An Ingoldmells caravan park will face a near 6% pitch price hike after council bosses approved the measures on Wednesday.

East Lindsey District Council’s executive board members voted unanimously in favour of the 5.8% increase in pitch fees from January 2023, which bosses said represented around 50% of the latest Retail Price Index (RPI) figures.

Councillor Richard Fry, executive member for finance, told members: “As a key measure inflation, using the all items RPI as a basis for uplift is reasonable and proportionate as RPI increases are often the minimum increase applied to the council’s own costs.”

He said that continuing early payment discounts as part of the price list “demonstrates the extent to whcih the council values its loyal licensee customers”.

Following a question from Councillor Adam Grist, he admitted that the council would be taking a net loss on its income when further inflation was taken into next yet.

However, he said: “We do have a loyal licensee base site, and bumping it up by virtually 12% in one shot, even though that is the figure that is currently being used [elsewhere] seems somewhat unreasonable.”

Caravan owners locked in a court battle with ELDC around new limits on the age of carvaans have previously said the price hike would only serve to discourage people from coming to the site.

Stuart Allen previously said many members were “surprised” by the move.

“The site is still only occupied around 50%, with a significant number of the vans on site being directly owned and operated by the council,” he said.

“Increasing the ground rent will further encourage people to leave and discourage people to buy onto the site.

“For multiple years the council refrained from applying any increase in site rent, since COVID and the loss of vans on the site we have had inflationary increases every year.”

Conservative Lincoln MP Karl McCartney has broken his silence on the issue of his embattled party leader, thanking the Prime Minister upon his resignation announcement.

As reported, PM Boris Johnson is expected to admit defeat in a national statement later, agreeing to step down as Tory leader following more than 50 ministerial resignations.

He will, however, remain as Prime Minister until the results of a leadership contest in the autumn.

Three Lincolnshire MPs joined those resigning from ministerial positions in protest to Johnson’s actions and judgement on a number of issues – culminating in his handling of sexual assault allegations against former Deputy Chief Whip Chris Pincher.

Karl McCartney, who also sits on the government’s 1922 Committee, had so far refused to comment on the events in his party this week.

Upon the news of the PM’s white flag this morning, McCartney issued a statement.

While he did not join some of his colleagues’ condemnations of the PM’s judgement or errors, he said the loss of confidence from the majority of MPs meant it was time to resign. He continued by praising Johnson for his work on Brexit and the pandemic:

“It has become clear to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson MP, that he no longer has the confidence of a growing number of his colleagues in the Conservative Parliamentary Party. Therefore, the time has come for the Prime Minister to take the decision to resign and allow the Conservative Party the opportunity to select and elect a new leader.

“I, and many of my constituents, and Parliamentary colleagues, have a lot to be grateful for that the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has achieved and undertaken as the Leader of our Country. His unique brand will be missed by those of us who admired his willingness to deliver Brexit and the way he tackled the pandemic and the war in Eastern Europe.”

Boris Johnson will stand down as the leader of the Conservative party today following more than 50 ministerial resignations.

He will continue to serve as Prime Minster until the autumn to allow for a leadership contest to take place, The Lincolnite understands.

Johnson is expected to make an address the British public on Thursday, July 7.

In Lincolnshire, Louth and Horncastle MP Victoria Atkins stepped down from her role as Justice Secretary. MP for Grantham and Stamford Gareth Davies, and Sleaford and North Hykeham MP Caroline Johnson resigned the following day.

Lincoln’s Member of Parliament, Karl McCartney. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

In Lincoln, 1922 Committee member and MP Karl McCartney released a statement encouraging the PM to throw in the towel, after a period of silence about the party’s turmoil.

He said: “It has become clear to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson MP, that he no longer has the confidence of a growing number of his colleagues in the Conservative Parliamentary Party. Therefore, the time has come for the Prime Minister to take the decision to resign and allow the Conservative Party the opportunity to select and elect a new leader.

“I, and many of my constituents, and Parliamentary colleagues, have a lot to be grateful for that the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has achieved and undertaken as the Leader of our Country. His unique brand will be missed by those of us who admired his willingness to deliver Brexit and the way he tackled the pandemic and the war in Eastern Europe.”

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson became Prime Minister on July 24, 2019 after having previously been Foreign Secretary between 2016 and 2018.

A No 10 source said Mr Johnson had spoken to the chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, and agreed to stand down, with a new Tory leader set to be in place by the party’s conference in October.

Boris Johnson came under fire for how he handled the coronavirus pandemic, scandals over parties during restrictions, and allegations that Deputy Chief Whip Chris Pincher groped two men at a private members’ club. He also previously survived a vote of no confidence but, after nearly three years in the role his time is finally up.

However, Gainsborough MP Edward Leigh previously said he “remains a firm supporter” of Boris Johnson, while Grimsby MP Lia Nici reportedly gave her continued backing to the 58-year-old Prime Minister.

Just five months ago, Boris Johnson visited The Lincolnite newsroom to discuss the crisis in Ukraine, devolution and levelling up.

Joined by Conservative Lincoln MP Karl McCartney, the Prime Minister sat down to an interview with the Greater Lincolnshire news team, fresh from a windy runway meeting with military analysts at RAF Waddington.

Take a look back at Boris Johnson’s most recent visit to Lincolnshire in February 2022:

• In pictures: Boris Johnson visits Lincolnshire
• Boris Johnson visits Grimsby “fishcake El Dorado” factory
• Boris Johnson in Lincolnshire: County is levelling up
• Boris Johnson in Lincolnshire: County will get devolution – but doesn’t need a mayor
• Boris Johnson in Lincolnshire: RAF Waddington crucial to monitoring Ukraine crisis
• Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits The Lincolnite and RAF Waddington

The MP for Grantham and Stamford Gareth Davies, and Sleaford and North Hykeham MP Caroline Johnson are the latest from Lincolnshire to resign, with the government mounting pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to stand down.

Boris Johnson is at crisis point. It is understood he plans to stand down on July 7 after a rafts of cabinet ministers resigned.

Lincolnshire MP Gareth Davies has also now made his feelings known saying “it is with great regret that I have informed the whips office of my resignation as a PPS at the Department of Health and Social Care”.

He added: “It has been a privilege to serve in the role and not a decision I have taken lightly.”

Shortly after this, Caroline Johnson resigned as Vice Chair of the Conservative party.

“I recognise that over time the cumulative effect of your errors of judgement and domestic actions have squandered the goodwill of our great party”, she wrote in her resignation letter.

Conservative Louth and Horncastle MP Victoria Atkins resigned from her post as Justice Minister yesterday, quoting concerns over integrity, decency, respect and professionalism within the government.

Meanwhile, Gainsborough MP Edward Leigh said he “remains a firm supporter” of Boris Johnson after The Lincolnite contacted all 11 Greater Lincolnshire MPs to see if they still backed the Prime Minister or felt he should now resign.

The Prime Minister has come under immense pressure following allegations that Chris Pincher, the Deputy Chief Whip who resigned from his government role last week, groped two men at a private members’ club.

A number of other Lincolnshire MPs, including 1922 Committee member and Lincoln MP Karl McCartney, have remained silent on the issue.