It will be cold and it will be wet, but once the campaign trail is over and the next government takes its seats on the front benches, council leaders will be looking to see if the decision to call an early election benefits them.
Tightened budgets, under pressure local services, devolution and adult social care will be among the priority areas for local authorities, who feel they have held their fair share of burden over the last decade.
It goes back as far as the coalition government, which came into office with ideas to shrink the size of the state and called upon councils to become more self-sufficient.
“We are always told to be more business-like,” City of Lincoln Council leader, Ric Metcalfe, pointed out previously.
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But, all of this has come with a lurking sense of uncertainty. Adult social care is under extreme pressure as councils await what the future holds for the service and support grants have been slashed.
Authority chiefs could probably list numerous areas that need addressing by central government. But, for now, they’re focusing on the main issues.
Lincolnshire County Council leader, Martin Hill Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
County council leader, Martin Hill, told Local Democracy Weekly that the authority wanted certainty over fairer funding, among other areas.
“We want a sustainable mechanism for funding social care in the future,” he said.
“We also want genuine devolution so that local areas like Lincolnshire can have more discretion and more say on how they run their own affairs.”
Of course, the election will not be fought solely on what local councils need.
The Prime Minister is not going to stand on his soapbox in the middle of a town centre and take the election fight on fairer funding for local authorities.
Nor is Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, going to focus his party’s entire campaign on giving power back to the regions.
But, once the next government unveils its Queen’s Speech in the coming months, council leaders will be watching and digging through the detail in the lookout for hope and clarity.
Because, at the moment, they could all use some.
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We are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a collision caused serious injuries to a 23-year-old man.
Just before 3.30pm yesterday (2 July), we received reports of a collision on Barholm Road in Tallington. It involved a grey BMW 335D estate, a blue BMW 116D and an orange KTM motorcycle.
The motorcycle rider, a 23-year-old man, sustained serious injuries during the collision and was taken to hospital.
If you witnessed the incident and are yet to get in touch with us, please do so. If you have any other information or dashcam footage available that may have captured the road along the A1175 at the time of the collision, get in touch.
By calling 101 quoting incident 282 of 2 July.
By emailing [email protected] quoting incident 282 of 2 July in the subject line.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can report via the independent charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.
The 2022 Destination Lincolnshire Tourism Excellence Awards are open for applications, and Destination Lincolnshire giving you the rare chance to co-create your application with Nell Barrington, a tourism awards veteran, who has helped hundreds of businesses write winning applications over the last 15 years – including national VisitEngland winners.
The Tourism Awards Masterclass is taking place on Tuesday 12 July at 11am for one-hour online. Laura Freer, Head of Marketing at Destination Lincolnshire said: “This is a golden opportunity, after years of hard work and heartache, to get your business and team recognised and rewarded.
“A well written application is key to achieving a coveted place on this year’s shortlist, and I’d encourage all tourism and visitor economy businesses who are thinking of entering – whether they are seasoned at writing award applications or not – to join us for this exclusive masterclass.
“Nell Barrington has worked with us and VisitEngland on the founding application processes of these awards, and she is perfectly placed to assist in co-creating applications that you can be proud of. This is a great opportunity for business development too – whether you are shortlisted for an award or not – discovering how to effectively apply for awards and talk up your business adds another string to your bow.
“Booking is essential and places are limited to just 35 – so be quick! This year we’ve made our masterclass available to partners and also to those who we are yet to work with for free. Call it an added bonus, after two years away from the awards circuit.
The awards masterclass is focussed on the application process, and it will spell out what the judges are looking for. You’ll learn how to make your application stand out from the local competition, helping your chances of going through to the national VisitEngland Awards in 2023.”
There are fifteen categories open for nominations from visitors attraction, accommodation providers, hospitality businesses and many more.
The deadline for nominations is July 29, with online judging starting on July 30 and mystery shopping from August 13. Finalists will be announced on Monday, August 15.
The awards ceremony will be held at the Engine Shed on October 21, and will be hosted by Lincs FM presenter, John Marshall.
The event is organised by Stonebow Media, publishers of The Lincolnite, to celebrate the best businesses in Greater Lincolnshire, alongside headline sponsors Lincoln College and Destination Lincolnshire.
We would also like to thank our other sponsors Visit Lincolnshire, Heart of Lincs, Duncan and Toplis and LNER, insight6 and EV Camel.
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