Martin Hill: Leading the way in Lincolnshire

By Martin Hill martinhill

At Lincolnshire County Council we’re always looking for ways of saving public money while at the same time maintaining, and where we can, improving frontline services.

Careful investment and working closely with partners can reap big rewards especially at a time where we must make every penny of council tax payers’ money count.

That is why I am so proud that we are leading the way nationally with the development of Lincoln’s new joint fire, police and ambulance station.

When it opens, this flagship project will be our country’s first operational hub between all three emergency services.

With only months to go before it welcomes its first staff, this impressive building is already becoming an iconic landmark at South Park, as many of you who have driven past the site will be aware.

This project is the latest phase in our efforts to work more closely with our emergency services colleagues.

Our fire and rescue staff are already working alongside the police at one shared headquarters at Nettleham north of Lincoln.

The building, formerly the police headquarters, was refurbished to provide accommodation for both service’s chief officers, administrative staff and 999 control rooms. 

In the east of the county, the new Louth Fire and Ambulance Station opened in 2017.

And last year fire crews and ambulance staff moved into a new shared station in Sleaford. This base also includes offices for LCC staff.

These projects represent a major investment in the future of Lincolnshire’s emergency services – from both local and national funding.

In the long term, we will be making savings on running costs and through not maintaining old buildings. The new hub at South Park will host three services with running costs lower than the current police station on West Parade alone.

The main thing is that by working together we are providing better services to the public.  

Our efforts reflect both a national and local drive for closer collaboration between blue light services, and have attracted £7 million of national government funding.

To find out more about the construction of Lincoln’s new joint fire, police and ambulance station, please watch this video that I have hosted with our police and crime commissioner Marc Jones.

Councillor Martin Hill is the leader of Lincolnshire County Council.