News

MP Sir John Hayes has twice in recent weeks brought up the issue of fairer funding for Lincolnshire. The Conservative MP for South Holland and the Deepings since 1997 last week raised the issue with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Prime Minister’s Questions.He asked if the PM will: “Review the local government and police funding formulas as a matter of ...

After five years of controversial changes to children’s services, Lincolnshire’s health trust believes it has reached a turning point at Pilgrim Hospital. The Boston service is the closest for many in the district and has undergone significant transformations in its paediatric services since 2018, aiming to address long-standing issues and provide better care for the community.Andrew Morgan, chief executive of United ...

A new chairman has been chosen to oversee some health services in the area.Malcolm Burch is the acting chairman for Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS).LCHS provides community-based health care services across the county to help people live independently at home including urgent care, therapy services, speech and language services, community nursing and services at four community hospitals.Malcolm (pictured) ...

Police are patrolling the county’s streets with a focus on tackling knife crime. Operation Sceptre launched on Monday and lasts for the week as officers show the varied ways police are working to reduce knife crime and tackle violence across the country.It will be one part of year-round activity officers in Lincolnshire undertake as part of its Operation Raptor.Activity throughout ...

The leader of South Holland District Council has unveiled his new cabinet which has met for the first time since the election. Coun Nick Worth (Cons) was officially unanimously voted into the role last week after 20 years as deputy to Lord Gary Porter.He named Coun Gary Taylor as his deputy.Coun Worth told the meeting he is launching a plan ...

Holbeach Hospital has been rated as ‘requires improvement’ for the third time by the Care Quality Commission. The nursing home was found to be ‘good’ in three key areas, and ‘requires improvement’ in two, along with its overall status.The home, which can support up to 47 people, provides beds for residential care, local GP referrals and reablement beds.“The risks to ...

A 29-year-old Spalding man charged with raping a woman has appeared at Lincoln Crown Court.Daivaras Sarkauskis is accused of the offence at an address in the town on July 31 last year.He appeared before Boston Magistrates’ Court earlier this year and his case was sent to Lincoln Crown Court.Sarkauskis, of Spring Gardens, Spalding, appeared before Judge James House KC but ...

A councillor says there needs to be a debate on the future of the nearly 100-year-old aviary in Ayscoughfee Hall’s gardens. Coun Gary Taylor says a decision needs to be made on the bird house which has been in the Grade II listed setting for 98 years.The aviary was brought up at a meeting of South Holland District Council by ...

A new university-level course for aspiring footballers is to be offered by Holbeach United Community Sports Academy which has submitted expansion plans.The curriculum already offers academic provision alongside UEFA-standard football coaching, but the new degree is due to start later this year.The degree-level course will provide another step for students already completing their BTec course at the centre, on Penny ...

The Pedals Spalding Cycle Action Group has expressed concerns that proposed £15 million improvements to two roundabouts in the town might create a greater risk to cyclists and pedestrians. The group has called on Lincolnshire County Council to include a footbridge or signal crossing as part of a “levelling up” initiative for the Springfields and Greencell roundabouts.However, council officers argue ...

Labour shortages in Lincolnshire will threaten the agriculture sector if they are not solved soon, a report has warned. Farms are struggling to recruit European workers who they traditionally relied on due to the impact of both Brexit and the pandemic.The county council’s scrutiny panel report on Agriculture Sector Supports in Lincolnshire, said farms, businesses and communities across Lincolnshire are ...

South Holland residents have been up in arms about the local recycling centre – again – and a county councillor has suggested people ‘avoid weekends’ or ‘buy a compost bin.’ Traffic was queued back beyond the roundabout in Spalding’s Wardentree Lane at least two consecutive Fridays.The centre, at West Marsh Road, was busy over the weekend and problems soon became ...

A domestic cleaner who stole sentimental jewellery worth thousands of pounds from Spalding and Boston homes she worked in was today (Tuesday) given a suspended jail sentence. Aimee Ward (38) admitted four offences of theft between December 1, 2021 and February 8, 2022. Lincoln Crown Court heard the mother-of-two worked for a Lincolnshire based housekeeping firm between August 2021 and ...

A sentencing hearing for a Spalding resident over a string of serious motoring offences had to be adjourned because an interpreter had not been booked. At an earlier hearing, Ovidiu Gustere (39) had pleaded guilty to being in charge of a car while twice the alcohol limit and driving while disqualified in The Parkway, Spalding, on March 11.He also admitted ...

A banned motorist who evaded police by driving round and round the outside of Spalding’s McDonald’s drive-thru restaurant has been given a suspended sentence. Christopher Dye (57) also deliberately crashed through a fence on to the forecourt of the neighbouring filling station in Holbeach Road. He drove round that several times at speed before fleeing the scene, Boston Magistrates’ Court ...

We asked our readers to send us their pictures of Saturday’s return of the Spalding Flower Parade. And it certainly looks like you all had a brilliant time. See a five-page picture special on this year’s parade in this week’s paper which is here. Part one of our gallery is here. Part two is here. Part three comprising reader pictures ...

The return of the Spalding Flower Parade on Saturday was a huge success enjoyed by everyone from toddlers to centurions. An estimated 200,000 saw floats as varied as Pinchbeck WI to events company Arc’s party and marching Star Wars Storm Troopers take to the streets.Others included the 103-year-old Ena Maddison in Aphoenix Care’s bus while the 1953 Flower Queen Jean ...

An estimated 200,000 people were in Spalding on Saturday as the Flower Parade returned after a ten-year absence. And the man behind it has already started the fundraising for it to return on May 11, 2024.“I think it was a decent show,” deadpans Steve Timewell, while he is busy unpinning flowers with his army of volunteers days after the event.“My ...

A Spalding woman who suffered devastating injuries in a crash caused by a driver’s careless action has emotionally spoken of the impact on her life. Demi Blackbourn (27) is now partially blind and her health has seriously struggled since the crash last December.Her parents, Clive and Kay, were warned that she might not survive her injuries.Incredibly, it was the second ...

A Pinchbeck woman has been presented with an award for her work as a volunteer conservation lead and training co-ordinator. Mary Evans was given the inaugural Marsh Award from the Institute of Conservation and the Marsh Charitable Trust for her work with the Gentleman’s Society.Her volunteer role is very different from that of her paid position as the conservation assistant ...