December 31, 2014 9.09 am
This story is over 88 months old
Reflections: Looking back, looking forward
Martin Hill, the Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, looks back on past successes and forward to future challenges in the new year for Lincoln and the county.
Lincolnshire County Council Leader Martin Hill
By Martin HillLeader of Lincolnshire County Council
New Year is a special time, offering the opportunity to look back on past successes and forward to future challenges. Here at Lincolnshire County Council, we’ve got our fair share of both, and I’d like to highlight a few through The Lincolnite.
One hugely important success is the opening of the £145m Energy from Waste plant in North Hykeham in March 2014.
This state-of-the art facility – the biggest investment in Lincolnshire since the cathedral – is on target to process 150,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste in its first year.
By burning the rubbish safely at extremely high temperatures, we’re removing the need to bury it in landfill sites.
Over its 25-year lifetime, the plant – officially opened a few weeks ago by Business Secretary Vince Cable – will save the taxpayer an estimated £28m in landfill charges.
It will also generate enough clean electricity for 26,500 homes every year, helping meet our energy needs while protecting the local environment.
Elsewhere in Lincoln, the council and its partners have started work on the £22m East-West Link, connecting High Street to Pelham Bridge and Canwick Road.
It will provide a new route across the city, avoiding the High Street level crossing, while Network Rail is building footbridges both there and at Brayford Wharf East.
Outside the city centre, work will start early in the New Year on upgrading Canwick Road, with an additional southbound lane being created.
There will also be improvements at the South Park Avenue and Washingborough Road junctions, and an old railway culvert will be converted into a subway.
Looking ahead, we’re determined to make further progress towards the creation of the Lincoln Eastern Bypass, easing congestion and boosting economic prosperity.
To support local jobs and businesses, the council plays a leading role in the Greater Lincolnshire Enterprise Partnership, which has secured £40m from the Government’s Growth Deal, with a further £27.5m earmarked for the future.
Our Onlincolnshire project with BT is also ensuring the rapid roll-out of superfast broadband across the county, with availability set to reach 89% of all properties by 2016.
Then there is the Lincolnshire Health and Care initiative, which aims to provide much more integrated health and social care services for our growing population, particularly as many of us live for longer.
Already, neighbourhood teams have been launched in some areas, including the south of Lincoln, to ensure you get the right care, when you need it, close to home.
Looking forward to 2015, I’m excited about the Lincoln Castle Revealed Project, with the refurbished site opening to visitors in April, ready for the Magna Carta 800th anniversary celebrations in June.
Of course, all this investment costs money, as do the many services we provide – day in, day out, all year round – for local residents.
Despite that, we have found savings of around £150m since 2011, and are now looking to reduce our annual budget by a further £90m.
It’s a major challenge for us in 2015 and beyond, but it can be done – particularly with input from residents.
Our initial budget proposals for the new financial year will be available at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk from 6 January.
If you have a moment in New Year, please let us know your views before 3 February, whether online, by emailing [email protected] or on our answerphone at 01522 553648.
If you prefer, you can write (no stamp required) to Lincolnshire County Council, Resources and Community Safety Directorate, Treasury and Financial Strategy, FREEPOST RSTY-UXJB-ARHK, Lincoln, LN1 1YL.
Thank you in anticipation of your input – and a Happy New Year to all The Lincolnite readers!
Martin Hill OBE is the Conservative Leader of Lincolnshire County Council. A former farmer, Martin was elected to Lincolnshire County Council in 1993, representing Folkingham Rural. He became council leader in 2005 and was later awarded an OBE for services to Lincolnshire. Martin lives in a former pub at Kirby Underwood with wife Janice and their irrepressible Patterdale Terrier, Boris.
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.
A man allegedly assaulted and verbally abused a member of rail staff after being questioned over having an incorrect ticket.
A member of rail staff on board questioned the man travelling on a train from Lincoln to Leeds with an incorrect ticket at 5.03pm on Tuesday, May 3.
British Transport Police said when the train was stood at Worksop station, the man grabbed his arm and pulled him whilst verbally abusing him. He is then said to have thrown a drink bottle at his leg.
On Wednesday, May 18 British Transport Police released a CCTV image of a man they believe may have information which could help their investigation.
They did not specify whether or not he is a suspect or a witness.
Do you recognise this man? | Photo: British Transport Police
Anyone who recognises the man, or has any information, is being urged to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 516 of 03/05/22.
Alternatively, information can be reported through the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A burglar who took sentimental items from the home of an 84-year-old woman while she was asleep in her chair was on Wednesday jailed for 20 months.
Lincoln Crown Court heard Wendy Bird woke to find her handbag had been taken from the living room of her Mablethorpe home.
Jerry Johnson, 25, of no fixed address, admitted burgling the property on 4 March this year.
Phillip Plant, prosecuting, said Mrs Bird fell asleep after being left at 11am by a relative and woke at 1.45pm to find her handbag gone.
Among the items taken were a watch valued at £800, £40 in cash, some sentimental gold rings, a bank card and batteries for a hearing aid.
Mr Plant said Johnson was a disqualified driver but later the same day used Mrs Bird’s bank card to spend £21 at the Empire filling station in Mablethorpe.
Police were able to identify Johnson on CCTV from his distinctive tattoos and the car was spotted again at Tesco in Skegness at 4.30pm on the same day.
The court heard Johnson failed to stop for officers and drove away, before being involved in a collision.
Johnson also pleaded guilty to failing to stop, failing to stop after an accident, driving while disqualified and a charge of fraudulently using Mrs Bird’s bank card on 4 March.
In a victim impact statement Mrs Bird said she now felt like a prisoner in her own home and always had to keep her doors locked.
Johnson, who represented himself in court, apologised to Mrs Bird, stating: “To the lady I am really sorry. At the time I was on drugs.”
Passing sentence Judge John Pini QC told Johnson: “This was a very mean offence.”
He was jailed for 20 months and disqualified from driving for two years and ten months.
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