Council sets out £100k Thatcher statue unveiling budget

Lincoln leaders still hold out hope that Lincolnshire County Council will cave over future plans for the Usher Gallery and artefact collection.

City of Lincoln Council’s portfolio holder for economic growth and historic environment Labour Councillor Neil Murray told the authority’s full council he did not think plans to move the Usher collection to Nottingham would happen.

“I don’t think that would be reasonable,” he said, responding to questions from opposition leader Conservative Councillor Thomas Dyer.

“What would be reasonable is if we could reach an agreement with the county council to keep the Usher Art Gallery going as an art gallery, because, after all, it was left to us to Lincoln city council to run as an art gallery.

“It’s unfortunate that in local government reorganisation in the early 70s responsibility for the Usher Art Gallery was given to the county council and not us.

“We will keep talking to them. And I hope at some point, the county council will see that what we’re suggesting is the way forward —  that the Usher art gallery will remain an art gallery, to have investment, and to be looked after and to be part of a cultural heritage in Lincoln.”

However, he told councillors that “unfortunately, Lincolnshire County Council don’t seem to share our view”. “They don’t seem to agree with us, but we will keep trying,” he said.

Councillors at the meeting of the City of Lincoln’s Full Council meeting on Tuesday.

The Usher Gallery continues to divide city and county councillors, as both sides refuse to move forward.

Lincolnshire County Council plans to hand back control of collections at the Usher Gallery to City of Lincoln Council and reconsider how the building operates.

It wants to use the landmark as a venue for weddings and other events in a bid for it to earn its keep.

City council leader Councillor Ric Metcalfe, however, has previously said it was a “betrayal of the county’s rich heritage”.

The authority has since been trying to save the building from the plans.

City of Lincoln Council has previously offered to house birth, death and marriage services at City Hall in a bid to retain the Usher, which is owned by the city council, as an art gallery, but this was rejected.

In November, it was revealed that after unsuccessful negotiations with the county council over the future of the gallery, the city council planned to move all the art and artefacts to Nottingham for safe storage and preservation.

Following Tuesday’s meeting, Lincolnshire County Council’s  executive member for heritage Councillor Nick Worth said: “As far as we were aware the City of Lincoln Council had reached an agreement with Nottingham City Council and over the past few months our team have been working with them on the details of the move.

“If that’s not the case, we’d urge them to talk to us. Our offer to look after the collection still stands, but we do need to be able to use the building in a flexible way.”

Drivers in Skegness will face four weeks of alternating one-way road closures from next week as part of major improvements to Roman Bank.

Work began in September last year to replace the worn out carriageway and footpaths, improve drainage and refurbish a pedestrian crossing.

A 20 metre section of Roman Bank between Algitha Road and the A52 gyratory will be reconstructed starting on Monday, March 8. This is in addition to continuing to rebuild Roman Bank up to its junction with North Shore Road.

As part of the works, alternating one-way closures will be in place for four weeks, starting with the northbound A52 then changing to the southbound, subject to weather conditions.

The diversion route for these will be via Lincoln Road/A158 Burgh Road, and vice versa.

It is hoped that Roman Bank will be fully reopen again by around Easter, subject to weather conditions.

Karen Cassar, Assistant Director of Highways, said: “This additional set of work will see a more southern section of Roman Bank, near the A52 gyratory, fully reconstructed.

“Meanwhile, works to rebuild Roman Bank between Burgh Road and its junction with North Shore Road will continue on throughout March as planned.”

Police have yet to charge anyone over a month after the tragic death of an 11-year-old boy in Lincoln, which remains under investigation.

The 11-year-old boy was found unwell at the scene after police were called to a house on Geneva Street on St Giles in Lincoln at 10pm on Friday, January 22.

He was taken to hospital for treatment, but was pronounced dead a short time later.

A 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and a 32-year-old woman on suspicion of manslaughter.

They were both later released on police bail without any charges.

At the time, police said the death was unexplained and it was being treated as murder.

Police said on Wednesday that they were continuing their investigation and were not able to release the name of the victim at this stage.

Anyone with information that may help with the investigation should contact Lincolnshire Police on 101 or via email at [email protected] quoting incident 472 of January 22.