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

Grimsby-based Linkage Community Trust’s  awarded £164,316 in National Lottery funding to support its sensory outreach service. The charity, that supports people with learning disabilities and autism, will use the grant to create a new mobile sensory space, bringing sensory experiences to children and adults across Greater Lincolnshire. Niz Smith, the Outreach Project Coordinator, says: “Thanks to the National Lottery players, we’ll be able to reach into smaller community spaces and get right into the heart of Lincolnshire’s rural communities. This is important because in a large rural county like Lincolnshire, it can be very difficult for people to access services but by bringing the service to them we’re overcoming these barriers. Above all, we’ve seen the benefits and joy people experience using the bus and the difference it can make.” The Linkage Outreach team currently delivers services from a converted single decker bus, which has served its purpose over the years but has begun to show its age. In previous years Linkage Outreach has run up to 40 community days and visited up to 23 schools per year, providing each with seven visits to ensure pupils receive the maximum benefit and enjoyment from the experience. Thanks to The National Lottery players, the new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund will provide a new mobile sensory vehicle that will enable Linkage to improve the service, reaching more individuals and smaller communities. This vital community resource supports individuals to improve communication skills and helps to increase calmness, relaxation, concentration, and wellbeing.  It’s able to reach and benefit those that otherwise may not have the opportunity to experience any form of sensory therapy, and serves as inspiration to parents, teachers, carers, and professionals of different support environments.