News

£10,000 Big Lottery Fund grant for church hall refurbishment

Pinchbeck St Mary’s Church Hall will soon undergo the next part of its refurbishment thanks to a £10,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund. The committee met on Monday to discuss quotes received for the project, which includes a revamp of the men’s toilets and installation of a disabled toilet. Committee member Jane Amess said: “The hall was built in ...

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Spalding radio station finishes after hostile relationship breakdown

The relationship between Tulip Radio and Hereward Media has irretrievably broken down just a month after a rescue package for the Spalding broadcaster was agreed.  Hereward Media announced on Monday (Jan 30) that it formally cut ties with the broadcaster at 6pm last Friday after what it describes as “a catalogue of unhelpful behaviour”. Tulip Radio countered by claiming its board terminated the ...

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Now it’s March before part of Spalding’s Winsover Road reopens

A road closure in Spalding has been extended by another five weeks – taking the total to two-and-a-half months. Anglian Water says its request to Lincolnshire County Council Highways for a second extension of the original closure of part of Winsover Road was necessary due to the extremely delicate nature of the sewer repair operation. Work on site at the ...

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Whaplode shooting: Woman (57) denies attempted murder charge

A 57-year-old woman charged following a shooting incident in Whaplode has admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm.   Mary Jane Taylor, of Little London, Long Sutton, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to Alan Taylor (58) as a result of the incident on December 8.   Taylor , who appeared before Lincoln Crown Court on Monday (Jan 30) via video link from Peterborough Prison, ...

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D-Day landings hero Tony (91) honoured with top award from French government

Weston resident Tony Blackman was honoured by the French government last week for his part in the D-Day landings in 1944 and the subsequent liberation of France. The 91-year-old was officially presented with the Legion of Honour – the highest French order for civil and military merits. Honorary French consul Robert Mille made the award at a special gathering at ...

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Spalding shopkeeper fails again to be granted premises licence

A Spalding shopkeeper has failed again to be granted a premises licence. However, Ernesta Tamutyte was poised for a second rejection inside a year after Lincolnshire Police lodged an objection on the grounds of her not satisfying two of the four licensing objectives – prevention of crime and disorder and public safety. Ms Tamutyte, of Hallgate, Moulton, runs Global Food ...

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Backlash over council’s £2.7m offices refurb plan – but just THREE proper comments

It may have caused a degree of outrage on social media but South Holland District Council’s spending plan for the next financial year received just three valid comments from a public consultation. Residents and businesses were given nine days to give feedback on the council’s draft budget for 2017/18. As highlighted by The Voice last week, the budget included the earmarking ...

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Plan for 48 homes in Spalding town centre is up for approval

A plan to build 48 homes on the EMG Motors site in St John’s Road, Spalding, is recommended for approval. A report to South Holland District Council’s planning committee meeting on February 1 says Kaplan Property Group has agreed to make the entire site a mixture of social rented and shared ownership homes. It said: “There is a clear and ...

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Spalding campaigner welcomes top model’s revelation of being intersex

Spalding man Joe Holliday has welcomed a move by a top model to reveal herself to be intersex too. Model Hanne Gaby Odiele (29) featured in global media this week after speaking out to break down taboos and discourage parents from agreeing to potentially unnecessary surgeries on intersex children – those who are born with or develop reproductive or sexual ...

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Developer to councillors: ‘Please refuse our planning application’

A developer has invited councillors to refuse permission a planning application – to allow it a ‘free go’ at resubmitting a revised scheme Calderdale Homes (Eastern) wants to build nine homes (seven two-bedroom and two three-bedroom) in Park Lane, Donington, At a meeting on January 4 the planning committee deferred a decision in the hope the developer could be persuaded to amend the ...

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Local government shake-up ‘would not affect frontline services one iota’

Residents in Lincolnshire are to be asked whether councils across the county should be scrapped in favour of a new approach to local government. Amid increasing financial pressures for local authorities, county council leader Martin Hill claims a move to a unitary authority would save £150million in its first five years, while not affecting frontline services “one iota”. He said: ...

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The Holbeach licensed premises with ‘no regard for the authorities’

The premises licence for The Chequers Hotel in Holbeach has been revoked by South Holland District Council. A panel of councillors presented with evidence of fraud and smuggling came to the conclusion that “those running the premises have little or no regard for the authorities”. The premises licence has been held by The Chequers Hotel Ltd since June 2009. Neither of the ...

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Premises improvements planned at GP surgeries in Spalding, Holbeach, Pinchbeck and Crowland

GP surgeries across south Lincolnshire are planning expansion and improvement projects as patient numbers continue to rise, alongside ongoing countywide recruitment challenges.   Beechfield Medical Centre, in Spalding, alone has taken on 4,000 additional patients since 2011, rising from 13,500 to close to 17,500. Building work is imminent there, at The Abbeyview Surgery in Crowland and Munro Medical Centre’s Pinchbeck ...

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‘Good outcome’ as kind-hearted strangers attend lonely World War Two veteran’s funeral

Kind-hearted strangers responded to a public appeal to attend the funeral service of a World War Two veteran with few family members. There were about 60 people paying their respects to RAF veteran Edward Scott, who died aged 91. RAF Association said Mr Scott served in the 154 Squadron as an engineer. It said before Tuesday morning’s service at South Lincolnshire ...

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Council tax bills in South Holland up by more than £50

Council tax looks set to rise by at least £50 on average in South Holland from April. Lincolnshire County Council is recommending to push forward with plans for a 3.95 per cent increase in  its portion of the bill, equivalent to a £45 increase for a band D property. South Holland District Council has planned a £5 annual increase in ...

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‘Spalding swimming pool in need of urgent deep clean’

Photographs taken at Castle Sports Complex swimming pool show that it is in urgent need of a deep clean, says an angry user and Voice reader. The pictures, which show mould and grime in changing room and shower areas, are said to have been taken four weeks ago. South Holland District Council says 1Life, which manages the leisure centre on behalf ...

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Spalding branch of Norwich and Peterborough Building Society to close

The Norwich and Peterborough Building Society branch in Spalding is to close. The brand is being abolished by owner Yorkshire Building Society, which is closing 28 N&P branches and 20 Yorkshire Building Society branches from September this year. More than 400 jobs will be at risk by the move. The society plans to close its N&P current accounts to existing ...

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Spalding town centre retailer praised for transformation of shop window

The Spalding branch of retailer Hughes Electrical has been praised for transforming a large blanked-out window into an attractive and interesting storyboard of the site. The Sheep Market shop was one of several town centre premises highlighted by Spalding and District Civic Society as having unattractive windows – many by utilising “garish” vinyl. Hughes senior salesman Graham Boor approached the society to ...

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Survey on appetite for establishing town council in Spalding

Residents in Spalding are to be surveyed on whether they would like a town council. Spalding is not parished and, therefore, does not have a town council, but South Holland District Council’s transformation programme, Moving Forward, includes a pledge to investigate if there is an appetite to have one. Spalding Town Forum has district councillors and representatives of community bodies ...

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Amnesty week as hospital pleas for return of loaned medical equipment

Former patients of King’s Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital are being urged to return medical equipment in an amnesty period on now. Hundreds of frames, walking sticks and crutches are loaned out to support patients in their recovery. The hospital maintains up-to-date records of its three-month loans but many patients do not return equipment after the period is up. This week ...

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