From the Cleethorpes Masterplan approved this week to a Children’s Services update, tonight’s Leader’s Statement at the full meeting of North East Lincolnshire Council highlighted important work going on in our borough.
Councillor Philip Jackson opened his speech with words on the Ukraine crisis. “I am sure we are all appalled by what is happening in that country and the suffering of its people at the hands of Russian aggressors,” he said. “We see horrific scenes on our television screens every evening and on social media.” His comments were set to be followed by a Notice of Motion about the crisis later on tonight’s agenda.
“Turning to local issues,” he continued, “the Children’s Services Oversight Group is established to provide more robust challenge and support for Children’s Services and it is good to see all political groups represented. Cross-party engagement in this area is vitally important.
“The governance of the improvement agenda will be developed further over the coming weeks, taking into account the views of the Department for Education-appointed Commissioner. The commissioner is due to finalise his report by the end of this month. Tuesday (March 15) marked World Social Work Day, and I am sure all members will echo my view that our social workers do a tremendous job in often complex and difficult circumstances. We thank them for the work they do across the children’s and adult social care spectrum.”
He went on to address the ongoing situation with the coronavirus pandemic. “The Government recently announced the Living with Covid plan,” he told the chamber at Grimsby Town Hall.
“The disease has not gone away but the combined impact of vaccination, personal responsibility, and proportionate measures is the balance now being struck. As a council, we must rightly continue to demonstrate leadership on the public health and health protection front, working with our partners across the health and care system.
“Our stronger economy and stronger communities focus is vital to ensuring that our borough recovers from the impact of the pandemic in order that residents, communities, and businesses can thrive and prosper.
“I want to move on to this administration’s successes with waste and recycling. North East Lincolnshire’s recycling rate in 2021 was just under 40% – a massive increase from the 31% in 2017/18 under Labour.
“This is the result of a number of initiatives we have taken, the main one being the introduction of the new recycling bins which have proved to be both successful and popular.
“We have also recently launched the ‘Clear it!’ scheme to engage community groups in clearing alleyways or open spaces of waste and fly-tipping. Volunteers do the clearing, and the council disposes of the waste. This scheme is improving our environment while encouraging community involvement, self-reliance, and responsibility.
“Another successful environmental scheme, introduced by this administration in June 2020, is Operation Gateway – to improve the main route into Cleethorpes along Cleethorpes Road and Grimsby Road. To date, owners have upgraded 130 buildings along this key artery, making a noticeable difference.
“The number of empty homes blighting NEL has been a problem for many years. Under this administration, we are at last starting to make inroads into the numbers with a reduction of no less than 288 in the past year.
“Moving on to regeneration, the Cleethorpes Masterplan was formally adopted at last night’s Cabinet meeting. Having worked closely with Hemingway Design and GL Hearn, the plan includes a range of concept ideas for the next 10 years and shows how Cleethorpes could offer greater appeal to people living in the resort and those visiting, with development opportunities and visitor attraction at its heart.
“This is a framework with identified deliverable projects that will help Cleethorpes become more attractive to a wider population, alongside recommendations for infrastructure development to support the projects. It was formulated following extensive public consultation and has been very positively received.
“We now need to identify grant funding opportunities to help deliver the plan and lever further private sector investment into Cleethorpes to attract more visitors and jobs into a thriving resort. Playing their part in the regeneration of the North Prom, last week saw the official launch of the fantastic Luminations that are already proving to be a tourist attraction in their own right.
“Turning now to Grimsby town centre, last week we announced that 1.6 acres of town centre development land is being purchased by this council. Contracts have now been exchanged on the area, which comprises of 3-15 Osborne Street and the land behind those buildings on Garden Street that is currently used as a car park. This area has been derelict and a blight on the area for several years.
“This is a strategic regeneration acquisition, and we need to develop further plans and identify funding opportunities. However, it would be an ideal location for a new transport hub, with its proximity to the main shopping areas and the railway station and enjoying excellent highway connectivity and would once again provide Grimsby with a proper bus station, complimenting other town centre regeneration projects.
“Turning now to devolution. When the Levelling Up White Paper was published by the Government, nine areas of the country were named in the first tranche to be engaged by Government in devolution discussions. While Greater Lincolnshire was not included in that list of nine, the ambition for devolution remains strong. I am engaged with my fellow council leaders as we continue to shape the asks and powers we would seek from the Government and, in due course, this council will be formally engaged in the process and the debate.
“Meanwhile, we continue to extend collaboration across Greater Lincolnshire with the recent commencement of a pilot to share a director of public health, Professor Derek Ward, across the three upper-tier councils.”
Councillor Jackson went on to highlight the recent listening events held by Cabinet. He said: “We promise to be a listening council and in the last month we held three further Cabinet listening events, one in each of our main towns. These proved to be just as successful as the two we held back in 2019, pre-Covid.
“It was great to meet and talk to many members of the public face-to-face and they were able to discuss the area’s challenges and opportunities, as well as bring their views and ideas to the table.
“This Conservative administration is listening to the voters, delivering on its manifesto commitments, and carving out an exciting strategy for the future of North East Lincolnshire.”
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