Grimsby’s top cop Chief Supt David Hilditch wants to hear what you have got to say on crime in the area - and how it can be tackled.

As reported, he recently took over as the divisional commander for North East Lincolnshire. And now he wants you to tell him your priorities.

From tomorrow and for four days, the Telegraph will be printing a question he wants to ask the people of North East Lincolnshire. 

Send your views to the Telegraph and they will pass them to him at the end of the week. Read the rest of this entry »

NELC is currently expanding our Garden Waste collection scheme to all suitable properties in the area that do not already recieve a collection.

Over the next few months postcards will be sent to all suitable properties asking whether they would like to be included in the expansion.

Residents will be asked to fill in a tear off section of the postcard and return it to the waste team to register their interest. If 30% or more of residents in an area register an interest the service will be rolled out and residents will recieve a collection by Spring 2009.

Progress on the expansion will be reported via this webpage and through the Linc Up magazine delivered to all households quarterly.

Click Here to Register your interest in receiving a

Garden Waste Collection

 September 27th is the date for the opening of the new Riverside Children’s Centre in Central Parade, which will bring the number of Children’s Centres in North East Lincs. to a total of 13.

The new centre is designed to be a community hub, offering parenting advice, healthcare,sexual healthcare, links to Jobcentre Plus, Connexions,local childminding facilities, and schools, as well as a creche and some day-care facilities.  Additional services will also be available to families who have children with special needs.

Fun and games will fill Grimsby’s People’s Park this Sunday as the revamped site is officially reopened.

Organisers hope the the weather will be good for Park Pride Day, which was originally scheduled three weeks ago but was cancelled due to heavy rain. 

The park - which has been restored to its Victorian glory following a £2.7-million facelift - will see a host of activities laid on to celebrate the occasion.

Attractions will include live music, Victorian-themed children’s games, food stalls, magicians, balloon modelling, donkey rides and a Punch And Judy show at 12.30pm and 3pm.North East Lincolnshire Council’s parks and open spaces officer, Alan Fletcher, said: “Hopefully the weather will be kind to us and it will be an opportunity for everybody to see what we have done at the park. “As we have just celebrated the park’s 125 year anniversary, the event will have a Victorian theme.”

At midday the Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, Coun Colin Eastwell, will officially declare the park open and the Grimsby Majorettes will perform,.

The park’s bandstand will stage performances by the Kingsway Players Brass Band at 11am and 12.15pm, Merlin’s Keep Folk Band at 1.15pm and Dixieland Jazz Band at 2.15pm and 3.15pm.

Traditional children’s games, organised by the Friends Of People’s Park, will include large snakes and ladders, a teddy bears picnic, and a best dressed teddy competition at 1.30pm.

For those who get peckish during the day there will be a number of food stalls and the park’s cafe centre will be open serving hot snacks.

Park Pride Day runs from 11am to 4pm, on Sunday.

A NEW way of sharing resources between councils has led to savings of more than £1.5million and a place in the finals of a coveted awards ceremony.

North East Lincolnshire Council and North Lincolnshire Council will now continue their close working relationship for the next three years after an updated procurement strategy, supported by a full business plan aligning the two authorities together, was endorsed by cabinet members.

Aims for the next three years outlined in the new procurement strategy include:

* Savings of £3.8m for each council

* Fully exploring electronic commerce technologies

* Rolling out electronic tendering

* Further development of a small/medium businesses and third sector engagement programme Read the rest of this entry »

TIME is running out to nominate your community champions in a special “OSCA” ceremony.

Safer Communities will be holding another Outstanding Safer Community Awards (OSCAs) on Tuesday December 2 at Grimsby Town Hall. But the closing date for nominations is Friday, September 19, so if a member of your organisation deserves praise for their stellar work in the community - this is your chance to provide it.

The OSCAs is a prestigious occasion that aims to recognise, give honour and praise to those individuals, groups and organisations that work hard to make North East Lincolnshire a better and safer place to live.

As many of you know, this isn’t an easy task, but the event highlight’s a myriad of groups and individuals that rally are making a huge contribution to community safety. Read the rest of this entry »

  Don’t let your car be a target for smash and grab burglaries.That is the message from north East Lincolnshire Council’s (NELC) Safer Communities team as they launch a three-day blitz on vehicle crime.From tomorrow, community wardens will be at three Grimsby car parks this week to distribute vulnerable vehicle packs put together by the council in partnership with Humberside Police and Humberside Fire and Rescue service.

The team will be offering advice on keeping your possessions, particularly satellite navigation systems, safe from burglars.Get advice:The teams will be at Sainsbury’s car park on Tuesday, September 2, Duchess Street car park on Thursday, September 4, and Garibaldi Street car park on Friday, September 5, all from 9am.

      Come Along and Ask the Big Question in the Yarborough Ward!

On Friday 19th Tony Hunter, the new Chief Executive of NELC will be in the Yarborough Ward to meet local residents.  He will be on the bus when it visits Somerfields in Cambridge Road, along with your Ward Councillors Les Bonner and Mary Little.  They will be there from 9.00am to 1.00pm., so if there is anything you would like to ask any of us, or if you would just like a chat then come along and meet us.

 

The bus will also be at Morrisons from 6.00 to 9.00pm where Tony Hunter and I shall be there to meet you.

 

On Saturday 20th September, weather permitting, I shall be in the car park at Lidl in Cromwell Road from 9.00 - 1100am along with representatives of the Police, where we will be holding a joint surgery, and from roughly 1100am - 1.00pm we shall be at the Spar shop car park in Yarborough Road. 

 

I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible so that you can let me know how we can make a difference where you live.

Planning permission has been granted for a new hotel and retail outlet in the town centre.   Work is expected to start on the project as soon as possible. The new development will be situated on the site of the old Burton’s garage, close to the railway station.  The seven-storey building will feature an 80-room hotel and a two-storey car park with 38 spaces.  There are also plans to have a bar and restaurant on the top floors. As the artist’s impression shows, the building will have a row of shops at ground level (450 square metres) with hotel rooms facing the front and rear.  There will also be 1,297 square metres of office space and a car park at the side of the building with access from Duchess Street.   

Outstanding Safer Community Awards draw closer

TIME is running out to nominate your community champions in a special “OSCA” ceremony.

Safer Communities will be holding another Outstanding Safer Community Awards (OSCAs) on Tuesday December 2 at Grimsby Town Hall. But the closing date for nominations is Friday, September 19, so if a member of your organisation deserves praise for their stellar work in the community - this is your chance to provide it.

The OSCAs is a prestigious occasion that aims to recognise, give honour and praise to those individuals, groups and organisations that work hard to make North East Lincolnshire a better and safer place to live.

As many of you know, this isn’t an easy task, but the event highlight’s a myriad of groups and individuals that rally are making a huge contribution to community safety.

The awards night was last held in November 2006 and was a great success.  It really illustrated just how much good work is going on in the local community.  The Grimsby Town Hall was packed to the rafters with people doing their bit for Community Safety.  It was fantastic to hear so many positive initiatives all geared towards making the area a better place to live and work.

Our host for the evening will be local star of stage and screen, Julie Peasgood.  This will be the third time Julie has hosted the awards and she is looking forward to see what has been happening within North East Lincolnshire. 

There are ten categories to nominate for and they are:

• Working with Young People
• Community Safety Initiative Involving Young People
• Private Sector Community Safety Scheme
• Public Sector Community Safety Scheme
• Community led Community Safety Scheme
• Working with Difficult to Engage Groups
• Encouraging Engagement and Community Participation
• Standing up against Anti-Social Behaviour
• Award to an Individual who has contributed to Community safety in North East Lincolnshire

nomination forms should be sent to:

http://www.safelinks.info/documents/SaferCommunitiesOSCASnewsletter.pdf

CLEAN up your own mess - or pay up.

That is the stark warning going out to vandals from council chiefs today.  Anybody caught daubing graffiti on buildings in North East Lincolnshire now has the option to clean it off themselves, rather than pay a fine. 

Although the on-the-spot fines currently stand at £50, if the case ends up in court, the figure can rise into thousands of pounds, and can even lead to a prison term in the most extreme cases. 

Together with a £10,000 bill to clean up the offending artwork, the council spends nearly £30,000 on a graffiti clearance task force per year, and the total bill for ridding the borough of unsightly scribblings can be as high as £50,000 annually.  The money collected from the fines will go towards this total, in particular the chemicals to clean it off. 

The money collected from the fines will go towards this total, in particular the chemicals to clean it off, which are costly.

Councillor Steve Beasant, portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, said: “I am pleased that the people who seem intent on making a mess on our streets are the ones being told to clean it up. “Hopefully this will act as a deterrent to other like-minded vandals - we are watching and we will take strong action to rid the community of unsightly daubs and scribbles.”    

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Andrew De Freitas, said: “Graffiti blights our communities and is an example of anti-social behaviour at its worst.

“I am fully in support of this action by the neighbourhood community wardens, and hope it teaches the perpetrators a valuable lesson about respecting property that belongs to others.”

Tthree 14-year-old girls from Grimsby’s Nunsthorpe estate - were caught out, and opted to clean up their act.They spent yesterday scrubbing their scribblings off walls around Grimsby as punishment. The young people concerned cannot be identified for legal reasons, but one told the Grimsby Evening Telegraph, and said: “It’s something to do because there’s nothing to do around here. I don’t think I’ll do it again though, it does look scruffy.

  DO you have a burning question to ask?   Then now is your chance to speak up!

North East Lincolnshire is holding its very own Question Time event – putting key local people under the public spotlight for an evening of discussion and debate.

As part of North East Lincolnshire Council’s Community Engagement Week, the North East Lincolnshire Council Question Time panel will be inviting questions and debate at a live event at Whitgift Theatre, Grimsby, on Monday, September 15.

On the panel will be: the Leader of the Council, Councillor Andrew De Freitas; the Deputy Leader Councillor Keith Brookes; Great Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell; divisional commander of Humberside Police, Dave Hilditch; North East Lincolnshire Council’s new chief executive, Tony Hunter; chair of the North East Lincolnshire NHS Care Trust Plus, Val Waterhouse; plus the North East Lincolnshire representative on the national Youth Parliament and her deputy.

Chairing the panel on the night will be Mark Webb, chairman of the Local Strategic Partnership and managing director of the Cleethorpes Chronicle.

The event, beginning at 6pm, will include a finger buffet prior to the debates, and crèche facilities can be arranged with advance notice.

Tickets for the event are free but must be booked in advance. If you would like to join the audience, please contact Paul Windley on 01472 324121 or Paul Wisken on 01472 324124. Alternatively you can email paul.windley@nelincs.gov.uk or paul.wisken@nelincs.gov.uk. Or you can write to: NELC Question Time tickets, Law and Democratic Services, Municipal Offices, Grimsby, N E Lincs, DN31 1HU. The closing date for ticket applications is Wednesday, September 3

Audience members who would like to ask a question of the panel on the night are asked to submit their questions beforehand. You can either do this when applying for your ticket, or you can submit your questions separately, sending them to the above contact details with your name and ticket number. The deadline for question submissions is Wednesday, September 10.

You are entering an alcohol- free zone.

Breaking the law could lead to fines of up to £500.

This is the warning council chiefs have issued in a bid to curb anti-social behaviour.  Signs warning people of new booze-ban areas have been erected around North East Lincolnshire.

The signs, which have cost around £10,000 to produce, are being fixed to lampposts throughout the alcohol-free zone area, which now includes the area up to and including the Fishing Heritage Centre.Parts of Cleethorpes will also have the new signs displayed prominently.Council Leader, Andrew De Freitas, said: “This is a tool to tackle alcohol-related crime and disorder within our area. “It will enable our borough to be pleasant and safer for residents, visitors, shoppers and businesses alike by reducing noise, nuisance and litter.”Grimsby now has three alcohol prohibition zones. The first, which came into force on June 21, 2002, covers Freshney Place, Cartergate, Frederick Ward Way and Town Hall Square.The second, established on August 4, 2006, covers the area to the south of the town centre, including the railway station, Abbey Road and Doughty Road.

The third, introduced last month, takes the alcohol free zone as far north as Corporation Road, encompassing the heritage centre and Sainsbury’s.

Cleethorpes also has an alcohol free zone, running from the top of North Promenade as far as Cleethorpes Leisure Centre and stretching back to include the town centre.

Coun Steve Beasant, portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, added: “These signs set out in no uncertain terms the measures you will face if you are caught flouting the alcohol free zone.”

Inspector Tom Shaw, alcohol and violence reduction champion for Humberside Police, said: “Alcohol consumption in the zones will not be tolerated and persons flaunting the law will be dealt with accordingly.”

He urged retailers to be on their guard and ensure their customers are not underage or under the influence when buying alcohol.  

Earlier this year, NELC sent out a survey asking how people in North East Lincolnshire felt about transport in the area.  We had a great response with almost 700 replies!

Here we take a look at the results and improvements which we will make as a result of the questionnaire…

People have told us we are doing the right things, but we’re not going to rest on our laurels.  You’ve told us we can improve and we’re going to act on your advice.

Download your copy of the special Highways and Transportation Newsletter (.pdf )

THINGS THAT YOU SAID YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IMPROVED

“Concessionary fares should be available at all times”

The most frequent concern expressed in the survey was about time limitations on free bus travel for the over 60s.  We have listened to what people have said and have changed the scheme accordingly.  Full details of the new scheme.  The satisfaction survey proved a great way of letting the Council know how you felt about the issue.

“Road Safety & Maintenance”

Road Safety and the maintenance of the areas roads were other concerns raised during the consultation. Responses included road re-surfacing, reductions in speed cushions, better enforcement of yellow line offences and speed reduction requests. The condition of the road surface along Scartho Road and at Issacs Hill were mentioned several times, these areas will be amongst those that will be re-surfaced during 2008 - 2009

Other Popular Suggestions for Transportation Improvements

Other issues that you raised included improvements to traffic signals, increasing the amount of cycle routes, addressing the issue of car parking in cycle lanes and requests for improvements to footways.

“Satisfaction with Local Transport”

These results show that people’s satisfaction with local transport has been consistently high over the last three years. People have told us that they agree with what we are doing, particularly in the areas of walking, cycling and public transport. Satisfaction levels were higher than in 2006, but slightly down on last year. This appears to be mainly due to the disappointment with the changes to the free travel scheme. As mentioned earlier, we have listened and we have changed the scheme from the 2nd June this year. There is less satisfaction in the areas of road safety and highway maintenance. Again, we have listened to what has been said and an additional £3 million is being invested during 2008-2009 to improve the condition of roads and footways in the local area.

                            Have things got better during 2007 - 2008?

“Cycling and Walking”

Although most people agree with the types of things we do for cyclists, the majority thought that things had not changed over the last 12 months. We will therefore step up our efforts to make improvements. In May, we launched a new branding for cycling and walking projects. The initiative called “Pedal & Stride” will help people by providing information on cycle routes, bike maintenance hints and tips, improvements to the cycle network and much more. In June the new Cycle Forum met for the first time, this will offer local cyclists the opportunity to have their say on all aspects of cycling. On the walking side, we have provided the Local Walks pack of leisure walks, details of the local Public Rights of Way network and also supported the national Walk to School week in May. More information on Pedal and Stride.

More details of what you told us as part of the Satisfaction survey can be found by following the links below.

“Are we doing the right things?”

• Walking (.pdf)
• Cycling (.pdf)
• Public Transport (.pdf)
• Safety Schemes (.pdf)
• Highway Maintenance (.pdf)

“Your comments…”

More than 650 Comments (.pdf)  were

A Detailed Assessment is to be carried out to assess the extent of the air quality problem in this area, which has arisen from road traffic sources. Further monitoring and detailed dispersion modelling will be used to confirm concentrations and predict the future levels of nitrogen dioxide at a number of specific receptors. This will be submitted to DEFRA for comment in April 2009. The outcome will conclude whether an AQMA is to be declared for this area.

received as part of this years satisfaction survey, here are a few of them…

• “…good that we can now travel anywhere in England by bus!”
• “I think the achievements you have made are very beneficial”
• “…more bus shelters with bus times clearly on display”
• “Get the Traffic Wardens back!”
• “Provide more secure cycle lock-up facilities”
• “Join Sustrans and create a national cycle network”
• “…there has been a big improvement since 2007″

Finally, many thanks to everyone who took the time to let us know what you think about local transport issues, we have listened to what you have got to say and we’re going to act on your advice during 2008-2009.

     Do you care about your area?  Do you want to make a difference?  Then hop on board The Big Conversation bus. The double decker will be hitting the streets from Monday, September 15 to Saturday, September 20.In a multi-agency approach, representatives from Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, Humberside Police, the Public Health Service, Care Trust Plus and the voluntary sector will be joining council staff and ward councillors to chat with members of the public to find out what burning issues are affecting local areas.

The Big Conversation provides residents with the opportunity to have their say and influence the decisions that the council and its partners make in the borough.

Giveaways will be available and face painters on hand to keep children entertained and, for adults, a brand new sofa can be won.  Courtesy of SCS, residents of North East Lincolnshire will be able to converse in style on a comfortable three-seater sofa at any of the 15 planned ward stops.  Simply take a seat, share your opinions and leave your details and, at the end of the week, the sofa could be yours.

The council decided to make The Big Conversation tour last a week in order to cover the whole of North East Lincolnshire and speak to residents in every ward.  Leader of the council, Councillor Andrew De Freitas, said: “What you think is really important to North East Lincolnshire Council.  We really want to know your priorities and we want to make it easier for you to influence the work that the council and its partners do.”

On Saturday, September 20, a stop has been arranged at the Discovery Centre, Cleethorpes, so parents can bring their children, have an input and then visit the centre or let the children play in the sandpit at the Boating Lake. 
 
Events are taking place between Monday, September15 and Sunday, September 21.  The main event of the week is the bus tour, but there are a variety of other events taking place during the week on an assortment of topics and at a range of places.

Tony Hunter, the recently appointed Chief Executive of North East Lincolnshire Council said: “We want to know what everyone thinks, whether you’re eight or 80, English or migrant, rich or poor.  We are aware that many of you work, so we have made the bus accessible at various times throughout the day and into the evening, at places that are convenient to you such as Tesco and Morrisons.”
 
In addition to the bus, the authority will be holding events such as Question Time, which gives residents an opportunity to debate with leading members of the community such as Councillor Andrew De Freitas, Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, and MP Austin Mitchell.

If that is not your cup of tea, perhaps taking part in an activity to help redesign Cleethorpes Seafront is more fitting? 

Tony Hunter added: “North East Lincolnshire Council cares about your thoughts and how you would like to improve your area.  Please come and join in the conversation with us.  Together, we can make a difference.”

Check back here soon for more information on the Big Conversation

FOR the first time in North East Lincolnshire, residents can confirm their details on the electoral register via text messaging.

North East Lincolnshire Council’s annual update of the electoral register has now begun, and the addition of text messaging is a convenient addition to the existing phone and internet confirmation services.

It takes just minutes to verify your details - so make sure that you don’t lose your vote.

If your electoral roll details remain unchanged, it couldn’t be easier to confirm them. Look out for the form which you should have already received. If there are no changes, there are three ways to confirm your details:

- Mobile phone text message (SMS) - sending a text made up of your two security codes;

- Dialling the freephone number and keying in your two security codes;

- Via the internet, which allows residents to visit a secure website and confirm their details online.

Don’t forget that you must use the form for your household with its own unique security codes printed on. Full instructions are given on the form, and the service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, throughout the canvass period.

The freephone telephone service is also available in five other languages in North East Lincolnshire.

Residents wishing to register changes to the details for their household must complete the form and return it to the council offices as detailed on the form.

The Electoral Registration Office can be contacted at the Municipal Offices, Grimsby on 01472 324160/324118 or e-mail elections@nelincs.gov.uk

Plans to increase tolls on the Humber Bridge will put more pressure on the local economy, a campaigner has said.

The proposed rise means car drivers will pay be forced to pay £2.90 each time they cross the bridge, 20p more than current prices.

Jenny Walton, who leads Humber Action Against Tolls, said: “This rise is no surprise but it will push up costs of everything for people and the economy.”

The Humber Bridge Board which controls the bridge blamed a rise in inflation and “debts on the financing of the bridge”. 

Tolls on the bridge last rose in 2006, but a recent study commissioned by North East Lincolnshire Council, North Lincolnshire Council, Hull City Council and other local authorities recommended that the toll system is axed completely.

Cllr Andrew De Freitas, leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said that the bridge is a very important part of our road network and he believes the high bridge tolls are impeding our economic development.  The tolls also have a major impact on residents who need to access services across the river - many people on the south bank have to travel frequently to the hospitals in Hull for essential treatment.”

The proposed increases are subject to a period of public consultation which ends on 2 October.

Lorries will see the biggest increase in tolls with a rise from £14.60 to £15.90 for each crossing, if approved - a total of £2.60 extra for each return trip! 

The new chief executive of North East Lincolnshire Council, Tony Hunter will join a panel answering taxpayers’ questions, and the council’s performance will come under the spotlight at a Question Time event.

The open debate will be part of North East Lincolnshire Council’s Community Engagement Week.

It will take place at Whitgift Theatre, Grimsby, on Monday, September 15.

Or email paul.windley@ nelincs.gov.uk or paul.wisken@nelincs.gov.uk . Or write to: NELC Question Time tickets, Law and Democratic Services, Municipal Offices, Grimsby, N E Lincs, DN31 1HU. The closing date for ticket applications is Wednesday, September 3.

Audience members who would like to ask a question of the panel on the night are asked to submit their questions beforehand. Residents can either do this when applying for their ticket, or you can submit your questions separately, sending them to the above contact details with your name and ticket number.

The deadline for question submissions is Wednesday, September 10.

Why not celebrate our rich and varied local heritage by paying a visit (free of charge) to the Great Grimsby Town Hall and Cleethorpes Town Hall on Saturday, September 13, between 10am and 4pm?  The Mayor and the Deputy Mayor will be in attendance for part of the day too. 

Visit the Great Grimsby Town Hall and Time Trap with its old police cells containing a display of police memorabilia from 1846 to 1967 from the old Grimsby Borough Police Force, kindly loaned to the council for the day by avid collector Christian Brydges.

Why not pop along to the Cleethorpes Town Hall Knoll Street and have a look at the hidden parts of the Town Hall?

It’s a great chance to see the Civic Regalia and the magnificent Council Chamber. Treasures from the Archives will also be on display in the Great Grimsby Town Hall Council Chamber on Friday, September 12, from 2pm until 5pm 

You can only vote in elections if your name is on the Register of Electors. The Register is updated in the autumn each year using the details from the registration forms delivered to every household, which will be sent out shortly.  The new register will be published on 1st December.

If you’ve moved since the Register was compiled or have been missed off, you can get your details amended. All you have to do is to fill in a Voter Registration Form. You have to sign your own form, someone else cannot do it for you.

Registration forms are available from the Council’s main reception points at the Municipal Offices, Grimsby; Civic Offices, Cleethorpes; and Kennedy Way, Immingham

Your details will be changed within 2 to 6 weeks of receiving your form. We will write to tell you when your application is allowed. There are special rules about names being added to the register during an election period, so make sure your name is included on the register in plenty of time before an election.

Your questions answered …………….

I filled in the registration form I received last October. Do I still need to fill in a Voter Registration Form?

You do not need to complete this form as long as your details are still the same. If your details have changed and you want to re-register, you need to fill in this form.

How do I know if I’m on the electoral register?

Contact the Electoral Registration Office to find out if you are registered.  You can telephone on 01472 324160 or 324118 or e-mail: customerrequests@nelincs.gov.uk

Do I have to let you know if I move?

No, it is completely up to you. If you don’t let us know you have moved, you will still have a vote at your old address. Only the regular October update is compulsory.

Can I put my whole family on the form?

No, you need a separate form for every person 18 years old and over (and every person just under 18). Each of them will have to sign their own form.

I’ve already let the council know I’ve moved and am paying council tax at my new address. Can they update the electoral register for me?

No, the only way you can update your electoral record is by filling in an voter registration form.

What if I change my name?

If your name has changed, you are welcome to use this form to update the electoral register.

Who has access to the electoral register?

The electoral registration officer makes and keeps two versions of the electoral register - the full register and the edited register.  When you fill in your registration form, you can say if you wish your name and address to be excluded from the edited register.

The full register lists the name and address of everyone who is registered to vote.  The council holds a copy.  Anyone can look at it, but it is a criminal offence to supply or use copies for purposes other than those set down in law.  More information is available at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk

The main use of the full register is to show who can vote in elections and and referendums.  Credit reference agencies can use it, but only to check your name and address if you are applying for credit and for other purposes specified in law.  It can also be used for law enforcement.

The edited register is available for general sale and can be used for any purpose.  The edited register can be bought by any person, company or organisation and can be used for commercial activities such as marketing.

How do I make my choice?

If you tick the box in section 4 on the Voter Registration Form, your name and address will only appear on the full register, which will only be used for certain lawful purposes, such as elections, law enforcement and checking applications for credit.

If you do not tick the box in section 4 on the Voter Registration Form, your name will also appear on the edited version of the register, which anyone can buy. This means anyone can use your details for any purpose.

What are the different types of election?

Electors in North East Lincolnshire have the opportunity to vote in several types of election.

Local government elections - There are 42 councillors on North East Lincolnshire Council. The Council’s area is divided into 15 wards - 12 with three councillors and 3 with two councillors each.  Elections are held in three years out of four.  Council elections will be held in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and so on.

Details of the ward councillors      Councillors Terms of Office

There are also 14 parish or town councils in North East Lincolnshire and elections to these are held every four years.  The next elections will be held in May 2011.

UK parliamentary elections - parliament is elected for a maximum period of 5 years but the Prime Minister may request an election at any time within that term. The last parliamentary election was held in May 2005. The area of North East Lincolnshire is covered by the two parliamentary constituencies of Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes.

Details of the MPs

European parliamentary elections - the European Parliament is elected for a fixed term of 5 years. The Members of the European parliament representing the UK are elected using a system of proportional representation.  North East Lincolnshire is included in the Yorkshire and the Humber electoral region, and there are 6 MEPs for this Region.  The next elections to the European Parliament will be held in June 2009. 

Details of the six MEPs for the region  

The Urban Neighbourhood Policing team, traffic officers and North Lincolnshire Councils Neighbourhood Enforcement Team currently run Operation Yokohama  across North Lincolnshire.

The operation sees calls for service attended in relation with complaints of mini motos and off road bikes being used to annoyance of residents in the area.

Recent results include two bikes being recovered, one of which had only just been bought for £650 the previous day. A stolen moped has also recovered.

Sgt James Main, the officer in charge of the operation said:

‘Operation Yokohama has been run each year and over 70 bikes have been taken from residents in the area last year and crushed. It is pleasing to see the numbers taken each month have reduced, but we continue to take bikes from youngsters and in some cases parents who continue to ignore the warning and have their bikes crushed. The message is clear – YOU ANNOY & WE WILL DESTROY. We are not trying to ruin people’s fun, but the law has to be upheld and the noise and general nuisance disrupts resident’s lives and often the subject comes up at Neighbourhood Action Team Meetings. We would urge parents thinking of buying these types of bikes for their children to think about doing so before parting with their money. It could well be waste as has been seen today where one person has lost £650 over night!
There have already been tragic accidents on these machines and this operation is not meant to ruin people’s fun, but to avoid any further deaths or serious accidents and also to ensure the noise and general nuisance caused by them is reduced for residents. ‘

Other days are planned for this operation over the summer holidays and the daily RESEPCT patrols have officers ready to seize any bikes used illegally.

Some frequently asked questions:

What are mini-motos?
Mini-motos are exact replicas of full sized motorbikes. They are 36 inches tall (knee height) and 24 inches wide. They are powered by small petrol or electric motors and capable of speeds up to 60 mph. They are not toys. They are classes as motor vehicles under the law and treated exactly the same as full size motorbikes. Petrol and electric Go-peds, scooters and mini-motos can only be ridden legally on private land with the permission of the landowner.

What are the legal requirements for driving on the highway?
• Registration and tax
• Insurance
• MOT
• Driving licence
• Drivers must be over 16 years of age
• Drivers must wear an approved crash helmet

Where can mini-motorbikes be used legally?
Only on private land with the permission of the landowner.

Where can they not be used?
They cannot be used on the highway – which includes the road, pavement, public rights of way, cycle-paths, verges, public parks or any place to which the public have access such as car parks and playing fields.

What are the risks?
Criminal charges can be brought against the offender and the parents (if the offender is under 16 years of age).
Possible charges if ridden in a public place include:
• Riding without a licence
• Riding without valid insurance
• Riding without a valid MOT
• Not displaying a valid excise license
• Driving without due care and attention
• Dangerous driving and in cases of fatalities, Death by dangerous driving
• Endorsement on driving licence
• Fines and prison sentences can be considerable
• Parents can also be charged with ‘aiding and abetting’ if they permit the illegal use of a motorcycle.

Please pass any information about dangerous motorcycling, in particular the people who continue to do this, via “Contact safelinks” and it will go straight to Sgt Main.

You could come and meet one of your Ward Councillors and improve your health at the samer time!

Every Tuesday at 10.00am at St. Michael’s Church, in Great Coates Road there is one of the popular Walkwell Walks. 

The walk is supervised by qualified walk leaders who lead the group in a brisk walk in the surrounding countryside for around an hour followed by an optional social gathering where free refreshments are served. 

 This walk has proved to be very popular, and is regularly attended by about 40 walkers, including myself.  

You can take a walk in the countryside in friendly company, followed by a drink and a chat.  Most weeks you can also talk to your Ward Councillor about any subject (or not if that suits you better!) 

I look forward to meeting some of you one of these weeks!

The next meeting of Yarborough Forward, which is open to any resident of the Yarborough Ward, will take place at the Yarrow Road Community Centre on Thursday 28th August at 6.00pm. 

This is an opportunity for local residentsto tell some of the people who can make a difference to the area that you live in what YOU want to see done to improve your neighbourhood. 

Regular visitors at Yarborough Forward meetings include Ward Councillors, Police, Neighbourhood Wardens, PCSO’s, e - Factor, Shoreline HP, Health Trainers and Neighbourhood Managers.

If you live in the Yarborough Ward why not come to the meeting, or if you are unable to attend, but would still like to share your opinions, then ring the secretary on 310855

At the core of liberal democracy is a belief that individuals should have the greatest possible control over their own lives.  We do not believe central government knows what is best for individuals and communities; we believe individuals and communities know what is best for themselves.  We want people and communities to wield real political power on their own behalf, and this means putting people in a position where they can make decisions about services that affect them.Yet successive Conservative and Labour governments have systematically stripped power from local communities. Local authorities have been suffocated by micro-management from Whitehall.  Endless targets inspections, and instructions from central government to local doctors, police chiefs and head teachers, as well as councils, have ended any local say in what happens in local schools, hospitals or police stations.We believe there needs to be a fundamental change in the relationship between central and local government.  We want to give communities more control over spending in their area, to scrap nationally set targets, and to take power from unelected quangos.It makes no sense that local decisions are taken by distant bureaucrats or politicians who don’t know local services and will never use them. It’s time to trust local communities to take their own decisions again.

Strong and democratic communities
We want to see strong and democratic local government, not having councils treated as local delivery arms of central government, as Labour have treated them.  This means establishing a new relationship between Whitehall and town halls, putting local communities in a position where they can be innovative in responding to the challenges of the 21^st century.

Money is power
If communities are going to be able to address the issues they face, they need to have greater control of what is spent in their area.  That means more of the tax people pay being collected and spent locally.  That doesn’t mean higher taxes, just more of the money people pay in taxes being collected and spent locally.  We also believe taxation should be fair – see the section on Axe the Council Tax for our plans to introduce a Local Income Tax.

Scrapping national targets
We believe local government should spend less effort, time and money demonstrating to central government that it is meeting national priorities, and more time meeting the priorities of local people.  We would also radically reform the current burdensome audit and inspection regime for local government, moving to an intelligent and appropriate regime based on peer reviews.

Taking power out of the hands of quangos and Whitehall bureaucrats
Labour has spent ten years concentrating power in the hands of Whitehall officials and unelected quangos.  We want to reverse this trend.  We would devolve power back down to communities and bring quangos under democratic control.

In the nineteenth century Liberals used local democracy to transform our cities, delivering for the first time clean water and sewerage, public health and education, power and transport. In the twenty-first century we need to strip away central government red tape and unelected quangos and set communities free again, to reinvigorate local services on the front-line and to hold those responsible properly accountable.

DO you have a burning question to ask?  Then now is your chance to speak up!

North East Lincolnshire is holding its very own Question Time event putting key local people under the public spotlight for an evening of discussion and debate.

As part of North East Lincolnshire Council’s Community Engagement Week, the North East Lincolnshire Council Question Time panel will be inviting questions and debate at a live event at Whitgift Theatre, Grimsby, on Monday, September 15.

On the panel will be: the Leader of the Council, Councillor Andrew De Freitas; the Deputy Leader Councillor Keith Brookes; Great Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell; divisional commander of Humberside Police, Dave Hilditch; North East Lincolnshire Council’s new chief executive, Tony Hunter; chair of the North East Lincolnshire NHS Care Trust Plus, Val Waterhouse; plus the North East Lincolnshire representative on the national Youth Parliament and her deputy.

Chairing the panel on the night will be Mark Webb, chairman of the Local Strategic Partnership and managing director of the Cleethorpes Chronicle.

The event, beginning at 6pm, will include a finger buffet prior to the debates, and creche facilities can be arranged with advance notice.

Tickets for the event are free but must be booked in advance. If you would like to join the audience, please contact Paul Windley on 01472 324121 or Paul Wisken on 01472 324124. Alternatively you can email paul.windley@nelincs.gov.uk or paul.wisken@nelincs.gov.uk. Or you can write to: NELC Question Time tickets, Law and Democratic Services, Municipal Offices, Grimsby, N E Lincs, DN31 1HU. The closing date for ticket applications is Wednesday, September 3.

Audience members who would like to ask a question of the panel on the night are asked to submit their questions beforehand. You can either do this when applying for your ticket, or you can submit your questions separately, sending them to the above contact details with your name and ticket number. The deadline for question submissions is Wednesday, September 10.

Ask for ID - or lose your licence.That is the warning to traders from police and trading standards officers after six shops sold alcohol to underage customers.

The off-licences all failed test purchases which were carried out during recent weeks of action in the East Marsh, West Marsh and People’s Park areas.

Police say selling alcohol to those under 18 can lead to the problems which the weeks of action attempt to solve - such as anti-social behaviour and criminal damage.North East Lincolnshire Council has released the names of the six shops which failed, to warn traders of the consequences of selling alcohol to under-18s.

They are:

Costcutter Express at Jet Garage, Cleethorpe Road, Grimsby

Rose and Eddie’s, Springbank, Grimsby.

Today’s Supermarket, Lord Street, Grimsby.

B & B News, Wintringham Road, Grimsby.

Spar, Legsby Avenue, Grimsby.

European Food and Wine, Corporation Road, Grimsby.

Insp Tom Shaw, alcohol and violence reduction champion for North East Lincolnshire, said: “It is totally irresponsible to sell alcohol to someone under 18 and it is not going to be tolerated.

“The latest results are very disappointing. If traders are selling alcohol to kids, there is a knock-on effect of anti-social behaviour and criminal damage offences both in and around the shop.

“The vast majority of traders in North East Lincolnshire are responsible. I don’t want to tar everyone with the same brush.

“But the ones who repeatedly sell alcohol to youngsters are liable to lose their licences completely.”

Neil Clark, principal trading standards officer at NELC, said: “The number of failures was higher than in recent times, which shows too many shopkeepers are still prepared to snub the law in favour of a quick profit.

“We will not hesitate to take action against any retailers found selling alcohol to underage youngsters, given the well-documented information about how such items can cause serious health and anti-social problems which impact across the whole community.

“Our message to traders is that they can’t be vigilant one day and have an off-day the next where they take their eye off the law.

“If unsure, they must ask for ID and refuse sales if they have any concerns at all.

“Trading standards officers can offer advice and education, but retailers have a great responsibility to ensure the law is upheld.”

Be in with the chance of winning £50 cash at the end of the month by registering for the library service’s Read and Win Challenge!

One lucky reader has already walked away with £50 during July.

To be in with the chance of winning August’s prize money all you need to do is to have read two books from the library by the end of the month.

There are even more opportunities to win cash throughout the year: Read three books by end of September to be entered for an £100 draw Read four books by end of October to be entered for an £100 draw Read five books by end of November to be entered for an £100 draw Anyone who completes the full challenge and reads six books by the end of December will be entered into the final prize draw to win £250! It is free to sign up to the library and free to register for the challenge.

To sign up for the challenge pop into to your local library.

I have been asked recently what is happening about the proposed improvements to the A46 which were approved following the presentation of the petition to the Scrutiny Panel earlier this year.

I have spoken to the person responsible for the project, and he informs me that the it is part of a programme of improvements to the part of the A46 that passes through North East Lincolnshire.  The plans for the road are currently being completed, and this will be followed by a short period of consultation with road users before work commences.  It is anticipated that work should begin around the end of the current year.

There are vacancies within North East Lincolnshire for plots on various sites.  ·         Beat the credit crunch and grow your own fruit and veg.   

·         Be organic - know what you eat, grow what you eat!   ·         Why join the gym get healthy exercise while you cultivate your plot.  

For more details on vacancies please contact Lesley Smith - Allotment Officer on 323394 or come to our stall at the Farmers Market this Friday 15 August. 

People’s Park will play host to a number of activities on Sunday, August 17 to mark the reopening of the park to the general public and also to celebrate its 125th Birthday.

Park Pride Day, which has primarily been funded and organised by North East Lincolnshire Council, is to be opened by Councillor Colin Eastwell, the Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, at 12pm.

Visitors are welcome to sample the celebrations from 11am to 4pm.

Alan Fletcher, parks and open spaces manager for North East Lincolnshire Council said: “Thanks to a £1.93m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and funding from the council and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, People’s Park has undergone a complete transformation.

“I am pleased that the project, totalling £2.7m, has had a great deal of support, not just from the people involved in making plans come to fruition but also from the public and The Friends of People’s Park.  Now everyone can reap the benefits of the park being restored to its former Victorian glory.

“In keeping with the atmosphere and restored appearance of the park, the event will have a Victorian feel offering a brass band and folk band, a Punch and Judy show, magic tricks, balloon modelling and donkey rides.  Traditional children’s games have been organised by the Friends of People’s Park and will include large snakes and ladders, a teddy bears picnic, a best dressed teddy competition and croquet.  There will also be a variety of food stalls, craft stalls and a traditional a hog roast on offer alongside ice creams, candyfloss and fudge stalls to satisfy those with a sweet tooth.Representatives from a number of local charities will be making an appearance in support of the event and will be holding raffles and lucky dips, volunteers will be on hand to perform a spot of face painting.

Councillor Stephen Hocknell, portfolio holder for culture, leisure and healthier communities, said:

“A considerable amount of hard work has gone into the restoration of People’s Park which has led to a number of significant improvements. “I am proud to be able to rejoice in the success of this project and to celebrate 125 years of such a local gem. I hope that residents of the borough will take the time to visit People’s Park for the event and delight in the restoration of one of the many beautiful parks and green spaces that North East Lincolnshire has to offer.” 

Safer Communities will be holding another Outstanding Safer Community Awards on Tuesday 9th December 2008 at the

The Outstanding safer Community Awards is a prestigious occasion that aims to recognise, give honour and praise to those individuals, groups and organisations that work hard to make North East Lincolnshire a better and safer place to live.

As many of you know, this isn’t an easy task, but the event highlight’s a myriad of groups and individuals that rally are making a huge contribution to community safety.

The awards night was last held in November 2006 and was a great success. It really illustrated just how much good work is going on in the local community. The

Our host for the evening will be local star of stage and screen, Julie Peasgood. This will be the third time Julie has hosted the awards and she is looking forward to see what has been happening within North East Lincolnshire.

There are ten categories to nominate for and they are:

Working with Young People
Community Safety Initiative Involving Young People
Private Sector Community Safety Scheme
Public Sector Community Safety Scheme
Community led Community Safety Scheme
Working with Difficult to Engage Groups
Encouraging Engagement and Community Participation
Standing up against Anti-Social Behaviour
Award to an Individual who has contributed to Community safety in North East Lincolnshire

The closing date for nominations is Friday 19 September and nomination forms should be sent to:

Safer Communities

Anyone is able to nominate a person or group for any of the awards.  If you would like a nomination form, call the Safer Communities team on 01472 324990.

It has just been announced that a new multi-million-pound hotel complex could be completed in Grimsby by 2010.  This news comes only days after the Planning Committee met to approve the multi-million pounds Wharf Retail Development.

An application for a Radisson Park Inn hotel - including 132 rooms, a gym, shops, a bistro restaurant, and a bar - has been submitted to North East Lincolnshire Council.

If approved, the complex would be built on the site of the former Stones brewery, on Birchin Way, just across the road from the new Shoreline Housing Partnership offices.

Applicant David Jason, director for Heritage London and Hanover, said: “This is a very exciting project for Grimsby and it isn’t the sort of thing we’d plough this much money into if we didn’t think that.

“It will be of huge benefit to Grimsby and could become a focal point.

“The beauty of the site profile is that it is highly visible to traffic flowing in and out of Grimsby.

“It is a cracking site and very well placed with many good businesses around it.

“It is a significant development for us and for Grimsby and I am sure it will be welcomed by people and business users.

“The disused site is one of the first things people see if they are heading into Grimsby on the A180.

Philip Boyce, the project architect is confident that it will be successful. He said: “I’m looking forward to being part of it and it will be a fairly crisp and modern building.

“We are just waiting for planning permission but I’m sure the people of Grimsby will like what they see.” The council is also working with other partners in the hope of seeing other similar projects come to fruition.

NEW TOWN CENTRE RETAIL PROJECT RECEIVES A GREEN LIGHT

  The  Wharf Retail Park development, which could create scores of new jobs, has been passed by North East Lincolnshire Council’s Planning Committee. 

The Henry Boot Development is planning to create 11 stores and 27 flats in the £ 30-million project which will revitalize a derelict part of the town centre. 

As reported in the Grimsby Telegraph, plans for the development were previously deferred because of concerns over congestion and traffic management.  The plan was redrawn and now a one-way road over the river from Frederick Ward Way will give shoppers access to the retail park.

 The plan, which also includes 290 parking spaces, will add 150,000sq ft of shopping space to Grimsby’s town centre.

Developers say despite the economic slowdown nationally, they are confident that the park will prosper.. There are at least six interested retaillers, including Debenhams, in talks with the developers, and it is hoped construction will start late this year or early 2009.

The existing Water Sports Centre is due to be demolished and replaced with a new one.

Vice-chairman of the Planning Committee, Councillor Doug Pickett (Lib Dem, South), said: “They have improved the traffic design and the plan is better than it was. It will be good for the town on balance “With a wider variety of shops in Grimsby, it will save shoppers wanting to travel to Hull, Lincoln or Doncaster. “With flats above the stores, it will bring life to the town centre and discourage anti-social behaviour.”

Vivienne Clements, the Henry Boot Developments director who has overseen Wharf Retail

“It is a terrific regeneration scheme for Grimsby and we have worked very hard to satisfy the concerns raised.  Hopefully, everybody will be happy with the outcome.

“It was very important to get to this stage. We really needed to get to this step so we can start to approach retailers with a view to a commitment and more certainty.

“Interested parties are believed to be primarily in fashion retailing, with the offer from Henry Boot more suitable for larger stores.

You may have read last nights Grimsby Telegraph and seen the online responses. The 73 responses were mostly attacking the North East Lincolnshire Council. In many ways the article appeared as though we were anti-smokers.

The headline used in the report was “No Butts for Litterbugs”, which I am sure antagonised many smokers. Then, it went on to say ‘Litterbugs have been fined almost £3,000 in a day of prosecutions for dropping cigarette butts. In total, 15 people were fined at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court in just one day after dropping litter on the streets of North East Lincolnshire’.

It was reported that I said: “Our community wardens will start proceedings on anybody caught dropping litter.
“This is necessary to make our streets safer and litter-free, so we can all take responsibility for the local environment, and bring back a sense of local community spirit“.
Spencer Hunt, North East Lincolnshire Council’s Service Manager for Safer Communities, said:
“Litter is unsightly, brings the whole appearance of our neighbourhoods down and reinforces people’s perception that our area is in decline.
“The council and its partners are working very hard to improve the face of North East Lincolnshire so the stance of zero tolerance fines for littering and graffiti will continue in a bid to restore pride in our communities and neighbourhoods.”

Unfortunately the newspaper article did not report any of the other good work which has been carried out by Community Wardens and our Council So far this year the Community Wardens have removed 54.8 tonnes of fly-tipped waste. They have also removed 32 burnt out vehicles and 31 abandoned vehicles. The Community Wardens have engaged 69 schools to deliver educational packages, and they also undertake diversionary activities throughout the school holidays with the aim of cutting down Anti-Social Behaviour. The Wardens have also removed 9,820 examples of graffiti on various properties across the Borough – this is only a few examples of the other work that is being done by the Wardens to improveour local environment!

The start of the Cartergate development marks the first stage in the planned overhaul of the town centre.

New designs show the vast array of planned facilities, including offices, a health club, a hotel, shops, cafes and two landscaped squares, but this will not be the only change to the town, which will also include the Wharf Retail

 A development on Garth Lane,  has also been approved, but funding has not yet been secured. 

 Further significant changes have also been funded by the Urban Renaissance Programme  - the same group as the one behind the Cartergate development.

The programme is a partnership between North East Lincolnshire Council, the Greater Grimsby Renaissance Partnership (GGRP) and Yorkshire Forward. Under the scheme, Yorkshire Forward has already funded improvements to street lighting and the St James’ Church extension and will fund the renovated underpass and improve Cartergate car park. The current demolition work will mean some traffic restrictions. The footpath in front of the buildings on Chantry Lane will be partially closed, but the underpass will remain open.

Michele Cusack, regeneration director at NELC, said: “We are delighted that work is getting under way on the Cartergate site and believe it will, with careful stewardship from the council, be a development of great importance and merit to the whole community.”

I was recently appointed to serve on the Planning Committee as a substitute for another member who was unable to attend the  meeting.  One of the applications received was from local businessman Steve Ives who wants to open an indoor football facility inside a disused factory on the South Humberside Industrial Site.  Against the advice of NELC planning officers and the Health and the Safety Executive, the Planning Committee, which included Liberal Democrat Councillors Bonner, Pickett, Little and James, approved the plans.  Also supporting the application was Liberal Democrat Councillor Dave Boylen who spoke at the meeting to support the application.  North East Lincolnshire Council’s planning officers recommended the application for the Omega site on the South Humberside Industrial Estate should be refused by the Planning Committee, after the HSE said it was too close to four businesses that have consents to store hazardous substances, but members of the committee voted to approve the application, saying that the need for local sports facilities outweighed the “bureaucracy” of the HSE’s advice. 

Two of the premises concerned have been disused since about 2004, and the other two sites have sporting facilities of their own which are much closer to their industrial sites than the prpopsed development.The HSE will have 21 days from the day it receives notification to decide whether to refer this matter to the Secretary of State, who would then be required to determine the outcome.  The applicant, Steve Ives, wants to turn a disused warehouse at the site into an indoor sports complex with changing facilities and a bar area. It is hoped that there will be two indoor football pitches and facilities for badminton and netball.Mr Ives said: “I am absolutely delighted. This has been 18 months in the planning.“I understand why the HSE needed to raise the issues they did, but this will benefit the town and there are policies in place to protect members of the public.“It is a facility for everybody. People who work at nearby businesses could come and play sport after work, and children and young people could use it too.

“I was born and bred in Grimsby and this is about putting something back.”Mr Ives hopes that work to convert the warehouse could start straight away.

Cllr Dave Boylen, who is supporting Mr Ives, said: “I think this will be a tremendous asset to the local community and I am pleased the committee saw sense. “We have to get youngsters off the streets and keep them occupied.”  Well done Mr Ives.  This facility is exactly what we need in this area.  Let’s hope that this is the first of many similar developments!

A BRADLEY Crossroads bus stop has undergone a total revamp following requests from residents that it should be made easier for all to use.

The transformation at the bus stop was made possible through funding awarded by the Government as part of the council’s second Local Transport Plan (LTP2).

The introduction of low floor buses fitted with ramps for wheelchair users has led to a need for appropriate kerbside access and the council has been upgrading bus stops across the borough to ensure they meet the needs of all bus passengers.

North East Lincolnshire Council is working to increase the number of bus stops that are fully accessible to match the introduction of the low floor buses. It’s important that we make it as easy as possible for people to use public transport; whether it’s getting to work, school to the shops or whatever.

Other successful council public transport initiatives include the upgrading of bus stops by route, for example the 13, 14 and 45 Lo Zone routes. Stagecoach also provided new buses and upgraded frequency on these services which has led to an increase in passenger numbers since their introduction in 2006.

The council also operates the Phone n Ride service which gives access to public transport to passengers who do not have a regular bus service in their area. Phone n Ride can be booked up to six days in advance by telephoning the council’s call centre on (01472) 324440, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5.30pm. For more information visit www.phonenride.com

North East Lincolnshire Council is urging elderly residents across the borough to be aware of doorstep callers posing as officials after concerns that there has been a recent increase in the area.There are concerns that there have been a number of recent cases of callers posing as council workers asking to check people’s energy bills and take the home occupiers’ bank details.And trading standards officers have reiterated warnings asking people to check callers’ identification details and to call police or Consumer Direct if they have any concerns.Andy Foster, trading standards manager at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “If people have any concerns they should not allow callers to access their property and certainly shouldn’t give out their bank details.“Reputable traders will have the appropriate identification - but people should always ask why checks are being carried out on their property. If they have any concerns they should contact police or Consumer Direct immediately.”Meanwhile, reputable traders can sign up to the Home Service Directory (HSD), a council-backed service that vets businesses and carries out widespread checks on their efficiency and value for money. Customers can ask traders if they belong to the HSD for added peace of mind if they have any concerns about a business.Councillor Steve Beasant, the council’s portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, said: “It is worrying to learn of this increase in bogus officials. who often prey on vulnerable people within our community.“I can only re-iterate the need to ask for appropriate identification and ask occupiers to be vigilant and trust their instincts. If people have concerns, call Consumer Direct or the police.”If you would like to report any bogus calls to trading standards please contact consumer direct on 08454 04 05 06. For more on the HSD, go to www.hsd.org.uk 

North East Lincolnshire Council will soon be offering a fortnightly garden waste collection service to all residents of the borough.The provision is part of the council’s planned expansion of services and will be phased in between now and spring 2009. It is being offered on an ‘opt in’ basis only.

In order for North East Lincolnshire Council to deliver an economic and efficient service, a minimum of 30 percent of households in each street are required to register for this service for it to come to fruition. If less than 30 percent of households register then the council may not be able to provide the service to properties in that street.

Nathan Vear, acting head of neighbourhood improvement, said “The expansion of the green waste service will be rolled out to those areas where demand for this service is highest. This ensures that those residents who express a commitment to recycling their green waste get the opportunity to do just that.”

The authority is going to distribute a ‘Garden Waste’ postcard to around 25,700 households during the week commencing Monday, July 28. To register interest in receiving a garden waste bin, residents are reminded to return the pre-addressed ‘tear-off’ part of the postcard as soon as possible before Friday, August 15. Postage is pre-paid so no stamp is required.

Ian Graham, recycling officer for the council, said: “We continuously strive to improve the performance of our services. In doing so, we are actively seeking to encourage residents who do not, at present, have access to North East Lincolnshire Council’s garden waste collection service, to look out for the postcards which will soon be sent out to home addresses.”
Residents can also register online at www.nelincs.gov.uk.

The next meeting of Yarborough Forward, your local neighbourhood forum will take place on Thursday 24th July at 6.00pm at the Yarrow Road Community Centre.  Any resident of the Yarborough Ward who is interested in making the place a safer and better place to live is welcome to come along.  Yarborough Forward is a place where residents and representatives of agencies working in the area can meet and discuss ways of working that influence the way that local services are provided in the area.  Regularly attending meetings are representatives from the Police, Shoreline, Neighbourhood Wardens, local Councillors, and others.  Many other agencies and organisations attend when they are invited to explain the work that their own departments carry out to address particular concerns.  The forum is one of the best places to have your voice heard.  Why not come along and let us know what can be done to improve the piece of the ward that you live in ?

Residents are being urged to lock their doors and windows after a huge increase in burglaries. Police say recent appeals to the public to protect their property have “fallen on deaf ears”Burglaries North East Lincolnshire have almost doubled in the last two weeks - with almost half of thieves entering through insecure doors or windows.  There have also been several instances in the Yarborough Ward over the last few weeksLast Sunday alone, three homes were burgled after intruders entered through insecure doors.And on Tuesday, a thief entered a home in Immingham through an insecure conservatory window and stole a laptop and a handbag.In the past two weeks, the number of burglaries reported to police in the area has risen from around 55 in a fortnight to 91.Among those, there have been a number of two-in-one burglaries - which is when thieves steal car keys from a home and then take the car.

You can read more about recent local crimes, neighbourhood policing and advice on crime prevention on the Safelinks website which can be found at:

http://www.safelinks.info

North East Lincolnshire Council would ask residents effected as a result of the strike on Wednesday, July 16 and Thursday July 17 to present any excess domestic waste for collection on the next scheduled day of collection.

Every effort will be made to clear the back log and we ask residents to present their waste as early as possible after 7am to aid the refuse collection crews.

Residents are asked not to leave excess garden waste in bags.

Contents of garden bins will be emptied on the next scheduled collection day.Garden and cardboard waste from households is also accepted at either of the two Community Recycling Centres, located at Estuary Way, Grimsby and  Queens Road, Immingham.

Excess recycling items will be collected on the next fortnightly scheduled collection day, if presented alongside the triple boxes. Residents can also deposit glass, paper, cans and plastic bottles at one of the local recycling bring sites.  

If you receive care in North East Lincolnshire, please help us in a review of services

People who receive care in North East Lincolnshire are being invited to give their views in a review of the care service.  The review will examine whether people receiving care in the home, day care facilities or hospitals are treated with dignity in line with the National Dignity Challenge.

  The National Dignity Challenge sets out the standard of high quality services people should expect in care such as zero tolerance of all forms of abuse and that carers should treat each person as an individual by offering a personalised service.  This review is being led by North East Lincolnshire Council and supported by Eng-Age (the older people’s forum supported by Voluntary Action).  They would like to hear from anyone who would like to share their experiences of being in care as part of this review.

The review will look at what is currently happening and to see if recommendations can be made to make the care experience better for everyone.  It is vitally important to maintain people’s dignity and respect when they are in care. High quality care services should enable them to maintain the maximum level of independence, assist people to maintain their confidence, listen and support their and respect peoples right to privacy.  Experiences of care, good or bad, can come from the person receiving care now or previously, from a relative or a friend and views can be given in confidence.  Alison Hobbs, the engaging older people’s coordinator for Voluntary Action North East Lincolnshire, is keen to ensure that it’s as easy as possible for people to give their opinions.  Alison said: “Views can be given by post, telephone, email or face-to-face.

“If you would prefer to speak to someone face-to-face, then we could invite you to come to tell us your views over a cup of coffee.  Alternatively, someone could visit you in your own home at a time that is convenient to you.  We really would like to encourage as many people as possible to come forward to share their experiences.”

The review group has already heard from a number of people, one of whom has told them about her families difficult situation when a member of her family was in care.  She said: “In her 94 years, my mother has been a daughter, sister, aunt, lover, wife, daughter-in-law, friend, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.“Up to September 2005, she was fully independent in body, mind and spirit but a minor bowel problem meant an admission to hospital.  Once, when I visited, my mother was dressed in a nightgown that wasn’t hers and was about three sizes too big so constantly slipping from her shoulders. In the drawer by her bed were the three new night dresses I had bought for her when we knew she was going into hospital.  On another occasion when we visited, the elderly lady in the bed opposite was telling her visiting relatives about my mother being sat on a commode all day following the administration of suppositories.  My mother had been in quite a lot of pain and was not afforded the dignity of the privacy she clearly needed.” 

If you would like to contribute to the care services review you can make contact in the following ways:

By Post:
North East Lincolnshire Council
Scrutiny Officers
Policy, Performance &Development
Municipal Offices
Town Hall Square
GRIMSBY

No stamp is needed. Quote the freepost information: ‘Business Reply Licence Number RLZE-TTGE-SGRY’ in the top left hand corner of the envelope.

By E-mail:
To alison@vanel.org.uk or charlotte@vanel.org.uk or scrutiny@nelincs.gov.ukBy Telephone:
01472-326134 (this is an answerphone number)Potential contributors need to indicate the area of interest, whether this be day care, residential care, hospital care or home care, and indicate the preferred method of providing feedback (post, telephone, email or face-to-face).For more information, please contact Alison Hobbs by emailing alison@vanel.org.uk or call her on 01472 231123

What can Warm Front do for you?

Warm Front has been running for the last five years offering  grants for Heating and Insulation measures.   Eligible disabled households and young families could now be eligible for gas central heating for the first time.

If you would like to learn more about Warm Front and find out if you might be eligible click on the following link:-

http://www.nelincs.gov.uk/environment/energy/warmfront.htm

Following the recent national ballot in respect of the 2008/9 pay offer for Council staff, UNISON and Unite (formerly T & G) have voted for strike action.  Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 July 2008 have been selected as national days of strike action. GMB members will be working normally. 

Liz Jones, interim head of paid services, said: “The council will do all it can to ensure the effects on our customers from these days of action are kept to an absolute minimum.  Managers will therefore take appropriate action to seek minimum disruption to services.  The council will be working with the trade unions in order to minimise potential for problems or misunderstandings to occur and will ensure essential services to the most vulnerable members of the community are maintained.  The council will also be able to confirm which services will be exempt from strike action.”It is anticipated that many of the council’s employees, a good proportion who are not members of trade unions will be working normally on the two days.Advice has been issued to schools who will be undertaking their own assessment as to whether they will remain open on the 2 days. The Council hopes to be in a position soon to confirm if there are any schools closing. 

Childcare costs can be a huge drain on the finances. Yet the little-known ‘Childcare Voucher’ scheme can save you £1,000s on nursery fees or child minder costs every year. It allows you to pay for childcare from your pre-tax income. While this mightn’t sound a big deal, the impact is huge. For every £1,000 a basic rate taxpayer earns, after tax and national insurance is deducted, they only actually receive a little under £700 in their pay packet. By using childcare vouchers, the whole £1,000 pays for childcare so there’s a £300 gain per £1,000 of childcare.  lick on the following link for further information:-

Childcare Vouchers

Shell UK Oil Products were recently  fined a total of £18,000 and ordered to pay over £53,000 in costs at Grimsby Magistrates Court as a result of a leak from one of the tanks at the Toothill petrol station in Yarborough Road which allowed poisonous unleaded petrol to enter the ground water supply and contaminate the public drinking water supply.  Shell stated that the leak had cost them millions of pounds

Follow this link to read the recent report on the case which was published by the Grimsby Telegraph:-

http://www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/

NORTH East Lincolnshire Council has begun to issue penalty notices to parents of children and young adults who do not attend school on a regular basis.Since the council’s cabinet agreed to allow penalty notices to be used as a deterrent from unauthorised absence, three penalties have been issued - for unauthorised holidays - and several more notices are set to be issued in the near future, some of which are for low school attendance.  Penalty notices are set at £50 if paid within 28 days, or £100 if paid after 28 days but within 42 days. All three of the notices recently issued were paid within 28 days.  Additionally, the council has adopted measures introduced by the Education And Inspections Act 2006, allowing similar penalty notices to be issued in relation to excluded pupils. Exclusion from school is seen as one of the last possible options available to education authorities when dealing with problematic young people, removing the individual from the school environment for a set amount of time. During such exclusions, pupils should remain at home: the expulsion is a form of punishment and should not be viewed as a break or holiday.Parents are responsible for ensuring their child is not present in school hours without excuse or in a public place during the first five days of any exclusion. Parents who neglect this responsibility may be issued with a penalty notice unless they are able to prove reasonable justification.The staff of Children’s Services are pleased with the initial impact of the notices and are hoping to see the increase of regular attendance as the fines come into widespread use.Here at North East Lincolnshire Council we take education and attendance very seriously. Children who regularly miss school have problems with basic skills including reading and writing. These skills are of the utmost importance in an individual’s ability to obtain a fulfilling and rewarding life.  Levels of attendance throughout the borough are on the rise, and I hope that with these new measures in place we will see a sharp decrease in the children and young people who are missing a basic education.

 The first fixed speed cameras in North East Lincolnshire will be installed on the Laceby Bypass.  It is the first step being taken by the council in a £100,000 scheme to cut road deaths on the notorious stretch of the A46.  The cameras - which will be fitted within four months - needed special permission from the Home Office because of their permanent nature. Step two of the scheme will be to cut the speed limit from 70mph to 50mph, while step three will reduce the road to one lane by the Laceby junctions.The move follows years of campaigning by residents and road users concerned about the high number of accidents on the bypass and continuing A46 in both directions.On the bypass stretch from the A18 roundabout to Cottages Plot there have been 109 casualties from 50 crashes in the last 10 years. They have resulted in 34 people killed or seriously injured.

At the Caistor Road junction there have been 17 crashes resulting in 35 casualties with 10 people killed or seriously injured.

At the Grimsby Road junction there have been 20 crashes with 44 casualties resulting in 12 people killed or seriously injured.

To accompany the new fixed cameras, mobile ones will be used on other stretches of the A46 - which runs from Isaccs Hill, Cleethorpes, by Laceby, through Lincolnshire and then on to Oxford. North East Lincolnshire Council’s network manager, Stuart Greaves, said: “We are very much feeling our way as we go along.  “Clearly the cost of safety measures are prohibitive and we don’t feel we can afford to build the Rolls Royce solution. Eventually, our ultimate aim is to make the whole of the A46, from one end to another, into a corridor. The cameras could then be moved to where they are most needed.”Council leader Coun Andrew De Freitas described the plans as “the sensible option”.  He said: “It is a necessity that it is being done. It is the sensible option. If the intention is to defer speeding then it is the best possible option.”

Humberside Police casualty reduction officer Pc John Mallett said: “Any form of engineering to rectify the situation should be welcomed. We provide high-visibility patrols along the whole stretch to influence driver behaviour as part of our normal policing business.  We will support with education and enforcement any engineering solutions put in place. All partner agencies need to assess the effectiveness of the cameras and see if a longer-term solution is needed.”

 I have noticed today that there is an item on the NELC website which attempts to explain the recent changes to the road layout at Bradley Crossroads which I have reproduced here for information only.  If you have any opinions on the changes please let me know, and I will see that they are passed on:-Road layout changes have been introduced at Bradley Crossroads to address long standing safety concerns when pedestrians attempt to cross the dual carriageway from the Bradley Inn towards the shopping facilities.Accident studies have shown that pedestrians are particularly vulnerable at this location from vehicles coming from Bradley Road turning left and from Laceby Road going straight on, as well as from vehicles turning right from Littlecoates Road.. The experimental scheme has seen the left lane of Laceby Road, exiting from

MEN’S health really does matter - that’s the message from North East Lincolnshire Council’s public health team as they launch a new Full Monty styled DVD aimed at getting men to talk more - and do more, about improving their health.The DVD tells the story of five men in a pub - and as the packaging suggests, their discussions cover the full monty of men’s potential health issues, from high blood pressure to erectile dysfunction.Greg Gilbert, men’s health programme coordinator, said: “If you’ve been looking for information on men’s health - then here it is. The first of its kind - a DVD specifically for men, talking about men’s health issues in a language that men can understand.“The idea is not to tell men what to do but to inform them of what is available, then if they decide to make some changes to their lifestyle the DVD contains information about where to get help. It’s as easy as that. No finger wagging telling you what a bad boy you’ve been - it’s up to you. Just watch the DVD and see.” The DVD will be available at the official launch at the Imperial Pub, Grimsby Road, Cleethorpes on Friday, June 27, between noon and 2pm. Men (and women) are invited to come along and pick up a copy of the DVD and enjoy a healthy free buffet. Quick health checks, known as Men’s Health MOT’s, will also be available free of charge.Dr Tony Hill, North East Lincolnshire’s director of public health, said: “Men’s health is an important priority in North East Lincolnshire. Men die several years earlier than women and men’s health is worse than women’s in almost all ways.“This innovative DVD is one part of an important programme of work to try to change this.”The DVD will also be available at NELC customer access points, libraries and at selected factories and pubs across the borough. 

A group of residents of Maxwell Court and Romsey Court presented a petition for the closure of the alleyway to a meeting of the Environment, Culture and Tourism Committee which took place earlier tonight.  After hearing  from the spokesperson for the residents and also from myself  the committee took the decision to recomend that the alleyway be closed to reduce the antisocial behaviour which has taken place in the area for a number of years.  The result was a victory for the residents and an example to us all!

Closing a public right of way is quite a lengthy process, but this is an important step which should result in the alleyway being closed sometime over the next 12 months. 

An application form and supporting information may be obtained by e-mailing standardscommittee@nelincs.gov.uk or by written request to the Director of Law and Democratic Services at the Municipal Offices, Town Hall Square, Grimsby, DN31 1HU. The closing date for the receipt of applications is the 10th July 2008.

CHANNEL 4 newscaster Jon Snow will reveal if North East and

Almost 450 entries were submitted to this year’s MJ Achievement Awards. And the two councils have made it to the final six entrants in the Best Use of Resources category for their joint strategic procurement unit entry. North East and

North East Lincolnshire Council has formally endorsed the appointment of its new chief executive, Tony Hunter.
The meeting in the Town Hall on Wednesday evening welcomed Mr Hunter to the post. He will begin his new role in September.  Mr Hunter has worked in senior local government roles for more than 13 years, including six years with Liverpool City Council and eight years at East Riding of Yorkshire Council as director of social services, housing and public protection.  Before that, he worked as a management consultant at Price Waterhouse, specialising in local and central government. He also worked at child care charity Barnardo’s, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council.The council’s previous chief executive, George Krawiec, retired in April. North East Lincolnshire Council has formally endorsed the appointment of its new chief executive, Tony Hunter.The meeting in the Town Hall on Wednesday evening welcomed Mr Hunter to the post. He will begin his new role in September.Mr Hunter has worked in senior local government roles for more than 13 years, including six years with Liverpool City Council and eight years at East Riding of Yorkshire Council as director of social services, housing and public protection.

Before that, he worked as a management consultant at Price Waterhouse, specialising in local and central government. He also worked at child care charity Barnardo’s, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council.

The council’s previous chief executive, George Krawiec, retired in April. 

Environmental Health Officers have asked people to make sure they “C” sense in the kitchen - to avoid becoming a food poisoning statistic.Food Safety Week, which runs from June 9 to June 13, is concentrating on the four Cs of food hygiene - Cooking, Cleaning, Chilling and avoiding Cross-Contamination.And Steve Mercer, North East Lincolnshire Council’s environmental health manager, said: “The food we eat has never been so safe - but there are still more than 5.5million reported cases of food poisoning each year.”This campaign encourages people to see the potential dangers in their cooking spaces to avoid becoming a food poisoning statistic.”As a phrase, “food poisoning” includes an endless range of infections, some of which may be only very mild in their effects and some can prove fatal. The vast majority will last several days, cause diarrhoea and vomiting and can be, at least inconvenient and at worst highly debilitating.There are undoubtedly a wide range of causes of food poisoning, but it is probably true to say that the most dangerous place for food poisoning is under our direct control - our own kitchens!Mr Mercer added: “Contrast your own kitchen with your favourite restaurant. If you saw cats or dogs in the restaurant, would you eat there? If you saw the proprietor washing his smalls in the kitchen would you leave immediately?”Would you expect to have efficient refrigerators and freezers and to know their temperatures, or for them to know how long they stored prepared food?”These are all reasonable presumptions and are legal requirements in a commercial environment, but they are generally not carried out in the home, yet this is where we consume most of our meals.”Mr Mercer offered some appropriate food safety tips to keep your home as a hygienic haven. These include:

• Washing your hands before preparing food, after using the toilet, eating or smoking, handling raw meat, poultry and vegetables and after going to the bin
• Keep the temperatures of refrigerators at 4-5oc. Any colder and you are wasting electricity, any warmer and you will allow bugs to grow and your food to spoil much more quickly.
• Keep frozen food at -18oc, the same principles apply.
• Know what the temperatures really are in your refrigerator, not just what the dial tells you. Invest in a simple refrigerator thermometer and try it on different shelves, you might be surprised at the differences
• Keep all open food covered, ideally in lidded plastic containers. Not only does this prevent contamination, it will also help preserve the food quality
• Try to make a note of the “use-by” dates on opened packs and transfer them to the lidded container, use a purpose-designed marker or sticky labels.
• Keep raw food, meat poultry eggs and vegetables on the bottom shelves. That way any leakage or spillages cannot drip onto and contaminate ready-to-eat items with harmful bugs
• Your refrigerator can only work efficiently if the air inside can circulate, so try not to overfill and leave space between items to allow the cold air to do its work
• Most commercial caterers also know how hot their food is, ensuring they have killed any germs that will have been present in the raw food — can you say the same thing?

Finally, Mr Mercer had some words of advice about having pets in the kitchen. He said: “We know they are part of the family and you would not want to make the kitchen a complete “no go” area for a kitty or pooch. But under no circumstances should we allow them on the work surface. They are not particular about cleaning their feet - would you put your own shoes on the counter before you prepared food?”And he also advised people to: keep food and water bowls scrupulously clean for their welfare, but never mix them with your own plates and crockery; after handling your pets is another good time to wash hands if you want to avoid the risk of a nasty bout of gastro-enteritis.Councillor Steve Beasant, portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, said: “There are plenty of measures we can all take to ensure our homes are hygienically sound. Food Safety Week puts the spotlight on what we can all do to ensure cleanliness in the home and put a serious dent in these alarming food poisoning statistics.” If any of these issues give you cause for thought, then don’t hesitate to contact the environmental health department on 01472 324770 

 

RESIDENTS of the former Yarborough estate are coming together to take part in a community clean-up day on Sunday, June 22, 2008 as they continue to prepare for the major transformation of their neighbourhood.Shoreline officers, residents, neighbourhood wardens and young people deployed by the probation service’s Community Pay Back scheme will work together to clear the land.Shoreline neighbourhood officer Martin High said: “This project aims to create a better, cleaner environment. “It really shows the neighbourhood spirit the residents of Freshney Green have and it is a great promise for what this community can achieve in the future.”Neighbourhood warden Jon Nicholson, who has organised the event, added: “These community clean-up days have a proven effect in bringing about a real feel-good factor amongst residents.“Such events instill a real sense of pride into the community - I’m sure this weekend will have the same result.”Over the next eight years Shoreline and Stamford Homes will carry out the multi-million pound transformation of the estate creating a high-quality sustainable urban environment that will include up to 440 new homes and associated open space, a health centre, play area and traffic calming measures.The clean-up will take place between 9.30am and 6pm. Anyone wishing to take part should ensure that they wear suitable clothing. 

North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus (CTP) has published a guide to local NHS and care services called “Your Guide to Local Health and Adult Social Care Services 2008”.  The guide is a source of advice about the local NHS and social care services that are available in North East Lincolnshire. It is being delivered to households in North East Lincolnshire Council’s Linc Up newspaper. The guide, which has been produced by the Care Trust Plus, includes useful telephone numbers including emergency contact numbers, information on how to access services, and lists of nursing and residential homes. The guide also includes a fold-out section with a map of GP practices, pharmacies and other local services.  For people to make the most of local services, they need to know what services are available. The guide has been designed to give this information in a user-friendly way.  We asked a wide range of patient, user, and carer groups what information they wanted to see included and this has been included in the guide.  People who have not received a copy of the guide, or who would like additional copies can contact the CTP on (01472) 302832.  An electronic version of the guide can be downloaded from below:- 

your_guide_final_2008_with_map.pdf 

Negotiations between North East Lincolnshire Council and local bus companies have brought about a result that’s just the ticket - with the introduction of free travel at any time for eligible pass-holders residing in North East Lincolnshire, starting from the earliest bus services on June 2. Currently, pass-holders can travel free on any local registered bus service between 9.30am and 11pm, in accordance with a national travel scheme. From Monday these time restrictions will be removed.

People have told us that they need to travel outside the hours of the national scheme. We have listened and removed the time restrictions for North East Lincolnshire residents.  Liz Jones, the council’s interim head of paid services, said:  “I am delighted that we have been able to complete the work in order to reintroduce peak hour concessions quicker than we anticipated.”The scheme applies to people over 60 years of age and to people with certain disabilities. This enhancement to the scheme applies to any bus journey starting within North East Lincolnshire.The new England wide concessionary bus fare scheme for the over-60s and others who qualify started on April 1.The scheme is of significant benefit to many deserving people and also supports the council’s CO2 emissions and climate change policy by getting more people to use public transport as an alternative to using cars. 

 That is the reaction from seafront traders, who are backing a £5-million redevelopment plan for the resort’s Central Promenade. The image of what Cleethorpes’ Dolphin Square area could look like by 2010 has been released today, prior to going on public display tomorrow.

A clear feature from the as yet unnamed developer is a plan to maximise views across the beach and Humber Estuary to Spurn Point. Is this the picture postcard scene of Cleethorpes 2010? If given the go-ahead, it would replace the premises currently on the site, which include The Submarine pub, takeaways, a shop and the beach safety office. Today, businesses and organisations along the seafront have thrown their support behind the transformation, banishing fears that it would be unsuitable or inappropriate. Jane Wood, co-owner of The Hawaiian Eye cafe, had feared it would see traditional seaside shops and cafes replaced by an expensive cafe culture. But, after seeing the plan, she believes it will enhance the promenade while maintaining its character as a seaside resort. She said: “As I’ve always said, The Hawaiian Eye is not against regeneration. I just don’t want to see an empty space here like at the Winter Gardens. “I was concerned they were going to put in a nightclub or a cafe culture that people wouldn’t be able to afford. “But after seeing the plans, my views have altered. I think it looks very, very good. “It looks like there’s something for everybody, and it does look very nice. I think the architect has done his homework, and it will bring all sorts of tourists to the resort. “With the smaller units, they seem to have catered for people who want a bucket and spade, an ice-cream and a bag of chips. It’s in-keeping with the resort. “I think it will enhance the promenade. It does need a facelift but we don’t want to lose the amenities this site provides for the locals and the visitors. This resort does need low-priced establishments. “I’m looking forward to going to the public consultation. “If it comes to fruition, we could be in for exciting times in Cleethorpes.” David Tucker, owner of Fryer Tuck’s Take Away, on North Promenade, said: “I think Cleethorpes is in the olden days and does need brightening up. “Anything is better than what’s here now. We’ve got to move on and go with the future.” And Gary Barlow, from Cleethorpes Lifeboat Station, said: “The station will be unaffected by the development but it’s nice to see the promenade being brought into the 21st Century.” Bill Parkinson, the owner of Willy’s Pub, on High Cliff Road, added the plans looked “architecturally interesting” and would give the town a “quality feel” which would help attract tourists to the resort.

Rooftop balconies, outdoor seats sheltered by parasols and four floors of entertainment… wish you were here?

This could be the postcard picture for Cleethorpes 2010, if a development for a prime location on Central Promenade gets the go-ahead. From 10am on Friday  May 30th, the plans for the three-quarter-of-an-acre Dolphin Square site will be available to view.And would-be users of the facility, which could cost about £5-million, are being sought for their views.The single plan comes after firms were invited to submit their vision of a resort landmark.Coun Geoff Lowis, portfolio holder for regeneration at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “I am pleased we have got a viable proposal. I do think what we have seen is an interesting and quality proposal that does add to tourism in Cleethorpes.“Now what I am really interested in is what the general public think of it.”Coun Lowis said he was disappointed more proposals in-keeping with the development brief did not come forward from both local and national firms, but added that it was understandable in the current depressed market conditions.It is believed there were other schemes put forward, but they were not shortlisted because they did not meet the pre-agreed criteria. The proposal also looks like it could offer alternative accommodation for existing businesses on the site.Neither the developer nor architect is being named ahead of the consultation, but they are local and experienced.

Lawrence Brown, of Scotts, the commercial agency appointed by the council to market the site, is looking forward to hearing the views that emerge from the consultation.

Of the two-day exercise, which takes place between 10am and 4pm tomorrow and Saturday, Mr Brown said: “It is a great opportunity for people to come along and have a look at the proposal for this key site in central Cleethorpes.

“People who work in Cleethorpes and live in Cleethorpes are the people who will be able to use a completed development every day. It is important and it does matter what their views and aspirations for the resort are.”

The plans will be on display at Pier Gardens. If the weather is bad, they will be shown at Cleethorpes

• North East Lincolnshire Council

Employment Development Services (EDS)

Do you know about Apprenticeships?

EDS are looking for young people who are interested in a career in Business Administration

Can your son or daughter say “Yes”

to these questions?

Are they 16 - 18 and not at college? 

Are they unemployed?

 Not claiming benefit?      

Then we at EDS may be able to help

Our Apprenticeship programme can help them gain a qualification and the skills they need,

We help them gain confidence

and assist in gaining employment

Are they interested?

Then call Yvonne Quickfall

or internally on 6231

* All applicants will undertake an

interview and assessment test

“NORTH East Lincolnshire’s Care Trust Plus is leading the way across the country.”Those were the words of praise from Norman Lamb MP, Liberal Democrat shadow health secretary, who visited Grimsby and Cleethorpes yesterday.Mr Lamb requested a visit to the region after hearing about the success of the Care Trust Plus (CTP) in integrating health and social care.He said: “What is happening in the area is very exciting, I will be taking the lessons I have learnt during my visit and be encouraging Government to learn from them.”During his visit, Mr Lamb toured the facilities on offer at Clee Medical Centre, Tukes Cafe, The Older People and Cancer Collaborative and the Cromwell Road Resource Centre.At the Cromwell Road Resource Centre, Grimsby, Mr Lamb experienced first-hand the extended range of services offered by the CTP.Jo Barnes, assistant director for learning disabilities, said: “We have linked clinical and social treatment to provide the best care possible for our users.”

The centre, which provides services for up to 65 users each day, offers traditional treatments such as physiotherapy and psychology, alongside sensory therapy and play.

Are you interested in tackling crime in your area?

Do you want to help your hospital to improve service?

Do you want a say in how your council spends YOUR money?

Would you like to give your opinion on some housing developments?

Would you like to tell your MP your opinion?

If YES to any of these read on…..

Please join the Northern Lincolnshire Community Database now!

by registering on www.CommunitySurveys.net and you will be able to communicate your opinions to some of the agencies that control so much of our lives. 

This strategy has already gone through consultation, but you can still get in touch and let N E Lincs Council know your views using the online consultation form.  Further information about the latest Waste Strategy and the consultation form can be found by following this link:-

www.nelincs.gov.uk/environment/rubbishcollection/municipal_waste_management_strategy

As a part of the Victoria Street improvement programme there is now free wireless internet access available in the area of Victoria Street and the Central Library.  Read all about it by following this link:-

 http://www.nelincs.gov.uk/news/wifi.htm

The final election results for the Yarborough Ward are as follows:-

Mary Little                         (Liberal Democrat)     698 votes

Michael Bolton                       (Conservative)                   543 votes

Jim Tattersdale                     (Independant)                    476 votes

Michael Taylor                       (Labour)                             400 votes

Martin Grant                          (Independant)                   104 votes 

Full election results are available from the following link:-

http://www.nelincs.gov.uk/council/elections/electionsresults2008.htm

Mary Little, Sarah Leak and myself would like to thank all of the people who helped with the election campaign, but most of all we would like to thank everyone who voted for Mary and the Liberal Democrats.  You can be assured that we will continue to serve the people of the Yarborough Ward to the best of our ability!

Click on the following thumbnail to see a recent letter to North East Lincs Liberal Democrats from Nick Clegg, the leader of the National Liberal Democrat Party

DOG wardens working on behalf of North East Lincolnshire Council have now established a round-the-clock service, ahead of new Government legislation introduced next week.

From April 6, the sole responsibility of dealing with stray dogs will lie with local councils rather than the police. And in North East Lincolnshire, the council will now have a dog warden to deal with any strays reported to its 24-hour hotline.

Billy Walker, of Walkers Kennels in Grainsthorpe, will take responsibility for the service. The 24-hour service began on April 1 and can be reached by calling 01472 388551 or 077324 86948 after 5pm weekdays and at weekends.

The council has a statutory duty to collect stray dogs and prevent them being a danger in traffic or a nuisance to people. The stray dog will be taken back to boarding kennels and kept there safely for seven days to see whether or not the owner comes forward for the dog. The owner will be contacted if the dog has been chipped or his own identification tag.

Any complaints about dogs will be responded to as quickly as possible, normally the same day. After the seventh day the dog will be rehomed but will be chipped so that the dog’s future ownership is known.

Cyril Mumby, environmental enforcement manager at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “We are pleased to have launched our out-of-hours dog warden service and have every confidence that it will make the process of handling stray dogs easier.

“Please contact the out-of-hours telephone number if you want to report a stray dog in the North East Lincolnshire area.”

The Grimsby Institute (which will gain University Status),  along with Franklin and Herford Colleges have £170 million of funding allocated to develop a learning corridor.  It took two years for negotiations to reach this stage, and everyone, including the Conservatives and our local MP’s were signed up to the project.  The Conservatives have now decided to try and undo the project by suggesting that the Institute/ University should be rebuilt on Grimsby Docks.   It would take at least 10 years before development work could begin on the docks site, which is privately owned, but the main funder of the project - the Learning and Skills Council will cease to exist in 2010.  This means that the funding would cease to exist much beyond 2010.

THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS, UNLIKE THE CONSERVATIVES, ARE NOT PREPARED TO TAKE THE RISK OF LOSING £170 MILLION OF INVESTMENT FOR THE FUTURE EDUCATION OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE! 

A VOTE FOR THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS AT THE ELECTION ON MAY 1ST IS A VOTE FOR A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. 

THINK OF THEIR FUTURE AND VOTE LIB DEM!

The Liberal Democrat group from North East Lincs. Council are the winners of three national awards from the Local Government Association.  The presentaions were made recently in Liverpool at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

The awards include “The Council Group of the Year” and the award for “Improving Health and Social Care”

UK Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Cleggsaid “From a base of just five Councillors in 2005, this winning group has made massive progress and with a group now of 19, they now lead the Council in a joint administration with the support of the Conservatives.

“The group have turned the Council round, saved it from bankruptcy, revolutionised service provision and they have restored local and national Government confidence.”

Nick Clegg also paid tribute to the Council Leader.  He said ”Andrew De Freitas is a very modest, almost shy person and it is a tribute to his 30 years plus on the Council and his leadership of the Council that I am delighted to give Andrew the award for the Council Group of the Year”

Julia Goldsworthy MP, the shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government predented the award for “Improving Health and Social Care”.  She said “North East Lincolnshire has set up with the Primary Care Trust the innovative and ground breaking Care Trust Plus that will transform health and social care which will ensure that the services they provide will be fully integrated.

Residents of N E Lincs will pay just 2.8% more for Council Services in 2008 - 9.  This means that band A properties will pay just 42p a week more for the Council’s part of the annual tax bill, 80% of residents will pay less than 50p more each week, and furthermore the increases for the next two years are also likely to be kept below 3%.

The Council agreed to the new budget at a meeting last month, setting the increase to a level that is lower than the rate of inflation, and also lower than this year’s increase in pensions which takes effect from April 1st.

The Council has also provided an extra £500,000 on adult care, increased the sum allocated to be spent on upgrading and replacing public toilets to £1,000,000, and provided £418,000 to cover the shortfall in Government Grants.

Councillor David Powell, the Lib Dem portfolio holder for Finance said ” In many ways this is a budget without surprises.  It follows through on the plans we outlined last year.  The growth proposals identified last year are all retained, and we have added to those by redirecting value for money savings to areas such as vulnerable children, support for the voluntary sector, and the escalating cost of waste disposal.  The additional spending that we have added since the draft budget in December addresses particularly concerns about provisions for children with learning disabilities.

“We have looked at the options and costs of improving public toilets across the Borough we have found an additional £550,000 by trimming back elsewhere.

“With price increases running at about 4% we felt that holding the price increase in Council Tax to 2.8%, exactly the same as last year would reinforce the Council’s commitment to affordable increases, and we have similarly reduced the indicative increases for the subsequent two years to no more than 3%.”

The total Council Tax bill amount for each property will be set when the figures for Humberside Police, Humberside Fire and Rescue, and Town and  and Parish Councils have been added.

North East Lincolnshire Council has produced the following press release about changes to the bus pass scheme:-

Concessionary bus fares – Council’s caution vindicated 

North East Lincolnshire Council’s decision to implement the new concessionary fares scheme from 1^st April in line with the government’s national off peak proposals is supported by recent research by the Local Government Association (LGA).  The LGA has warned the government that many authorities will face costs well in excess of the funding provided by the government when the scheme is extended to allow off peak travel free of charge across the whole of England from 1^st April 2008.  David Powell, Liberal Democrat Portfolio Holder for finance, neighbourhoods and transformation said  “The LGA’s findings show we were right to be cautious in introducing the new extended scheme on an off peak basis only. The Department for Transport has acknowledged that offering the new scheme during peak hours would be prohibitively expensive. However, the LGA’s research suggests even the off peak service is likely to cost councils much more than the government is providing. The LGA has warned that individual councils faced with excess costs of up to £1.5m each may have to look at cuts in other services to the elderly. We have deliberately been cautious in adopting the new scheme to ensure so far as we can that North East Lincolnshire is protected from having to make those sorts of choices.”  From 1^st April those over 60 and anyone who qualifies because of disability will be able to travel free of charge on buses across the whole of England. The current national scheme provides only for travel within the area of any one local authority. As now, the national scheme will apply to travel after 9.30am weekdays and until 11pm and all day at weekends and bank holidays. In North East Lincolnshire the current scheme is set to cost at least £1.6m which is some £100,000 more than was budgeted for the current year. The additional cost arises in part because the Council is meeting the cost of allowing peak time travel within the borough. An additional £863,000 has been put into the budget for 2008/09 which is £250,000 on top of what government has provided. In the light of the Department for Transport’s comments about including peak travel being prohibitively expensive when the scheme operates across the whole of England the Council has adopted the national off peak arrangements. However, the Council has undertaken to keep the newly extended scheme under review to see whether it will be possible to include peak time travel in the future. “

The minutes for the meeting of Yarborough forward which took place on 7th February are now available, and are available from the following link:

Minutes of Yarborough Forward held on 07-02-2008

The next meeting of Yarborough Forward will be held at the Community Centre in Yarrow Road, Grimsby at 6.00pm on 13th March,2008.  Anyone who would like to help to help to make the Yarborough area a better place to live and work in is welcome to come along.  If you would like to know more about Yarborough Forward feel free to ring the secretary on 01472 310855

Last Monday I attended a meeting held to see if there was any interest in forming a Tenants and Residents Association for Laceby Acres.  About 15 people attende the first meeting, and it was decided to hold another meeting at the Gunner’s Watch at 6.30pm on Tuesday 26th February with the intention of forming  properly constituted group to represent the area, and to work with Shoreline HP to improve services in the area.  Anyone who might like to join the new group is welcome to come along and learn more about this project. 

Tthe commitment that North East Lincolnshire has been putting into reducing waiting times for Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) has been recognised by the release of an additional grant of £129,000 to the council.

If you, or someone in your home is disabled, you may qualify for help towards the cost of providing adaptations and facilities, so that you or the disabled person can continue to live in your own home.

Councillor Geoff Lowis, portfolio holder for regeneration and housing, said: “This is really good news for residents who have a disability and are currently waiting for a disabled facilities grant.

“The additional funding will mean between 25 and 30 clients will receive a DFG much sooner than originally projected.”

By increasing capital funding to the DFG the council has reduced waiting times in 2006/07 by over 30per cent and is continuing this trend throughout 2007/08.

Julie Ogley, executive director of community care, added: “North East Lincolnshire Council is pleased to have been able to commit additional funding to the scheme. As a result of this, and as a direct result of the increased number of DFGs we have carried out, the council has received further funding from the DFG.

“The Government has rewarded the councils that have shown a commitment to funding DFGs and North East Lincolnshire Council has received the second highest grant in the Yorkshire and Humber region.”

If you, or anyone that you know would like to learn more about Disabled Facilities Grants, or would like to apply for a grant, then contact NELC’s Home Improvement Agency on 01472 324777

North East Lincolnshire Council’s trading standards service is asking local consumers to get involved in a nationwide campaign, entitled ‘Scamnesty’, to help in the fight against scams which cost the UK an estimated £3.5 billion a year. As part of Scams Awareness Month, in February, trading standards are asking members of the public to collect any potential scam mailings they have recently received and drop them into designated ‘Scamnesty’ wheelie bins at any North East Lincolnshire library.The designated secure bins, which are all marked up as ‘Scamnesty - don’t let them con you’, are being promoted by trading standards with the theme ‘Drop in and drop them in it’.Every year an estimated three million people fall victim to mass marketed scams such as bogus lotteries, deceptive prize draws and sweepstakes, fake psychics, get-rich-quick schemes and miracle health cures. A number of these scams are sent through the post, as well as by email or over the phone, and target the elderly and vulnerable. However, national research suggests that less than five per cent of victims report the scam to the authorities.Scam mailings collected from the ‘Scamnesty’ bins could provide crucial intelligence to help to inform future investigations, and prevent others from being scammed.Neil Clark, principal trading standards officer, said: “We want to empower the public to help beat the scammers by participating in the Scamnesty campaign.

The street lighting columns in Wroxham Avenue and Evesham Avenue have been chosen to be replaced by new ones, and at the same time the lights are to be upgraded to an improved standard.  N E Lincolnshire Council is keen to consult with local residents to ensure that the lighting columns are sited in the best possible positions.  Maps of the area are included at the end of this post.  If you have any comments or observations about how the positions of the columns might be improved, please contact the Street Lighting Department through the call centre at 01472324500, or by emailing streetlighting@nelincs.gov.uk

                           Wroxham Ave.                                                        Evesham Ave.

 Please click on thumbnail to see a larger picture

It has been necessary to call a special meeting of Yarborough Forward to consider a number of outstanding Acorn bids so that they can meet the final deadline.  It is important that as many residents  as possible attend the meeting so that the bids can be approved.

The meeting will be held at 4.00pm on Monday 4th February at the Community Centre, Yarrow Road.  I apologise for the very short notice but there is no other way approve the bids before the Acorn funding scheme closes.

If anyone knows of any group in the Yarborough Neighbourhood Regeneration Area  that wishes to have a bid considered at this meeting would you please ask them to contact Alan Burley, the Neighbourhood Engagement Worker, on 07862277435 before the meeting 

The next elections for NELC take place on 1st May.  This is your opportunity to vote for the person who will be one of your representatives on North East Lincolnshire Council. You can only vote in elections if your name is on the Register of Electors. The Register is updated in the autumn each year using the details from the registration forms delivered to every household. A new Register is then published on 1 December every year.

Moved home? Coming up to 18? Just not on the register?

If you’ve moved since the Register was compiled or have been missed off, you can get your details amended. All you have to do is to fill in a Voter Registration Form. You have to sign your own form, someone else cannot do it for you.

Registration forms are available from the Council’s main reception points at the Municipal Offices, Grimsby; Civic Offices, Cleethorpes; and Kennedy Way, Immingham. Alternatively, print off the registration form below:-

VoterRegistrationForm.pdf

Applications must be signed by the elector and returned to the Electoral Registration Office, North East Lincolnshire Council, Municipal Offices, Town Hall Square, Grimsby, DN31 1HU.

Anyone may apply for a postal vote at an election. Or you can apply for someone else to vote for you if, for example, you are blind or disabled, or if you will be away from home during an election. Contact the Electoral Registration Office for details at the Municipal Offices, Town Hall Square, Grimsby, DN31 1HU. (Tel: 01472-324160/324118.

There is a deadline of 5 pm. eleven working days before the day of an election for the receipt of new postal vote applications and six working days before the day of election for the receipt of new proxy vote applications.   Forms to apply for a Postal Vote or a Proxy Vote can be downloaded from the following links:-  

Postal Vote Application Form.pdf

Proxy Vote Application Form.pdf

Get involved at the heart of your community

Do you want to make a difference to your community and contribute to building an effective and vibrant local economy?

North East Lincolnshire Council is looking for dynamic and enthusiastic people who feel that they could represent the views of their community by standing for election as a North East Lincolnshire Councillor.

Two informal events are being organised to help inform prospective candidates on how to become a Councillor. These are taking place in Grimsby Town Hall on Saturday 26 January from 11.00am to 1.00pm and Tuesday 5 February from 6.00pm to 8.00pm.

North East Lincolnshire Council Officers are inviting anyone with an interest to turn up to the events where they can gather information on the process of how to stand for election, the support available to Councillors once elected and there will be the opportunity to meet and speak to current Councillors.

There is no need to book a place on these events but anyone who would like further information should phone 01472 324124.

If any residents of the Yarborough Ward have concerns about the reoccurance of flooding during the latest period of heavy rain I would like to pass on the advice that I have received from NELC - that you should contact the NELC call centre team on 01472313131 or 01472324500 and let them know the location of the problem, and it will be dealt with as soon as possible.  If you are not satisfied with the response please let me know and I will ensure that appropriate action is taken.

 Officers from NELC have been informed about the state of the drains and gullies in Boulevard Avenue and Yarborough Road, and we have inspected them together.  It has been discovered that the drains have been damaged in numerous places.  Work is currently taking place on an ongoing basis to clear them as much as possible.  A thorough examination is taking place to assess the full extent of the damage and necessary repairs will take place in the near future.

**NELC have rceived more than 60 requests for drains and gullies to be cleaned during the recent period of heavy rain.  It has been arranged for a crew to work overnight to clear this work in anticipation of further heavy rain over the next few days.**

NELC and it’s partners such as Humberside Police and the Care Trust Plus are responsible for the delivery of a wide range of services to the public.  NELC would like to know how you think money is spent on these services during 2008/09.  An online questionnaire is available for you to let us know your views - click here to fill it in.

Anyone who fills in the questionnaire complete with their name and address will be entered into a prize draw, and the lucky winner will have their council tax paid for a full year.

The following bids for funding from the Ward Councillors Fund have recently been approved:

i)     To finance out of school activities in the Laceby Acres area.

 ii)    Provision of secure storage for cycles as part of the Pedalwell scheme based at Western School.

iii)   To help to start a running club for young people in the Yarborough area.

iv)  To finance a gardening project for young people based at Yarborough School

There is still some money available.  If you or your organisation would like to start a project that would benefit a group of people from the Yarborough Ward please contact one of your Ward councillors for more details without delay.  Applications must be received by the end of 2007 to be eligible for an award from this year’s fund.

I can be contacted by phone on 01472 310855 or by e mail at les.bonner@nelincs.gov.uk

This Wednesday I shall be travelling to London along with fellow Liberal Democrat councillors Steve Beasant, Dave Boylen, Doug Pickett and Steve Kibble  and  a party of other residents  from N E Lincs to present a petition from the people of N E Lincs to the Government. The petition calls for urgent action to be taken to tackle the problems of crime and antisocial behaviour in the area.  It must be obvious to anyone that we are all being badly let down by the  Government by it’s failure to ensure that existing legal powers are used to take action against a small number of people who spoil the area for the rest of us by regularly  committing violent or antisocial crimes.  The government claims to be “tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime”  Let us hope that we can persuade them to match their tough words with tough actions so the people who commit these crimes will be brought before the courts and will be punished to the full extent of the law.

I look forward to meeting the rest of the party on the bus, and I shall be pleased to take the opportunity to find out what they think about this or any other issue.

North East Lincolnshire councillors have rallied around in support of post offices.
At a  recent meeting of the full council, a motion was passed to campaign to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry not to close the post offices.Coun Enid Cragg (Lib Dem, Immingham) said: “Post offices are the lifeblood of our communities in both rural and urban areas.
“The most vulnerable in society are those most affected by post office closures - the over 65s, people with disabilities, carers, the unemployed and those without a car who find it difficult to access public transport.”
Leader of the council Coun Andrew De Freitas (Lib Dem, Park) said: “Elderly people look forward to talking to people at the post office and meeting their friends there. The way things are going, we will find ourselves in a situation where there are no post offices left.”The council members voted unanimously to support the campaign not to close post offices in North East Lincolnshire.

The council’s consultation on whether it should change its name ends at 5pm on Monday November 26.

The consultation to change the name of N E Lincs Council was launched following a report from the Chief Executive, which raised questions over whether there would be benefits in changing the council’s name. 

Full details of the proposal can be found here.

If you would like to comment on the proposals, please email namechange@nelincs.gov.uk

To help me to represent the wishes of the people of the Yarborough Ward as closely as possible I would welcome comments on this or any other subject.    Please email me with your views on les.bonner@nelincs.gov.uk

NELC have recently announced the arrangements for refuse collection at Christmas and New Year.  Details can be found at http://www.nelincs.gov.uk/news/christmas+waste.htm

WHAT are the most important needs and priorities of older people in North East Lincolnshire?  The only way to find out, of course, is to ask them - which is what will be happening between now and early in the New Year.  A questionnaire is being posted out to 12 per cent of the people in the area aged 65 or over - some 3,400 in total.  The short, simple-to-complete document covers such subjects as:

•  Support needs

•  General health

•  Nutrition

• Retirement and retirement planning

• Community involvement

• Transport needs

• Social activities

• Communication, including use of computers 

It is possible there are also other requirements that are not fully met - or maybe not even fully recognised.  This important project is a joint initiative by the Public Health Directorate of North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus and North East Lincolnshire Council.  Its aim is to gather as much information as possible about the needs of older people who make a hugely important contribution to society in many different ways.

“We want to improve services for these valued members of our community and to make sure the right kind of help is there when they need it,” said Cynthia Manson-Siddle who is Grimsby-based Deputy Director of Public Health and Consultant in Public Health.

“Our population structure is changing - people are living longer and the proportion of those aged over 65 is increasing.

“By 2025 it is estimated that there will be an additional 10,000 people in this age group in North East Lincolnshire.”

Ms Manson-Siddle continued: “Expectations are also changing - older people anticipate remaining active longer.

“They expect to live these extra years in better health and to have a higher quality of life than their predecessors.

“But increased numbers of older people will place increased requirements on local services, not just health and social care but also  housing, transport, leisure and learning.”

“Completing the questionnaire will give older people the chance to make sure they get the help they really need,” said Ms Manson-Siddle who stresses that those who take part in the survey are guaranteed complete confidentiality. 

“We are asking anyone who receives one to take a little time to complete and return it in the postage paid envelope.

“Only by getting a large response can we make sure that views are representative.”

You can help NELC to improve it’s services for older people.  If you receive one of these questionnaires please try and spare a few minutes to complete it and return it to NELC in the prepaid envelope provided.

Warm front is a government funded scheme which provides grants to make your home warmer, healthier, and more energy efficient.  You could be eligible for up to £300 off the cost of the repair or installation of a heating system, or a grant of up to £2700 for a package of improvements to make your home warmer and healthier.  You could receive a combination insulation improvements, including draught proofing, cavity wall, loft and hot water tank insulation, and heating improvements including repairs to your existing heating system, or installation of gas, electric or oil central heating 

Find more information and to see if you qualify on:  http://www.nelincs.gov.uk/atoz/atozdetail?id=7872 or telephone 0800 316 2814

 Did you know that your Ward Councillors might be able to help with funding for projects within the ward that benefit the Community?  Every year a sum of money is allocated to the Yarborough Ward to be spent on small projects that would otherwise find it difficult to obtain funding.  If you have an idea or project that might benefit from Ward Funding please contact me or one of the other Ward Councillors for more information.

 So far this year money from the Ward fund will be used to pay for a new cooker at Littlecoates Community Centre, repairs to the roof at the Yarborough Community Centre, and for repairs to the organ at St. Michael’s Church.    

NELC has recently released the Annual Report for 2006 - 2007.  In it you can find information on the priorities, performance and finances of NELC, along with information on some of the major acheivments for the year.

Download the Annual Report from:-  http://www.nelincs.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/1A12C093-0C20-4C9A-A0C7-8E97516E2FF6/0/AnnualReport.pdf

I recently attended a meeting of Yarborough Forward, of which I am the Secretary which was held on 4th October at the Community Centre in Yarrow Road.  The minutes of the meeting are included below:-

10-07-2007.pdf

Yarborough Forward is an organisation which is intended to represent the interests of people who live within the regeneration area of the Yarborough Ward.  Any resident of the area is welcome to attend.  If you would like come to any of the meetings, or learn more about Yarborough Forward please contact me or any other member.