August 4, 2016 4.35 pm
This story is over 68 months old
Why Labour oppose an elected mayor for Lincolnshire
Robert Parker is the Labour Lincolnshire County Councillor for the Lincoln West ward. There’s just a few days left to stop the Tory Government imposing a single elected mayor for the Humber to the Wash with massive new powers. In his final Budget, former Chancellor George Osborne announced the creation of a new ‘devolved’ Greater…
Robert Parker is the Labour Lincolnshire County Councillor for the Lincoln West ward.
There’s just a few days left to stop the Tory Government imposing a single elected mayor for the Humber to the Wash with massive new powers.
In his final Budget, former Chancellor George Osborne announced the creation of a new ‘devolved’ Greater Lincolnshire Authority – but only if the ten current local councils agree to an all-powerful directly elected mayor.
I’ve not met anyone across our county – of any party or none – who thinks creating yet another expensive tier of local government is a good idea. It’s been called a gravy train, an unwanted quango, a waste of our money!
Even some senior Tories have condemned it as crazy – Gainsborough MP Sir Edward Leigh accused Osborne of acting like a ‘dictator’ in ‘blackmailing’ the people of Lincolnshire.
Others believe that having a mayor forced on us may be a price worth paying to get Osborne’s bribe of an ‘extra’ £15 million a year to spend across the ten current councils covering the Humber to the Wash.
If you believe it’s new money, of course £15 million would be welcome. But it’s a drop in the ocean compared to the six years of damaging Tory cuts we’ve already suffered – £40 million was slashed from Lincolnshire County Council’s budget by Government in the past year alone – with £50 million more cuts still to come.
In addition, millions have been axed from the budgets of the other nine authorities, again with more cuts planned to the vital services that the most vulnerable in our society rely on.
Many believe that creating an directly elected mayor is Osborne’s scam to devolve blame for even bigger cuts to come.
And of course, here in Lincoln, we’ve had an elected mayor for hundreds and hundreds of years!
There’s only a few days left in the official consultation for you and others to make your views known. Closing date is next Monday, August 8 at 5pm.
While there’s been very limited publicity on the consultation, there is a form in the current Lincolnshire County Council print publication County News. You can also get them from council venues like libraries and leisure centres.
Lincolnshire County Labour Group believe that devolution WITHOUT a directly elected Mayor should be an option.
The fact we have a ‘new’ government provides the chance for ministers to have a rethink.
That’s why we’ve written to the new Chancellor pointing out that across the political spectrum in Lincolnshire, there’s absolutely no appetite for a directly elected mayor and asking him to reconsider Osborne’s so called deal for Greater Lincolnshire.
Over the summer, Lincolnshire Labour has successfully campaigned to stop the Tories making Lincoln the only city in the country without fire-fighters on duty at the fire station 24/7.
Let’s make our voice is heard even louder this time.
Robert Parker is a Labour councillor on Lincolnshire County Council for Lincoln West. He is also the deputy leader of the Labout group on the county council.
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.
August 4, 2016 3.57 pm
This story is over 68 months old
Why Labour oppose an elected mayor for Lincolnshire
Robert Parker is the Labour Lincolnshire County Councillor for the Lincoln West ward. There’s just a few days left to stop the Tory Government imposing a single elected mayor for the Humber to the Wash with massive new powers. In his final Budget, former Chancellor George Osborne announced the creation of a new ‘devolved’ Greater…
Robert Parker is the Labour Lincolnshire County Councillor for the Lincoln West ward.
There’s just a few days left to stop the Tory Government imposing a single elected mayor for the Humber to the Wash with massive new powers.
In his final Budget, former Chancellor George Osborne announced the creation of a new ‘devolved’ Greater Lincolnshire Authority – but only if the ten current local councils agree to an all-powerful directly elected mayor.
I’ve not met anyone across our county – of any party or none – who thinks creating yet another expensive tier of local government is a good idea. It’s been called a gravy train, an unwanted quango, a waste of our money!
Even some senior Tories have condemned it as crazy – Gainsborough MP Sir Edward Leigh accused Osborne of acting like a ‘dictator’ in ‘blackmailing’ the people of Lincolnshire.
Others believe that having a mayor forced on us may be a price worth paying to get Osborne’s bribe of an ‘extra’ £15 million a year to spend across the ten current councils covering the Humber to the Wash.
If you believe it’s new money, of course £15 million would be welcome. But it’s a drop in the ocean compared to the six years of damaging Tory cuts we’ve already suffered – £40 million was slashed from Lincolnshire County Council’s budget by Government in the past year alone – with £50 million more cuts still to come.
In addition, millions have been axed from the budgets of the other nine authorities, again with more cuts planned to the vital services that the most vulnerable in our society rely on.
Many believe that creating an directly elected mayor is Osborne’s scam to devolve blame for even bigger cuts to come.
And of course, here in Lincoln, we’ve had an elected mayor for hundreds and hundreds of years!
There’s only a few days left in the official consultation for you and others to make your views known. Closing date is next Monday, August 8 at 5pm.
While there’s been very limited publicity on the consultation, there is a form in the current Lincolnshire County Council print publication County News. You can also get them from council venues like libraries and leisure centres.
Lincolnshire County Labour Group believe that devolution WITHOUT a directly elected Mayor should be an option.
The fact we have a ‘new’ government provides the chance for ministers to have a rethink.
That’s why we’ve written to the new Chancellor pointing out that across the political spectrum in Lincolnshire, there’s absolutely no appetite for a directly elected mayor and asking him to reconsider Osborne’s so called deal for Greater Lincolnshire.
Over the summer, Lincolnshire Labour has successfully campaigned to stop the Tories making Lincoln the only city in the country without fire-fighters on duty at the fire station 24/7.
Let’s make our voice is heard even louder this time.
Robert Parker is the Labour Lincolnshire County Councillor for the Lincoln West ward.
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.
COVID is still a daily reality for many people – however the rates have almost fallen to zero in several areas of Lincolnshire.
Parts of the government’s interactive map showing rates across the region are now the lowest possible level, representing less than three cases in a week.
Coronavirus is considered to be suppressed in these areas.
The biggest area to fall into the bottom category is Wragby, Roughton & Ludford, near Horncastle.
Parts of the east coast have also suppressed COVID, including Skegness, Wainfleet All Saints and Sutton-on-Sea.
In North East Lincolnshire, Cleethorpes West and Littlefield North have also hit the bottom category.
The data is for the seven days leading up to May 12.
The low Covid rates may be due to fewer people testing | Photo: Gov.uk
It reflects how many cases are being reported, but doesn’t take into account the fact that fewer people may be testing now restrictions have been relaxed.
At the other end of the scale, Glebe Park in Lincoln is the area with the highest recorded number of people testing positive, with a total of 15 cases (equivalent to 206 per 100,000 residents.)
Overall, the south and east of the county are seeing lower rates.
East Lindsey, South Kesteven, South Holland and Boston are all in the 50 to 99 cases per 100,000 band, while the remaining districts are 100 to 199 per 100,000.
It is still advised to self-isolate if you test positive for coronavirus, but is no longer mandatory.
Tests are now only free to NHS or care workers, people with certain health conditions, and those going into hospital for a procedure. They can be ordered online, however all other members of the public are required to pay for them.
After garnering media attention from around the world, residents of Grantham have had their say on the new Margaret Thatcher statue.
The Lincolnite Podcast host Ronnie Byrne travelled to the Iron Lady’s birthplace to ask passers-by what they made of the £300,000 memorial.
Of the 17 people asked, all 17 supported the statue as a tribute to the former prime minister’s legacy, but only three were willing to express their views in a recorded format.
While the new erection was gauged by all as a fitting memorial to Thatcher’s legacy, not all assessments were without complaint, with one person describing it as “a bit boring”.
Another was shocked the figure was missing her signature handbag.
Hit the play button below to listen:
The statue has been the subject of international headlines this week, after footage appeared online of a man launching eggs at the effigy, just hours after its installation.
The man was later identified as 59-year-old Jeremy Webster, the deputy director of the Attenborough Arts Centre at the University of Leicester.
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