News from County Councillor Marianne Overton MBE
June - July Summer News from
Marianne Overton MBE
This is my monthly personal newsletter to let you know what I am doing on your behalf and to keep in touch with you.
Let me know if I can help you. Text or call 07920 235 364
Elections – yes, I am still here!
Huge thanks to all of our brilliant residents who came to vote and especially to vote for me!
I am proud and delighted to have kept my County seat with 1,672 votes, the highest turnout in NKDC, a big majority and one of the top scores in the County. Amazing! I am really pleased to be working solidly for you all, on the basics, local services, funding and on getting solar onto roofs not farmland!
We have huge talent between us in our community and working together we can achieve amazing success and a great community. Thank you for all your support.
Mayoral Election: As Leader of the Independent Group nationally, I worked with the BBC, giving the facts and figures to clarify the importance of our contributions to local government and requiring equal coverage. The BBC policy advisor changed the policy to ensure Independents got equal TV coverage and in the hustings. Thank you for the very positive feedback.
In the vote, I came third in four District Council areas, overtaking Labour, Greens and Lib Dems. Labour recovered in Lincoln and the North and North-east where we currently have little presence. Overall, I still overtook organised national parties, the Greens and Lib Dems, with a very respectable 8% and close on 20,000 votes, all thanks to you! Full results are here.
Independent Success
We Independents retained our four seats on County Council and came second in a number of other elections. It was a particularly huge effort by excellent local councillors, Charmaine Morgan, David Suiter, Dave Darmon, Nigel Eveleigh, Ru Yarsley, Daniel Simpson, to name but a few, who were disappointed but laid a very solid foundation for the future. Together we also changed the thinking towards one where local people are considered first and foremost in council decision-making.
For the first time, Independent councillors and candidates supported each other right across Greater Lincolnshire, an area covering some 1.1m people, including the five Independents in North East Lincolnshire. We shared videos, promotional events, supported each other on social media and promoted each other in our leaflets. Hugely satisfying, thank you. What a team!
I lead the Independent Group of 3,374 Councillors nationally, and Vice Chairman of the whole of the Local Government Association. Our local County Council has been politically transformed, but since not many councils had elections, the national picture remains very different. Conservative and Labour lost heavily to Reform UK (both down at least 65%), while my Independent Group including Geen councillors, held our own.
What does a Combined County Mayor do?
Unlike the large City Mayors, ours is Mayor of a new layer of Government, called the Combined County Authority. This Mayor should work with councils and others to bring strategic direction to the whole area, to be our spokesperson and negotiator. For example, in transport and infrastructure, housing and planning, environment and climate change, skills and employment support, economic development, working with the NHS, police and fire to improve health and wellbeing and public safety. This is Local Government where we represent you as residents, and hopefully no-one is just serving the ambitions of any absent party politicians!
Solar on Roofs, not Farmland
Thanks to our brilliant Cliff Villages Solar Action Group, which I chair. Together we have drawn up powerful objections to the 324 shipping containers full of Lithium batteries, close to Navenby village. We included some professional support, thanks to your donations.
Next is the 1,346 shipping containers of Lithium batteries close to Coleby. These are separate to the solar and could be anywhere with a grid connection and should be on industrial land. Can you please add your voice?
Write to planning@n-kesteven.gov.uk or online here. Register, type in Ref 25/0491/FUL for Navenby and 25/0533/FUL for Coleby, both huge battery storage sites in open countryside and close to our villages. (<June 22)
The giant Springwell Solar application went to our District and County Planning Authorities with significant objections. I spoke as the Community Champion and the whole committee spoke against the application. To listen to the debate click here. Click the video and forward to 30mins to hear the officer presentation and 51 mins to hear my speech, followed by other councillors.
The Action Group website is here.
Let me know if you can find a place for a poster, board or banner to help back the campaign. Let the Inspector know that we matter. Huge thanks for your support.
The Big Walk
The Big Walk along the Cliff Edge was part of the national community walk objecting to the vast expanses of expensive industrial solar increasingly occupying open countryside, for the rest of our lives. And it seems we pay among the highest electricity bills to keep these global companies in big profits, while roofs lie vacant.
The Cliff Villages Solar Action Group held a spirited and uplifting 5 mile walk along the Cliff Edge, with stunning views from the Viking Way and the A607, the very landscape under serious threat right now.
We carried our banners proudly, chanting down Navenby High Street, calling for Solar on… “roofs, not fields” and attracting a good number of heartwarming supportive peeps from passing cars.
Thank you to our singer song-writers with three especially composed new songs; Lincolnshire Land Poachers was written and sung by Tom Lane. Susannah and Malcolm Ramsey performed “Soul of Farmland” and “BESS Begone!”, accompanied by Rob and Theresa Brewer. Special Thanks to Jeremy and Sally at the Joiners’ Arms in Welbourn for a warm welcome with refreshments at the end of our walk. Thanks to Frances Innes and Katina Johnson for helping organise the event.
Walking together with a purpose we raised the profile of this important issue, the day before the Springwell application went to Lincolnshire County Council Planning Committee to agree a detailed objection to Springwell, the first application of industrial sprawl across several miles around the villages of Metheringham, Scopwick, Digby and over the A15 towards Navenby.
New Grants
Five grant funds are offering almost £550,000 for you from North Kesteven District Council – with applications open now!
It is money from the Government, no longer being sent via the EU, to support our local economies and is called the UK Shared Prosperity Fund #UKSPF
The Business Energy and Resources Grant, funded through the Rural England Prosperity Fund. Supporting small and micro businesses to reduce energy costs and improve resource efficiency by supporting them with investment in new technology.
The Flourishing Communities Grant, Supporting projects designed to make communities safer and healthier.
The Sleaford Shopfront Grant Scheme, This is a second round with 18 expressions of interest received.
The Events Grant. Supporting new and growing events in North Kesteven.
The Small Business Grant, which continues using a previous allocation by the District Council. To help small and micro businesses locally find the technology, equipment or machinery they need to take their business to the next level.
For full details and closing dates, see the webpage here: https://orlo.uk/a0Zor
At NKDC, we've also updated our funding page for environment and climate-related grant funds from a variety of sources, so now's the perfect time to see what you might be eligible for. From insulation to EV charging, from tree planting to conservation works, there's an array of support on offer. So, grab a cuppa and check it out: https://orlo.uk/obGmo
Changes in Local Government thinking?
Following dramatic local elections in some Counties, I wonder how much the Government will be rethinking its direction? Will Net Zero redirect to saving energy and will our ten Lincolnshire Councils still be expected to dissolve in two years?
Our Independent and smaller party councillors have increased in number and influence to close on 20% of all councillors, in addition to the majority of Parish Councils who remain loyal to their residents and Independent.
Independents also lead 64 District and Unitary Councils and are in the leading team of a quarter of all councils.
Local Government provides or influences almost all local services for residents, employing 1.3 million people on an annual budget of £127bn, in England this year. The Local Government Association where I am Vice Chairman, is the voice of Local Government. We take your voices right into the heart of decision-making.
Money for Local Spend
We pay our biggest taxes into Central Government as Income tax. They return some to our Councils for local spend. In the “Spending Review” this week, our Councils are getting an extra 2.6% uplift in “spending power” mainly due to an expected increase in Council tax and business rates. That does not provide for the additional demands we face; inflation, employers national insurance, more people with more needs and the new cost of re-organisation.
The Government says it wants to simplify local government funding and focus support where it’s most needed. However, last year it took money from rural councils—originally meant to cover higher service costs in rural areas—and gave it to more urban areas based on deprivation levels. Another concern is a planned business rate ‘reset’, which would wipe out any financial gains we’ve made from local growth.
Affordable housing gets a boost, albeit a small one, £39m over 10 years. The Police budget is planned to rise by 2.3% above inflation every year, funded from an increase in Council Tax. Flood defences have a £4.2bn over three years and Farming and nature recovery gets £2.7bn a year.
The core schools budget in England is rising by 0.4%, relying on falling numbers to eventually create a rise in cost per pupil. The Integrated Health Care Boards had a 50% cut, but the NHS has a 3% real term rise, and defence spending is set to rise from 2.3% of GDP to 2.6% which will be among the highest in the world. Ministers have not reduced the asylum budget with a record number of irregular migrants last month, despite more heavy-handed measures.
Of particular concern is the backward step to remove the decarbonisation budget for Councils to increase their energy efficiency.
The “decarbonisation budget” has been a very important £3.5bn fund for around 1,400 grants for our councils to upgrade our buildings leisure centres, schools etc to make them warmer and more cost effective to run. More here.
The County Council Network here points to the £2.2bn black hole that Councils already face. A survey reveals cuts in services are expected. The Society for County Treasurers warns of mass bankruptcies.
Welbourn
Getting the water to stay in the waterworks has been a major challenge in Welbourn. We have had major investigations twice, big, but not wholly effective works in Moat Lane and a new swale and drainage path on the Green/High Street junction. Highways have agreed to more major work on drainage and kerbing for three days in the period June 16-25th on High Street, Castle Hill, Moat Lane and Mill Lane. Look out, as the bus may not be able to come into the village, and you may need to go onto the A607.
Changes at County
Meanwhile the Reform UK group voted en bloc to remove the Flood and drainage committee as part of their efficiency measures. I have used this committee to address Anglian Water, Drainage Boards and the Environment Agency all in the same room as the District and County Councillors, together working through a list of works needed. We will need to set up something similar.
Our excellent highways officer, Richard Fenwick is leaving. Repairs come under Kyra Nettle, bigger improvements under Shaun Butcher and road safety, Steve Batchelor.
Learning from other Countries
I am speaking in Norway next week on water resilience, at an international conference on behalf of the Council for European Municipalities and Regions. It will be also very interesting to hear from the European Commission and other countries, adapting to prepare for floods and droughts. Will crops like potatoes that need a lot of irrigation become very expensive?
Fun facts for the day! Vegetables take 55% less water to grow, than meat. Chickens bred for food, are alive for only 38 days and it takes 518 gallons of water to produce one pound of chicken! Should we eat less meat?
Kings Award for Enterprise
Do you employ 2FTE staff and can demonstrate strong environmental, social and good governance? Then please apply for this national award before September 9th. Businessses, non-profit and public organisations are eligible. Boost staff morale and get invited to a Royal reception. www.gov.uk/kings-awards-for-enterprise. Advice is here lieutenancy@lincolnshire.gov.uk
Hykeham Relief Road
Funded or not, the public Inquiry begins on 1st July at Double Tree by Hilton on Brayford Pool, Lincoln.
Want to keep in touch?
If you know anyone else who would find this newsletter useful, please suggest they drop me an email here. I write a weekly bulletin which you can find here. Please keep in touch with social media. facebook or @overtonmarianne
Best wishes,
Marianne
Marianne Overton MBE
Working together for people and planet
Local services need local decisions