EURO-POLL 2019: THE FULL VOTING FIGURES FOR NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE

THE interests of Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Immingham residents are now predominantly represented in  Europe by Brexit MEPs members following last Thursday's poll.

Our area is part of the Yorkshire and Humber region which elected three  Brexit Party candidates - John Longworth, Lucy Harris and Jake Pugh - and re-elected Labour incumbent Richard Corbett. 

The Liberal Democrats came third (after Brexit and Labour) in the region, meaning that Shaffaq Mohammed wins a seat for them, while the fourth-placed Green Party candidate, Magid Magid also wins a seat.

However, there was gloom for Mike Hookem (UKIP), John Proctor (Con) and Amjad Bashir (Con, formerly UKIP) who were all unsuccessful in their re-election bids.

Within North East Lincolnshire, the turnout was 28.65 per cent.

Polling was as follows:

Change UK: 871
Conservative and Unionist Party: 3,224
English Democrats: 445
Green Party: 2,370
Labour Party: 3,444
Liberal Democrats: 2,916
The Brexit Party: 16,895
The Yorkshire Party: 168
UK Independence Party (UKIP): 2,234

Region-wide, the polling (on a 33.3 per cent turnout) was as follows:

Change UK: 30,162
Conservative and Unionist Party: 92,863
English Democrats: 11,283
Green Party: 166,980
Labour Party: 210,516
Liberal Democrats: 200,180
The Brexit Party: 470,351
The Yorkshire Party: 50,842
UK Independence Party (UKIP): 56,100 

The total electorate of the region is 3,867,792.

COUNTRYSIDE CHARM OF CYDEN'S NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT NEAR TOLLBAR ROUNDABOUT

HATS off to Grimsby housebuilder Cyden Homes on its latest development - Becklands - on one of the approach roads to Waltham Tollbar roundabout!

Many developers get a bad rap for their careless, insensitive and sometimes brutal attitude to the green environment.

By contrast, such is the extent of trees, shrubs, hedgerows, wildflowers (including borage) and waterbeck features that this project has an almost  romantically countryside feel - as if it were set within its own nature reserve.

What is more Becklands is full of birdsong - wrens, robins, thrushes, blackcaps, whitethroats, blackbirds and more.

All being well, the reedbeds could  soon attract sedge warblers, reed warblers, yellow wagtails and more.

Below is a random selection of on-site photographs taken mid-afternoon on Bank Holiday Monday.

                                         

 

 

 

WILL HERITAGE CONCERNS SCUPPER PROPOSAL TO REDEVELOP FORMER SCHOOL SITE?

The school - seen from the top of Parker Street

UNCERTAINTY surrounds proposals  for a former school and education centre in Cleethorpes to be demolished in favour of a housing development.

A consortium of builders is keen to knock down the Thrunscoe school buildings  off Highgate to make way for 42 homes.

But the buildings have heritage value - they date back to 1932 and the days of Lindsey County Council.

The school closed in 1996 and was more recently, refurbished, then used as a education centre until it closed in 2017.

The buildings are mainly single storey with some two-storey elements two and built of brickwork with slate tile roof and a mixture of timber and upvc windows and doors. 

Although (with one exception) neighbours have been either neutral or supportive, the conservation officer for North East Lincolnshire Council/ Engie, Emilie Wales, has lodged a holding objection.

In a report, she says: "I note the application is total demolition with re-use of stone but with no details of where the stone is to be reused. The application which is for total demolition results in substantial harm.

"No viability statement has been submitted to support the application and there is no evidence that there has been an attempt to first avoid, then minimise this harm.

"Heritage assets are an irreplaceable resource, and should be conserved in a manner appropriate to their significance so that they can be enjoyed for their contribution to the quality of life of existing and future generations. 

"This cannot be achieved though total demolition.

"This proposal does not achieve aspirations designed to sustain and enhancing the significance of heritage assets and put them to viable uses consistent with their conservation."

Ms Wales feels that any redevelopment of the site should make "a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness.

"Until all reasonable efforts have been made to  mitigate the extent of the harm to the significance of the asset, I recommend refusal."

The only other objector to date has been Christine Wardle, of 42 Wendover Rise, Cleethorpes, who is unhappy about potential removal of trees and consequent loss of birds, bats and other wildlife.

Says she: " This area is host to many of nature's creatures and should continue to be so. 

"It would be reckless to do so without thought for the environment." 

Mrs Wardle favours redevelopment of the site with "a community centre for the homeless - to support vulnerable people, to help the needy and to provide valuable, practical aid for those in desperate circumstances". 

Another neighbour, Mr Kevin Randell , of 44 Lindsey Road, has made a comment about the birdlife.

Says he: "We are visited by long tail tits, coal tits, sparrows, dunnocks and, after an absence of many years, a breeding pair of song thrushes. 

"The sparrow hawk and pipistrelle bat are both seen on a regular basis."

It is not known whether NELC/Engie  planning case officer Cheryl Jarvis will determine the application under delegated powers or whether it will go before the planning committee for councillors to decide.

Below are  pictures of the front of the site, off Highgate, which would provide the access for traffic during and after any redevelopment.

GRIMSBY MP MELANIE ONN CALLS FOR TOUGH ACTION ON HOUSEBUILDERS WHO BREACH PLANNING LAWS

The MP - rules should be adhered to

                                             

GRIMSBY MP Melanie Onn has hit out at housebuilder Persimmon plc  over alleged flouting of planning conditions at its project in Humberston.

In a Commons debate yesterday , she accused the company of "complete disregard" for regulations by chopping down trees without permission.

She continued: "It  will now have to replant all those trees, but they should not have been removed in the first place."

The MP is calling for "much more enforceable action on these big build companies to ensure that they adhere to the rules that are laid down in the first place".

NELC has not yet said whether it will take enforcement action or prosecute Persimmon which is the UK's largest housebuilder.

* See also previous post

BLACK MARKS FOR HOUSEBUILDER OVER DESTRUCTION OF HUMBERSTON GREENERY

Entrance to the site of the Persimmon development in a leafy part of Humberston

THE UK's largest housebuilder, Persimmon, appears to be doing its reputation no favours with its development off Humberston Avenue in  Humberston.

There has been a stream of complaints about mud being deposited on the highway as  the 385-home project progresses.

In one case, it has been claimed, the mud caused an  accident when a child skidded on his cycle, lost control and fell to the ground.

Enforcement officers at North East Lincolnshire Council say the complaints have been investigated, but it has taken no action, preferring to issue reprimands.

The latest allegation is that up to 260 trees and an 80-metre hedgerow have been uprooted without consultation - let alone consent.

Although Persimmon  has not held up its hands to any breach of regulations, nor expressed regret, it says it will undertake "landscape replacement".

But precious habitat has been lost, and songbirds have left the site just as they were establishing nesting territories.

Any new planting will take years to mature, and, in the meantime, many of the saplings may well perish.

Persimmon plc is a FTSE 100 company with deep pockets and powerful influence.

As with the mud on the road, it remains to be seen if the council will take any enforcement action against a company of such considerable clout.

So far, all that NELC has said is that it is "continuing discussions". 

The Grimsby News says: If Persimmon has flouted planning regulations with  destruction of trees and hedgerow, NELC must take appropriate enforcement action. A don't-do-it-again rap on the knuckles would be a totally insufficient response. What sort of message would  that send out to other developers in the borough? That the council is willing to turn a blind eye to transgressions that damage the environment.Firmness is essential. Otherwise, residents will reach a double conclusion - first, that there is one law for the rich and another for the rest of us, and, second, that NELC planners are spineless in protecting precious green habitat.

How the Grimsby Telegraph reported the removal of trees and shrubs

 Below: More pictures of the development site

UNCERTAIN FUTURE FOR IMPRESSIVE FRAMED PRINT WHEN BANK CLOSES NEXT MONTH

A section of the impressive pier-and-gulls print which is familiar to customers at Barclays in Cleethorpes 

WHEN the Cleethorpes branch of Barclays Bank closes on June 28, what will happen to the framed photograph that has long been an impressive feature above the length of the three-cashier counter?

The image depicts the town's pier with  black-headed gulls wheeling in the foreground.

It is not known who the photographer might be, but the picture was obviously taken in autumn or winter because the gulls are in non-breeding plumage - their heads are not black.

What is more, black-headeds are  relatively scarce in Cleethorpes in summer because they breed elsewhere - many in Norway.

According to staff, no decision has yet been taken on what might happen to the bank's fixtures and fittings, but several customers have made inquiries about the print and whether it might become available.

One option the bank might consider is to invite customers to submit bids for the picture, the money raised going to charity.

AN IMPORTANT STEP UP THE POLITICAL LADDER FOR MARINERS SUPREMO JOHN FENTY

                   

John Fenty - the council's new second-in-command 

A NEW responsibility beckons for Grimsby  Town FC boss John Fenty.

He has accepted an offer to become deputy leader of  North East Lincolnshire Council.

His special focus will be on hastening the pace of economic regeneration and seeking new inward investment.

Cllr Fenty, who represents the Humberston and New Waltham ward, will be right-hand man to the new NELC leader, Cllr Philip Jackson (Waltham).

Following the local election polls of earlier this month, the Conservatives have wrested control from Labour.

Subject to confirmation at the council's annual meeting next week, the full list of members of the new cabinet, along with their portfolio responsibilities,  are listed below.


Cllr P Jackson: Leader (no portfolio but with overall Cabinet responsibility for the Town Deal)

Cllr J Fenty:  Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Skills and Housing
Economic strategy
Inward investment and business support
Regeneration
Assets (corporate, commercial, community) and estate management
All aspects of housing 
Skills and employability

Cllr S Shreeve: Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources 
Financial strategy and corporate governance 
Revenue budget and capital programme
Digital strategy, inclusion and development
Shared services and commercial development
Financial inclusion

Cllr S Swinburn: Portfolio Holder for Environment and Transport 
Planning, development control, highways and transportation
Traffic management, parking and regulation
Climate change and the green agenda
Waste, recycling and environmental management
Neighbourhood services, street scene, parks, open spaces 

Cllr M Cracknell: Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care
Adult social care
Health and adult social care commissioning and provision
Public health and health inequality
Health and care partnership and integration 

Cllr C Procter: Portfolio Holder for Tourism, heritage and culture

Tourism and the visitor economy
Leisure, sport and recreation
Culture, Borough heritage, museums and the arts 

Cllr I Lindley: Portfolio Holder for Children, education and young people
Statutory Lead Member for children’s services
Safeguarding of children and young people
Corporate parenting, care leavers and family support
Early help 
SEND
School improvement and education (schools, FE and HE)

Cllr R Shepherd: Portfolio Holder for Safer and Stronger Communities
All aspects of local authority enforcement and regulatory services
Environmental health, food safety, pollution control, trading standards and licensing 
Community safety and anti-social behaviour 
Voluntary and community sector
Equalities, diversity and inclusion