North Lincolnshire Council

A £70m proposal to Government includes ambitious plans to supercharge investment in new cycle routes, improve transport links and to enable access to rural green energy projects.

These plans to the Levelling-Up Fund includes proposals to continue the transformation of Scunthorpe town centre, revolutionise transport and travel across Barton and Brigg and enable rural homes and businesses to access clean, green, energy.

Cllr Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, welcomed the opportunity to bid for funding.

He said: “This latest round of levelling-up cash complements other Government funding that is already being spent here in North Lincolnshire. We are seeking to make a huge impact on the lives of people across our county.

“Huge sums of money from the Government and the council are being used to improve local infrastructure and create new futures for our towns and these latest proposals will further add to this.

“The Government has recognised the need for extra cash investment to be made across our communities and we’ve worked very closely with our local MPs, Holly Mumby-Croft, Andrew Percy and Martin Vickers to deliver these projects which will make generational change across the area.”

The proposals detail how the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) will support communities in realising their vision and aligns with the council’s Economic Growth Plan, emerging Local Plan and Towns Fund Programme.

Holly Mumby-Croft, MP for Scunthorpe, said “We have already secured millions for Scunthorpe, this money has funded investment in parks, new cycle routes, investment in schools and colleges and in schemes that will create better paid jobs.

“This bid for Levelling Up Funding would help complete the transformation of Scunthorpe town centre as we seek to reduce the number of larger unoccupied shops to create a positive future for many more independent businesses and add jobs in the town centre.”

The projects are based on MP constituency areas – Scunthorpe, Brigg and Goole and Cleethorpes (which covers Barton).

The cash, if approved, will be in addition to the near £25m towns deal, £10m Future High Streets, £75m for a new port on the South Humber bank, £5m for the A15 enhancements, £4m for the M181 Northern Junction and £7m for the Southern Junction, investment in the new university campus and additional investment in local further education colleges and the £200m plus paid to support jobs throughout the pandemic.

A new offensive is being launched across North Lincolnshire as the council’s crackdown on litter louts intensifies.

Hundreds of bins across the county will be doubled in size and emptied more frequently, enhancing the network of more than 1,500 already in place.

Alongside this, mass education programmes and public information campaigns are to be backed up by a new zero-tolerance approach to fining as wardens issuing £150 fines have been instructed to show no leniency.

The new offensive is being launched across the summer and through the autumn months.

Cllr Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “Communities are fed up with those small numbers of people who think others should clean up after them – the impact is huge but will not be tolerated.

“A great deal of effort goes into keeping North Lincolnshire tidy – the council already spends vast sums of taxpayers’ money to clean up other people’s mess and there are many conscientious people who come together and get involved in litter picks on a regular basis.

“Despite these best efforts, and the fact we are now going to have to spend more to increase bin sizes and the number of collections, people still think it is acceptable to drop their waste when they are done with it – it is not good enough and we will be stepping up the fining regime now and through the summer.”

The details for eradicating litter from North Lincolnshire’s streets are set out in the new Litter Plan, which is set to be discussed at the council’s Cabinet meeting today (Monday 25 July 2022).

Now 18-months into a two-year trial of fining people £150 if caught dropping litter, more than 2,000 people have been fined with some stung for more than £400 after refusing to pay, only to be slapped with additional fees in court.

The litter wardens patrol areas of North Lincolnshire and anyone caught dropping, throwing or depositing litter and leaving it on the ground will find themselves hit with a fixed penalty notice.

Cllr David Rose, cabinet member for the environment, said: “We have launched our Green Future strategy which details our efforts to ensure that we leave the environment for future generations in a better state than it is today.

“This strategy is all encompassing, touching the lives of every person here now and those who will call North Lincolnshire home in years to come.

“Huge efforts have gone into developing these proposals and an incredible amount more will go into ensuring we deliver a cleaner, greener North Lincolnshire – yet despite this, some people still persist in acting in an anti-social way by dropping litter – it is nothing short of disgraceful and the offenders need to know that we will not stop until they do.”