Lincolnshire County Council has said the majority of its services will continue during lockdown, including tips, core libraries, inquests and funerals.
Lincoln Castle’s grounds will be open daily from 10am-4pm, seven days a week, as a green space for exercise and wellbeing.
Council leader Martin Hill said several services will continue without change, while others will operate differently.
However, all the council’s heritage sites and some of its registration services such as weddings will be closed during the lockdown period, which is currently expected to run from Thursday, November 4 until December 2.
During lockdown the council will continue to offer the following:
All its core services for its most vulnerable older residents, children and young people are running as usual
Maternity hubs remain open at nine children’s centres, enabling midwives to offer appointments away from hospitals
All its core libraries and a number of community hubs across the county will be open, but only for the collection of reserved books (click and collect services) and for residents to use pre-booked public access computers and to use essential digital services. There will be no access for browsing
The Access Library Service will continue to provide no contact deliveries of books to vulnerable housebound rural residents
Lincoln Castle’s grounds will be open daily from 10am-4pm, seven days a week, as a green space for exercise and wellbeing
Tips across the county will be open as usual, but residents must book a time slot here or by calling 01522 782070
Call Connect services will continue to operate for essential journeys
School transport is running as usual
Business Lincolnshire and Trading Standards advisors are here for all Lincolnshire businesses throughout lockdown for advice and guidance
Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue continue to support Lincolnshire businesses with fire safety advice and support
Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue’s community fire safety team are still carrying out Safe & Well visits for those who need it most
The firefighters will again be supporting colleagues at EMAS by driving ambulances if needed and other roles where possible
Help is still available for victims of domestic abuse. Stay at home rules do not apply to those escaping domestic abuse
The council is still helping rural businesses, processing £650k of Leader grants within two weeks
The council’s contractors are continuing to work at the South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone
The council is still responding to planning applications within 21 days, and inspecting construction developments so they can progress
Inquests and funerals will go ahead as usual
Crews are still out repairing and improving the roads across Lincolnshire as usual. People can continue to report concerns online here.
Councillor Martin Hill, leader of Lincolnshire County Council, said: “We know the next few weeks will be tough for so many of our residents, so we’re doing all we can to keep as many of our services open and running normally.
“For us, vital support and services for some of our most vulnerable older residents, children and young people will be the biggest priority, and the vast majority of these are operating without change.
“Some of our other services which we know are a real lifeline in these times – eg. libraries – are operating – just differently.
“Things might change over the coming weeks, but rest assured, we will keep you up to date. Remember, we’re here for you and we will do all we can to support you -your families, your loved ones, your businesses.”
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Plans to build new “modern” homes on land next to Lincoln’s iconic Strelizia home on Michaelgate will be approved next week.
City of Lincoln Council’s planning committee will be asked to give permission to John O’Donohue and Tom Gumbrell’s plans to build “unique, bespoke dwellings” on land to the rear of 10 Steep Hill on Wednesday.
The site currently includes two derelict, single-storey, brick garages which will be demolished as part of the build, while the rest of the site has been used by residents for parking.
Recommending approval, officers said: “The development of the two houses will change the appearance of this part of the City but the designs have been developed in such a way that it is considered that the change that would result would not be harmful to the area, to the heritage assets in the area and would not be unacceptable to the amenity of the neighbouring residents.”
The developers have described an initial building to the west of the site as “contemporary but using recognisable material” while another to the East will be “a more traditional form building intended to be viewed as a discrete subservient outbuilding building linked to 10 Steep Hill”.
Nearly 30 neighbours have commented on the plans, with objectors raising concerns over the appearance of the building and its impact on the historic area of Lincoln.
Plans showing how the elevations would look.
One said it was an “ugly square block”, while another said it would “blight the visual effect of what is one of the most attractive conservation areas in our City”.
However, the owner of the nearby Strelitzia – another modern building with a design unique to the area – David Lewis has supported the plans saying they will enhance the area.”
Those in support of the plans note the building is often used for anti-social behaviour.
One nearby resident said the garages on the site had “been an eyesore” for more than 30 years and that a new residence would “only enhance the area”
“Architecture representing centuries can be seen on Steep Hill and Michaelgate which makes the area attractive and fascinating to residents and visitors alike. It is good to see that the 21st century is also being represented,” they said.
Lincoln MP Karl McCartney has come under scrutiny for retweeting a post from a political group that champions fascism, which he has now removed.
Mr McCartney shared a tweet from New British Union West Midlands to his profile which criticised the media for their coverage of the petrol panic buying across the country.
The tweet was a screenshot from Whartons Shell Garage, which said that they are not short of fuel and it is in fact a case of everyone panicking by listening to the media, with NBU saying: “When a franchised fuel station really has to tell you to turn off your TV.”
Karl McCartney retweeted the NBU post on his page on Monday evening, but has since removed it.
The retweet from Lincoln’s MP has since been deleted from his timeline, after many pointed out what the New British Union stands for.
The NBU, formed in 2013, is a revival of Sir Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists, run by former Britain First and Scottish BNP leader Gary Raikes.
According to the NBU’s website, the group calls for “a new machine, a new nation and a new union” and demands that British people aren’t replaced by “a population that will destroy all our ancestors fought to uphold.”
Pictures on the NBU website show an alarming similarity to that of the Nazi Party, and leader Gary Raikes says on one of their pages: “A British child born at the start of the 21st century is likely to enter their years of retirement as a member of the British ethnic minority. The question is: what are you going to do about it?”
The NBU claims that Britain is in “demographic decline” due to “foreign immigration”. | Photo: New British Union website
The Lincolnite questioned Lincoln’s MP on this retweet, asking whether it was wise to broadcast the views of a political group as divisive and controversial as the New British Union.
In a statement of reply, Mr McCartney said: “Of course, I disagree wholeheartedly with what NBU West Midlands stand for. The post by Whartons Garage was what caught my notice. The retweet has since been deleted.”
McCartney came under intense scrutiny for his retweeting of the fascist group, with former Lincoln Labour MP Karen Lee calling it “unacceptable”.
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