Calls for “disappointing” and “untidy” South Holland Centre improvements

Proposed outdoor dinning spaces in Sleaford’s market square will help to rejuvenate and reinvent the town centre, council officers have said.

They have recommended that two restaurants’ outdoor seating areas are given permission to help boost trade within the town.

The Burger Lounge and The Solo Bar & Restaurant have requested permission to expand their seating into the town’s Market Place.

The space is currently used as an ad hoc car park, but there are hopes that the dining areas will take greater advantage of the square.

The spaces will be located outside of the restaurants, each measuring 9m by 3m, and will ensure that there is enough room for the market to continue.

North Kesteven District Council has pointed to the success of the nearby Sessions House’s outdoor space, saying it has helped to “revitalise this part of the Market Place”.

It says: “Outdoor seating at some cafés and the staging of the ‘Welcome Back Fund’ event post-pandemic has shown what can be achieved, and that this attractive space has far more to offer residents and visitors than simply car parking or the ‘legacy’ market, which has struggled to remain viable as shopping habits have changed.”

Both restaurants expect to take on another two part-time staff as a result, and will operate the areas 9am to 11pm subject a licence.

However, not everyone is happy about the application.

Burton & Co solicitors, which occupies the space between the restaurants, has complained that the application will restrict customers’ access and have a detrimental impact on their business.

However, council officers say that it is unlikely to be affected, and the business will benefit from greater passing trade.

A report into the application concludes: “The proposals are considered to be an important element of rejuvenating and reinventing Sleaford’s town centre to allow multi-purpose visits to support its vitality and viability in a manner that will not only support expansion of the businesses directly affected but will more generally support trade within the town.”

The planning committee will decide on it at their next meeting on Tuesday, June 7.

A disabled man was improperly banned from employing his mum as his personal carer by the council.

Social workers failed to properly consider the request, which had been beneficial for him in the past, the Local Government Ombudsman has found.

The man, who is named only as Mr B in the report, has a severe learning disability, autism and epilepsy, and can exhibit behaviour which causes harm to himself or other people.

When his care centre closed during the pandemic, the council for the area in which they were living at the time decided his mother could be employed as his full-time personal carer.

She quit her job to take the role, and they moved to Lincolnshire shortly afterwards.

Lincolnshire County Council found Mr B was entitled to 35 hours of paid care every week, but said this couldn’t be from a family member.

Mr B’s parents complained, saying his complex needs meant he couldn’t be cared for by strangers. His autism also meant he struggled to deal with change.

Despite letters from his psychiatrist and learning disability nurse, the council said there weren’t exceptional circumstances to justify his mother looking after him.

The county council has admitted it didn’t communicate well with Mr B. | Photo: Lincolnshire Reporter

However, the government ombudsman says the council didn’t properly look into this option or consider experts’ opinions.

The report says: “I am concerned that the council appears to have a blanket policy to refuse such requests and no apparent procedure for determining if there are exceptional circumstances, setting out what evidence it would take into account or recording the outcome.”

Lincolnshire County Council has admitted it didn’t communicate well with Mr B.

It has agreed to reconsider whether Mr B’s mother could be his paid carer within a month. It will also review how it makes decisions like these.

Joanna Tubb, head of learning disabilities at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “The role of the Ombudsman is not to look at the decision itself, but to assess whether the council followed its processes when making the decision, and whether it was communicated effectively. We accept that in this case, we could have communicated better with Mr B about his case.

“In line with the Ombudsman’s decision, we will be reconsidering the request, and reviewing our processes to make sure that we’re communicating effectively with all our service users.”