New highly skilled jobs keep talented graduates in Lincoln

Councillors have paid tribute to the former leader of West Lindsey District Council, Reg Shore, who has died after a short illness.

Reg Shore, who served the council for the Stow Ward from May 1999, died on Friday, July 23.

He held the position of leader from 2006 to 2008/09 before choosing to retire from politics in May 2019. He was also previously an executive member of Lincolnshire County Council.

Reg touched and shaped many lives in and around Gainsborough and will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him.

Councillor Trevor Young encouraged Reg to get into politics and join the Liberal Democrat group as he was already an active member of the community, supporting the Christmas panto and more.

He said: “Reg supported so many people especially young people and many of them went on to have successful careers and it was Reg who inspired them.

“He loved people and he could always see something in individuals, the positives, even when they could not see it themselves at first. He would always get the best out of them. There will be hundreds of people in Gainsborough who have a story of how Reg helped them.

“In my opinion Reg was the hardest working councillor that West Lindsey District Council ever had. He had such a broad skillset, he was good at speeches, very organised and great working with partners regardless of politics.

“I hope we will see some legacy of young people getting into politics due to the work he had put in to them.”

Councillor Matt Boles knew Reg for more than 25 years, first as his teacher then as a work colleague at Cassies school in Gainsborough and then at Trent Valley Academy as a fellow councillor and friend.

He said: “Like many hundreds of young people across Gainsborough I’m privileged to have met Reg and for him to have been able to positively influence my life.

“Without his help, advice and support I certainly would not be doing what I am in politics today. Reg one was of the first to encourage me to stand as a town councillor 12 years ago.

“He gave me the confidence and support to do this, he was always there with support and guidance giving me the tools and support to then get elected to West Lindsey District Council and Lincolnshire County Council, all of which I still use. Even after moving to France he was only ever a phone call or email away and always there to help or just give you the reassuring confidence boost.”

Councillor Owen Bierley, leader of West Lindsey District Council, said: “He was a most able and committed colleague who not only led the council during a time of considerable challenge and change, but was also held in the highest esteem throughout the chamber and in the community.

“My thoughts are with his family and friends and indeed all those whose lives have been touched by Reg through his political and professional contribution and work.”

Team GB and Shona McCallin’s quest to retain the Olympic gold medal in the women’s hockey event has come to an end, after a 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands in the semi-final.

The reigning champions from Rio 2016 were searching for Olympic glory once again in Tokyo, but missed out on a place in the gold medal match after the Netherlands beat GB comfortably on Wednesday morning.

Shona McCallin from Newark was one of the gold medalists from the last games, but the 26-year-old could not help guide the team to the final this year.

All medal hopes are not yet lost for Team GB, however, as they will now prepare for a bronze medal match against either Argentina or India on Friday.

The match was seen as revenge for the Dutch, who were beaten in a penalty shootout in the gold medal match against Team GB in Rio five years ago, and they will now face the winner of the other semi-final for their chance at gold.

The Netherlands are the number one ranked hockey team in the world, and they showed all their quality as they swept aside the 2016 Olympic champions.

Lincoln has the highest COVID infection rate in the whole of the UK, according to the latest government data – thanks largely to a spike in the centre of the city.

The government’s daily case tables, based on lab-reported or lateral flow positive tests, for the seven days up to July 29 showed Lincoln had recorded a rate of 653.6 per 100,000 of the population.

As of August 4, it’s the highest rate in the UK – above Belfast (650 per 100,000 of the population) and Middlesborough (573.1).

A total of 649 positive cases were recorded in the city.

Local data broken down by wards shows the case rate shot up to 1,250.2 per 100,000 people in the city centre (Wharf & University), with 137 positive cases recorded – a rise of 197.8%.

There was also a significant rise in the Pelham Bridge and South Common area.

Data recorded in the city over the seven days up to July 29 shows:

• Cathedral & West Common – 79 cases (75.6% rise), 645.1 per 100,000
• Monks Road, St Giles & Greetwell – 97 cases (177.1% rise), 798.2 per 100,000
• Pelham Bridge & South Common – 60 cases (233.3% rise), 792.3 per 100,000
• Boultham & New Boultham – 58 cases (114.8% rise), 625.5 per 100,000
• Hartsholme & Birchwood East – 33 cases (22.2% rise), 413.4 per 100,000

For more localised data, visit the government website here.

Despite the recent spike, the numbers for Lincoln are still lower than the case rate recorded at its peak in January.

Generally, cases are coming down across the county.

As reported previously, the rise in city centre cases has been attributed to the city’s nighttime economy.

Public Health Lincolnshire said that a particularly significant spike had been traced back to one of the city’s central nightclubs.

Natalie Liddle from Outbreak Management at the health body told BBC Radio Lincolnshire that Lincoln and Lincolnshire have traditionally been behind the national trend. The spike recorded, she added, is an expected lag, exacerbated by the lifting of lockdown.

“We have seen a rise in Lincolnshire following the normal pattern. Nationally those cases rose, as we saw in the region, and then began to come down and we have always tended to lag behind that trend. What we’re seeing is that natural spike that we would normally have, unfortunately for us that has coincided with the fact we have come out of lockdown.

“We’re managing a cluster of outbreaks in and around Lincoln. We have seen a particular increase in cases that are linked to nightclubs and the nighttime economy.”