CHEMICAL 'SOAKING' FOR CLEETHORPES COASTAL NATURE RESERVE FRINGE

                                     
It looks colourful, but . . .

By allowing an alien powder to be scattered over part of Cleethorpes coastal nature reserve in advance of a late-summer foreshore  fun-run,  North East Lincolnshire Council scarcely enhanced its reputation as a custodian of wildlife.

Whatever the substance (probably dyed cornflour), its distribution  will have done no  favour to any butterflies, bees, ladybirds, grasshoppers or other  insects unlucky enough to have been within the deposit zone.

If an individual or business offloaded a mystery chemical over parts of  the nature reserve, it would possibly face prosecution, but because of the involvement of a partner-organisation of the council (Lincs Inspire), a blind eye was probably turned.

No one likes a spoilsport (or a killjoy) and the luminous substance doubtless added to the gaiety of the occasion, but if the event is to repeated in future, here's hoping  integrity of the nature reserve will be respected.
                                                    

COUNCIL WAS PAID £25,000 TO HOST 2016 ARMED FORCES DAY

THE main grant awarded to North East Lincolnshire Council for hosting this year's National Armed Forces Day in Cleethorpes was £25,000. 

According to the Whitehall-based Armed Forces Covenant Grant Team, this is the sum routinely provided "to support infrastructure and publicity costs". 

The corresponding event next year, which will be funded to the same amount is due to take place in Liverpool.                                                 

LOW-COST APARTMENTS SCHEME FOR GRIMSBY

A BLOCK of 16 low-cost apartments could be built on a plot of land at the corner of Convamore Road and Eleanor Street in Grimsby.

The project would be undertaken by Develop NEL - North East Lincolnshire Council's newly-created property development subsidiary. 

Following a brief discussion, from which press and public were excluded, the cabinet agreed to release £1.2-million towards purchase of the site. 
                                     

COUNCIL COMMITTEE OPTS FOR SECRECY OVER FRAUD UPDATE

A TEAM has been set up to "prevent and detect fraud, corruption and financial misconduct" within North East Lincolnshire Council.

This emerged at a meeting of the audit and governance committee, but the press and public were excluded from an update on what has been achieved.

When committee chairman Tim Render was asked by a reporter why the information had been classified as confidential, NELC's  head of  audit and assurance, Peter Hanmer, intervened to say the decision  had been made  on "legal advice".

Only Coun Andrew De Freitas (Lib-Dem, Park) voted against the exclusion order. "This is a democracy," he said.

Also withheld from press and public was a report outlining NELC's approach to risk management.