Lincoln councillors to decide on green bin charges

South Kesteven District Council bosses have boasted benefits to the value of nearly £1million from the authority’s housing company’s first development – but scrutiny councillors calling for a final review say the picture is not as “rosy” as painted.

The council’s Companies Committee on Tuesday was given an update on Gravitas Housing’s Wherry’s Lane build which according to leaked documents last October was expecting a £132,000 loss leading to it being called a “shambles”.

Although updated profit/loss figures were not given to the meeting, Richard Wyles, Assistant Director of Finance at SKDC, told councillors in a verbal update that the financial gains included £498,000 developers contributions into affordable housing, £171,000 in loan repayments, £107,000 in charges for council staff time and New Homes Bonus grants of £188,000.

Councillors renewed calls for a full review into the project to take place once it was complete before a final decision was made whether to move on to new projects, or to scrap the company entirely.

“That impacts on the overall bottom line of the development. Taking a rounded view the council can see some real financial benefits of the development over and above the fact that 25 families will be living in the heart of the town using all the local facilities,” said Mr Wyles.

He said 21 of the 25 homes on the site had been sold or were due to be sold including 19 apartments and two townhouses.

He said interest “remains very strong” and that all the properties had seen interest, however, some offers had not been viable for the company to consider.

He added that the business case when the project was started had shown sub-5% returns and narrow profit margins, adding that the aim was to “stimulate growth in that area of Bourne where the private sector would not trade”.

A document originally published in the public domain in October showed the company making a loss.

Councillors admitted the report was “optimistic” but were still sceptical on the success of the site.

Councillor Philip Knowles said: “I’m sure everyone will be pleased but the fact remains that all those issues of where revenue is coming from were all expected in the budget and the expected profit from the sale of the things will not be achieved and of course, there will be a losson properties that were built on property that we own, and we didn’t have to pay for in the first place.

“So the rosy picture isn’t quite so rosy.”

Councillor Ashley Baxter said he had been to “nearly all” the meetings about Gravitas.

“It was never predicted that that we would lose any money on it. Full stop. Even though it was a marginal scheme the first presentation said it will make so much money and as they went on, we realised that we weren’t going to make so much money. It is a shame that that it is where it is.”

A man accused of murdering his ex-partner and her nine-year-old son will not give evidence during his trial.

Daniel Boulton, 30, admits the manslaughter of his former girlfriend Bethany Vincent and her son, Darren Henson, but denies their murder.

Ms Vincent and Darren, known to his family as DJ, were both found stabbed to death at their home in High Holme Road, Louth, shortly after 8pm on May 31.

It is alleged Boulton carried out the murders after walking 28 miles from his hostel in Alexandra Road, Skegness.

Daniel Boulton. | Photo: Lincolnshire Police

Boulton was prevented from seeing Ms Vincent by a restraining order but had continued to contact her and sent more than 900 messages on the weekend before the stabbings.

A jury at Lincoln Crown Court heard Boulton’s defence to the murder charge relies on the evidence of a consultant forensic psychiatrist who conducted two interviews with him.

Flowers, candles and photographs were laid by a tree as a vigil was held in memory of alleged Louth murder victims Bethany Vincent and her nine-year-old son Darren Henson. | Photo: Graeme Whitworth

Experts for the defence and prosecution agree Boulton was suffering from a dissocial personality disorder, but the prosecution argue Boulton was still capable of carefully planning the killings.

The jury have to decide if Boulton was suffering from an abnormality caused by a recognised mental condition which substantially impaired his ability to exercise self control.

The site of Daniel Boulton’s arrest at Hubbard’s Hills in Louth. | Photo: Jon Aron

Defence psychiatrist Dr Pablo Vandenabeele told the jury there was a history of Boulton having contact with mental health services at various times going back to 2004.

“It is longstanding and complex,” Dr Vandenabeele explained.

Dr Vandenabeele said he spoke to Boulton for four hours and found him both “quite boastful of violence” and lacking in empathy.

“His lack of feeling for others was very pronounced,” Dr Vandenabeele told the jury.

Floral tributes have been left at High Holme Road, Louth. | Photo: John Aron

Dr Vandenabeele said Boulton also typically blamed other people for his actions including Ms Vincent, DJ and DJ’s father.

When asked about his childhood years, Boulton told Dr Vandenabeele he was repeatedly expelled from school and also bullied.

Boulton also described his father as a “football hooligan who drank too much”.

There was also some evidence of mental health issues in other members of Boulton’s family, Dr Vandenabeele said.

Officers have been taking flowers on behalf of the community to place outside the scene of the crime. | Photo: John Aron

And Boulton also admitted to binge drinking from the age of the 13, gambling with sums up to £1,000 and taking cocaine a few months before the killings.

“He told me he had been suffering from mental health problems most of his life,” Dr Vandenabeele told the jury.

Boulton said he jumped in front of car in 2017, and had been involved in hundreds of fights.

When asked about his employment record, Boulton told Dr Vandenabeele he began working at the age of 25, and held a variety of short term jobs, including working in an amusement arcade, but had last worked in 2019.

Boulton described his relationship with Ms Vincent as “difficult”, and said she was not clear about the future of their relationship.

The trial continues.

Read more from the trial:

• Double murder accused Daniel Boulton asked armed police to shoot him, court told
• Mum and son stabbed in heart by Louth murder accused, court hears
• Louth boy enjoyed bedtime chat with grandma before being stabbed to death
• Daniel Boulton’s 28 mile trek before alleged murder of ex-partner and her son, 9
• Daniel Boulton admits manslaughter in Louth mum and son murder trial
• Louth double murder suspect stabbed off-duty policeman after killings
• Jury sworn in for Louth double murder trial

A series of rolling road closures and traffic restrictions will be in place for the Royal Anglian’s Freedom Parade in Lincoln next week.

Troops from the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment will march through the streets of Lincoln on Friday, February 4.

The rolling road closures will be in place between 12pm and 3.30pm, and there will be no diversion provided during this time.

Traffic restrictions will be in place in the following locations:

• Spring Hill
• Cornhill
• Mint Street
• St Martins Street
• Sincil Street
• Guildhall Street
• Clasketgate
• Garmston Street
• Castle Hill
• Sincil Street
• High Street
• Saltergate
• Steep Hill

The Second Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, ‘The Poachers’, is a light mechanised infantry battalion who recruit from across the East of England – Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Rutland. The freedom of the City of Lincoln was granted to the 2nd Battalion in 1997.