Lincolnshire Police ran their first major East Midlands Operational Support Service (EMOpSS) joint force operation in the county on Friday, June 20.
Since January, operational support Services in Lincolnshire have been integrated into a four-force collaboration, working alongside Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire police.
Their remit covers roads policing, armed policing, public order, police dogs and command and control. Benefits of this collaboration include increased resilience, capacity, consistency of approach and efficiency.
Although local response units will still be first on scene with their local knowledge and experience, the combined resources of four forces can be called upon when required for targeted and prioritised operations.
One such operation, the first of its kind and scale in Lincolnshire since the formation of EMOpSS, was conducted in Lincolnshire on June 20.
Photo: Steve Smailes/The Lincolnite
The ‘F4tal 4’ is a national campaign focusing on the four main causes of injury and death on the roads: drink/drug driving, speeding, mobile phones and seatbelts.
A large scale operation was run in the morning at eight locations around Lincoln, using officers from all four of the EMOpSS forces.
The eight checkpoints in and around Lincoln were staffed by teams led by a Lincolnshire officer, but working with up to 10 officers from other forces.
There were also technicians present to check that vehicles are roadworthy, and background checks were carried out on licences and insurance details.
Photo: Steve Smailes/The Lincolnite
Lincolnshire Police Superintendent Shaun West, EMOpSS Superintendent for Lincs and Notts, said: “Operations such as this demonstrate the benefits of collaborative working between forces.
“Previously, we wouldn’t have had the resources to mount such a large scale operation in a single day, but the eight checkpoints mean that we can have a really significant impact on tackling the Fatal 4 in and around Lincoln.
“Road death and serious injury happens across the region, so a regional response is right and appropriate.
“Drivers in the county should be aware that policing the roads will involve officers from across the region working together in bigger teams and at more locations than would otherwise have been possible.
“Drivers may well be stopped on the day by an officer from another force, but offences will still be dealt with and processed by Lincolnshire Police.”
Photo: Steve Smailes/The Lincolnite
Operation results
Following the operation in Lincoln on Friday, police said 103 Traffic Offences Reports (TORs) will be submitted for not wearing seatbelts, 29 for mobile telephone use, 10 for excess speed and 11 for other issues such as smashed windscreens.
Two vehicles were seized for no insurance / no driving licence.
They also issued two Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme notices which give drivers two weeks to correct a fault.
Two arrests were made, one of a man who will be charged (when fit) with excess alcohol after blowing 111 in a breath test and another man arrested on suspicion of theft and possession of drugs.
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Residents in Grimsby will now be able to order from Deliveroo, after the food delivery service launched earlier than expected.
The company said it would launch in March, but it was expected to be later in the month.
However, the date was brought forward “by weeks” according to Deliveroo, due to wanting to “help” restaurants and customers through lockdown.
A total of 71 restaurants will be at the disposal of Deliveroo customers, including chains such as KFC, Subway and Burger King, as well as local favourites.
More local businesses are being added to the list, and any restaurants, takeaways or grocery retailers can apply to become a Deliveroo partner here.
The service hopes to deliver food and groceries to people’s doors in as little as 20 minutes, and are looking for up to 50 people in the area to become delivery riders.
In celebration of the launch in Grimsby, Deliveroo are offering all customers 20% off orders until April 4, using the code: GRIMSBY10.
This is an offer for new customers only, with a minimum spend of over £15 for one redemption per person.
It has become the third area in Lincolnshire to have access to Deliveroo, following the launches in Lincoln and Scunthorpe.
Harrison Foster, regional director for Deliveroo UK, said: “Launching in Grimsby is a key milestone for Deliveroo. Grimsby has a thriving foodie community and a wide range of restaurants and retailers, so we’re excited to connect them.
“We look forward to working with our new partners to reach a new customer base and expand their businesses.”
Lincolnshire parents are being warned not to change their behaviour on the playground as schools go back next week.
Local health bosses are concerned that adults dropping their children off at school will take the opportunity to gather with others, but say the social distancing and lockdown rules have not changed.
They expect infection rates to rise as pupils return to the classroom, but are not overly concerned about children, who are usually only mildly affected, and praised the return of youngsters to the classroom.
Lincolnshire County Council’s director of public health Professor Derek Ward, however, said the chances of catching a stronger form of coronavirus was higher in adults.
The infection rate in school age children is currently 54 per 100,000 population, compared to just under 70 for those aged over 60 and 103 for the county as a whole.
“The bigger risk is that parents will meet each other around the school, or because their children are together in school will think “oh it doesn’t matter, I don’t have to stay away” and they won’t follow the guidance,” said Professor Ward.
“So my biggest concern, the really strong message is, we are a long way from being out of this.
“I know some print media seems to want to say that we’re through it, it’s all hunky dory — but it’s not.
“While it’s really, really important that children and young people get back to education, it’s equally as important that all the parents carry on as they are today – they stay at home, they work from home if they can, and they do not change their behaviours around their children’s friends, families or their wider friendship groups as adults in any way shape or form.”
Evidence suggests children are less susceptible to the virus, and if they do catch it usually only have a mild form.
Professor Ward said this meant hospitalisations or impact on general NHS services was less likely.
The government’s roadmap out of the coronavirus lockdown includes a five-week step to analyse the impact of the return to the classroom.
Infection rates in general continue to hover between the 100-130 range and health chiefs expect this to continue.
South Holland District Council remains around fifth in the country due to a series of workplace and care home outbreaks, as well as the small number of people in the district – but bosses say it has come down.
Concerns remains around workplace infections including low-income workers.
Councils warring over the future of Lincoln’s Usher Gallery may be about to make peace after new plans were revealed.
Lincolnshire County Council and the City of Lincoln Council have been butting heads over the art gallery since the county announced it wanted to use the landmark as a venue for weddings and other events in a bid for it to earn its keep.
However, new plans lay out how the gallery could instead be split in two, with the upper floor being used for events similar to the recent Museum of the Moon and Dinosaur exhibits at the Collection, while the downstairs would remain an art gallery.
County Councillor Nick Worth, executive member for heritage, said: “What we’ve said in our plan going forward is that to make that work we would need to have some flexibility.
“That way we can bring in a revenue stream on that top floor that would make it financially sustainable and then we could work with the [art and artefact] collections to bring in some big events in cooperation with the Usher.”
He confirmed that other locations had also now been found for the registrars and coroners court to go, and that the county would remain happy to look after the heritage it already does so – meaning there would be no need for it to be transferred to Nottingham under the city’s current plans.
Councillor Nick Worth, executive member for Culture and Heritage at the county council. | Photo: LCC
Councillor Worth hoped the events would attract tens of thousands of visitors and would also allow more artefacts to be displayed on a themed or rotating basis.
Currently he said, around 10% of the millions of artefacts under the council’s stewardship are seen, but under new plans that would increase to 30-40%.
“There are some fantastic stories in that basement and I would love to see them shown”.
“It’s a very simple message: just give us some flexibility on that top floor of the gallery and we’ve sorted the problem. We can have some great collaborative exhibitions between the collection and the actual gallery.”
City of Lincoln Council leader Ric Metcalfe. | Photo: Connor Creaghan for The Lincolnite
Leader of the City of Lincoln Council Ric Metcalfe welcomed the new plans and urged a return to the negotiating table.
He said: “We welcome the county council’s decision to explore alternative uses for the space at the Usher art gallery.
“We always had concerns that the services they proposed to move into the building were a poor fit.
“As they have now announced that they are seeking to move to a more arts event-based offering at the Usher, we would welcome a conversation with them to hear more about their proposals.”
It is hoped The Usher Gallery will reopen later this year as part of the Prime Minister’s roadmap out of lockdown.
Lincoln Castle and Collection are hoped to reopen in April with other destinations such as the Museum of Lincolnshire Live, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the Usher gradually joining them after with social distance measures.
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