Author Archives: Nigel Chapman

South Holland District Council appoints new commercialisation director

A new executive director of commercialisation for South Holland District Council will start on Monday.(Jan 23) Christine Marshall joins the shared management team for South Holland and Breckland district councils. She trained and qualified as a chartered accountant at Peterborough City Council, specialising in housing and systems accounting. Christine has also been head of finance and IT at Boston Borough Council ...

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Increase in burglaries in Spalding

Spalding police have appealed for residents to be aware following a number of burglaries. On social network Twitter, Spalding PCSOs posted: “Increasing burglaries in the Spalding area. “Please lock your doors and windows, report suspicious activities to 101 or 999.” Break-ins have seen cash stolen in Angelica Drive, on Sunday; laptops in Westlode Street on Friday and Winsover Road on ...

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Strictly Come Dancing stars quickstepping to Johnson Community Hospital summer ball

The star attraction at the annual Johnson Community Hospital ball this summer is Strictly Come Dancing stars Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag.  The pair will hit the dance floor as special guests of The Strictly Johnson Glitter Ball at Springfields Events and Conference Centre in Spalding on Saturday, July 8. The ball committee is offering sponsorship packages for the ...

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LETTER: Our thanks for your donations to Santa’s Rotary Club sleigh

Members of The Rotary Club of South Holland and friends who helped Santa on his rounds in Spalding during December would like to thank everyone who supported us or donated to our fund. Thanks also go to sponsors of the sleigh operation: Sedge Homes and Oasis Whirlpools and Spas. We are delighted with the final result of more than £12,000 ...

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LETTER: Dear medical centre, please don’t close for staff training

We have today sent this blank fax to Beechfield Medical Centre regarding their intent to close every last Tuesday afternoon and evening in the month for supposed staff training. With our Prime Minister highlighting the need for a seven day a week service this practice seems to think it can further reduce its openness to patients. Dear Beechfield Medical Centre, ...

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LETTER: Come on councillors, oppose this unnecessary housing plan

With reference to the article in The Voice (Jan 5) regarding the proposed 78-house development planning application by Woodgate Farms. I am at a bit of a loss as to whose side Coun Poll is on. It’s a bit like the pantomime. Is he for it? Oh no he isn’t. Oh yes he is. Having lived in this village for ...

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LETTER: I stand by my reckoning on Brexit

Just a quick response to the letters criticising my earlier one on Brexit. Mr Hammersley claims that I used “the old strategy” of confusing statistics in producing my figures. I stand by exactly what I said, which ought not to confuse anyone unless they read it carelessly. I made clear that a modest majority of those who voted did vote ...

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Holbeach man (22) jailed for acting as robbery lure

A man who acted as bait to lure a robbery victim to his fate has been jailed for four and a half years.   Jason Baker (22), of Angell Lane, Holbeach, arranged to meet victim Michael Timmins who was then robbed of cash and cannabis.   Gurdial Singh, prosecuting at Lincoln Crown Court, said: “Michael Timmins received a phone call ...

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LETTER: Cyclists are a menace who need putting back in their place

With reference to cyclists being caught up in hit-and-run incidents over Christmas and the new year. What the drivers who left the scene did was wrong and they should be caught and prosecuted for that reason. However, every day cyclists are breaking the law far more frequently than drivers. Part of the frustration for drivers is you do not know ...

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Evidence of fraud and smuggling to be presented at Holbeach premises licence review

A premises licence hearing has been scheduled for Thursday (Jan 19), where claims relating to fraud and smuggled goods at a Holbeach pub will be heard. A panel of the committee of the licensing authority will meet at South Holland District Council to consider an application to review the licence of The Chequers Hotel, in High Street. A notice of ...

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Parish council wants plan to help shape future of Surfleet

Residents are being asked to have their say on a proposal to prepare a neighbourhood plan for Surfleet. Surfleet Parish Council has applied to South Holland District Council to designate its parish area as a neighbourhood area. The district council said: “Neighbourhood planning offers communities the opportunity to shape future development by creating new policies which are used in determining ...

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Laughter Yoga: Go on, let yourself go a little more

Who doesn’t need more laughter in their lives? It’s supposed to be the best medicine (except maybe for those recovering from abdominal surgery!) On Blue Monday – the January day deemed by some to be the most depressing of the year – we decided to try out a Laughter Yoga session in Spalding. Here’s Louise Chapman’s take… Laughter yoga felt ...

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Driver (69) dies after Land Rover leaves A16 at Surfleet

A 69-year-old driver died following a collision on the A16 at Surfleet on Monday. The black Land Rover Discovery which the local man was in left the road at about 5.45pm. He was taken to Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital but was later pronounced dead. Police are appealing for anybody who saw anything significant to get in touch. A spokesman said: “Any witnesses who ...

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Revamped Spalding radio station delivering new sound

The Spalding radio station rescued from the jaws of extinction is getting into its stride under new management. Now known as “Tulip – The Station You Can Really Call Your Own”, market research is about to be undertaken to find out more about what the community wants from it. The station – formed when the charity Hereward Media launched a ...

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UPDATE: Lorry driver charged after man seriously injured in Holbeach crash

UPDATE Tuesday, 9.15am: Police say the lorry driver arrested after a crash in Holbeach yesterday has been charged with driving without due care and attention. Ionita Bran (43), from Spain, will appear before Lincoln magistrates this morning.   Monday PM: A lorry driver has been arrested on suspicion of driving without due care and attention after a crash at Holbeach ...

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Learn to help dementia sufferers with gardening activities training

Carers and individuals connected with people living with dementia are invited to a training course aimed at helping them to set up therapeutic gardening activities. ‘Gardening for the Brain’ is a new one-day training course being held by South Holland District Council in conjunction with Green Synergy, a charity which uses community gardening and horticultural therapy to help improve people’s ...

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Successful Gosberton firm now totally owned by its three directors

The three directors of Gosberton firm Infotel Solutions have secured a buyout of its major shareholders. Kimberley Graham, Tanya Beresford and Susie Christie say it reinforces their commitment and dedication to take the accommodation, travel and conference specialist forward, with plans focused on quality of services. Founded in 1989, Infotel started out as a hotels information service. It now employs ...

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Final call for entries into South Holland Open Arts Exhibition

Artists have just a couple of weeks left to enter a competition designed to showcase the best work created by professionals and amateurs across the region. Deadline for entries into the 17th South Holland Open Arts Exhibition is Monday, January 30. Artists can submit their work and an independent panel of judges will choose the pieces which will be displayed at ...

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Spalding family’s row with Disneyland Paris features on BBC’s Rip Off Britain series

A Spalding family who had a row with Disneyland Paris over accommodation has had their case highlighted on the BBC consumer programme Rip Off Britain. Shaun and Amanda Matthews, whose 16-year-old daughter Phoebe suffers from spastic quadraplegia cerebral palsy, were angry with what Disneyland termed “miscommunication”, which left them with an inadequate bed allocation. The family, also including Anya (15) ...

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South Holland council tax support cuts set to be implemented

Moves that will reduce the amount of discount available to those who get help to pay their council tax look set to go ahead. Following a public consultation, South Holland District Council’s cabinet agreed to push ahead with a range of measures that could see a reduction in council tax support expenditure of around £187,000. A report before last Tuesday’s ...

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