Author Archives: Nigel Chapman

Eddy back on county council executive

Eddy Poll capped his return to Lincolnshire County Council by being reappointed to the executive. Coun Poll, who won the Spalding East seat earlier this month, has been named portfolio holder for commercial and environmental management. He was deputy leader of the council when he lost his seat in 2013 to UKIP candidate Richard Fairman, who was soundly beaten into second ...

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Spalding DJ jailed for sex offences against teenaged girls

A Spalding disc jockey who committed sex offences against teenaged girls has been jailed.   Roy Hayes contacted his victims over Skype persuading them to strip and perform sexual acts as he watched. He masturbated while the acts were taking place and recorded the footage.   Hayes (44), of Gaunt Close, admitted two charges of inciting a girl to engage in sexual ...

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Forum in Spalding as part of Volunteers’ Week

Representatives from organisations that involve volunteers are invited to join together in Volunteers’ Week to share best practice and tips. The South Holland Volunteer Coordinators’ Forum, led by Lincolnshire Community and Voluntary Service (LCVS), is for anyone who supports or manages volunteers or is involved in local community organisations and projects. Heidi Haxeltine, LCVS area officer for South Holland, said: ...

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Spalding man jailed over ‘grave sexual abuse’ images

A Spalding man who was caught with films of child sex abuse has been jailed for eight months.   After police raided his home in Wygate Road, Gareth Oddy (34) admitted to searching for indecent material. Lincoln Crown Court heard Oddy was present when officers carried out the early morning search on January 20, 2016.   Gregor Purcell, prosecuting, said Oddy ...

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Competition: Have your photo featured in Spalding Conservation Area exhibition

Here’s a chance to have your photograph in the Spalding Conservation Area exhibition this summer. The Voice has teamed up with Spalding Photographic Society and Spalding and District Civic Society to give readers a chance to have their images featured in the display moving throughout the town from May to September. There are four periods of entry: Thursday, May 4 until Wednesday, May 24; Thursday, ...

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Roving exhibition in Spalding conservation area to mark act’s 50th anniversary

The act which brought conservation areas into being is 50 years old and two of Spalding’s societies have teamed up to mark the anniversary. A photographic exhibition showcasing Spalding’s conservation area will run throughout the summer, spending a fortnight each in a  number of different venues. The project by Spalding and District Civic Society and Spalding Photographic Society will launch ...

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Pensioner ‘made explosive package claim’ at Lincolnshire Co-op in Holbeach

A 71-year-old man accused of taking a suspicious package into the Lincolnshire Co-op store at Holbeach remains on conditional bail. David James Edwards, of Hallgate, was not at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on Friday (May 12) for the case’s latest hearing. It is said that, on January 27 this year at the Fleet Street store, he “placed an article, namely a ...

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Pinchbeck United ‘sets record straight’ over behind-the-scenes unrest

Pinchbeck United Football Club has moved to answer critics and end continuing behind-the-scenes unrest. In a period that the club has appeared in two cup finals and promotion was confirmed, it is matters off the field which is driving much of the chatter. Now the club has issued a strongly-worded statement, criticising the actions of two people behind some of the unrest – former ...

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Spalding shop supervisor: ‘What large cannabis farm in our basement?’

The person responsible for the day-to-day running of a Spalding shop claims she knew nothing about an “industrial-scale” cannabis farm in the basement.   Karolina Kiminiene told police she was as shocked as anybody about the discovery under Lithuanian food store Krautuvele in Pinchbeck Road. However, at a premises licence review hearing at South Holland District Council on Monday (May ...

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A blessing for brews at Spalding Beer and Music Festival

Some of the ales featuring at this year’s Spalding Beer and Music Festival have been blessed. The Rev Canon Steve Simcox (pictured right), minister at St John The Baptist Church, dropped in on Austendyke Ales in Weston Hills – one of the many local breweries supplying the festival – to taste a drop and read a blessing. The three-day event ...

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Global computer hack leads to disruption for NHS patients in county

NHS patients in South Lincolnshire have faced days of disruption following an international cyber attack. Hundreds of appointments were cancelled and only emergency work carried out at many NHS organisations nationwide after computers went down on Friday. On Tuesday (May 16), it was understood that no South Holland GP surgery was yet offering a full “business as usual” service and ...

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COMMUNITY COLUMN: Dementia could hit any of us

by Karen Johnson South Holland District Council community development officer This week has been Dementia Awareness Week, with the initiative aimed at making more people aware of the key facts about this disease. The Alzheimer’s Society in Lincolnshire has been encouraging residents to unite against dementia, to forget their differences to help to find a cure, improve care, and offer ...

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Pride and resolve for South Holland’s new community policing inspector

When it comes to policing in South Lincolnshire, there is little that Gareth Boxall has not come across. That experience of 17 years, coupled with the fact he grew up in Spalding and has an affinity with the district, bodes well for residents being served by the new South Holland community policing inspector. Basically, our issues and concerns are the ...

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Towns and villages ‘spoilt’ by council decision to stop cutting verges

South Holland’s towns and villages will become a “weed-infested wilderness” if Lincolnshire County Council doesn’t backtrack on a money-saving decision to stop cutting grass verges. The council announced last year it was to end routine cutting of verges in built-up areas from this April and with summer growth now in full swing the result is starting to become clear. Retired ...

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Parish council unhappy at ‘sorry’ Long Sutton site

Long Sutton Parish Council has expressed its “extreme disappointment” at the lack of progress on The Bull Hotel project and its “sorry state”. It’s understood that Korvin Developments Ltd has insufficient funds for further work but director Jan Von Draczek has given permission for tidying of the site by others. Last week The Voice reported on a community effort spearheaded ...

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LETTER: Stranger’s help much appreciated

I would like to say thank you to the young man who helped me after a fall I had in Holbeach on Friday, May 5. I was on my way to Lyndis Walk Community Centre when I tripped and went flat on my face. Fortunately, this man in his car and stopped to help. I’m so grateful because I don’t ...

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50 years on from day Hendrix, Clapton and Pink Floyd played Spalding in UK’s ‘first-ever’ rock festival

Colin Ward was – by his own admission – a rather naïve 17-year-old at the time of a musical phenomenon written into Spalding’s history. Barbeque 67 is indelibly etched into the memory of the Moulton resident who still pinches himself when he thinks of those he rubbed shoulders with almost 50 years ago to the day. Drummer Colin was, and still is, a member of Sounds Force 5, ...

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LETTER: Thanks for support in Spalding West – I’ll do my best for you

Many thanks to all the residents in Spalding West who supported me in the county council election. I was very grateful for your continued support and will do all I can to make sure your concerns are dealt with. A big thank you to my friends and family and the many people who came forward and offered to deliver leaflets ...

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LETTER: Tory Party presenting itself as maggot-ridden institution

“Sneering at Corbyn does Tories no favours”. I very much agree with this headline (Matthew Parris, The Times, May 12) and it confirms my reading of the election Tory campaign so far to the extent that now I think they are presenting themselves as a maggot-ridden institution who may be thinking that they, and only they, are most likely to get fat and rich on the rotting corpse of a post-Brexit ...

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LETTER: Will Lord Porter join us in trying to stir interest in politics?

By inviting disgruntled voters to spoil their ballot paper (‘Don’t like voting options? Then spoil paper’, The Voice, May 4) South Holland Council leader Gary Porter is completely missing the point. In the division in which I stood for election on May 4, Spalding Elloe, voters could choose from six candidates representing parties from left to far right and everything ...

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