Leading Lincolnshire Conservatives clash over referendum and county council performance

Health bosses expect more areas of the UK to go into higher tiers in the coming weeks, including potentially “some areas of Lincolnshire”.

Assistant director of public health Tony McGinty said there were “no discussions” currently ongoing with government agencies about numbers in Lincolnshire.

However, he said numbers of COVID cases will continue to increase.

On Thursday, the total number across Greater Lincolnshire passed the 4,000 mark — nearly five times September’s figure of 820.

The county is currently on the lowest tier (medium), which means it is subject to the general measures of tackling COVID, such as the 10pm hospitality curfew and the rule of six.

A chart of Lincolnshire’s cases up to October 22.

However, Lincolnshire borders tier 3 lockdowns in South Yorkshire, while to the west Newark and Sherwood district of Nottinghamshire has reportedly escaped the fate of some of its neighbours in going up to the highest level of restrictions.

Mr McGinty said: “I believe that more areas of the country, including potentially some areas of Lincolnshire, may be asked to consider going up a tier, or we may decide that we simply need to go up to tier to get to get additional control measures in place.

“That will be happening all over the country over the coming weeks now.” It is understood this could happen by the end of November.

Mr McGinty said more “sensitive” local control measures were still the best way forward for now, but added “the time may come where that isn’t feasible anymore”.

“The longer that we can allow areas that can manage it to have more economic, social and well-being freedom, the better.

“We face a very long winter otherwise, if we go to the higher levels of restrictions earlier than we need to.”

Lincolnshire is tier 1 – medium – lockdown.

Although there is no published criteria for which areas move up and down a tier, it is understood to include those areas with a rate of more than 100-150 cases a week per 100,000, as well as how long they have been in that bracket.

According to the latest government data, Lincolnshire’s latest seven-day rate was 102.1 per 100,000. Meanwhile North East Lincolnshire was 229.4 and North Lincolnshire was 159.

At a district level, Lincoln (166.2), South Kesteven (112.3) and Boston (106.9) all sit within the criteria level.

The worst affected parts of the Greater Lincolnshire region include New Waltham (409.5) and the Great Coates and The Willows (482.5) areas in the Grimsby area.

Greater Lincolnshire is doing much better than its neighbours for COVID-19 infection rates but numbers are rising rapidly.

In Lincoln, the Wharf and University (337.7) and Boultham and New Boultham (323.5) areas have the highest infection rates in the most recent figures.

However, health bosses warn that the more local you get with figures, the more variation you might see on a week-to-week basis.

This number can also be hugely affected by the density of population, as well as smaller localised outbreaks in locations such as a schools, care homes or factories.

There have been 1,429 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Greater Lincolnshire this week.

The latest UK coronavirus dashboard figures for Friday showed 153 cases in Lincolnshire, 44 in North Lincolnshire and 73 in North East Lincolnshire.

In total there have been 4,286 cases for the month of October.

This week has also seen 25 deaths of Greater Lincolnshire residents reported by government, with eight of those confirmed to be in the region’s hospitals.

NHS figures for Friday reported three further deaths in hospitals, with two taking place at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust facilities and one at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals Trust facilities.

The government’s own death tally, which includes those both in and out of hospitals and those of residents in hospitals outside the county, showed five new deaths, including four in Lincolnshire and one in North Lincolnshire.

Nationally, cases increased by 20,530 to 830,998, while deaths jumped by 224 to 44,571.

A chart of Lincolnshire’s cases up to October 23.

Lincolnshire is currently still on the medium (tier 1) level for the the new three-tier lockdown system of COVID-19 risk, which means it has no extra restrictions on top of the nation-wide ones.

In other news today, health bosses in Lincolnshire expect more areas of the UK to go into higher tiers in the coming weeks, including potentially “some areas of Lincolnshire”.

They believe the county should have some control over more complicated test and trace contacts, after the Prime Minister admitted the national system “needs to improve”.

As of Friday, there are 88 patients with coronavirus at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust and Northern Lincolnshire NHS Foundation Trust facilities.

Also, parents are being urged to make sure children follow the social distancing rules during half-term, to avoid outbreaks in schools upon their return.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire for Friday, October 23

8,878 cases (up 270)

• 5,755 in Lincolnshire (up 153)
• 1,804 in North Lincolnshire (up 44)
• 1,319 in North East Lincolnshire (up 73)

446 deaths (up five)

• 299 from Lincolnshire (up four)
• 94 from North Lincolnshire (up one)
• 43 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)

of which 292 hospital deaths (up three)

• 155 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up two)
• 6 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
• 1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
• 130 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up one)

830,998 UK cases, 44,571 deaths

DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF the latest update. postcode data includes deaths not in healthcare facilities or in hospitals outside authority boundaries.

A further four schools and one nursery in Lincolnshire have positive cases of coronavirus on Friday.

Lincolnshire County Council said on October 23 that it is working with 88 schools with COVID-19 infections. It is also working with nine nurseries, with Sunflowers Nursery in Saxilby the latest on the list.

There are 14 schools in North East Lincolnshire with current active suspected or confirmed cases. There have been at least seven schools with cases in North Lincolnshire.

The latest additions to the county council’s list are Barnes Wallis Academy (Tattershall), Bourne Grammar School, Spalding Academy and Tedder County Primary School (Ashby de la Launde, Lincoln).

Hawthorn Tree School (Boston), Woodlands Academy (Spilsby), Springwell Alternative Academy (Grantham), St George’s Academy (Ruskington) and Little Learners Pre-School (Lincoln) are the schools currently closed, according to the council’s list.

When there is a positive result at a school it is considered an active case for 14 days. This period will start afresh if there is another positive case at the school. This is why some schools remain on the active case list longer than others.

Andy Fox, consultant in public health, said: “As of this Friday, Lincolnshire’s Health Protection Team is currently working with 88 schools that have had confirmed cases of coronavirus.

“All schools are taking action to limit the potential spread of the virus, with some pupils and staff self-isolating as a precaution where necessary.

“Like the rest of the country, Lincolnshire has seen case numbers rise in recent weeks, and an increasing number of schools affected.

“However, the majority of schools remain fully open, and those affected are working really well to limit both the risk of the virus spreading and the impact on the pupils’ education.”

Schools with current confirmed cases (new in bold at the top):

• Barnes Wallis Academy, Tattershall
• Bourne Grammar School
• Spalding Academy
• Tedder County Primary School, Ashby de la Launde, Lincoln
• Lincoln College
• Queen Elizabeth High School, Gainsborough
• Hackthorn Primary School
• Kesteven and Sleaford High School
• Lincoln Castle Academy
• Lincoln Carlton Academy
• Bluecoat Meres Academy, Grantham
• Kesteven and Grantham Girls School
• Barrowby Primary School
• Billingborough Primary School
• The Priory Academy LSST
• Priory Ruskin Academy, Grantham
• Boston College
• Hawthorn Tree School, Boston (closed)
• Caistor Yarborough Academy
• Haven High Academy, Boston
• Malcolm Sargent Primary School, Stamford
• St George’s Academy, Sleaford
• St Peter and St Paul Academy, Lincoln
• Kirkstone House School, Baston
• Stamford Endowed Schools
• Manor Leas Junior School, Lincoln
• St Hugh’s Catholic Primary, Lincoln
• Ermine Academy, Lincoln
• St Giles Academy, Lincoln
• Branston Community College Academy
• Grantham College
• Kelsey Primary School
• Birchwood Junior School, Lincoln
• Great Steeping Primary School, Spilsby
• Walton Academy, Grantham
• Woodlands Academy, Spilsby (closed)
• Skegness Academy
• Blyton Cum Laughton Primary School
• Castle Wood Academy, Gainsborough
• The King’s School, Grantham
• Westgate Academy, Lincoln
• William Farr School, Welton, Lincoln
• Sir William Robertson Academy, Welbourn, Lincoln
• Kisimul School Acacia Hall, Freisthorpe
• Leslie Manser Primary, Lincoln
• Lincoln St Christopher’s Special School
• Long Sutton Primary School
• Market Deeping Community Primary
• Springwell Alternative Academy, Grantham (closed)
• St Nicholas Primary, Boston
• Community Learning in Partnership, Gainsborough
• Grantham Preparatory International School
• Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Horncastle
• St Michael’s Primary School, Thorpe on the Hill
• University Academy Long Sutton
• Denton Primary School, Grantham
• Bridge House Independent School, Boston
• Charles Read Academy, Grantham
• De Aston School, Market Rasen
• The Lancaster School, Lincoln
• The St Sebastian Primary School, Grantham
• Waddington All Saints Academy
• Bourne Academy
• Claypole Primary School
• St George’s Academy, Ruskington (closed)
• Swinderby All Saints Primary School
• University Academy Holbeach
• Carre’s Grammar School, Sleaford
• Louth Academy
• Boston Grammar School
• Hartsholme Academy, Lincoln
• Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School
• Harlaxton Primary School, Grantham
• Holbeach Primary Academy
• Priory Pembroke Academy, Cherry Willingham
• Little Learners Pre-School, Lincoln (closed)
• The Deepings School
• Spalding High School
• Manor Farm Academy, North Hykeham
• Scampton Primary School
• Sutterton Fourfields Primary School, Boston
• St Botolph’s Primary School, Sleaford
• Fleet Wood Lane Primary School, Spalding
• King Edward VI Academy, Spilsby
• Kirkby on Bain Primary School
• Spalding Parish School
• The National Junior School, Grantham
• William Alvey School, Sleaford

Public Health are also aware of the following nine nurseries with positive cases (new in bold at the top):

• Sunflowers Nursery, Saxilby 
• Town and Country Kiddies Nursery, Louth
• Seashells Nursery, Mablethorpe
• Angels Childcare, Lincoln
• Little Learners Nursery, Skegness
• Nutwood Day Nursery, Lincoln
• Clarence House Day Nursery, Grantham
• Little Acorns Day Nursery, Boston
• Elsaforde Nursery, Sleaford

North East Lincolnshire

According to the latest available data, there are 14 with current active suspected or confirmed cases in North East Lincolnshire.

• Tollbar Academy
• Grimsby Institute
• Ormiston Maritime Academy
• Cleethorpes Academy
• Franklin College
• Healing Science Academy
• Humberston Academy
• William Barcroft Junior School
• Humberston CE Primary School
• Signhills Academy
• Havelock Academy
• Weelsby Academy

There are also two further unnamed schools with active suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases.

In addition, there have also been seven pre-school/alternative settings with cases since the start of September.

North Lincolnshire

There have been at least seven schools, as well as John Leggott College in Scunthorpe, with cases in North Lincolnshire since term restarted.

However, North Lincolnshire Council said it was unable to provide data regarding schools in the region with coronavirus cases.

A road closure has been put in place for around 10 weeks as the Environment Agency starts work on Sincil Dyke outside Lincoln City Football Club’s LNER Stadium.

The works are part of the Environment Agency’s £6 million Lincoln flood defence project and its team will be on site until December. However, work will not take place on Lincoln City match days.

The works will involve a series of improvements to flood defences up to the Spencer Street footbridge.

The works will include strengthening the flood wall running outside the football stadium. | Photo: Environment Agency

This will include strengthening the flood wall running outside the football stadium, installing erosion protection, rock armour and steel sheet piling in specific locations along the river bank.

The scheme will help reduce the risk of flooding to local homes and businesses.

The works are part of the Environment Agency’s £6 million Lincoln flood defence project. | Photo: Environment Agency

The £6 million Lincoln Defences Project, led by the Environment Agency, began in June 2019 and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2021, subject to reasonable weather conditions.

More than 2km of riverside walls and three sluices will have been renovated including at Stamp End, as well as environmental improvements. This will generate economic benefits valued at almost £33 million.