There have been 259 new coronavirus cases and seven COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Monday.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard recorded 213 new cases in Lincolnshire, 28 in North Lincolnshire and 18 in North East Lincolnshire.
Some six deaths were registered in Lincolnshire and one in North Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England reported four new local hospital deaths at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust on Monday.
National cases increased by 22,195 to 3,669,658 — the lowest daily rise in cases since December 15, while deaths rose by 592 to 98,531.
A mass rapid testing centre has opened on Croft Street off Monks Road in Lincoln for people with and without coronavirus symptoms after relocating from the LNER Stadium.
Some 2,298 people were tested, with 42 positive results at the site on Sincil Bank between January 11 to 24.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is giving out more than £23 million to 60 councils across England including £494,800 to Boston Borough Council and £397,204 to North Lincolnshire Council.
In national news, the government will tell teachers and parents when schools in England can reopen “as soon as we can”, the prime minister has said.
MPs have called on the government to set out a “route map” for reopening amid concerns for children’s education.
Men in low-skilled jobs or caring, leisure or other service roles had the highest rate of death from COVID-19 in England and Wales from March to December last year, according to new figures.
The Office for National Statistics said 7,961 deaths involving coronavirus in the working age population (those aged 20 to 64 years) were registered between March 9 and December 28, 2020.
Leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir Starmer is self-isolating for the third time since the start of the pandemic after coming into contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus.
This morning I was notified that I must self isolate after coming into contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
I have no symptoms and will be working from home until next Monday.
Greater Lincolnshire has seen an average fall in its infection rate, with just a small increase in South Holland but a spike in Boston from 168.2 per 100,000 of the population on Friday to 205.2 on Monday.
National infection rates have also seen a large fall over the weekend from 472.9 on Friday to 420.7 on Monday.
Here’s Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rate up to January 25 according to the government dashboard:
Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rates from Jan 18 to Jan 25. | Data: Gov UK / Table: James Mayer for The Lincolnite
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Monday, January 25
Greater Lincolnshire includes Lincolnshire and the unitary authorities of North and North East (Northern) Lincolnshire.
46,422 cases (up 259)
32,441 in Lincolnshire (up 213)
7,154 in North Lincolnshire (up 28)
6,827 in North East Lincolnshire (up 18)
1,787 deaths (up seven)
1,279 from Lincolnshire (up six)
275 from North Lincolnshire (up one)
233 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)
of which 1,066 hospital deaths (up four)
653 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up four)
33 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
379 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)
3,669,658 UK cases, 98,531 deaths
DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF the latest update. postcode data includes deaths not in healthcare facilities or in hospitals outside authority boundaries.
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North Kesteven District Council has unanimously approved a £4.95 annual council tax increase for 2021/22 – just under 10p a week.
This means residents in a Band D property would pay £174.60 annually for the district council’s precept share, up from £169.65 the previous year.
This 2.92% increase in council tax was given the go ahead in Tuesday evening’s Full Council.
Cllr Richard Wright, Leader of North Kesteven District Council said in the meeting: “The council’s financial plan underpins all that we do as a council and projects a positive yet cautious future.”
He added that the “relatively small” council tax increase “will ensure the council continues to deliver its services and invest in a future that will provide a clean environment, and invest in the economy.”
Cllr Marianne Overton, Leader of North Kesteven Independents, said: “I am delighted to say that all of our requests are included and we are happy to support the budget.”
North Kesteven are expecting to receive approximately £1.5 million in grant support for 2020/21, which will still leave an expected deficit for the council’s general fund for the year of approximately £678,900 (as of December 31, 2020). This is to be financed from the Income Volatility Reserve.
City of Lincoln Council’s leader said there are “no quick or easy fixes” to the authority’s financial woes as councillors approved a 1.9% rise in council tax on Tuesday evening.
The meeting of the full council voted in favour of the increase, which will see Band D properties pay an extra £5.31 a year – a total precept share of £285.39 as part of the budget for 2021-22.
Council bosses predict a budget gap of £1.75 million by 2023/24 due to reduced central government funding.
They said that although the budget looked to “rebuild the foundations” there were “still financial challenges ahead”.
Labour leader Councillor Ric Metcalfe said the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions had “led to significant additional costs and a dramatic drop in many traditional sources of income”.
Due to the pandemic’s impact on government funded reliefs, empty properties and business closures, the authority estimates it will only retain £5.1 million of the £42 million of business rates generated in the city.
“For an authority like ours that historically has been extremely well managed financially, we have had to work hard to be able to stabilise our position,” said councillor Metcalfe.
“There are no quick or easy fixes, we will not be able to do all of the things that people have come to expect the council to provide as a matter of course,” he said.
“Our financial problems did not begin with COVID-19, nor will they end with it,” he added.
“We did an outstanding job in very difficult circumstances and it was a reminder of how important this council, and others like it are to their local communities.”
He said council leaders had “ambitious” plans for the future, including their Vision 2025 programme, the Western Growth Corridor and tackling climate change.
Council housing rent will increase by an average of 1%, while council garage rents will increase by 3%.
As part of the plans, allotment charges will also see most tenants pay between £58.70-£78.30 per year from 2022, an increase of between 38p and 51p per week.
Opposition leader Conservative Councillor Thomas Dyer called for the council to consider a more “diversified investment plan” with a variety of local revenue streams, noting a decline in car parking income during the pandemic.
He also called for further conversations around local government reorganisation.
He said his party “reluctantly” supported the council tax rise, but said it should only be done as a last resort.
Councillor Dyer warned the council to “proceed with caution”, however, over potential plans to close public toilets.
“Wemustensurethatourhighstreetisaccessibleandsupportbusinessesandresidentsalike,” he said.
Councillor Dyer called for more to be done over housing, electric vehicles and public transport.
Opposition amendments including: increased enforcement fines for litter and dog fouling; car parking charge freezes; one hour free parking at Lincoln Central; freezing office rents and staff pay above £30,000; establishing a City of Lincoln Big Clean; increasing discounts for Christmas Market stalls to be plastic free and a new play park in the Brant Road area were all rejected.
A YouTuber filming near Boston police station was arrested and issued with a coronavirus fine.
Ryan Dales, known on YouTube as Ryan Rampage, uploaded a video entitled ‘Arrested and COVID fined at Boston Police Station (Corruption at its finest)’ on February 16.
It has since attracted over 8,300 views and over 300 comments. He even included a link to his PayPal in the video description for anyone who wants to help him pay his COVID fine.
Ryan, whose life was saved by a police officer when he was two-years-old, starts the video with an introduction where he points at that it is “legal to film in a public place” and how police made him “really angry, it’s so corrupt, this is what you call brutality”.
*Be advised – there is some strong language in this video*
He walks around outside the police station and into the car park before two female members of staff come and ask what he is filming and where he has travelled from.
Ryan simply says he is in Boston on “official business” and is allowed to film in a public place. After a conversation the staff go back inside.
He continues filming outside the police station before Chief Inspector Trafford quizzes the YouTuber about why he is filming officers in their private cars.
The chief inspector said he is concerned for the security of police officers, but when asked why he is filming, Ryan said “because I can, for my own benefit”. He said “I am here and about for a reason” and when asked what that reason is, he simply replied with “it doesn’t apply to you”.
He believed he has a reasonable reason to be out, but the chief inspector didn’t agree, saying: “I’m going to give you one opportunity now, your final opportunity, to leave this area otherwise I’m going to consider you in breach of the COVID restrictions, and consequently you’ll be fined and you’ll be issued a ticket.”
Ryan claims he’s waiting for someone to pick him up, but is told to wait elsewhere or he will be fined. He becomes increasingly angry at police and as they come towards him he says “don’t surround me, you’re alarming me”.
He refuses to provide his details when asked and told that he has not “given a reasonable excuse for being there”. He is then arrested and taken into the station.
He is issued with a COVID fine and told not to return near the police station or he will get re-arrested. He then goes to the local train station and also films one of the officers getting into her car, who asks if he’s “fishing for another COVID ticket”.
Lincolnshire Police were contacted for a response.
This is Ryan’s second YouTube account and has over 370 subscribers, including another brush with the law and a video claiming the “COVID testing site choose to be bullys [sic]”.
His other YouTube account with nearly 700 subscribers includes several urban explorer videos.
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