Residents in Louth say the number of housing developments in the town needs to be reduced or stopped and more facilities are needed ahead of local elections.
All of East Lindsey District Council’s 55 seats are up for election next month, however, the Conservatives are already three uncontested seats ahead of the game – with two others going to independent and Labour councillors.
The Tories hold power by 19 seats and would need to lose nine to have overall control taken away from them.
Ahead of the big day, local people have been expressing their views on what needs to be the focus of campaigns, ranging from reduced housing to better roads.
Dusty Miller, who moved to Louth from Lincoln some years ago, said the town was “on the breaking point of having major problems because of the expansion and not enough infrastructure built into the change in circumstances”.
“It has grown with great cost for children. We used to have nurseries and that kind of thing and there was plenty in the towns. Even the playing area near me has been reduced because of the leisure centre,” he said.
“Play areas for children have been compromised at the expense of children’s well-being. A lot more could have been done alongside developments.”
As a cyclist, he added that many of the roads in the town were unsuitable for the growth.
“At certain times traffic is never ending. You can have a queue from Upgate all the way down Eastgate.
“We are also getting increased pollution problems. There are days in summer when it does get still and it just builds up.”
The Westfield Park development is one of the major developments in Louth given permission in September.
Resident Mary Graves, said the number of houses being built on Grimsby Road was a worry. She believed it would negate the impact of the town’s bypass by bringing traffic back onto the road.
She added: “There’s not enough for kids to do either, when they’re denying the town McDonald’s and things like that they need to make sure they’re making up for it.”
Other residents called for prospective councillors to put continued pressure on hospital bosses to save or return health services to the area.
Issues included anti-social behaviour and vandalism of town facilities, while others criticised a recent introduction of charges to use the town centre toilets.
One resident, who did not wish to be named, said: “Why should we be charged for something that comes naturally to all of us? I know it’s for upkeep but I think it should be a voluntary donation, not an absolute charge.”
Businesses in Louth’s market area.
East Lindsey District Council is currently Conservative-led, with the party holding 36 seats. The next biggest party is the East Lindsey Independent Group, which holds seven seats, while the make-up otherwise consists of Labour four, Lib Dems two, UKIP two, and one Independent.
There are currently three vacancies on the council.
However, the two UKIP members Danny Brookes (Skegness Winthorpe) and Mark Dannatt (Skegness St Clements) are both running under a Skegness Urban District Society banner this time round.
Two of the independents, Stephen Palmer (Sutton on Sea) and John Byford (Skegness Scarborough and Independent), are not listed as running this time round.
They will join five Conservative party members who are also not taking part in this year’s elections, those being Pauline Cooper (Croft), Susanna Gorst (Woodhall Spa), Robert Palmer (Marshchapel and Somercotes), Alan Vassar (Willoughby and Sloothby) and Siobhan Weller (Holten le Clay and North Thoresby).
The uncontested seats encompass three in Coningsby and Mareham (Conservatives Stan Avison, Martin Foster and Alex Hall) and two in Holten le Clay and Thoresby (Independent Terry Aldridge and Labour Phyll Smith).
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A 39-year-old woman remains in hospital a month after being found with serious injuries at a property in Spalding, but police are no longer investigating the incident.
Officers were called to a property on Cradge Bank just after 11am on Monday, April 5, where the woman was found injured and taken to hospital. Officers remained at the scene for several days.
Lincolnshire Police were trying to establish what caused her injuries and arrested three men and one woman, aged 50, 51, 55, and 48 respectively.
Cradge Bank in Spalding. | Photo: Stephen Daniels
Police said on Friday, May 7 that those arrested have been released with no further action.
The force added that it is no longer investigating the incident.
Leader of Lincolnshire County Council Martin Hill said his party retaining control of the authority was “a resounding success” for the Conservatives.
The Tory group passed the 36 seat mark, giving them overall control of the council following the local elections on May 6.
Councillor Hill said: “This means we have a manifesto which we will then deliver for the public of Lincolnshire and we have a stable situation of the county council and can continue the running of it as a Conservative council.
“Thank you for giving the Conservatives once again a resounding thumbs up, we will work hard for you and take the lessons learned so far.”
He promised to move forward on tackling potholes and fly-tipping as well as campaigning for more funding for the authority.
At the time of publication, Labour had two seats, Independents had five seats, Liberal Democrats had three seats and South Holland Independents have one seat.
A Year 9 student at Cleethorpes Academy has tested positive for coronavirus, resulting in 28 pupils now self-isolating as a precaution.
Principal Mrs Janice Hornby sent a letter to parents/carers on Thursday, May 6 and said the school is continuing to monitor the situation and is working closely with Public Health England.
The students who are self-isolating will continue remote learning at home for 10 days.
The school remains open to other students who should continue to attend if they remain well.
Janice Hornby, Cleethorpes Academy Principal, said: “We want to reassure parents that we have followed advice from Public Health England and the DfE in responding to this matter immediately.
“My senior and pastoral leaders work quickly to identify all close contacts and telephone every family to explain the requirement to self-isolate. Students are isolated in school until we contact the family.
“All students who are required to isolate will return to remote learning until we can welcome them back into school.
“We have continued to follow national public health guidance around preventing the spread of coronavirus in school. Social distancing, frequent hand washing, wearing of face coverings and regular cleaning is being rigorously practised right across the Academy, and we have robust risk assessment processes in place.
“I urge all staff and students to remain vigilant at all times and to continue to follow the guidelines to ensure that we can keep each other as safe as possible. We wish our student a very speedy recovery.”
Cleethorpes Academy is currently the only school within the Tollbar Multi Academy Trust with a case of coronavirus.
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