Your opinion wanted
Nocton Dairy
Respond to the new application for 3770 cows by January 11th. Google “North Kesteven planning on line”, accept the conditions and type in Nocton Heath or 10/1397/FUL. According to the consultant, the number of cows is reduced in this first application, pending sufficient land to spread the waste.
Budget
Both NKDC and LCC have proposed budgets on the web. Now is the time to comment and get changes made before final budgets are agreed in February.
A hot issue for us is the state of the roads following winter damage. Last year the Conservatives cut this budget drastically and planned to cut it again this year, despite big objections from me and the other Independents. We have made some progress in this new budget, but it needs supporting through to the final budget. Respond on line before Jan 26th, lincolnshire.gov.uk/budget and copy me in so I can support you better. See my separate press release for more issues.
Big Success: Bonner House and Harrison House reprieved
Last year all eight Council-run homes providing intermediate and respite care were planned to close. I visited our local homes and was amazed at the high quality of care and excellent work being done in getting people well again and able to return home. “We need more of this, not less,” I said. Independents ran a campaign, even making a video to bring the voices of the residents directly into the corridors of power. This kind of care is more expensive for a few weeks, but it gets people out of hospital, better and in their own home, so it is extremely cost-effective. That is why we introduced it in the first place. The Council has now agreed and given our local homes a reprieve. The number of these short-term beds is now set to increase, saving on long-term care. Now we can work to make them still more efficient.
Congratulations
Sarah Moody (aged 16) from Branston joined our expedition this Christmas to live and work in the wild in Central Africa., to help conservation. Sarah plans to be a vet and also got the chance to work in the Wildlife Sanctuary and shadow the vets there. Apart from my own son, Sarah is the youngest team member on these expeditions. Also in the team was Lauren Smith, a student from the University of Lincoln. Also we took letters from children in Navenby and Martin and set up exchanges with a school in Malawi and a charity to assist, called Malo.
We worked closely with the Malawian scientists and park staff helping with the anti-poaching patrols, recording game populations and identifying rare species to show that the Park is worth protecting. This international recognition brings further resources. Our long-term commitment is rewarded with increasing game populations. This year we actually saw and captured rare species for the first time. Pictures: www.biosearch.org.uk
Relate Opens New Shop: Re-latte
Relate Lincolnshire, where I am a long-standing Trustee, is delighted to announce that 137 High Street has become a Relate coffee shop and dress/suit agency, next to the new Relate Centre. You can browse at your leisure, have a social cuppa and consider your purchases! You can also take replaced items or unwanted Christmas presents and get something back on them! You get half the takings, unless just donated.
Mobile Libraries
Use them or lose them. Thanks for your response to this comment in a previous newsletter, and to Elspeth o Rourke, saving the service at Coleby. The mobile library comes to the village hall every fourth Friday at 12.15 for half an hour. Why not link it to a lunch club at the Thorold Arms?
Litter picker wanted at Coleby
Ring Elspeth on 01522 810173
Report excessive litter on 01529 414155
Report dangerous potholes on 01522 782070
Thanks
Thanks to all the many good neighbours, the “snow team” and staff involved in tackling the extreme weather conditions. Despite being “lean teams”, environmental, health, care and highways staff pulled out all the stops to keep services running as far as humanly possible. Thank you.
January diary dates
12th U3A Wellingore 10am
15th West Kesteven Wildlife Watch at Belton House 10am
19th Marianne to receive an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Lincoln 10.30am
28th Independent’ Event, Sleaford 6-8pm
29th Burns Night, Coleby 7.30pm
Wishing you all a Happy and Successful New year
Best wishes to you all,
Marianne Overton
http://councillors.lincolnshire.gov.uk/cllrmoverton
www.independentvoice.org.uk www.facebook.com http:/councillors.lincolnshire.gov.uk/cllrm.overton
Does this make you smile?
A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to 'clean up' the bird's vocabulary
Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even more rude. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute.
Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer. The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and
said "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions.
I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behaviour." John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behaviour, the bird spoke-up, very softly, "Might I ask what the turkey did?"
