Man arrested after Lincoln ‘stabbing’

Almost 90% of children applying to Lincolnshire secondary schools will receive a place at their first choice.

Some 8,302 children applied this year, with 97% of all applicants receiving one of their three school preferences.

Some 87.8% (7,285) will receive a place at their first choice school. However, because of appeals and movement on the reserve list, it is likely that more children will be offered a place at their first choice school by the time they start in September.

Currently, 8.3% (686) have been offered a place at their second preference, with 1.1% (87) being given a spot at their third choice.

Some 243 children (2.9%) who haven’t got one of their preferred schools will be offered a place at the closest school in Lincolnshire with spaces available.

Parents have until 12pm on March 29 to lodge an appeal if they are unhappy with the offered school.

Councillor Mrs Patricia Bradwell, Executive Councillor for Children’s Services at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “It is good to see so many families receiving offers at their first preference school again and this figure is likely to be even higher by September.

“It is always our intention to support parents to make the application process as easy as possible and it is nice to see an increasing number of parents using the online parent portal to make their application and receive their offer on national offer day.”

A Chapel St Leonards Bar owner is awaiting the results of a review of its license after police said a “business meeting” breached COVID regulations.

Walter Sheeran, director of Teen Spirit Limited and premises licence holder at Miller’s Bar appeared before East Lincolnshire District Council’s licensing committee on Monday.

Lincolnshire Police said they had attended the bar after reports of loud music in December – during the time COVID-19 Tier 3 restrictions had closed all pubs.

Six people inside “all appeared to be in drink” and officers were told they were “at the premises for a business meeting where they had been discussing a shipment/order of stock due to arrive from China alongside COVID regulations.

However, when CCTV was later reviewed the group of five males and one female were seen drinking, getting a takeaway, drinking shots, watching football and dancing. Mr Sheeran was seen smoking in the bar area.

The meeting on Monday was held behind closed doors, however, statements from Lincolnshire Police said: “The activities seen to take place on reviewing the CCTV appear to portray something beyond what would be expected at a business meeting.

“Lincolnshire Police believe Millers Bar was used inappropriately […] and subsequently breached COVID legislation and The Health Act 2006.”

Officers said the incident showed a “clear lack of regard for the legislation” where other businesses had “chosen to be responsible” despite facing serious financial hardship.

They were “unable to offer any suitable conditions to prevent the breaches from reoccurring” and requested the licence to be revoked.

Mr Sheeran’s defence was given during the exempt part of the meeting after press and public were excluded.

Teen Spirit holds a number of licences within ELDC for sites in Skegness, Ingoldmells and Chapel St Leonards including alcohol premises, adult gaming centres, bingo halls, family entertainment centres and a zoo licence for an aquarium.

Lincoln’s Conservative MP Karl McCartney said the campaign for a 12.5% pay rise for nurses is “far in excess of being realistic and that’s certainly one for the fairies”.

The MP was speaking on BBC Politics North on Sunday, February 28. Presenter Tim Iredale said the Royal College of Nursing is campaigning for the pay rise, and asked McCartney if Chancellor Rishi Sunak should commit to that during the budget on Wednesday, March 3.

The MP said: “No, I don’t think he should. That’s a union doing the best for their members and you can’t blame them, but 12.5% is far in excess of being realistic and that’s certainly one for the fairies.”

Lincoln nurse Mel Kerr asked her MP if he feels the current pay for healthcare workers truly recognises the skill and responsibility that they face on a daily basis.

Karl responded by saying: “In the main, I think it doesn’t. Obviously we’d all like to pay our health services more, but that would obviously cause more inflation, and at this point in time after the current pandemic obviously there’s various calls on the monies available to the chancellor as we come towards the budget.

“All sorts of different taxes might have to rise to enable public sector employees to be paid more, so at this point in time it is a very fine balancing act.”

His response frustrated the Lincoln nurse and Mel said: “It really saddens me to think that my MP could be so dismissive of the pleas of his staff in his constituency when we say that enough is enough.

“We need true recognition and true renumeration for everything we have done for this country and he responds in a manner like that. To me that’s truly really unprofessional and quite offensive if I’m being brutally honest.”

Mel also previously spoke to The Lincolnite about the pressures of the coronavirus pandemic on the tense hospital wards.

Karl McCartney was asked by The Lincolnite to expand on his responses from the recent BBC interview.

He said: “NHS staff are playing an integral part of the national effort to combat coronavirus – and we owe them a great deal of gratitude for all that they do.

“I know the government is committed to supporting all staff now and in the future. Its unwavering support for frontline staff predates this unprecedented challenge.

“In addition to the 6.5% pay rise over the three years, the starting salary for newly qualified nurses has also increased by more than 12% and the government has introduced a nurses’ bursary which provides at least £5,000 of additional support to nursing students.

“The fight against coronavirus is a national effort, and my colleagues and I are committed to giving NHS staff the additional support they need throughout it.”

Watch the latest full episode of BBC Politics North here.