News

Residents are being urged to have a say on where money can be saved as Lincolnshire faces a “financial black hole”. In his December message, leader of Lincolnshire County Council Martin Hill has said that even every council in England stopped filling in potholes, turned off every street light, and closed all parks, children’s centres, libraries, museums and leisure centres ...

Plans for a 45-home development in Weston have come up against strong opposition from villagers. Bourne-based Larkfleet Homes has applied to South Holland District Council to build 45 homes, along with associated garages, at Small Drove. The development will consist of 30 open market homes, 11 social rented homes and four intermediate homes (housing that falls between open market and ...

A Moulton woman is to face trial after she denied stealing a bank card and £550 cash from a Spalding pensioner. Maria Pridmore (35) pleaded not guilty to three charges of theft when she appeared at Lincoln Crown Court today (December 4). Pridmore denies that she stole a bank card and pin number belonging to Angela Bird on May 28 ...

A police officer was today (Thursday) warned he could face a jail sentence after admitting child porn offences when he appeared at Lincoln Crown Court. Paul Henry ( 42), an officer with Bedfordshire Police, pleaded guilty to eight charges of making an indecent image of a child. He also admitted a further charge of possession of extreme pornography. The offences took ...

A war memorial design competition with a £500 prize has so far attracted very little interest. With just two weeks left until the closing date, competition organiser Harold Payne, of The Anglia Motel at Fleet, has received no entries. Only University Academy Holbeach has indicated an interest in taking part. Mr Payne wants the proposed war memorial to honour fallen ...

Spalding Christmas Market – which was called off at the weekend due to forecasted high winds – has been rescheduled for this Sunday (December 6). The market was due to be held in the town centre last Sunday, with many town shops opening to coincide with it, but organisers contacted The Voice at 7pm on Saturday with the news. On Tuesday Spalding ...

Holbeach market is on the move after centuries in High Street. South Holland District Council is moving the stalls to Boston Road car park from January 7 for a trial period. It is hoped that the move will increase visitor footfall and attract new traders. There is thought to have been a market and fair in the town since the 13th ...

The governing body of a struggling secondary school has been replaced after the latest visit by education watchdog Ofsted. Inspectors visited the Sir John Gleed School in October – just months after it had been removed from special measures – but found that action plans put in place by the school’s managers to overcome serious weaknesses were “not fit for ...

A father’s call for an independent investigation into claims his son killed himself after bullying within the Conservative Party have been heeded. Leading Government minister Grant Shapps resigned at the weekend, saying “the buck should stop with me” after allegations that bullying within the party led to the death of activist Elliott Johnson (21, pictured). Elliott, an ex-Spalding Grammar School ...

Five fire crews were called to a blaze in a workshop at Fleet at about 4pm on Monday. Crews from Holbeach, Long Sutton, Spalding, Kirton and Donington attended the fire in Fleet Road, which is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault. Crews used three main jets, two hose reels and two sets of breathing apparatus during the ...

If you are over the legal limit for drugs or alcohol then you are not welcome on Lincolnshire’s roads. This is the message that the county’s police are driving home with today’s (Tues, Dec 1) launch of the Christmas drug and drink drive campaign. Officers have traditionally had the use of the breathalyzer to test drivers for alcohol, but this ...

A campaign to make motorists slow down has been hailed a success after speeding fell dramatically. Recent figures released show that average speeds have fallen since reactive speed signs and a camera van started monitoring in Long Sutton. The scheme, a partnership between Long Sutton Parish Council and the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership, has been running for just over a ...

Four men who were caught in the act of staging a ram raid in an attempt to steal an ATM cash machine were jailed on Friday (November 27) at Lincoln Crown Court. The four used a stolen JCB to rip open the wall of the Spar Shop on London Road, Long Sutton, in the middle of the night, and had ...

Spalding Christmas Market – scheduled for Sunday (November 29) – has been cancelled due to forecasted high winds. Organisers contacted The Voice at 7pm on Saturday with the news. Spalding town centre manager Dennis Hannant said: “We have had to cancel the Christmas Market tomorrow due to the expected bad weather; wind speeds of between 30-45 mph.” Ayscoughfee Hall Winter ...

South Holland District Council leader and Local Government Association chairman Gary Porter (55) last week (November 18) had his first day in Parliament’s second chamber as Lord Porter of Spalding. It coincided with an #ourday Twitter initiative to highlight the work of local government. We’ve fleshed out his tweets to give a flavour of a memorable day in his life. ...

Planning councillors stand accused of being “draconian” after getting tough over work done without permission. Homeowner Simon Barker has been ordered to reinstate the line of a replacement boundary fence which he extended to enclose a 9m x 2m piece of his land that had attracted animal fouling and litter. And Zagros Abdullah has been told to restore a window ...

The Rotary Club of Holbeach has confirmed its dates for this year’s Santa’s sleigh run. A spokesman said: “Santa with his sleigh and helpers will set off at 5.30pm (Sunday timings to be confirmed closer to the time) and will visit as many homes and children as he can fit in until 8pm. “Please listen for his sleigh bells and ...

Police have launched a manhunt after an alleged assault and car crash. Ryan Brooks left an address in Pinchbeck on Tuesday morning (November 24), using a car he had taken without permission. The vehicle was then involved in a collision before being abandoned at Holbeach Drove. Police said: “The condition of the vehicle suggests that Ryan is likely to have suffered an ...

A tireless campaigner has vowed to carry on her fight against a second power station in Sutton Bridge despite leaving the area to be closer to family. Great-grandmother Shirley Giles (pictured) has been at the forefront of the battle to stop EDF building another gas-fired power station – twice the size of the existing one – on land at Wingland. ...

A new system will make it easier for residents to have their say on policing priorities for South Holland in the New Year. Neighbourhood panels, which have been an important link between local communities and police for a number of years, are to be overhauled in an attempt to make them representative of views of more people. The existing panels ...