I love living in Lincoln with my husband and my two children and I’m standing to be our Member of Parliament because I want our city to be a better, fairer and a more prosperous place. Like many people in Lincoln, I’m from a military background. My dad served in the Royal Engineers and I was born on RAF Wegberg in Germany. Growing up in Forces communities made me fiercely patriotic and gave me a passion for public service and for hard work.
I’ve been Lincoln Labour’s candidate to be your next MP for more than three years now and, over that time, I’ve knocked on tens of thousands of doors and spoken to residents in every single area of Lincoln, and in Skellingthorpe, Bracebridge Heath and Waddington too. I’ve listened to people’s concerns and frustrations, and I’ve heard about their hopes and aspirations for the future.
People tell me that they want their children to get on and for them to be able to afford to buy a house one day; they tell me they don’t want to see the Tories continue to cut our Lincolnshire Police force; they say their elderly relatives have been let down by the social care system, that their business is being held back by a lack of available finance, that they want our NHS to be restored to health, that our city’s traffic congestion is appalling, that their energy bills are through the roof.
On all of these things and plenty, plenty more, I’m standing for change. I’m for the many, not just a privileged few, and I want to see our city and our country really thrive. Regular Lincolnite readers will know that I’ve been campaigning on a wide range of issues over the last three years, but I’ve made five specific pledges to Lincoln residents at the General Election, so people are clear what my priorities would be as their MP.
First, I’ll campaign relentlessly for our city to receive our fair share of investment, both public sector investment, like our police and NHS, and private sector investment too. That means championing Lincoln as a dynamic city for businesses to invest and playing my part in bringing jobs and opportunities here.
Second, I’ll restore and protect our local NHS. That means more doctors, nurses and midwives for County Hospital; it means more GPs and a guaranteed GP appointment within 48 hours or sooner if you need it; and it means more homecare workers and integrated health and social care services.
Third, I’ll champion a far better transport deal for our city, including: easing traffic congestion with the Eastern Bypass built ASAP and a park and ride scheme; more Lincoln-London trains before 2019 and more and faster trains to our neighbouring cities; more and better cycle routes; improved local bus services, and solutions to the terrible congestion at the Doddington Road and Skellingthorpe Road level crossings.
Fourth, I’ll help ease the cost of living crisis and give people more money in their pocket. That means a tax cut for working people, more affordable childcare, an energy price freeze and reform of the energy market, and scrapping the cruel bedroom tax.
Fifth, I’ll help build a fairer and more prosperous Lincoln economy, with a rates freeze for small businesses, banning exploitative zero hours contracts and making work pay with an £8 minimum wage.
Lastly, it’s really important to me that people know that if I am elected as your MP, I will work day in, day out, on behalf of our city and all who live here. I will be 100% committed to being your representative – that means being your full-time MP, with no second job. I will be transparent and accountable to you at all times and I will behave in a way that I hope restores your faith in politics.
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Lucy Rigby is Lincoln Labour's candidate to be the city's next MP. She is a solicitor and lives in central Lincoln.
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.
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 35-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of possession of drugs with intent to administer them at a Lincoln night club.
Police arrested the 35-year-old in the early hours of Friday morning after “swift and proactive” work in partnership with staff at a nightclub in the city, officers and CCTV teams.
The man was arrested on suspicion of drug possession with intent to administer them, in light of recent drink spiking incidents in the city.
It has sparked outrage, with a boycott of nightclubs and bars planned on Wednesday, October 27 to raise awareness of the issue.
Marc Jones, Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner, said the arrest was ‘superb’ and should send a ‘huge signal’ to any would be criminals.
A superb arrest! We cannot accept people being unsafe when they go out with friends for a drink. This arrest should send a huge signal to those would be criminals who look to prey on our community in this despicable way. https://t.co/dBaebzqbq4
A Lincoln mum who has been scared of heights for her whole life will face her fear when she takes on a charity skydive next month.
Zoe Sheridon, who works as the activities lead at Tennyson Wharf Care Home near Lincoln, is raising money for mental health charity MIND.
She told The Lincolnite: “I’ve had the fear of heights my whole life. As a child I was petrified of even walking across a small bridge over a pond or the gaps between stairs. The fear is just as bad now.
“I think it is always good to challenge yourself. If you are prepared to face your fears it can inspire others as well. Our residents know how hard these challenges have been for me, and it has inspired them to do more things such as exercise sessions.
“I don’t think anything could prepare me for what is about to come. I am excited and really nervous, but I know the feeling afterwards will be amazing.”
“I know the moment when I’m up there and have to get out will be really hard, but I will focus on the fact it will be over and done with quickly. I want to take in the moment and enjoy the adrenaline rush.”
She added: “With the pandemic there has been so many stories of people who have committed suicide, lost their job and struggled with mental health and being stuck indoors.
“You see so many stories of the people that it has effected and the charity [MIND] is crying out for help and support. There is a waiting list for people to receive that support and it would be good if the support was more readily available, and fundraising can help do that.
“I have always been passionate about doing what I can to help others so even if it can help one person then it will be worth it.”
Zoe is no stranger to charity work after raising £385.50 for Guide Dogs UK when she completed a 24-hour sponsored walk around Burton Waters, Skellingthorpe, Odder and Lincoln, including Steep Hill, with her colleague Dawn Bailey in May this year.
The 29-year-old said she is not physically fit and it took her days to get over the walk in what was “one of the hardest challenges” she’s ever done, but the upcoming charity skydive on November 6 will be even tougher.
Zoe took on a 24-hour sponsored walk with her colleague, head chef Dawn, to raise money for Guide Dogs UK.
Zoe, her husband, and children Riley, seven, and Faye, nine, visited Arial Trail in Scunthorpe this summer. She said she spent the whole time “hugging trees and trying not to cry in front of the kids” and the ropes were “shaking so much”.
Zoe is the activities lead at Tennyson Wharf Care Home near Lincoln and is pictured taking residents on a day out.
Zoe will take on her skydive challenge at Skydive Langar in Nottinghamshire and is hoping to raise £430 for MIND – donate to her fundraiser here.
Zoe and Dawn raised £385.50 for Guide Dogs UK.
Zoe, Dawn and two care home residents present a cheque to Guide Dogs UK.
South Kesteven District Council officers will try to block plans to build more than 200 new homes in Stamford.
The authority’s planning committee will be asked to consider an application from Vistry Partnerships, Cross Keys Developments, Wm Morrisons and New River Retail to build 213 homes on land north of Uffington Road on Thursday.
However, officers have said the proposal is “of poor quality design and layout, falling well short of an acceptable standard” and that it “fails to suitably reflect the gateway location to the town”.
“The proposed density is excessive for the context, resulting in deficiencies in public open space and landscaping provision and in dominant and incongruous buildings at the site entrance which is a key entrance point to the town,” said a report before members.
“Furthermore, the proposal, considered together with the submitted masterplan and design code fails to demonstrate that the wider site allocation would be developed holistically and with provision of suitable connections to the surrounding area and town centre.”
They added the loss of employment land was not “adequately justified”.
How the site would be laid out.
The new homes would include a mixture of one and two-bedroom apartments and two to four-bedroom houses. The plans would also see 136 of the properties (64%) allocated as affordable.
Objections from Stamford’s town council and civic society along with several residents raised concerns over the impact on local infrastructure, noise and light, drainage and highways.
In documents to the council, the applicants said the proposals would contribute “a range of high-quality new homes on a redundant brownfield site, to meet the demand for housing supply in the region”.
They added it would connect pedestrian links, create access to public transport, and incorporate existing green infrastructure.
“It will provide a range of new homes, in a coherent layout and of a style that will create a unique sense of place,” they said.
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