Area could miss out on benefits

South Holland might miss out on financial benefits provided for new energy structures, even if most infrastructure is in the district.

There are currently a host of plans for renewable power generated in the North Sea to feed into The National Grid system at a proposed new substation at Weston Marsh.
But while there’s rate relief incentives around the projects, they only go to the authority where the power comes ashore.
In the current proposed schemes, that would be East Lindsey.
Coun Bryan Alcock raised the issue at South Holland District Council’s meeting last week because South Holland District Council is in partnership with East Lindsey as part of the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership.
Addressing SHDC leader Nick Worth, he said: “We pride ourselves in working together over three authorities; are you prepared to take up a scheme and correct what’s wrong?”
“This district seems to be getting quite a lot of unattractive buildings when another authority gets the benefit.
“Are we looking to change it nationally or see if some equitable operation can arise so this district council and Boston can get some benefit.”
Coun Worth responded “I wrote to the minister some time ago as we feel we’re being unfairly dealt with.
“All the offshore energy is landing in East Lindsey.
“I’ve nothing against them but they get a large amount of rates whereas we don’t get anything at all and neither does Boston.
“In fact some of the money also goes to North Kesteven.
“I wrote to the minister but got a fairly short reply telling me about the legislation and where the projects landed.
“I’m quite happy to take it up.
“It’s been raised with Greater Lincolnshire leaders and the leader of Lincolnshire County Council (Martin Hill) agreed all leaders should meet up and lobby on this.
“He indicated it’s not just for the offshore wind farms, but solar farms and pylons as well.
“We’re all in a similar sort of place.
“We’ll keep lobbying. I’m not hopeful they’re going to change that one, but I’ll keep trying.
“We may get a new minister on that.”
Coun Alcock responded: “It seems to me one authority will get all the benefit.
“A friendly act would be if some of the benefit would be passed on to the other two authorities.”
Coun Worth said they’d had that discussion but it was ‘a political hot potato’.
“We have a good relationship with East Lindsey and if there’s a chance of doing something legally we’ll look to do that,” he said. “I don’t want to put them in a difficult position at the moment.”