Election fever hasn’t exactly gripped Lincoln in the run up to the City Council elections on May 5. You should go out of your way to catch the bug, though.
At a time when central government is cutting money to local governments across Britain — around £2 billion — your local representatives are making decisions about what services you’ll lose in your area.
City of Lincoln Council’s grant will decrease by 13.8% in 2011-2012, and by a further 10.5% in 2011-2012.
The City Council is responsible for a range of key services. These include street cleaning, bin collections and car parks.
Local elections are your chance to decide who makes the cuts, or ‘efficiency savings’, to these public services on your behalf.
As well as voting to ensure your views are represented, you should vote because it’s your duty as a citizen in a democracy.
Your vote has been hard won over the years, by people like the Chartists and Suffragettes. Across the world, citizens living under dictatorships crave the democratic rights we have in Britain.
Incidentally, there’s also a vote on how we can vote. The referendum on changing the electoral system for general elections from first-past-the-post to the alternative vote (AV) is on the same day. Find out how AV works.
So next time a candidate puts a leaflet through your door, you should read it. If they knock on your door, grill them. Ask the difficult questions.
When you have all the information you need, it’s time to make a decision. Just make sure you go out and vote on May 5 so that decision is heard.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
Villagers in Fiskerton remain cautious yet optimistic in the face of potential flooding, a month after they were advised to evacuate following a considerable amount of rainfall.
Several residents have continued to vigilantly monitor the River Witham’s water levels, prepared with sandbags outside their homes as a precaution after Storm Babet damaged two sections of the riverbank. But, despite the looming threat, there is a prevailing sense of confidence among the community, suggesting that further flooding is unlikely.
News that a £165,000 improvement project on the Handley Monument in Sleaford will commence early next year has been supported by local residents, who feel it is a much needed addition to the town centre, but it hasn’t come without its fair share of criticism.
North Kesteven District Council unveiled its plans for the historic Handley Monument in Sleaford, with a view to improving the surrounding area and also lighting up the monument to attract more attention to its role in the town’s history.
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