All frontline police officers across Lincolnshire have been told not to take a holiday during the Brexit deadline week as the force prepares for possible fallout.
Operation Yellowhammer, a leaked government report into no-deal Brexit preparations, expects food and fuel shortages, as well as protests and counter-protests, with police time majorly devoted to handling “community tensions” that might happen.
With the current political situation in flux, it’s unclear whether Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be able to secure a new deal with the EU, or whether Parliament, due to return on Wednesday, will approve a deal — or whether an extension will be needed until January 31, 2020.
Currently, Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable Bill Skelly is on annual leave for several weeks.
Temporary Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police, Jason Harwin
Temporary Chief Constable Jason Harwin said: “Here in Lincolnshire Police, as in many other forces throughout England and Wales, we have made detailed plans ready for if Britain leaves the European Union on October 31.
“These plans prepare for a number of contingencies and, as ever in policing, are based on a number of possible scenarios and are assessed around possible threat and risk.
“We prepare for everything because to not do so would be doing a disservice to the people of Lincolnshire.
“A request has been made of frontline officers to not take any leave during the week that we are due to leave the European Union.
“This is simply a precaution should extra resources be needed and is an action that we take relatively often in times of predicted high demand, for example.”
Temporary promotion for officer with driving conviction under investigation for misconduct
Temporary Chief Constable Jason Harwin added: “Unrelated, Chief Constable Bill Skelly is currently on annual leave, which was planned some time ago, and will return in mid-October.
“I am acting as Chief Constable in his absence, and Assistant Chief Constable Kerrin Wilson is acting as my Deputy Chief Constable.”
However, not all officers within the force are happy with the temporary promotion of ACC Wilson, who was convicted for driving without due care and attention in August this year after a crash near the force’s HQ in December 2018.
Assistant Chief Constable Kerrin Wilson has been temporarily promoted to Deputy Chief Constable
The Assistant Chief Constable was due to attend a driver improvement course in June but was refused at the door when she turned up ten minutes late.
She didn’t show up for the court hearing either, but sent a legal representative instead.
Kerrin Wilson was given seven points on her license and fined a total of £1,460, including a £125 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.
Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Wilson is still being investigated for misconduct, which was downgraded from gross misconduct earlier this year.
The whistleblower within Lincolnshire Police told The Lincolnite they found this “particularly awful” as the Deputy Chief Constable is the senior officer in charge of discipline, making decisions on the fate of other officers.
Lincolnshire Police added in a statement: “After the criminal investigation relating to ACC Wilson’s motoring offence concluded, a misconduct investigation was initiated, which is standard practice, and is still being carried out by Derbyshire Police.
“It would not be appropriate to comment on the specifics of that investigation until its conclusion.
“There is nothing in police regulations to preclude a temporary promotion under these circumstances.
“A temporary command structure has been thoroughly considered by all chief officers and is currently in place during Chief Constable Bill Skelly’s absence on annual leave.”
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Phase two of the works at Speakers’ Corner in Lincoln is well underway and expected to finish on schedule this summer.
Phase two, which began on Monday, January 11, will see existing paving upgraded, as well as new street furniture being installed.
It will follow the first phase which was completed and open to the public on December 22, with a new bench put in place around the existing London Plane tree, instead of the demolished kiosk.
Speakers Corner bench is in place, but closed off until phase two paving works are finished. | Photo: The Lincolnite
Site setup for phase two is complete, with workers on site currently digging out the existing hard paving standings at the Cornhill.
A large portion of the area has been fenced off while work takes place, leaving just two pedestrian strips on either side to access both the High Street and the Cornhill Quarter.
There is limited access in the area while works take place. | Photo: The Lincolnite
Despite the cold and wet weather throughout January, progress of the paving removal has not been affected.
This means that phase two works are still on course to be finished in summer this year.
It is hoped that once the area is completed, the walkways will blend in with those at Exchange Square, as well as utilising the space for events.
A look at how the finished development will look. | Illustration: City of Lincoln Council
Bin collections in Boston and in parts of East Lindsey will be suspended for the rest of the week due to COVID-related staff absences.
The collections will be suspended from Wednesday, January 27 as a number of East Lindsey District Council’s and Boston Borough Council’s waste crews either have coronavirus or are self-isolating.
Boston Borough Council and East Lindsey District Council said it is not a decision that has been taken lightly and it is necessary for the service to be suspended in some southern parts of the district until Monday, February 1.
From Monday, waste collections are expected to continue as normal.
Households impacted by the disruption can present any accumulated side waste in black refuse sacks alongside their black bins on their next scheduled bin collection.
The following areas are affected:
Boston
Friskney
Eastville
New Leake
Stickford
Coningsby (part)
Coningsby Moorside
Dalderby
Haltham
Mareham Le Fen
Moorby
N Bolingbroke
Revesby
Scrivelsby
Tumby
Tumby Moorside
Tumby Woodside
Wilksby
Wood Enderby
Carrington
Dogdyke
Frithville
Gypsey Bridge
New Bolingbroke
New York
Scrub Hill
Thornton Le Fen
Westville
Antons Gowt
Cowbridge
Fishtoft
Frithville
Langrick
Sibsey
East Keal
East Kirkby
Hagnaby
Keal Coates
Midville
Stickney
Toynton All Saints
West Keal
Victoria Burgess, Assistant Director for Operations at the council, said: “Over the past couple of days it has proved a real challenge to keep the service going with a number of rounds having not been completed due to staff absences.
“With more crews off again today we needed to take action now and suspending the service is the only realistic option available to us to keep everyone safe – something we’ve worked hard to avoid.
“Our workforce has done an amazing job over the past year and they’ve received much praise from the community and are grateful for your continued good wishes.”
Meanwhile, Lincolnshire County Council has agreed to extend their open days at the Household Recycling Centre on Bittern Way for the disposal of black-bagged general waste and recycling only.
The two extra days of opening are Wednesday and Thursday of this week and next, between the hours of 8am and 4pm.
Over 6,000 people living in and around the Scunthorpe have signed up to donate convalescent plasma after having coronavirus.
This comes as NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is appealing for more potential plasma donors ahead of an upcoming third trial.
Convalescent plasma is the antibody-rich plasma of people who’ve had coronavirus. This can be transfused into people who are struggling to develop their own immune response.
NHSBT wants more people in the area hitting the 28-day recovery mark to sign up.
Over 30 donations have so far been taken at the Scunthorpe donor centre at Berkeley House at Berkeley Business Centre on Doncaster Road, which opened in December last year.
People can register to donate online here and can donate 28 days after they’ve recovered from coronavirus.
The Lincolnshire centre is located at Berkeley House at Berkeley Business Centre on Doncaster Road in Scunthorpe. | Photo: NHSBT
NHSBT is collecting the plasma for new trials for older people or those with cancer to treat them early in the course of the infection.
Two earlier trials have now stopped for data analysis. The upcoming third trial’s focus will be on those with low immune systems and all donations are tested for COVID antibodies.
The NHS trials of convalescent plasma are the largest randomised controlled trials for this treatment of COVID-19.
Professor Dave Roberts, Associate Medical Director for Blood Donation at NHSBT, said: “More people than ever are now able to help – the time to donate is now.
“We especially need donations from people in Scunthorpe who’ve had hospital care. Men who had hospital care are around six times more likely to have the high antibody levels which might save lives.
“We have completed two trials and analysis is ongoing. We now need to collect plasma for further planned clinical studies. We’re particularly looking at high risk groups such as the elderly and people with cancer.
“Donations are vital to the ongoing lifesaving research, which gives us a better understanding of how we can best treat patients with COVID-19 and help prevent deaths in the future.”
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