Full list of candidates - 87 in total - battling to be elected to serve on North East Lincolnshire Council

                                       

Where the big political decisions are made - Grimsby Town Hall

 

A TOTAL of 87 have thrown their hats into the ring for next month's local elections in North East Lincolnshire.

Among them are David De Freitas - son of former NELC leader the late Andrew De Freitas - who is one of six candidates in Grimsby's Park ward.

Also in the field - this time in the Humberston & New Waltham ward - is former councillor Steve Hocknell who is evident keen to make a return to frontline local politics.

The borough wide-up also includes three serving members of  NELC's cabinet - Stewart Swinburn, Ron Shepherd and Stephen Harness.

Given that the last two cut their political teeth as members of Ukip, there was speculation that they might switch their allegiances to Reform UK but they have decided to remain as Conservatives.

Polling is on May7.

The full line-up is below:

  

CROFT BAKER

EAST MARSH

FRESHNEY

HAVERSTOE

                                                

HENEAGE

HUMBERSTON & NEW WALTHAM

IMMINGHAM

PARK

SCARTHO

                                          

SIDNEY SUSSEX

SOUTH 

                  

WALTHAM

WEST MARSH

WOLDS

YARBOROUGH

                            

                                                 

A new chapter could soon open in the history of historic Grimsby building

                                                             

Read all about it - books galore?

THERE could soon be an independent bookshop in Grimsby.

An application has been submitted for change of use of premises at 17-19 Bethlehem Street which, in recent years, have served as an art gallery and studio.

The proposal has been submitted by gallery owners Our Big Picture Ltd on behalf of a prospective tenant.

It is not entirely clear from the plans whether any part of the Grade II Listed building will be retained for art displays and activities.

A decision is expected later this spring from North East Lincolnshire Council planners.

Application submitted for small-scale Travellers' site on outskirts of Immingham

                                           

The site earmarked for the caravans 

 A PLAN has been unveiled for a 0.85-hectare plot of grassland on Stallingborough Road in Immingham to be use as a residential Gypsy/Traveller site.

It is proposed for  each of two pitches to include one static caravan and two  touring caravans. 

There would also be two storage containers, parking and amenity areas plus a barn, stable and paddock for  horses.

An  existing hedgerow would be retained.

The proposal, which is currently being considered by North East Lincolnshire Council planners, has been submitted on behalf of clients by Vardo/ Mark Simmonds Planning Services Ltd.

                                              

Attractive - one of the photographs submitted to support the proposal

Success for objectors as council refuses plan for 20-metre high phone mast on High Street in Cleethorpes

    

The car park on High Street, Cleethorpes, where a telecommunications mast was proposed

RESIDENTS who objected to a telecommunications mast and base station being installed at a prominent location in Cleethorpes appear to have won the day.

There were numerous objections when a Berkshire-based company, Cornerstone, earmarked a plot adjacent to the car park in High Street for the proposed development.

The  project - intended to replace near-obsolete equipment on the roof of the nearby Sainsburys Local store - would have consisted of a 20-metre high mast with six antennae attached, plus three ground-based cabinets.

But the application has this week been refused by North East Lincolnshire Council.

Says the planning case officer: "It is considered that the proposed tower, with its width and height, would intrude and detract from the area and adversely impact on the character of the area. 

"The proposal would be highly visible from a multitude of street scenes including High Street , St Peter's Avenue, Isaac's Hill and Cross Street.

"The mast would  dominate the area and appear out of scale with its surroundings. 

"This will be accentuated by the openness caused by the car park on High Street."

The applicants will now consider the reasons for the council's refusal before deciding whether to lodge an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate.

Will shortage of public WCs prove a little inconvenient this Easter for holiday visitors (and for local traders)?

Trees  shrubs and lawns have been removed to make way for hard surfacing

WORD is awaited from North East Lincolnshire Council on what provision, if any, is to be made for public to access free-to-use WCs ahead of the start of the 2026 holiday season.

In previous years, there have been temporary relocatable conveniences in either Dolphin Gardens or Pier Gardens, but it may not necessarily be so this spring and summer.

If there is a shortage, there will be pressure - almost certainly unwelcome - on local cafes, pubs and even other traders to make their facilities available to allcomers.

In the meantime, tourism chiefs will be monitoring what  impact higher fuel prices might have on visitor numbers over Easter.  

Of note, too, will be the visitor response to the fact that the whole of  Pier Gardens is currently out of bounds while contractors Maylim crack on with converting  it to what NELC - somewhat unappealingly - say  will be a "multifunctional" area. 

It seems some Alexandra Road traders are very unhappy about the project - not least because it will take as long as 15 months to complete, and prior  consultation has, they say, been modest to non-existent.

In the past, their businesses have been boosted by pedestrians crossing from Central Promenade to their premises via the Gardens, but this is not possible while the works continue.

Temporary loos were in place during summer last year 

 

Engineering firm signs three-year deal to be front-of-shirt sponsor to Grimsby Town

                                                         

Executives of Blackrow Group with Grimsby Town's chief operating officer, Polly Bancroft

 

A NEW name will appear on the front of Grimsby Town's first team matchday kits next season.

The club has announced that The Blackrow Group, will be front-of-shirt sponsor on a three-year deal from the 2026–27 season.

Says a Mariners' spokesperson: "The agreement marks a significant expansion of the partnership between the Mariners and the Grimsby-based engineering business, who first joined the club as sleeve sponsor ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

"Established for more than 45 years, Blackrow Group has grown from its local roots into a highly respected engineering and fabrication business operating across the UK and internationally. 

"The company provides specialist  solutions to a wide range of industries including Food and Beverage, Chemical, Petrochemical, Renewables and Oil & Gas."

The amount Blackrow will be paying the club has not been revealed. 

Blackrow succeeds Myenergi, though the latter will retain its links with the football club by sponsoring the training kits.

Warm wishes for a speedy recovery extended to two councillors who are on long-term sick leave

                                                           

Cllr Keith Brookes

WARM wishes have been extended to two North East Lincolnshire councillors who are on long-term sick leave.

Former council leader Cllr Keith Brookes (Con, Haverstoe), an authority veteran, has not attended a meeting since October 7 last year.

Meanwhile, Cllr Marion Jervis (Lab, Croft Baker), a relative newcomer to the authority, has not attended a meeting for at least 12 months.

At the March meeting of the full council, both Oliver Freeston (Reform, Croft Baker) and Cllr Tim Mickleburgh (Lab, South) expressed their hopes that the duo are on the mend and might return to their civic responsibilities before too long.

Under the terms of the Local Government Act, any member, who, for six months, fails to attend any meeting of the authority ceases to be a member unless within that period his/her absence is approved by the authority. 

At this week's NELC meeting, members approved a "dispensation", permitting Cllr Brookes and Cllr Jervis to remain councillors pending their recovery.

                                                                          

Cllr Marian Jervis