West Lindsey District Council has reached an agreement with the Home Office to explore temporary dual use of Lincolnshire’s former RAF Scampton site, marking a significant step forward in securing the council’s vision to deliver its regeneration plans for the site through collaboration. Under the agreement, outstanding legal action will be withdrawn. The Home Office, which has planning permission awarded through a Special Development Order can use the site for a fixed period of time, up to October 2027 and has agreed to house a significantly reduced number of asylum seekers. The agreement also allows the council to use a portion of the land to pursue the regeneration of the site with preferred development partner Scampton Holdings Limited. The Home Office will retain just 10% of the site to temporarily house up to 800 asylum seekers – compared to the original 2,000. Leader of West Lindsey District Council, Cllr Trevor Young said the agreement is the culmination of weeks of negotiations with the Home Office and the result provides the community and investors greater certainty for the long-term future of the site. He said:“The specific details of the agreement are still being finalised, but this agreement paves the way forward for the short-term and long-term use of the site. “The council have always been clear that whilst it is our view that the site is unsuitable for large scale asylum accommodation, protecting the investment and regeneration plans for the site is a priority. This agreement provides the principles by which we can collaborate to unlock our investment and regeneration plan by working with the Home Office through a shared use proposal.” Cllr Young thanked the community for its continued support and said the council will focus its scrutiny and challenge to ensure the impact of asylum accommodation on the local community is as little as possible. The Home Office has committed to working with the council and Historic England to protect the heritage of the site, which is the former home of the Dambusters. Two listed hangars, the listed officers’ mess and Wing Commander Guy Gibson’s dog’s grave will be transferred to West Lindsey District Council once a legal agreement is in place, with the remaining listed hangars being transferred in 2026. As previously announced, the £300m of investment into the regeneration of the former RAF Scampton will preserve, protect, and enhance the site by providing aviation heritage, business, aerospace, space and education opportunities. Sally Grindrod-Smith, Director of Planning, Regeneration and Communities at West Lindsey District Council said:  “This marks a turning point in the council’s journey to protect the £300 million investment and regeneration plan. Our strategy to challenge every detail and hold the Home Office to account has successfully delivered the conditions in which the opportunity to collaborate and deliver a temporary, shared use of the site now exists. “This includes a significant reduction in operating capacity of the asylum accommodation centre, a vastly reduced Home Office footprint, and a suite of conditions on the Special Development Order designed to mitigate the impact of the development. “I am confident that over the coming months we can continue to use our energy and passion to protect this site and to develop an innovative and creative shared use proposal which allows for the kickstarting of plans to bring significant investment into West Lindsey and Lincolnshire.”

The International Bomber Command Centre in Lincoln has welcomed its 500,000th visitor since opening in 2018. Simon Poole was the lucky visitor, visiting with his family for the IBCC’s annual InSpire Ride event. The momentous milestone achievement was celebrated by the team at the IBCC as Simon was given a family goodie bag. The centre which has a focus on Recognition, Remembrance and Reconciliation, includes a Memorial Spire surrounded by walls containing the names of the 57,861 men and women who lost their lives serving and supporting Bomber Command, 10 acres of peace gardens and the Chadwick Centre which houses immersive and interactive exhibition galleries for visitors to explore. Nicky van der Drift, chief executive of the IBCC, said: “Since opening my team has worked tirelessly to provide the best experience possible for visitors who are coming to learn more about and remember Bomber Command’s history and sacrifices. Hitting the milestone of half a million is quite the achievement, and we’ve reached it in a much shorter time than we could have hoped, particularly given the closure in the pandemic. “In that time, we’ve welcomed people from 54 nations, of all ages, hosted innumerable events, collected 34 different awards and played an important role in both the local and Bomber Command Communities. “Education is at the heart of everything the IBCC does, from introducing visitors to the history of the Command to the 26,000 children who have taken part in our learning programmes. We subsidise all school visits to the Centre to ensure that as many children as possible can learn of the service and sacrifice of those of Bomber Command. “We are funded solely through tickets, events and donations so our ability to further share Bomber Commands’ history during World War II is determined by how much interest the public shows in learning about it. This milestone proves the interest is strong, and we’re looking forward to continuing to answer it for the rest of 2024 and beyond.” Simon, the 500,000th visitor, said: “I’m amazed, I didn’t expect that this morning! We have visited the IBCC before and love it, so to be the milestone visitor is brilliant.” The IBCC’s InSpire Ride event is a charity fundraiser that sees hundreds of motorcyclists travel to the centre for the day to remember those that lost their lives during POW escape from the German prison camp Stalag Luft III on 24 March 1944. This year, for the 80th anniversary of the escape attempt, Steve McQueen’s iconic Triumph motorbike from the film adaption of the attempt, ‘The Great Escape’, was loaned to the IBCC. The International Bomber Command Centre created and utilises the world’s largest free to access digital heritage collection on Bomber Command. The Digital Archive has been carefully developed by an international team of more than 400 volunteers and contains thousands of first-hand historical accounts, photographs and documents from all sides of the war. The Losses Database carries 5.5 million pieces of information of those who perished. It is now a primary source for Ancestry.com and FindMyPast.com.   Image: Simon Poole and his family, the 500,000th visitors to the IBCC

The creation of a new £26 million South Holland Health & Wellbeing Hub has moved a step closer, with the submission of a planning application for the first phase of the project. The application for the transformational South Holland District Council scheme has been validated and will now be assessed by planning officers alongside consultation with neighbours and relevant bodies, with a decision expected in September. There is an intention for construction to get underway in Winter 2024, with the main Hub building opening to the public in Summer 2026. A further outline application for the second phase of work on the Levelling Up project, including an extra care housing scheme, is set to be submitted in the coming weeks. In 2023 the Council was successful in a bid to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, receiving £20 million of investment for the existing Castle Sports Centre site in Spalding, to address health and wellbeing through the provision of improved sport, recreation and leisure facilities, alongside new health and wellbeing services and facilities for residents. The first phase of the application includes plans for the main Hub building, including the creation of a new two-pool swimming facility, outdoor splash pad, sports hall, gym, fitness studios, wellbeing spaces, café and play zones. New outdoor facilities installed on the site would include a 3G artificial turf floodlit football pitch as well as a separate outdoor multi-use games area, community gardens and park run track. The extra care housing scheme, on the current swimming pool site, would contain specialist accommodation made up of self-contained homes combined with communal areas designed to help people continue to live independently for longer. Submission follows a public consultation on the proposals in March, with 5,000 residents visiting the project’s dedicated website, over 250 attendees to in-person exhibition and drop-in events, and another 250 taking the time to share their thoughts on the plans via the online form or via email. The feedback given has helped the project team to refine the designs, with changes from the previous proposals including additional, accessible toilet provision on the first floor, amendments to site security out of hours, changes to the spectator seating layout at the swimming pool and the inclusion of a raised end in the pool for competition starts. Unfortunately, within the budget available for the project, not all suggestions could be added to the plans. Due to the extremely high installation, operation and maintenance costs the project is not expected to be able to incorporate sauna or steam room facilities, instead prioritising a wider range of sport, wellbeing and physical activity opportunities. Purpose-built balcony or tiered spectator seating for the swimming pool is also not possible within the current plans, but approximately 250 permanent and temporary seats will be available around the main pool for competitions, whilst still ensuring that the facilities cater for the wider community and daily users. Councillor Gary Taylor, the Council’s project sponsor, said: “I am really pleased that we are able to take another significant step towards making this incredible project a reality, and creating brand new facilities that will cater for our whole community for many years to come. “Thank you to everyone who took the time to be part of the consultation process or who has helped to shape the designs so far. Feedback from those who will visit, enjoy and live near the site is invaluable in making sure we can create a truly transformative and well-used Hub for South Holland’s residents.” The submitted plans can be viewed and commented on by visiting www.sholland.gov.uk/FindandComment and searching the planning reference number H16-0462-24. More information on the project is available at southhollandlevellingup.co.uk, and any questions or feedback can be sent to levellingup@sholland.gov.uk.

RNLI lifeguards return for 2024 summer season this weekend (Saturday 25 May). It is expected that the beaches will see large numbers of people heading to the coast as the school summer half-term begins, the RNLI urges people to go to a lifeguarded beach if they plan on getting in the water. The charity’s lifeguards are ready to go this season as they have spent their time honing their skills, training, and preparing for the summer season. This season there will be 80 lifeguards in Tyne and Wear, 82 lifeguards in Yorkshire, 20 lifeguards in Lincolnshire and 80 more will be patrolling Norfolk and Suffolk beaches. Throughout last year there were 1049 incidents across the North and East lifeguarded beaches, and over 1300 people were aided. This season will be as crucial as the previous years, yet the 2024 season also holds a historical importance as the charity celebrates its 200^th anniversary. Lifeguarded beaches will be operational from Saturday 25 May, 10am to 6pm every day. Lifesaving cover will commence at the following beaches from Saturday 6 July: Runswick Bay, Sandsend*, Cayton Bay*, Belvedere*, Bridlington North*, Bridlington South*, Withernsea, Hornsea, Sheringham East, West Runton, East Runton, Cromer West, Hemsby, Great Yarmouth, Southwold South, Lowestoft North, Wells-next-the-Sea. Sutton on Sea beach will be operational on Saturday 13 July, and Redcar lifeguards will commence duties on Saturday 20 July. All lifeguards pride themselves in being fit and as prepared as possible to keep beach users safe each summer. They maintain a level of fitness, which allows them to swim in under 3.5 minutes, and run 200m on sand in 40 seconds. Training is an important ongoing factor for lifeguards, from fitness to operating the equipment and professional development. Ted Morgan, RNLI Lead Lifeguard Supervisor for East of England, said: ‘During pre-season training lifeguards are trained in casualty care, lifesaving skills, rescue techniques and incident management. ‘Our lifeguards also complete multi-agency exercises working with HM Coastguard, East England Ambulance Service and RNLI and independent lifeboat stations.’ It comes in the same week that the RNLI launched its annual Float to Live, water safety campaign, which shows people the technique to use to saves their own lives if they get into trouble in the water. Ahead of the busy half term holidays it has been revealed that 83% of the UK adult population (aged 16-64) expect to visit the coast this summer, and 40% expect to go three times or more. Rivers and lakes will also be popular. The Float to Live advice is: Tilt your head back with ears submerged and try to relax and control your breathing. Use your hands to help you stay afloat and then, once you are through the initial shock, call for help or swim to safety if you can. If you see somebody in trouble, call 999 and ask for the coastguard if you are at the coast, or ask for the fire service if you are inland.

North East Lincolnshire Council has confirmed its support for a campaign against National Grid proposals to build an 87-mile long, high-voltage overhead electricity line between Grimsby West and Walpole in Norfolk. The authority has decided to support objections to the scheme, in line with Lincolnshire County Council. The County Council, district councils and the ‘No To Pylons’ campaign group are leading opposition to the scheme. Whilst North East Lincolnshire Council has welcomed the upgrading of the electricity transmission infrastructure, there is concern about the line’s visual and environmental impact. It will involve 50-metre high pylons traversing the Lincolnshire countryside over 140kms. In agreeing to support objections, the Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, Cllr Philip Jackson, has confirmed the following actions:

• Requesting National Grid Electricity Transmission to place any new transmission line within the North East Lincolnshire boundary underground and/or re-route it so that it is subsea.
• Writing to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to robustly express the views within this Motion on Notice and request the support of our two MPs in this matter; urging them to lobby as appropriate at Government level and to liaise closely with the parliamentary ‘Off Shore Electricity Grid Task Force’.
• Making a formal objection to the scheme in a similar manner to Lincolnshire County Council.
• Encouraging residents and community groups, such as parish councils, to make their views known to National Grid Electricity Transmission.
• Publicly supporting the call made by Victoria Atkins MP and others for an independent review of offshore options for the Lincolnshire East Coast.
• Working closely with Lincolnshire County Council to ascertain the feasibility of being included in the independent review of the impact of the scheme that they are in the process of commissioning, and fully support them in their intention to “take legal action to challenge the reasoning that this infrastructure is the best solution if necessary”.
• Urging the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside to study carefully the objection formally submitted by his counterpart for Lincolnshire due to the serious risk to the operation of emergency services and provide a public statement in due course.

In North East Lincolnshire, the line’s proposed route will go from National Grid’s existing Grimsby West substation, where a new 400 kV substation will be built, to the west of Laceby– external site , between Barnoldby-le-Beck– external site  and Waltham– external site , and could be sited either side of Brigsley. National Grid says The Great Grid Upgrade to meet ever-growing electricity demand will be the most expensive grid overhaul in generations, costing £1bn, compared to £4.4bn for an offshore alternative and £6.5bn for an onshore underground cable. It says maintenance costs will be reduced. Initial consultations by National Grid have now concluded and the company says it is reviewing the feedback to help it develop more detailed proposals that will be shared during a second round of public consultations in 2025. The recent consultations attracted more than 3,000 people to in-person events and the company received 6,700 messages of feedback. Cllr Jackson said the second round of consultation would give borough residents another chance to air their views in 2025. “Opposition to this huge scheme is growing by the day. Whilst the council welcomes the need for an electricity upgrade we are extremely concerned about the impact of these overhead powerlines to our communities and the environment. “We are supporting our neighbouring authorities in opposing this scheme and we ask local people not to sit back and let this pass without making their individual and collective views known. This scheme will change our local landscape for generations to come and we believe that National Grid must urgently review its proposals. “If it is needed, we fully support Lincolnshire County Council’s intention to take legal action to challenge the reasoning that this infrastructure is the best solution.”

North East Lincolnshire Council has secured £4,821,879 of Government funding to help deliver carbon emission reductions to nine of its council buildings. The funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Phase 3c, delivered by Salix, will reduce the future environmental impact and running costs of the buildings through heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency improvements. The council will provide match funding for the project of £657,529. The works will involve replacing ageing, fossil-fuel reliant systems with low carbon alternative technologies, as well as building fabric improvements and energy efficiency measures where appropriate for the buildings. The grant funding includes design, engineering, construction, and project management costs. The buildings included are: • Immingham Swimming Pool • Humber Seafood Institute • Grimsby Leisure Centre • Grimsby Crematorium • Grimsby Education and Development Centre • Cromwell House • Poplar Road Business Units • Poplar Road Offices • Doughty Road Depot Offices. Cllr Phillip Jackson, Leader of the Council, said: “We’ve set an ambitious target to be a carbon-neutral council by 2030. Meeting this target is one of the biggest projects the Council has undertaken and is vital in mitigating the damage done by polluting carbon emissions. “This grant funding will enable us to take a big leap forward in reducing the energy consumption in our buildings, which benefits the environment and lowers running costs, and ultimately helps keep council tax down. “One of the biggest contributors to our carbon emissions is the energy we use to heat our buildings. “We can reduce these emissions by increasing the energy-efficiency of our buildings, using our buildings to generate power and by switching to renewable sources of energy. “The works we are carrying out now are a further step in our mission to becoming carbon Net Zero and follow other energy-efficiency improvements completed in recent years, such as converting our street lights to low-energy LED bulbs, upgrading our buildings and introducing more electric vehicles in our fleet.”

Fifteen projects focused on supporting skills and education across North East Lincolnshire have been awarded a funding boost through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). The UKSPF is the Government’s replacement funding for previous EU investments. Money was given to North East Lincolnshire Council to allocate to projects that were successful in applying in three categories, which are priorities for the borough – those being Communities and Place, Supporting Business, and People and Skills. One round of funding was awarded in 2023 following successful application bids, with the second round awarded earlier this year, again after a formal bid process. Of those organisations, 15 are directly related to improving skills and education in North East Lincolnshire and they have received a total pot of £745,000. These upcoming projects hope to improve career prospects and life chances for local people. The successful organisations that received UKSPF funding for People and Skills are:

• Adults Careers Team (North East Lincolnshire Council) – the careerShift programme targets those who are interested in changing their careers, with a focus on industries struggling to recruit. Designed to raise aspiration, the course will be attended by local employers and careers advisors, who will share their knowledge and experience to encourage people to utilise their existing skills differently.
• CATCH – building on their technical training and apprenticeship programmes, the accredited ECITB Work Ready project for Welding, Pipefitting and Plating will produce more skilled and qualified people for the engineering construction and shutdown labour pool.
• NAViGO Care CIC – the NAViGATING Healthcare project focuses on pathways into health and social care employment, providing holistic support through training, career advice and work experience opportunities, as well as practical support including wellbeing, finance, digital skills, and confidence.
• University of Lincoln – led by the University of Lincoln’s National Centre for Food Manufacturing (NCFM), the Seafood Talent Futures project seeks to increase the number of highly skilled individuals employed in Grimsby’s Seafood Processing sector and young people accessing careers within it.
• Climb4 Ltd – the Build a Brighter Future project is a volunteer and training pathway for those unemployed and 19+, as well as those 16 to 18-year-olds without a grade 4 English and Maths at GCSE level.
• Ethical Recruitment Agency (ERA) – the Proud to Care Project supports individuals across North East Lincolnshire to access the care sector. The program begins at the start of the application process with DBS checks, references, and interview skills until they are a paid member of staff. The ERA will cover the fees for recruitment, training, and support the pay-rolling of 12 weeks of wages to temporarily alleviate employers of time and costs typically required to train new staff.
• Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education (GIFHE) (TEC Partnership) – delivered by the Automotive Department of GIFHE, the Level 1 Award in Electric and Hybrid Technologies and Carbon Awareness has been developed to equip the learner with the relevant knowledge to be able to work safely on a vehicle which has a high voltage (HV) propulsion system, without working on the HV system itself. The project will cover safe working practices and essential knowledge of hazards associated with electric vehicles and the precautions to follow to avoid these, a priority area for vehicle technicians as the amount of petrol and diesel cars reduces every year.
• Creating Positive Opportunity – the Creating Better Opportunities project aims to increase employment and retrain those already in work, by offering quality qualifications, licenses, certificates, and structured industry taster days in priority sectors including Construction, Health and Care, and Visitor Economy.
• Learning4Life-Gy – supporting individuals who have migrated to access opportunities in employment, the English Speaking for Other Languages (ESOL) Vocational English for a Working Life project will deliver weekly sessions of an adapted curriculum, combining English with workplace relevance for non-English speakers.
• The Equality Practice Ltd (TEP) – the Me-Learning Programme is a 12-week programme focusing on women’s self-belief, to encourage them to go forward with employment and training. By addressing mindset, aspirations, and perceptions of what’s possible, the gender skills gap can be challenged with females feeling more confident to reach out for higher opportunities.
• Transafe Training (TEC Partnership) – the Logistics and Safety Employer Response (LASER) programme delivers courses to respond to the skills gaps in Logistics. The courses will retrain or upskill employees and learners to meet the needs of the sector, resulting in employment, increased skills, and a reduction of structural barriers to opportunities.
• Volunteer It Yourself­ – aimed at young people aged 16-24 who are unemployed, the project will support the development of construction trade skills and increase their work readiness, as they help to renovate Kent Street Skate Park in Grimsby.
• Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education (GIFHE) (TEC Partnership) – the Leadership Skills for Social Care project is designed for 19+ learners looking to develop skills to support new or existing roles in the care sector. The course will focus on leadership and knowledge tailored to the care sector, delivered flexibly to accommodate the needs and schedules of everyone involved.
• The Equality Practice Ltd (TEP) – following previous success in delivering to females aged 19+, the Me-Learning project is being delivered to a younger cohort of 16 to 18-year-olds. A 12-week, adapted version of the programme will be piloted to meet the needs of young women, continuing with a focus on mindset, self-talk and aspirations.
• Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education (GIFHE) (TEC Partnership) – lead by National Employer Training (NET), the Hospitality Key Skills programme will offer hospitality businesses in North East Lincolnshire accredited, sector-specific provisions that address skill shortages in the sector, with qualifications including Food Hygiene and Food Allergens.

Wendy Trask, Operations Manager for Employability at North East Lincolnshire Council, spoke about the importance of skills development, as her team’s careerShift project was awarded UKSPF funding last year. She said: “We wanted to encourage our unemployed adults to think about widening their scope when it comes to learning and job searching. It’s vital for our local economy that we capitalise on the existing cohort of unemployed, lower-skilled people as well as those with higher skill levels in areas they are no longer interested in working. “By developing the knowledge of people searching for work, we can help bridge the skills gaps in our area, raising aspirations of those involved in careerShift and beyond.” North East Lincolnshire Council Leader and Portfolio Holder for Economy, Net Zero, Skills and Housing, Cllr Philip Jackson, is supporting the local skills projects. He said: “These initiatives and schemes are paramount to helping local people achieve their dreams. “By investing in skills and training, we can build a more prosperous future for everyone across our borough. “However, none of this would be possible without the UKSPF funding which we are grateful for receiving. These are all wonderful projects that support people from all backgrounds, offering a range of skills to help them throughout their lives.”   Image courtesy of North East Lincolnshire Council

Hospital patients and staff in Lincoln will be able to retreat to a new garden funded through charitable donations. The garden has been opened at Lincoln County Hospital and is the first of three to be created across United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust. Work is about to begin on similar green areas at Grantham and District Hospital and Pilgrim Hospital in Boston. The gardens are being jointly funded by NHS Charities Together and the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity; both provide the extras for patients and staff that are not available through NHS budgets. The designs are bespoke to each area and were voted on by hospital staff. The Lincoln garden cost just over £60,000 to complete and provides a space for everyone to use. It is located on Level One between Dixon Ward and Burton Ward. Ben Petts, United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity Manager, said: “We understand how stressful it can be coming to hospital and so to have a space where everyone can go and enjoy some fresh air and a break away from the hustle and bustle is so valuable.” He added: “We all hope we will never need to visit hospital, but if we do – we all appreciate a small area of sanctuary where you can have space alone with your thoughts or precious moments with loved ones. “A lot of thought and care has been put into these gardens by our contractors at SPA Landscaping and also by members of the working group. These areas really are going to make a massive difference for our patients, colleagues and visitors.” Alex Anthony from SPA Landscaping Ltd said: “Carrying out the installation of the landscaped courtyard at Lincoln County Hospital was a challenging project due to the access and scale of the planned works. Working with the Trust to overcome the project challenges shows what can be achieved through team work. “We are delighted the space can now support wellbeing and help patients, staff, and visitors to the hospital.”   Image shows: The official opening of the garden at Lincoln County Hospital. Picture courtesy of United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust