tel: 01427 676512
Email: communicationsteam@west-lindsey.gov.uk
Address: West Lindsey District Council, Guildhall,
Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, DN21 2NA
Council Enquiries
Tel: 01427 676676
Typetalk: 18002 01427 676676
Website: www.west-lindsey.gov.uk
Email: customer.services@west-lindsey.gov.uk
Caistor Area Office: Multi-Use Centre, Caistor
LN7 6UB. Tel 01472 859017
Market Rasen Area Office: Adj Festival Hall,
Caistor Road, Market Rasen LN8 3JA
Tel 01673 843263
West Lindsey News is the prime source of news
about the District. Our magazine is delivered to
every household and includes information which the
authority would have to pay to publish elsewhere.
We welcome your comments about the magazine
– all correspondence should be addressed
to West Lindsey News, Guildhall, Marshall’s
Yard, Gainsborough, Lincs DN21 2NA or email:
communicationsteam@west-lindsey.gov.uk
If you know a resident who does not receive
West Lindsey News who would like
to please call 01427 676580.
This magazine is printed on paper from sustainable
forests and for every tree which is harvested two
more are planted.
This document is available
in large print, Braille, audio,
electronic formats such
as CD, or in a different
language.
Good news for
residents!
No increase in council tax for the district
despite reduction in government funding
West Lindsey District
Council has made a
pledge not to increase
Council Tax.
No services run by the council
will be scrapped this year and there
will be no increase in our council
tax levy despite a significant
reduction in cash from the
government.
The news has been welcomed
by residents who already benefit
from paying West Lindsey’s council
tax bill which is one of the lowest in
the country.
Andrew Morriss, 63, of Walesby,
Market Rasen, attended one of
the budget consultation meetings
across the district, which he
described as ‘well run’.
He added: “As an exercise in
council tax democracy in the district
it was pretty well run.
“It is an achievement that no
services are being scrapped and
council tax is not being increased.
“The fact that West Lindsey is
debt-free put us in a much better
position than other authorities.
“It is very good that we are still
managing to do all the statutory
things we need to and much more.
This is the best outcome for West
Lindsey.”
Deborah Barker of Caistor,
described the workshop as ‘open
and refreshing’.
She said: “I felt the event was
very well organised and I loved
the fact they put all the prices
on services, which was very
informative and was key in making
our decisions.
“It was very democratic and
everyone was able to voice their
opinion. They had not made their
minds up for us – they wanted our
opinions.”
As previously revealed, the
council has to find a staggering
£2.5m over the next two years,
following government spending
cuts, and another £250,000 from
pressures including inflation.
Leader of West Lindsey District
Council, Cllr Burt Keimach, said:
Andrew Morriss and Deborah Barker thought the workshops were refreshing

“It is an achievement that no
services are being scrapped
Andrew Morriss, Walesby
“We received the worst district council
settlement on government funding
in Lincolnshire and amongst one of
the worst in the country, but we are
proposing no council tax rise.
“We still have a lot of work to do
but early indications show we will be
able to balance our budget for this
financial year, without impacting on
key services, expensive redundancies
or an increase in council tax.”
The council held a number of
workshops in November, December
and January to involve residents on
how best to tackle the budget.
Cllr Keimach said: “I would like to
thank everyone who took part. We
also had an impressive 733 responses
from the Citizens’ Panel and they were
all broadly in support of the council’s
strategy.
“In particular they wanted to see
more income generation rather than
stopping services to deal with the
shortfall although they agreed that
some services could be rationalised
or provided in another way.
“For example our investment
of £2.9m in kerbside door-to-door
recycling collections means we
should look to reducing provision of
bring sites, to focus on items such as
clothing or books.
Financial Services Manager Russell Stone explains the detail of the budget
“What was surprising was residents
were often more willing to accept
harsher service reductions than the
ones we are suggesting. They also felt
rather than the tax payers paying, the
user should pay for certain services
such as bulky goods collections –
more than 82% supported a user pays
approach.”
His views were echoed by Chief
Executive Manjeet Gill: “We would
not be in this position today if it was
not for the fantastic involvement
from councillors, parishes, residents,
partners, businesses and trade
unions. Everyone has worked
responsibly as a team.”
She also praised ‘entrepreneurial
staff’ working within the authority, who
have been creative in reducing costs
while at the same time improving
performance in many cases.
“We strive to provide a better
service despite financial challenges,
for example we have improved
planning performance and found
efficiency savings of more than
£80,000.
“Another example is the
proposal around CCTV. We are
exploring the possibility of increasing
our CCTV monitoring from 72 hours
to 150 hours and saving £50,000 at
the same time.
“Over 90% of the shortfall has
been found from efficiencies such as
£138,000 from management costs and
similar approaches,” she added.
How would you feel if you lost
your best friend?
The heartache need never happen to you if your pet has a
microchip fitted because then you will always know where he is.
As well as having peace of mind a microchip can save you money.
If your dog strays and ends up being taken to a kennels you will
be charged at least £70 whereas a microchip costs around £20.
To find out more call 01427 676676 or ring your local vet
West Lindsey News 3

Scheme keeps winter at bay
Big insulation
reductions for all –
and some get it free!
West Lindsey residents can
keep out the cold thanks to
an insulation scheme from
the Home Energy Lincs Partnership.
After snow and freezing
temperatures across the district,
Philip Bavin, 63, of Wragby Road,
Bardney, took up the offer of cavity
wall and roof insulation even though
he thought that at his age he would
not get the work done for free.
“We noticed a difference straight
away. The house stays warmer for
longer and we don’t need to have the
heating on so early,” said Philip.
Mr Bavin saw the details about
the scheme in his local Post Office
and Parish Newsletter. “It was not as
complicated to apply as I thought. The
work was done quickly and they did a
good job,” he added.
Chairman of the Community &
Waste Services Committee, Jackie
Brockway, urged people to use the
scheme to keep their homes warmer
and reduce their carbon footprint.
“After the coldest December in
over 100 years, it’s good that West
Lindsey households are benefitting by
using the HELP insulation scheme.”
West Lindsey is an area of high
fuel poverty rates, and insulating
homes keeps heat inside, which
means they will be warmer in winter
and cheaper to heat.
Philip Bavin received
free wall insulation
What’s
on offer?
> Cavity wall insulation and loft
insulation
> It’s free to over 60s or those on
qualifying benefits
> It’s hugely discounted for
everyone else: £49 for cavity
wall insulation and £79 for loft
insulation
> Save around £265 in heating
bills a year by getting both
> Reduce the carbon footprint of
your home
> Apply for HELP by calling the
Energy Saving Trust free on 0800
512 012
The HELP insulation scheme is run by
the Energy Saving Trust in partnership
with Lincolnshire councils.
Would you use a wheelie bin cleaning service?
We are often asked if the council could provide a service to clean wheelie bins. This is a possibility, but there would have to be a
small charge and we need to find out how many people would be interested. To help us do this fill in the details below (no stamp
required) and return it to: Wheelie Bin Cleaning Survey, Freepost, RRYU-BTEG-REAS, Account No 36, West Lindsey District Council,
Guildhall, Marshall’s Yard, Gainsborough, Lincs DN21 2NA. Or visit www.west-lindsey.gov.uk/bincleaning
Would you be interested in this service?
Yes
No
Do you receive an assisted collection?
Yes
No
Which bins would you require the service for?
Blue (recycling)
Black (general)
Green (garden waste)
How often would you require the service?
Once a fortnight
once a month
Other (please state)………………………………………….
How much would you consider paying to have the service?
(per bin)
£2.50 £3 £3.50 £4
Other (please state) ………………………...................
How often would you prefer to pay for the service?
Quarterly invoiced 6 monthly invoiced
Monthly DD
Age group
17 – 24 25 – 32 33 – 40 41– 49
50 – 58 59 – 65 other
Name ................................................. Address ............................................................................. Tel ................................... Email ........................................
4 West Lindsey News

You’re hired!
New job opportunities on offer as
West Lindsey takes on apprentices
Young people across the district
have taken their first step on
the career ladder.
West Lindsey District Council has
offered a number of placements for
apprentices and Future Jobs Fund
employees in accountancy, housing
and customer services.
Chairman of the Economic and
Regeneration Committee, Cllr Jeff
Summers, said: “One of the biggest
challenges facing all employers is
how to successfully maintain the
workforce in order to meet the needs
and demands of the community.
“This gives us an opportunity to
provide jobs for young people and
teach them valuable skills and onthe-job
training which means the work
they are doing is real.
“It also gives young people a real
opportunity to gain qualifications,
upskill and take the first step towards
a career.”
Accountancy apprentice, Kat
Miller, 19, of Gainsborough, sent off
more than 50 CVs before working at
the council.
She said: “I was over the moon
when I got the apprenticeship as
this is my first proper job. It means I
Leonie Janzen got her foot in the door
through the housing team
Apprentice Sami Livingstone helps out customer Roger Bennett-Smith
can also study for the Association of
Accountancy Technicians qualification
and get paid.
“Although the apprenticeship
is only for a year – the on-the-job
experience and qualifications will help
me when I need to look for another
position.”
The council is working towards
getting a new quality standard,
Positive about Young People.
This recognises an employer’s
commitment to young people already
in the workplace or as potential
employees.
Sami Livingstone, 17, of
Gainsborough, is a business
administration apprentice. She works
two days in the finance department
and undertakes a further three days’
work with customer services.
Sami said: “The council works
closely with universities and schools
in the area offering work placements.”
Housing Renewal & Community
Safety Manager, Grant Lockett, said:
“We offer work placements to develop
practical skills. We build a portfolio of
work for CVs which works really well.
“We gave a reference to one of the
students and this helped to secure a
part-time job.”
This year three young people
have started work at the council as
part of the FJF. Leonie Janzen, 18,
of Gainsborough struggled to get a
job after achieving a BTEC Level 3
diploma in administration. She said:
“Although I had the qualification, I did
not have any experience and was
struggling for someone to give me a
chance.”
Leonie qualified for the FJF
scheme as she was on Job Seekers
Allowance and she now works in the
housing team.
She said: “I am really glad I have
managed to get my foot in the door.”
Jade Worthington 21, of Fenton,
had problems finding suitable work
because she has problems with her
back. She said: “I am excited about
working at the council as the job is
quite varied and I have not done
anything like this before.”
> Our front cover photo shows
Kat Miller who was over the moon
when she got an apprenticeship.
West Lindsey News 5

Good
sports
The number of
people taking part
in sporting activities
in the district has
increased significantly
T
he number of people playing
sport in West Lindsey has
‘significantly increased’ in the
last four years.
Sport take-up in our district has
increased by 5.1% according to
the latest figures released by Sport
England.
We now rank 31st out of 237 local
authority areas – a staggering 135
place increase.
Chairman of the Community
and Waste Services Committee,
Cllr Jackie Brockway, said: “This is
brilliant news and something West
Lindsey should be very proud to be
part of.
“Sports such as cricket, New Age
Kurling and tennis have all grown
in popularity and schools have also
added indoor rowing as an extra
curriculum sport.
“We now need to sustain this
participation and keep pushing
forward to boost these figures even
higher. Funding and original new
projects need to be promoted to keep
this happening.”
An Active People Survey was
carried out by Sports England.
It measured people aged 16 and
over who take part in sport and
physical activity three times a week
or more.
The Lincolnshire Sports
Partnership has been working closely
with the County Council, West
Lindsey District Council, School
Sports Partnerships and local sports
clubs and coaches to increase and
sustain participation in sport.
Projects such as Sport Unlimited
have invested £11,228 in sports clubs
and schemes across the district in
2009/2010.
This includes: sports clubs at
Caistor Grammar School, a project
at Scothern Cricket Club, badminton
at De Aston School and rowing at
Queen Elizabeth High School in
Gainsborough.
As a result of this 463 new
participants have taken part in sport
and physical activity.
Chief Executive of Lincolnshire
Sports Partnership, Janet Inman, was
delighted with the findings.
She said: “The results for
Lincolnshire and West Lindsey in
particular have been amazing. The
fact that West Lindsey has jumped
over 100 places to be ranked 31st in
the country is excellent.
“My congratulations go out to all
those helping to develop and deliver
sport across the county; the districts,
community clubs and volunteers, and
the individuals who are taking part in
a wide range of activities and sports
across Lincolnshire.”
Josie Cleary (80) of Saxilby Kurling
Club, welcomed the news.
A fitness class gets into the swing at Nettleton Village Hall
She said ”I have been at the club
for two years. It is ideal for me as
it is in the village. I don’t have any
transport issues. Kurling is also good
for socialising.”
Club chairman John Smithson
added: “The sport is great, it is open
to all ages and it is so popular we now
have a waiting list of people who want
to join.”
Lincolnshire is the highest
performing county in the East
Midlands and is ranked 10th in 2010
out of 29 counties.
How did we achieve this?
• West Lindsey and Lincolnshire
Sports Partnership created the
West Lindsey Inclusive Sport
Project thanks to £10,000 of
funding from the Lottery to develop
inclusive sport for all ages,
disabilities and abilities.
• The money was used to pay for
equipment, develop tournaments,
clubs, classes such as Thai Chi
and different types of dance.
• West Lindsey helped promote the
Sport Unlimited project, which
invested £11,228 in clubs and
schemes in 2009/2010.
• Over £100,000 has been invested
into schemes including Fit Kids,
Health Walks, the Inclusive Fitness
Initiative and Free Swimming.
• 22 clubs have received Clubmark
accreditation in the last three
years.
6 West Lindsey News

Stirringstuff!
Cookery lessons boost self-esteem
for district residents
B
udding chefs are finding their
feet around the kitchen and
boosting their confidence.
We’ve teamed up with
Gainsborough College to run a 10-
week cooking course to help residents
make better food choices.
Michael Watkinson, 51, of
Gainsborough, admitted he had not
been eating very well since his wife,
Linda, died three years ago.
He said: “This course was
absolutely brilliant – I’d give it 100%
and recommend it to anyone. I can
cook with a lot more variety now.”
Participants are shown how to
make spaghetti bolognaise, pasta
bake, flapjack and many other things.
Student Ellis Walker, 18, of
Gainsborough, wanted to learn how
to cook better before she goes to
university.
She said: “I wanted to learn how to
cook more food from scratch. The first
week we made flapjack and I even
made some more at home. I liked the
course as the recipes are easy.”
Gary Pearce (53) of Gainsborough,
said he was only cooking basic foods
and used a lot of tins and jars.
He added: “I wanted to cook meals
from fresh and make more healthy
options. The grub is really good and
what I don’t eat at home my sister
eats.”
Cookery teacher, Alison Leffler of
Gainsborough College Community
Education Department said feedback
from the courses has been very
positive.
She said: “The lessons are going
really well. It is nice for me when
people come back to classes week
after week and tell me they have
tried some of the recipes. They do
not always like them but the fact they
tried is good.”
Chairman of West Lindsey’s
Community and Waste Services
Committee, Cllr Jackie Brockway,
was delighted with the success of the
course.
She said: “Allison Leffler puts the
budding chefs through their paces
as she teaches them about healthy
foods and how to cook nutritional
Ellis Walker, tutor Alison Lefflet and
Gary Pearce prepare to cook a spaghetti
bolognaise as part of the course
meals. These clients were all referred
for the course through the health
trainer scheme at the council. I would
like to say a big thank you to health
trainers Debbie Williams and Mandy
Clark for the valuable work they do
and congratulate everyone who took
part in the course.”
If you would like to speak to a health
trainer call:
Tel: 01427 675288
Get in thenetwork
Social networking is set to keep residents, businesses
and organisations in Central Lincolnshire informed
The Central Lincolnshire
Facebook and Twitter pages
hope to inform people of the
process in shaping the development
of the City of Lincoln, North Kesteven
District and West Lindsey District
areas over the next 15-20 years.
It will provide a forum for
discussion on the progression of the
new plan for Central Lincolnshire,
and will form a hub of information
throughout the year, both useful and
visual.
The Joint Planning Unit over
the past eight months has been
consulting with residents,
businesses and organisations on
the issues and options within Central
Lincolnshire. Social networking
now provides the opportunity to
consult further and allow more
people to have their say.
If you want to get involved or find out
more visit:
Web: www.facebook.com/
centrallincolnshire
Web: www.twitter.com/talkplanning
Towards a
better future
A six-week consultation on the
issues and options for Central
Lincolnshire proved a success after
467 responses were received.
Responses have been recorded
and analysed and will be used
to inform the next stages in
the preparation of the Central
Lincolnshire Core Strategy. This
will take the form of a draft plan
incorporating preferred options and
indicative policies that will go out to
further public consultation.
Further consultations will take
place later on in the year. Visit
www.west-lindsey.gov/ldf for further
information.
West Lindsey News 7

Ready, steady... vote
Make sure of your vote in the first all-out district elections
T
he first-ever all-out elections
which will see all 37 West
Lindsey district councillors
elected on the same day will be held
on Thursday May 5.
Elections for all Town and Parish
Councils will be held on the same
day and you will also be able to have
your say in the UK Alternative Vote
Referendum.
Since the inception of West Lindsey
in 1974 elections have been held ‘by
thirds’ which meant that only a third of
the seats were contested three years
out of four.
But now the council has decided
that all elections for the district, town
and parish councils will take place on
the same day once every four years.
In making this decision councillors
said it would reduce confusion and
maximise turnout. It is also anticipated
that a clear vision and priorities can
be developed over a four-year period
without the impact of changes in
political control.
Each elector entitled to vote
will receive a poll card which will
give details of their local polling
station. Polling takes place between
7am and 10pm and the results
will be announced overnight from
approximately 2am onwards.
You can keep up to date with all
developments by logging on to our
website at www.west-lindsey.gov.uk
as we will be publishing the results for
each ward as they are announced.
The current composition of the
council is Conservatives 22, Liberal
Democrats 13, Independents 1 plus
one seat remaining vacant. To gain
overall control of the council, any
group requires a minimum of 19 seats.
In addition to the local elections the
UK Alternative Vote referendum will
also be held. The referendum will give
electors the opportunity to adopt the
Alternative Vote electoral system for
electing Members of Parliament to the
House of Commons.
At present, the UK uses the ‘first
past the post’ system to elect MPs.
Campaigners in the referendum will
explain why they think you should
vote ‘yes’ (to use the ‘alternative vote’
system) or ‘no’ (to continue using the
‘first past the post’ system).
Booklets explaining the referendum
in detail will be issued to every UK
household.
If you would like the opportunity
to speak on behalf of the local
community, help local people and
shape the future of your area, then
consider becoming a candidate at the
elections.
You need to complete a nomination
paper which must be returned before
noon on Monday April 4 2011.
For further information contact
the Elections Office at the Guildhall
in Gainsborough by calling: 01427
676575/6 or email: graham.
spicksley@west-lindsey.gov.uk
Have you got a postal vote?
Anyone on the electoral register
can now have a postal vote. All you
have to do is telephone the Elections
Office on 01427 676575/6 and ask
for an application form which will
then be sent to you. Forms can also
be downloaded from the council’s
website: www.west-lindsey.gov.uk.
The form is easy to complete,
but should any help be necessary,
the election staff will be happy to
assist and advise. Completed
forms need to be returned to the
Elections Office at the Guildhall
in Gainsborough on or before
Thursday April 14 2011.
Your ballot papers will be sent to
you a couple of weeks before the
election for you to cast your vote. You
are assured that postal voting follows
strict secrecy rules and you are
guaranteed that no one else will know
how you have voted.
Those electors who already have
postal voting arrangements in place
do not need to reapply.
Elections will be held on Thursday May 5
8 West Lindsey News

WEST LINDSEY DISTRICT COUNCIL
DISTRICT COUNCIL ELECTIONS
NOTICE OF ELECTION
For the Wards listed below
NOMINATION PAPERS Nomination papers may be obtained from the offices of the Returning Officer,
Guildhall, Marshall’s Yard, Gainsborough, DN21 2NA on Monday – Thursday 9am – 4:30pm and Friday
9am – 4pm (excluding Bank Holidays), who will, at the request of any elector for the Ward, prepare
a nomination paper for signature.
DELIVERY OF THE NOMINATION PAPERS Nomination Papers must be delivered to the Returning Officer,
Guildhall, Marshall’s Yard, Gainsborough, DN21 2NA, on any day on or after the date of this notice, on Monday
to Thursday 9am – 4:30pm and Friday 9am – 4pm (excluding Bank Holidays), but not later than 12 noon on
Monday 4 April 2011.
POLL If the elections are contested, the poll will take place on Thursday 5 May 2011.
ABSENT VOTES (POSTAL AND PROXIES) Electors and their proxies should take note that new applications
for a postal vote or to change or cancel an existing postal vote or proxy appointment must reach the Electoral
Registration Officer by 5pm on Thursday 14 April 2011. Applications for new proxy appointments must reach
the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Thursday 21 April 2011 except in cases where unforeseen illness
or incapacity occurs after that time in which case applications may be made up until 5pm on Thursday 5 May
2011. Application forms are available from the Electoral Registration Officer, Guildhall, Marshall’s Yard,
Gainsborough or by telephoning 01427 676575/6.
Rachel M. North
Returning Officer
West Lindsey News 9

PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS
NOTICE OF ELECTION
For the Parishes listed below
NOMINATION PAPERS Nomination papers may be obtained from the offices of the Returning Officer,
Guildhall, Marshall’s Yard, Gainsborough, DN21 2NA on Monday – Thursday 9am – 4:30pm and Friday
9am – 4pm (excluding Bank Holidays), who will, at the request of any elector for the Ward, prepare
a nomination paper for signature.
DELIVERY OF THE NOMINATION PAPERS Nomination Papers must be delivered to the Returning Officer, Guildhall,
Marshall’s Yard, Gainsborough, DN21 2NA, on any day on or after the date of this notice, on Monday to Thursday 9am –
4:30pm and Friday 9am – 4pm (excluding Bank Holidays), but not later than 12 noon on Monday 4 April 2011.
POLL If the elections are contested, the poll will take place on Thursday 5 May 2011.
ABSENT VOTES (POSTAL AND PROXIES) Electors and their proxies should take note that new applications for a postal
vote or to change or cancel an existing postal vote or proxy appointment must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by
5pm on Thursday 14 April 2011. Applications for new proxy appointments must reach
the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Thursday 21 April 2011 except in cases where unforeseen illness
or incapacity occurs after that time in which case applications may be made up until 5pm on Thursday 5 May 2011.
Application forms are available from the Electoral Registration Officer, Guildhall, Marshall’s Yard,
Gainsborough or by telephoning 01427 676575/6.
Rachel M. North
Returning Officer
10 West Lindsey News

Snow heroes win
special award
West Lindsey staff praised
for going the extra mile
during the adverse
weather conditions
The British Red Cross has
praised staff at West Lindsey
for going the extra mile to
support vulnerable people during
December’s severe weather.
Despite heavy snowfall and
freezing temperatures of minus 17
degrees centigrade staff rallied round
to support the charity in helping local
residents.
Senior Service Manager for the
British Red Cross, Edith Wesley,
explained how they took the lead in
directing staff to priority needs in the
area.
She said: “I am delighted to present
this award to West Lindsey District
Council – for their innovative help
during the severe weather conditions.
“We received calls from residents
in areas of West Lindsey which were
hard hit, including people who were
alone, had no food or heating and
needed urgent help to get to medical
appointments.
“Between ourselves and the
council we were able to support
residents. It did not matter what time
of the day we called – there was
always someone willing to lend a
helping hand.
“This award is recognition of the
council thinking totally outside the box
and offering to support the Red Cross
and vulnerable people in their area in
a time of crisis.
Council worker Paul Redhead clears the snow so a resident can attend a medical appointment
“To me this was a fantastic offer by
West Lindsey and has been flagged
up as good practice to be considered
in future emergencies.”
Director of Strategy & Regeneration,
Rachel North, said she was delighted
to receive the award on behalf of the
council. “It recognises our staff’s ability
to be flexible in some of the most
testing circumstances. We offered
extra support to vulnerable residents
by helping to clear pathways to get
them to medical appointments and
delivered food parcels and heating.”
And Mrs North said the award
reflected the West Lindsey community
spirit as a whole: “We made the
From L-R: Director of Strategy & Regeneration Rachel North; Senior Service Manager
for the British Red Cross Edith Wesley; and Lesley Beevers pick up the award
“We made the most of our
resources to help communities
Rachel North,
Director of Strategy & Regeneration
most of our limited resources to help
communities help themselves.
“There were some great examples
of communities working together to
clear snow from their own streets and
checking on their neighbours, which
has to be commended.”
Mrs North said the award was a
credit to the great partnership work
between the Council, the British Red
Cross, Lincolnshire County Council
and Lincolnshire Police.
Councillors did their part by rallying
support to help their local wards.
Council Leader Cllr Burt Keimach
said: “We had one of the worst winters
in over 100 years. I was delighted to
see councillors out and about helping
the local community.
“Offers of help ranged from using
their own 4x4 vehicles to access
residents, putting out posters to inform
residents of static waste collections or
offering a shopping service for some
of the most vulnerable residents –
a good effort was made by all.
“It was heart-warming to see
communities pulling together to help
themselves – whether it was clearing
the market place in Market Rasen or
helping to check on a neighbour.”
West Lindsey News 11

What’s on
Trinity
Street, Gainsborough,
Lincolnshire DN21 2AL
Box Office: 01427 676655
Web: www.trinityarts.co.uk
Monumental films, a drama classic and musical masterpieces will all be seen
at the arts centre for West Lindsey during March
Opening the show on March 2 is
Wildest Dream: Conquest of
Everest (PG). This awe-inspiring
documentary follows Conrad
Anker’s attempt to climb Everest
following the exact route of George
Mallory, the British explorer who
famously quipped ‘because it’s
there’ when he was asked why
he was going to climb the world’s
highest mountain.
Tickets are £4.50 (£3.50
concessions).
Then on Thursday March 3, Hull
Truck present Lady Chatterley’s
Lover by D.H. Lawrence.
Lady Constance Chatterley is
trapped in a loveless marriage.
Injured in battle, her husband
Clifford is unable to satisfy her
desires and so Constance finds
herself drawn towards a man she
meets in the woods. Contains adult
scenes.
Tickets £12 (£10 concessions).
A Buddy Holly Tribute takes to the
Trinity stage on March 4
March 4 sees what is billed as
the longest-running and greatest
Buddy Holly Show on Earth.
Buddy Holly and the Cricketers
have delighted audiences across
the globe for 17 years and the act
is guaranteed to have everyone
singing along to the music and
dancing in the aisles to timeless
hits including That’ll Be The Day,
Peggy Sue, It Doesn’t Matter
Anymore, Raining in my Heart, Oh
Boy! and many more.
Tickets are £12 (£10
concessions).
Also billed for this month are:
March 9: The Way Back (12A).
Based on Slavomir Rawicz’s
acclaimed memoir The Long
Walk, the story follows the
courageous escape of seven
multi-national prisoners from a
Soviet Labour Camp in 1941
and their treacherous journey as
they battle the elements through
Siberia, the Gobi Desert, Tibet and
the Himalayas in search of safety,
refuge and freedom.
Tickets £4.50 (concessions
£3.50).
March 10: The Hoot Comedy
Club with Danny Pensive. City
Life Friday described Pensive as:
‘Paddington Bear meets the loony
at the bus stop.’
Tickets are £5.
March 12: Blue Valentine (15).
The film centres on married couple
Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy
(Michelle Williams) and their
relationship over a number of years
by shifting between different periods.
Tickets £4.50 (£3.50
concessions).
March 16: The King’s Speech
(12A). This is the story of the man
who would become King George VI.
After his brother abdicates, George
‘Bertie’ VI (Colin Firth) reluctantly
assumes the throne. Plagued by
a dreaded nervous stammer and
considered unfit to be King, Bertie
engages the help of an unorthodox
speech therapist named Lionel
Logue (Geoffrey Rush).
Tickets £4.50 (£3.50
concessions).
Escape movie The Way Back is
screened on March 9
March 18: 127 Hours (15). This
is the true story of mountain
climber Aron Ralston’s remarkable
adventure after a fallen boulder
crashes on his arm and traps him
in an isolated canyon in Utah.
Over the next five days Ralston
examines his life and realises he
must save himself by any means
necessary. Tickets £4.50 (£3.50
concessions).
March 19: Rape of Lucrece by
William Shakespeare. Gerald
Logan stars in the first ever stage
12 2 West Lindsey West Lindsey News News

adaption of this work. The Rape
of Lucrece is a brilliant, brutal
narrative poem giving an account
of the terrible crime of rape and its
dreadful consequences for victim
and perpetrator.
Tickets £10 (concessions £8).
March 23: Of Gods and Men
(15). In a monastery perched in
the mountains of North Africa in
the 1990s, eight French Christian
monks live in harmony with their
Muslim brothers. When a crew of
foreign workers is massacred by
an Islamic fundamentalist group,
fear sweeps through the region.
The army offers them protection,
but the monks refuse. Should they
leave?
Tickets £4.50 (£3.50
concessions).
March 25: Tannahill Weavers.
See one of Scotland’s premier
traditional bands whose diverse
Blue Valentine focuses
on marriage on March 12
127 Hours is showing on March 19
repertoire spans the centuries with
fire-driven instrumentals, topical
songs and original ballads and
lullabies. Their music demonstrates
to young and old alike the rich
and varied musical heritage of the
Celtic people.
Tickets £10 (£8 concessions).
March 26 at 2pm: Babbling
Vagabonds present The Buried
Moon. In the darkest corners,
among the wavering tossocks and
the trembling mools, the muddy,
black bogs and the great snags...
The Things dwell.
Tickets £5 (£4 concessions).
March 30 at 12 noon: Lunchtime
Literature. Dr Jane Mackay on
Anna Karenina by Tolstoy. Come
and meet one of Tolstoy’s most
intriguing heroines, the respectably
married Anna who has a
scandalous affair with the dashing
Count Vronsky.
Tickets £6.50 including a drink.
March 30: Chico and Rita (15).
This beautifully animated classic
love story brims with charm and is
alive with the spirit of Latin jazz.
It all begins on a steamy night in
Havana in 1948 when Chico, a
rising jazz pianist, is entranced by
a beautiful songbird named Rita.
She turns out to be the key to
his success and is the girl of his
dreams.
Tickets £4.50 (£3.50
concessions).
Save on your night out
Enjoying a night out at Trinity
Arts is cheaper than you
might think if you live outside
Gainsborough.
Parking in Gainsborough is
free after 6pm each evening
and all day on Sunday which
is not the case in neighbouring
towns and cities.
So a trip to Gainsborough
will not only be great
entertainment but you’ll be
quids in!
Could you be a
guardian angel?
Could you be a guardian angel?
If live theatre, music and
cinema have you on cloud
nine then you could be just
the person to be a Trinity Arts
Centre Guardian Angel.
Amongst the heavenly benefits
are:
>> £1 off all films
>> Concessionary prices for
most live evening shows
>> Priority booking on selected
events
>> A discount booklet for extra
savings during the year
>> Membership newsletter,
brochures and e-bulletins
>> Discounted room hire for
parties, meetings and
special occasions
>> Free entry to the prize draw
for panto tickets 2011
All for £15 (£10 concessions).
To find out more visit:
Tel: 01427 676655
Web: www.trinityarts.co.uk
West Lindsey West Lindsey News News 313

Movie magic!
A mobile cinema screen designed to bring the big screen
experience to rural areas has been introduced in the district
The Council has teamed
up with Big Country Rural
Cinema Network to produce a
project which is hoped will be a ‘reel’
attraction for movie lovers.
Gainsborough councillor and Trinity
Arts supporter, Cllr Gillian Bardsley,
said: “We are delighted to be able to
offer this fantastic scheme to residents
of West Lindsey.
“Centre Screen is a scheme that
uses portable cinema equipment to
provide film screenings in alternative
venues, particularly in areas where
cinema might not otherwise be
available, such as rural locations.
“We hope volunteer promoters
will take advantage of this wonderful
opportunity to turn their local venue
into a temporary cinema, so that local
people can enjoy films old and new at
a friendly nearby venue. The benefits
Gainsborough has will now be shared
out across the district.”
Volunteers within the community
select the film, book the venue and set
the price for the tickets and then sell
them. Centre Screen West Lindsey,
based at the Trinity Arts Centre in
Gainsborough, provides a technician
and the equipment to run the
screening. The screenings cost
£90 and the money returned
to the scheme will help to maintain
the equipment and keep the costs
down.
“We hope volunteer promoters take
advantage of this opportunity so
that local people can enjoy films
Cllr Gillian Bardsley
Any money groups make
from organising raffles or selling
refreshments they get to keep.
Centre Screen comes with
support from the technical staff at
Trinity Arts Centre, a venue with 25
years’ experience in cinema and live
events.
Kevin Dunbar, co-ordinator for
Centre Screen, West Lindsey said:
“This is a new and exciting venture
and it is a great way to bring the
community together.
“Centre Screen works with
voluntary promoters based at
venues as diverse as village halls,
libraries, community centres, schools
and colleges – anywhere that is
a meeting point for local people
and can provide some very basic
facilities.”
The scheme is a partnership with
Big Country Rural Cinema Network
and funded by E.M Media but it is
managed by Centre Screen West
Lindsey. Similar schemes based at
Phoenix Arts in Leicester currently
operate within Leicestershire, Rutland,
Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire.
For more detailed information please
visit: www.centrescreen.net
> To join the scheme or to find out
more information contact: Kevin
Dunbar, Centre Screen Co-ordinator,
Trinity Arts Centre, Trinity Street,
Gainsborough, DN21 2AL, (01427)
675137 alternatively email: kevin.
dunbar@west-lindsey.gov.uk
Pictured above left: Kevin Dunbar
who will soon be producing scenes
like this (centre) at a village hall
near you.
14 West Lindsey News

Thanks for keeping us
off the streets
Teenagers grateful for youth café
Teenagers have thanked the
council for helping to keep their
youth café open.
The Arena Café in Market Rasen
provides a safe place for young
people to meet up instead of hanging
around on the streets.
Figures released by Lincolnshire
Police show the café has helped
to halve the number of anti-social
behaviour incidents in the town since
January 2010 – down from 32 to
just 17.
The Community Safety Unit at
the council has awarded the café a
£15,000 grant to ensure its good work
can carry on.
Leader of West Lindsey District
Council and a ward member for
Market Rasen, Cllr Burt Keimach said:
“We are delighted to award this grant
to the youth café, which has had a
significant impact in Market Rasen
– and not only on the anti-social
behaviour figures.
“It has also made a big difference to
the area and gives the young people
a safe place to go on a Friday evening
in the town.
“The council is working
closely with CG Partnerships,
which manages the café, to
look at making its future more
sustainable.”
Jack Rook, 14, has been
going to the café, also known as the
Friday Night Project, since it opened.
He said: “It is somewhere to go
rather than loitering around on the
streets.
“It is not fun for people to see
lots of kids on the street as it can be
intimidating, when they walk past big
groups.
“I am pleased the council has paid
to keep the café open. The fact they
are putting money into the café at all
because of the budget cuts is really
good.”
Mason Dawson, 13, meets up with
his friends in the café. He is also a
member of the Market Rasen Youth
Council.
He said: “Before the café opened
there was a lot of vandalism in the
town caused by people
Sam Rea, Youth worker for the Friday Night Project,
chats with young people at the Arena Café
Graffiti artist Luke Brisbane produced his
design with help from James Mayle at
the Friday Night Project’s Urban Extravanganza
because they had nothing
else to do.”
“If I was not at the café I would be
hanging around on the streets with my
friends.
“Now I help out in the tuck
shop, play on the Wii and use the
computers. I am so pleased the
council have given the café a grant to
keep open.”
Young people can use all the
facilities available and youth workers
are on hand to talk to.
CG Partnership Project Worker,
Sam Rea, said the café regularly has
between 20 and 30 young people
attending on a Friday night.
She said: “This grant is fantastic
news. This café really has given
young people an opportunity to say no
to going out drinking with their friends
and has given them an alternative
place to go.
“Last year we engaged with
137 people and almost 80 of them
returned four or more times, which
exceeded our expectations.
“I have definitely noticed a positive
change in behaviour and attitude with
the young people we have at the café
on a Friday night.
“One young person recently
opened up to me and said ‘you and
the Friday Night Project have made
a difference in my life’.”
West Lindsey News 15

What’s on West Lindsey
MARCH
5-6: Free entry to Goltho Gardens
as part of Discover Lincolnshire
Weekend. This stunning 4.5 acre
garden was only started in 1998 but
already looks established.
8: Frankenstein Live! at the
Broadbent Theatre
Presented by the Angus & Ross
Theatre Company. This show
has been financially assisted
by Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire
Rural Touring Partnership funded
by the Arts Council England & Lincs
County and District Councils. Tickets
£8 (£6.50 concessions). 7:30pm start.
For more information: 01673 885500.
11-12, 18-19: Dick Whittington in
the Osgodby Village Hall (pictured
above)
Presented by The Osgodby Amateur
Dramatic Society – “The TOADS”, a
thriving drama group. 7.30pm start.
Tickets £6 adults and £3.50 children
(available from Ann Bennett at the
Post Office).
30: Lark Rise to Candleford at the
Broadbent Theatre
Presented by the New Perspectives
Theatre Company. Tickets £8 (£6.50
concessions). 7:30pm start. For more
information 01673 885500.
APRIL
2: Caistor Food Fair at Caistor
Town Hall
Organised in conjunction with Tastes
of Lincolnshire, there will be a large
number of stalls, ranging from highquality
meat and fish, Lincolnshire
cheeses, home made breads, cakes,
preserves and confectionery. 10am
– 4pm. Free admission. For more
details contact Caistor Town Council
on: 01472 851679 or visit caistor.net.
MAY
7-8 and 14-15: West Lindsey
Churches Festival. More than 90
churches are open over the two
weekends from Saxon, Norman to
Victorian gems. Activities throughout
the weekends include: bell ringing,
organ music, kneelers, exhibitions,
arts and crafts, flowers and music.
16-21: Gainsborough Theatre
Company presents Like a Virgin at
the Old Nick
This powerful play with music is a
romp through the bubble-gum years
of teenage life. For more information:
01427 810616.
26: Made in Lincolnshire – The
Industrial Archaeology of the
County at St Andrew’s Centre,
William Street, Saxilby
This comprehensively illustrated talk
by Chris Lester gives an overview of
Lincolnshire’s industrial archaeology.
Runs from 7pm to 9pm. Book in
advance: 01529 461499 or email:
heritage-at-risk@lincsheritage.org.
Would you like your activity
included in the next edition
of West Lindsey News? Email:
communicationsteam@westlindsey.gov.uk
Best foot forward
The seventh Lincolnshire Wolds
Walking Festival is taking place
from Saturday May 21 to Sunday
June 5 and offers a huge range
of over 75 walks in our Area of
Outstanding Natural beauty and
surrounding countryside.
With walks to suit any age,
ability or interest, there really
is something for everyone –
from gentle strolls to the more
energetic long distance walking
and throughout the day into the
evening.
This year for the first time
there’s a Nordic walk taking
place and a walk especially for
dogs – and their owners!
Most of the walks are free of
charge, but some may require
early booking, to ensure a place.
This year there is an exciting
launch event with fun for all
the family at Brackenborough
Hall Coach House Holidays
near Louth and two walks
from Louth will be walking to
Brackenborough to launch the
event.
There’s also a finale taking
place at the delightful village of
Partney, where several walks
will be taking place from Partney
of differing lengths and leaving
times – and all arriving back at
the same time in the afternoon
for the cutting of the Festival
cake!
For further information:
Tel: 01507 609740 (and ask for a free
Wolds Walking Festival brochure)
Web: www.woldswalkingfestival.co.uk
Email: aonb@lincswolds.org.uk
16 West Lindsey News

Great days out in West Lindsey
E
veryone knows that going
to the Lincolnshire Show
is a great day out in West
Lindsey.
And visitors to the council’s stand
at this year’s event on June 22-23
will be able to find out about more
fantastic days out in our district.
We’ve decided to hand over part of
our display space to tourism providers
in our area so that visitors can find out
about some of the great attractions
we have on offer.
Chairman of the organising
committee, Cllr Irmgard Parrott,
explained: “The council is very proud
of the fact that the county’s premier
event is in our district and we know
West Lindsey hosts the very best day
out for many miles around. But we
also know that our district has many
other fantastic tourist attractions so
we decided to give two of them the
chance to work with us on the theme
of Great Days Out in West Lindsey.”
We contacted all tourist businesses
in the area and asked if they wanted
to join us. The names of those
interested went into the hat and the
lucky winners to join us at the Show
are the Gainsborough Model Railway
and Wharton Hall Farm.
Cllr Parrott added: “We are
delighted that these attractions will be
joining us and I am sure that visitors
will soon realise that although they
are enjoying a great day in West
Lindsey at the Show there are lots
more great days out to be had in West
Lindsey.”
The leisure and tourism theme will
be continued when visitors will be
asked to do a spell on a treadmill to
help us Walk the Viking Way in West
Lindsey and Cycle the Sustrans Cycle
Route. The name of everyone who
helps us reach the target distances
will go into a draw and there will be
great prizes for the winners!
The West Lindsey stand at the
Show has proved very popular with
visitors who live in our district and we
are sure that will be the case again
this year.
Cllr Parrott said: “As usual
councillors will be on hand to discuss
issues with residents and answer
questions and staff will be available
to help with general enquiries. If we
cannot deal with any question on the
spot we will take details and make
sure residents get an answer as soon
as possible.”
Last year an Economic Impact
Study carried out on behalf of the
Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
revealed that the Show puts nearly
£12m a year into the economy, with
£8m of that staying in the region.
Howdy partners!
Keep on track at the Lincolnshire show
with the Gainsborough Model Railway
J
oining us at the Show will
be the Gainsborough Model
Railway which has one of the
largest layouts in the country.
Based on the East Coast Main
Line from London Kings Cross to
Leeds Central, the railway covers
2,500 square feet, has more than
1,200 feet of main line track and
needs 10 operators. It also features
150 locomotives, 100 coaches, 200
wagons and vans, 150 pieces of
pointwork, half a mile of trackwork
and nine stations.
As a contrast Wharton Hall Farm
Park is set in 10 acres and includes
a mile long walk around the animal
paddocks. The animals include
sheep, pigs, rabbits and goats and
there are lots of exciting breeds
of animals and birds as well as
rare breeds.
Above: The fantastic Gainsborough Model Railway is one of the largest in the country. Right: Let’s talk to the animals at Wharton Hall Farm Park
West Lindsey News 17

Funding for worthy projects
Community groups get a helping hand from councillors’ fund
Cllr Jessie Milne with Lea Village Hall secretary and treasurer May Greenway
and her team who dug deep to find £40,000
S
ports equipment, Wi-fi and
even a new footpath have
been paid for thanks to West
Lindsey District Council.
The Councillor Initiative Fund
gives each elected member £1,000 to
spend on projects in their ward. Many
chose to divide their allocated £1,000
between several good causes and
as a result submitted a number of
applications; others allocated their
entire fund to a single project.
Lea Village Hall is just one of many
groups to benefit from the fund. The
group has invested £40,000 to give
the outside of their village hall a much
needed makeover. They received
£1,000 from Cllr Jessie Milne’s
allowance towards the cost.
Cllr Milne said: “It is vitally
important we keep village halls like
this alive because they are the very
lifeblood of rural communities.”
Work to the hall includes urgent
repairs to the drainage system,
paving, trees and retaining walls.
Treasurer and secretary May
Greenway said she was delighted
with the grant: “The management
committee has had to work its socks
off to raise nearly £40,000 from a
variety of sources.”
Nettleham Parish Council was
given £1,000 from Cllr Malcolm
Leaning’s allocation, to pay for
printing costs of the Nettleham Design
Plan. He said: “The council is trying
to encourage as many town and
parish councils as possible to have a
parish design plan because it will help
when it comes to making planning
decisions.”
This cash meant the parish council
could print an extra 2,000 copies to
make sure everyone in the village got
a copy.
Willingham Parish Council was
given £1,000 towards resurfacing the
cemetery footpath.
Cllr Reg Shore said: “It was such a
big project for a small cemetery and
a small village. Without this cash the
parish council would never have been
able to afford it.
“The money was not just spent on
resurfacing the footpath it also helped
sort out the shrubbery and making
some grave stones safe.
“It was thanks to the parish council,
Hill Holt Wood and money from West
Lindsey that we were able to address
this issue.”
More than 20 children were
treated to a special trip to the
pantomime at the Trinity Arts Centre
in Gainsborough.
Cllr Mel Starkey used part of his
allowance to treat youngsters who
attend Gainsborough Adventure Play
Association to a trip to the Christmas
Pantomime.
Cllrs Malcolm Parish and Di
Rodgers both used parts of their fund
to help Toft Newton Parish Council.
They helped to buy sports equipment
and a secure shed to store the
equipment.
Cllr Angela Lawrence allotted half of
her grant to Caistor Town Hall to pay
towards additional free Wi-fi access
for anyone using the Town Hall. The
hall has undergone a makeover thanks
to grants from waste management
company Biffa, Community Lincs and
the town council.
Cllr Alan Caine has given £500 to
Caistor Heritage Trust, with two further
£500 sums coming from Caistor
Development Trust and Renaissance
East Midlands. He said: “This will
be used to catalogue the wealth of
heritage material that has come to
light over recent years, both tangible
items and photographic collections
spanning well over a century of
history. This will all be digitised and
available on the internet worldwide.”
For details of all Councillor Initiative
projects visit: www.west-lindsey.gov.uk/
initiativefund after April 1.
18 West Lindsey News

Supporting you to
stay at home
A practical ‘hands on’ scheme has been launched following the
council’s successful bid to Lincolnshire Supporting People
A
practical ‘hands on’ scheme
to prevent homelessness
has been launched in West
Lindsey following a successful bid to
Lincolnshire Supporting People.
West Lindsey District Council has
set up the Floating Support Service
to help residents find and keep their
accommodation. It is available for
single people and families across the
whole of the district who are homeless
or at risk of becoming homeless.
Chairman of the Economic
Development & Regeneration
Committee, Jeff Summers, said: “We
recognise that for some people having
a roof over their head is not enough
to guarantee they will not end up
homeless.
“We are delighted to provide this
scheme, which will help arm residents
with the skills they need to help them
sustain their own tenancies and live
independently.”
Two new support workers have
joined the council’s Home Options
Team to help deliver the service.
The support workers will be able to
offer help and advice on a number of
areas including:
> Finding accommodation and
establishing tenancies
> Applying for benefits/grants
> Managing money and budgeting
> Accessing furniture from charitable
groups
> Setting up utilities
> Making arrangements with creditors
to manage debts
Housing, Renewal & Community
Safety Service Manager, Grant
Lockett said: “I am delighted to bring
this service into the Home Options
Team which will help us offer a full
support package for residents.
“Floating Support is all about
keeping tenancies by putting in place
Claire Ross (centre) has joined the Housing Team as a Floating Support Worker
measures to prevent homelessness.
We will not only help residents find
a place to live but we will create an
individual support plan to focus on
their needs.
“This could include setting up a
bank account, obtaining furniture or
registering with a GP and dentist.”
The council is already reducing the
number of people who are homeless
in the district and the amount of
temporary accommodation needed.
This is thanks to a greater emphasis
on prevention.
Since April 2010, 98 cases of
homelessness have been prevented
or alternative accommodation found
– thanks to efforts by the councils’
Home Options Team.
The authority helped prevent the
number of people becoming homeless
through mediation, mortgage rescue,
the council’s deposit guarantee
scheme and many more schemes.
Referral forms can be accessed:
Web: www.west-lindsey.gov.uk/housing
Tel: 01427 675676 (Home Options Team)
The Floating Support Service
The Floating Support Service is a
short term housing support service.
Service users will have a project
worker to help them create a support
plan which may include partner
agencies involvement.
Referrals can be made for anyone
in West Lindsey who is at risk of
homelessness and in need of housing
related support.
To access the service people must
be aged 17 or above.
They may be homeless, living in
temporary accommodation, living in
social or privately rented housing or
be owner occupiers.
The floating support scheme
has already helped to enhance the
council’s homelessness prevention
efforts. Since January 2011, 13
households have been signed up onto
the scheme and a number of referrals
to the scheme are being received.
West Lindsey News 19

Nettleham Parish
Council Chairman
Terry Williams (left)
and district councillor
Malcolm Leaning with
the aqua sacs bought
to protect the village
Working to keep flooding at bay
In the battle to beat flooding, ditch
and dyke owners have been
warned they could face legal action
if they don’t remove obstructions in
their watercourses.
Communities across West Lindsey
are being urged to regularly check
ditches, dykes, rivers and streams
to ensure they are not blocked with
debris that will reduce flow of water.
Chair of the district council’s
Communities and Waste Committee,
Cllr Jackie Brockway, said: “One of
the most frequent causes of flooding
is poorly maintained watercourses.
“Blocked ditches and drains can
lead to serious issues during severe
weather conditions if flow is restricted
and water spills over the top.”
The council is urging residents to
be vigilant and report any potential
problems in their areas to their parish
or town council or local flood warden.
Cllr Brockway added: “The council
does not have the resources to check
all the watercourses in the district,
which is why we rely on the support
of residents and parish and town
councils, who are best placed to
respond swiftly to problems.
“Flood Wardens and local councils
can approach the owners to ask them
to try and solve the problem. If the
works are not undertaken then either
West Lindsey District Council or the
drainage boards have legal powers to
ensure the work is done.”
Many parish councils have
appointed flood wardens who regularly
patrol their communities and check on
the condition of local watercourses.
The district council has also set
aside £10,000 to offer grants of £250
to parish councils to be used for flood
prevention. So far only £4,000 of this
fund has been claimed, with the cash
being spent on equipment for the
wardens. Five parish councils have
bought aqua sacs with their grant
money, including Nettleham.
Cllr Malcolm Leaning, who
represents Nettleham, welcomed the
aqua sacs as an alternative to sand
bags.
He said: “Some parish councils,
whilst wanting to be ready for possible
floods, have found problems in
finding substantial storage space for
sand and bags. Nettleham has been
investigating the cost and positioning
of a suitable store for these.
“They have now decided to buy
‘Aqua Sacs’ instead. They contain a
gel which expands on contact with
water and can be re-used and are
much more easily stored.
“The council has bought 100 aqua
sacs. They were able to pay for them
thanks to a £250 grant.”
Chairman of Nettleham Parish
Council, Cllr Terry Williams said:
“This is an excellent example of how
the district and parish councils can
work together to produce a practical
solution to a real problem that can
have devastating consequences for
residents who are directly affected.”
If your council has not applied for a
grant visit: www.west-lindsey.gov.
uk/parish/floodgrant
20 West Lindsey News

The Concessionary Bus Pass
Scheme is changing…
Central Government have
decided that from 1st April
2011 responsibility for bus
passes will transfer from
the District Council to the
County Council.
So what does this mean?
• Current bus passes will still remain valid until their expiry date.
• Financial constraints will mean non-continuation of some
discretionary elements such as taxi tokens and rail card contributions.
• The way you apply for a new bus pass will be different. From April
you must apply by post, or alternatively you can present yourself at
City Hall in Lincoln.
• The option for doing pass applications and renewals on-line is also
being developed.
• These options will give you a choice of how to obtain your pass but
please do not apply any earlier than 21 days in advance of the due date.
• Application forms and an information leaflet about the scheme
will be available from Libraries, Local District Council Offices, other
key access centres and online.
For further information visit: www.lincolnshire.gov.uk
or alternatively contact:
Lincolnshire County Council
Accessibility & Policy Unit, City Hall
Lincoln, LN1 1DN

Fantastic recycling record!
T
he latest figures from our
recycling department reveal
West Lindsey residents are
smashing government targets.
The government has set an
ambitious goal of recycling half our
waste materials by 2020, but together
we’ve achieved that nine years ahead
of schedule.
So far this year 57% of your
materials have been recycled – up
more than 15 percentage points
since the triple bin scheme was
introduced just 18 months ago. And
since wheeled bins were introduced
in 2004/2005 recycling rates have
quintupled!
According to research recently
conducted in our area only 1% of
us now feel recycling is a waste of
time and nearly all of us (98%) are
recycling at least one item.
However, there is still progress to
be made on the range of materials we
recycle. Although the majority of us
say that common items such as paper
(91%) and glass bottles and jars
(89%) are being recycled, only
a small per cent say we are recycling
electronic equipment, which contains
precious
materials.
More materials
than you might
think can be
recycled in West
Lindsey, both
at the kerbside
and at your
local household
recycling centre.
Once
collected and
sorted, recycled
materials can become valuable new
items.
For example, waste textiles
can be used to create mattresses,
glass bottles can be turned into
sand for golf courses and just
one unwanted toaster can create
25 steel cans.
Your Recycling Guide
West Lindsey District Council
Your BLUE Bin
One of the best ways
that you can help make
sure the environment is
protected for future
generations is to recycle as much as
possible in your blue bin. We accept
all items listed on this page.
Please wash, and where possible,
squash items and place them loose
in your blue bin.
Squashing and flattening will help you
get more items in your bin and help us
carry more items in our collection
vehicle. This will reduce the number of
journeys to the recycling plant and so
cut carbon emissions.
REMEMBER:
SQUASH IT THIN, GET MORE IN!
Glass
✔ Bottles & Jars
Metal
✔ Aerosols ✔ Drinks
cans
✔ Aluminium
foil (clean) ✔ Food tins
✔ Sweet and biscuit tins
Paper & Cardboard
All types including:
✔ Newspapers ✔ Egg boxes
& Magazines
✔
✔ Catalogues
& Junk mail
✔ Cereal
boxes
✔ Corrugated
cardboard
plastic bottles
All types including:
✔ Detergent
✔ Drinks
✔ Household
cleaner
✔ Shampoo
Pizza
boxes
✔ Tissue boxes
✔ Toilet roll
tubes
✔ Telephone
directories
✔ Plastic
milk
bottles
✔ Ready meal
trays
Garden waste
WHAT CAN GO IN YOUR GREEN BIN
YES PLEASE ✔
✔ Grass Cuttings
✔ Hedge and shrub clippings
✔ Leaves, twigs and bark
✔ Plants, flowers and weeds
✔ Windfall fruit
✔ Small branches
✔ Sawdust
✔ Bedding from vegetarian
animals
NO THANK YOU
✘ Stones or rubble
✘ Plastic sacks of garden waste
✘ Food waste
(no vegetable peelings)
✘ Woody material more
than 5cm
✘ Quantites of soil
✘ Animal waste
✘ Japanese Knotweed
✘
Your GREEN Bin
What should you
do with your
peelings and cores?
Government regulations mean that
we cannot collect these in your green
bin at this time, but home composting
is a great way to prevent unavoidable
food waste such as peelings, cores
and teabags ending up in landfill and
can do wonders for the garden.
Remember that
kitchen waste can
be composted at
home by using
reduced price
composters.
Tel 0845 130 6090
to place your order.
IMPORTANT
We will not empty your green bin if it
contains items other than those listed
as the compost site won’t accept them.
4
www.west-lindsey.gov.uk/recycling
www.west-lindsey.gov.uk/recycling
5
22 West Lindsey News

Recycling is WEEEly easy
T
o mark the opening of ‘The
Rasens’ Household Waste
Recycling Centre (see
back page) we’re encouraging
householders to recycle small
electrical items at their local
household waste recycling centre
instead of throwing them away.
According to the latest figures, 154
million items of small waste electronic
and electrical equipment (WEEE)
such as electric toothbrushes,
toasters and mobile phones were
bought in the UK last year, equating
to around 22kgs per household, but
only around 14% were recycled.
Research suggests a common
reason for this is because people
tend to recycle old large electrical
items such as fridges and washing
machines when buying replacements,
but for smaller items, like kettles,
cameras and toasters, one-third
(34%) say they throw them out with
the household rubbish.
In fact it is estimated that over
100 tonnes of WEEE still end up in
household bins in West Lindsey every
year. In addition, many householders
put off throwing away their WEEE
because they are unsure of what to
do with it.
Small electricals such as old
kettles and mobile phones may not
be top of the spring cleaning list,
but research shows on average we
all have at least three unwanted
electronic items cluttering up the
home – and that’s before digging
around in the cupboards.
However, householders can
recycle their waste electricals all
year round at HWRCs in Lincolnshire
and the facilities in North Lincs also
accept small WEEE for recycling. See
www.west-lindsey.gov.uk/HWRC for
a full list of sites and opening times.
Or you can find your nearest drop off
point using our postcode locator at
www.dontbinitbringit.org.
Alternatively, if the item is in
working order a charity may be able
to sell it and raise money for a good
cause. Some, such as the British
Heart Foundation, even offer a free
collection service, for more details
see www.west-lindsey.gov.uk/
charityshops.
Identifying which small electrical
and electronic items can be recycled
is simple. If it has a mains cable, or
uses replaceable batteries, or needs
charging, or has the crossed-out
wheelie bin logo on it, it can be taken
to a HWRC.
Examples include hairdryers,
curling tongs, food mixers, lamps,
batteries, energy saving light bulbs
and fluorescent tubes.
Old gadgets new homes
A
re you considering springcleaning
your home but
dreading the waste and hassle
involved in clearing out your attic
or garage?
What if you could find someone
willing to take those old appliances,
gadgets and off-cuts away and give
them a new lease of life, all at the
click of a mouse?
Online swap-shop www.
dontdumpthat.com saves valuable
resources by offering a quick and
easy way for people to give away
unwanted possessions or search for
something they could put to good use.
The Lincolnshire-based online
forum is just one of a growing number
in the district dedicated to preventing
waste; it’s also a notion we should
all consider before we bin anything,
suggests West Lindsey’s Recycling.
Team Leader Steve Leary.
“Recycling breaks things down
to manufacture new products.
Our kerbside collection scheme
and growing number of Household
Waste Recycling Centres are
designed to make it as easy
as possible for residents to do
their bit – but if there’s still life
in an item, it should be re-used.
This reduces landfill and processing
costs.”
It’s estimated that £5.6bn pounds
worth of good quality usable
household items are thrown away in
the UK every year.
One man’s junk is another man’s
treasure as the saying goes!
Tips for de-cluttering
Log on at:
www.dontdumpthat.org.uk
www.freecycle.org
www.freegle.org.uk
Join the forums and submit any
item that could be re-used
Don’t be afraid to submit broken
items – somebody might know
how to fix it.
Think about charity shops
and advertising in your local
newspaper.
West Lindsey News 23

New recycling centre for
the Market Rasen area
Latest recycling facility set to reduce amount of waste sent to landfill
Lincolnshire County Council
is pleased to announce
the completion of its
latest Household Waste Recycling
Centre (HWRC) at Gallamore Lane in
Market Rasen.
‘The Rasens’ recycling centre
will allow local residents to deposit
up to 35 different types of waste
for recycling or final disposal to a
separate location. The facility will
also help to reduce the amount of
waste being sent to landfill ahead of
an increase in landfill tax and multimillion
pound EU fines for excess
landfill levels.
There are currently 12 Household
Waste Recycling Centres operated by
Lincolnshire County Council across
the county. The existing policy is
to provide a recycling centre within
a seven-mile radius for 90% of the
county’s population. Market Rasen
and its surrounding area currently
represents a significant gap in that
policy. However, the construction
of the new HWRC on Gallamore
Lane Industrial Estate will add
approximately 12,000 Lincolnshire
residents to the total who are within
the 7-mile radius criteria.
Around 5,000 tonnes of waste is
expected to enter the site per year
and will help Lincolnshire to maintain
its excellent record as one of the
nation’s top recyclers.
The types of material accepted at
the site include:
> Green waste such as grass cuttings/
hedge clippings
> Electrical goods
> Textiles
> Small batteries
> Wood including MDF
> Plastics
> Cardboard
> Car batteries
> Engine oil
> Tetrapaks (drinks cartons)
> Cooking oil
Modern compaction equipment
will enable up to three times more
material to be stored in some of
the containers. This creates
financial and environmental savings
through a reduction in the number
of haulage trips.
‘The Rasens’ will be opened on
4 March 2011 and will operate on
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
including Bank Holidays. The site
opening hours will be 8am to 4pm.
For further information:
Tel: 01522 782070
Web: www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/waste
24 West Lindsey News