Shane Croucher

Council properties on Lincoln’s Hartsholme, Birchwood, Boultham and Manse estates are to get much-needed improvements.

City of Lincoln Council recently completed a five-year programme of improvement work to ensure that its housing stock meets the Decent Homes Standard (DHS).

Future improvement work is planned to ensure that the stock is still maintained to meet the DHS.

In order for a property to be classed as decent, a home must be warm, weatherproof and have reasonably modern facilities.

The DHS criteria are as follows:

• It meets the current statutory minimum standard for housing
• It is in a reasonable state of repair
• It has reasonably modern facilities and services
• It provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort

According to the council, this means a property must:

• Have no category one hazards, as assessed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System
• Be free from structural disrepair
• Be in a reasonable state of repair (roof, chimney, walls etc.)
• Not lacking three or more of the following:
  – have a kitchen less than 20 years old, or in a reasonable condition
  – have a kitchen with adequate space and layout
  – have a bathroom less than 30 years old, or in a reasonable condition.
  – have an appropriately located bathroom and WC
  – adequate insulation against external noise (where external noise is a problem).
  – adequate size and layout of common areas for blocks of flats

• Have a programmable heating system – full central heating
• Have effective insulation
• Provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort

Source: City of Lincoln Council

If there’s something strange in your neighbourhood, who are you going to call? Lincolnshire Police, obviously.

A ghoulish freedom of information request by Paul Stevenson, Managing Editor of HAUNTED Magazine, has asked Lincolnshire Police for details on how many incidents of “paranormal activity” have been reported to them over the past decade.

Stevenson’s asked for all reports relating to “ghost sightings, UFO sightings, alleged paranormal activity and reports of witches and witchcraft.”

He told The Lincolnite he’s working on a feature for the magazine highlighting “modern” ghost sightings, rather than much regaled tales of old.

Lincolnshire’s most famous “witching” came from “The Belvoir Witches”, Margaret, Philippa and Joan Flower, in the 17th century.

These three women, a mother and her two daughters, worked as servants for the Earl and Countess of Rutland at Belvoir Castle.

The Earl’s son died and other family members fell ill. He accused the women of being witches and causing these illnesses.

Following their arrests, they were examined and “confessions” extracted.

Joan, the mother, died in prison while trying to protest her innocence. The other two were burnt at the stake at Lincoln Castle on March 11th, 1618.

Nottinghamshire Police revealed, following a similar request by Stevenson, that from 2004-2010 there had been reports of:

• 34 ghost sightings
• 16 witch-related incidents
• 46 incidents of witchcraft
• 19 UFO sightings

It added the clarification that “the sightings include incidents where the person could have a mental health problem”.

A response from Lincolnshire Police is due in the next couple of weeks.