Daniel Ionescu

The last 15 council-run libraries in Lincolnshire, including Lincoln Central Library, will be outsourced to to Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL), a not-for-profit organisation.

After turning 30 libraries into community hubs run by volunteers in a bid to save £1.9 million, Lincolnshire County Council will have no such facilities left in in service portfolio.

Greenwich Leisure Limited will begin delivering library services in April 2016. It will take on a new model library service agreed in February, not the older model they originally expressed an interest in running.

GLL will run the county’s 15 major libraries, along with online services and specialist support for those unable to reach their nearest library because of, for instance, disability, age or ill health.

GLL will also help support the library services delivered at around 30 community hubs that are being developed in partnership with local groups.

Cllr Nick Worth, Executive Member for Libraries, said: “We’ve worked hard to get the best possible deal, and are confident that GLL can both improve our library services and deliver significant savings.

“In fact, we predict that, once the reduction in our property costs is taken into account, this move will save us a further £500,000 or so.

“And that’s on top of the £1.9 million we’ve already saved by introducing a new way of delivering services.

“At the same time, we still look set to end up with more libraries than we started with,” he added.

In addition to the breathalyzer for alcohol, Lincolnshire Police officers are also using an extra piece of kit in December to target drug drivers.

The drug wipe, activated by saliva, will be used at the roadside by East Midlands Operational Support Service (EMOpSS) officers across the region from December 1 in Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire.

The new test can detect drugs in your system in as little as three minutes, police said. Officers will be placed in local hotspots and will follow an intelligence led approach to carry out roadside tests for alcohol and drugs throughout December.

Lincolnshire Police conducting breath tests as part of their annual drink driving campaign. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The consequences for drug driving are the same as drink driving: 12 months ban minimum, a criminal record, a fine and up to six months in prison.

Chief Inspector Phil Vickers said: “Officers across the East Midlands will be conducting enforcement activity from today, with the mission of catching unfit, unsafe drivers.

“You know if you have taken drugs – now we will know at the roadside.

“Drink or drug driving is never worth the risk to yourself and to other road users but you also face the very real risk of being caught.

“You might think you are ok and that you will get away with it – our message today is that you won’t.”

Chief Inspector Phil Vickers. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Public support is also being enlisted in reporting drink and drug drivers. Those who drive over the limit are being asked “who’s watching you?”

If you suspect that someone is drug or drink driving, call the police on 101 (or 999 in an emergency).