Residents throughout the districthave been given a sporting chancethanks to West Lindsey District

Council.Ten thousand pounds has been distrib-

uted to sports clubs to help them pay foressential equipment.

Chairman of the Community and WasteServices Committee at the council, CllrJackie Brockway, said: “The CommunitySports Fund has been a huge opportunityto help the local community boost sportsprovision in the district.

“Sport is a huge area that West LindseyDistrict Council wants to improve and excelat.

“I am delighted we have been able tohelp a wide variety of groups buy essentialequipment to help us all achieve this goal.”

“Clubs need to develop each year andsometimes this is not possible withoutfunding.”

The grant aims to allow clubs to apply forfunding for equipment, projects and otheritems of interest that would help develop

sporting opportunities.The fund, which has now been fully

spent, was available to parish and towncouncils, voluntary organisations and com-munity groups.

Chris Farrell, Sports and CommunityDevelopment Officer at the council said: “Ihave been fortunate to see first hand theappreciation and joy the cheques havebrought to these groups.

“A small grant can go a long way withorganisations and it really helps with devel-oping opportunities both in sports and thecommunity in West Lindsey.”

Northorpe Parish Council was awarded£1390.14 to provide both outdoor andindoor equipment to develop grass rootsports and opportunities for children withdifficulty getting out of the village.

Local children presented a letter at aparish council meeting requesting newsports equipment so that they can practisefootball and netball - the two main sportsplayed in local schools.

The letter was signed by all the childrenin the parish.

Vice Chairman of Northorpe ParishCouncil, Neil Montgomery, said “We arereally pleased to have received the fund-ing. You can immediately see the differ-ence in the playing field, it has beenbrought to life and the children now play

their chosen sport in a safe location.”Grants have also been awarded to:

� Market Rasen Cricket Club, £1260 fromlast year’s fund to buy new nets.� Saxilby Parish Council have received£994 for a number of sports such as foot-ball and hockey. Cash will also go on inclu-sive sports equipment.

West Lindsey District Council

THE NEWSLETTER FOR PARISH AND TOWN COUNCILSTHROUGHOUT WEST LINDSEY

Parish Matters

Game, set and matchthanks to sports grants

Making a Difference

OCTOBER 2010

� Continued on page 2

YOUNGSTERS SCORE: Sports andCommunity Development Officer ChrisFarrell presents a cheque for £1,390 toNorthorpe

Aunique scheme to cutresidents’ energybills and reduce

carbon emissions hasbeen launched acrossWest Lindsey.

Free cavity wall andloft insulation is beingoffered to residentsover 60 and those onqualifying benefits.

Huge discounts arealso available foreveryone else in thedistrict.

Karen Lond, Energyand Climate ChangeOfficer at West LindseyDistrict Council and the sec-retary of the Home EnergyLincolnshire Partnership (HELP),urged people to use the scheme.

She said: “The HELP insulationscheme has been established by a part-nership of Lincolnshire councils and is runby the Energy Saving Trust.

“We hope many residents throughoutWest Lindsey take full advantage of thisfantastic opportunity.

“It will not only help our environment butsave some of their hard earned cash.

“In a time of risingenergy prices and

economic uncertaintythis will be a

blessing for thosealready strug-gling to keepup withspiralling fuelbills.”

Around10,000homesacrossLincolnshireare expected

to benefit fromthe HELP

scheme over thenext 12 months.The scheme offers

householders thediscounted price of £49 for

cavity wall and £79 for loftinsulation, subject to a property surveyand maximum sizes.

Sean Johnson, Chair of HELP, said: “Weare delighted to be working with othercouncils and partners to provideLincolnshire residents with simple routes tosaving money and carbon.”

Insulating homes keeps heat where it’sneeded the most - inside, which meansthey will be warmer in winter and cheaperto heat.

Insulating the loft can save the home-

owner around £150 a year, and a further£115 a year can be saved by getting cavitywall insulation.

Denise Marsdon, Centre Manager for theEnergy Saving Trust advice centre EastMidlands, said: “We are delighted to beable to support this scheme.

“Not only will people save money at atime when they need it the most, but thiswill also go a long way toward helping toachieve Government targets for CO2emissions reductions.”

Teams of canvasses will be making theirway around the county to offer this oppor-tunity to residents and will have properidentification relating to the scheme, whichresidents should ask to see.

Householders can also apply for theHELP scheme by calling the EnergySaving Trust free on 0800 512 012.

2 Parish Matters

Savethe date

The West Lindsey Parish Assembly 2011 will beheld on 4 April at Waddingham Village Hall

at 7pm. More details to follow soon.

� From page 1� Whiteswood Lane Judo Club, £1,500 fornew mats for national competitions to behosted in Gainsborough. � Gainsborough Rowing Club, £1,500 fordevelopment of the club and for newtraining boats. � Market Rasen Rugby Club, £1,500 fordevelopment of the club.� Tealby Tennis Club, £342.50 for newjunior nets to help with junior developmentand coaching. � Willingham Playing Field Trust, £1,500for an artificial cricket strip, equipment to

provide a training facility and to developwomen’s cricket. � Trackside Archery Club, Caistor, £1,000for new junior bows and targets and gen-eral equipment and coaching opportunitiesfor club development.� Gainsborough Trinity Juniors FC,£273.36, towards new goals.

For more information on how sportsclubs in your parish could be supportedplease contact Chris Farrell, Sport andCommunity Development Officer on 01427675131 or emailchris.farrell@west-lindsey.gov.uk.

A £10,000sporting chance

OWZAT! Sports and CommunityDevelopment Officer Chris Farrellpresents a cheque for £1260 to MarketRasen Cricket Club’s Catherine Fusseyand Andrew Richley. The money is fornew nets.

New insulation scheme gives

BIG savings for everyone

Sandbags, aqua-sacs andradios, are just some of thetools purchased by councils to

manage flood risks in the district.So far 11 town and parish councils

in West Lindsey have secured grantsfrom West Lindsey District Council tosupport their communities andprevent flooding.

Chris Allen, Public ProtectionServices Manager at the council said:“We are delighted that we have beenable to give grants to so many parishcouncils.

“The grants are being used for avariety of reasons including: clearinga beck of blockages, extending aculvert to stop flooding and developingflood risk management plans.”

As previously reported, the councilhas £10,000 to allocate to town andparish councils, who are best placedto know and understand floodingissues within their areas.

Mr Allen added: “We still have asignificant amount of moneyavailable which will be distributed ona first come first served basis.

“I would urge councils to apply fora share of the cash as soon aspossible to make sure they do notmiss out on this opportunity.”

Langworth Parish Council hasused its grant to arm its floodwardens with personal protectiveequipment and tools that may beneeded in case of a flood.

Parish councillor Clive Buttresssaid: “Langworth was hit quite badlyin the 2007 floods with 12 propertiesflooded, eight of which were onScothern Lane.

“Many people had to leave theirhomes, which is a tremendousupheaval.”

Mr Buttress who is also a floodwarden along with local residentJohn Dearman welcomed thefunding.

Cllr Buttress added: “We will bepurchasing waders, which we willfind very useful walking throughflood waters.

“The radios will be extremelyuseful when we are out patrollingespecially if we see Sudbrooke Beckrise again.

“We are also looking to purchaseLED headlamps as in the 2007 floodswe were working either in the dark orin poor light as we tried to stabilisethe flood wall.”

The surplus cash will be used topurchase aqua-sacs to keep instorage.

AQUA-SACSKeelby Parish Council has made

sure they are prepared in case of aflood by stocking up with 50 Aqua-sacs.

The sacs are filled with a gel thatexpands when wet, but when dry, isvirtually flat.

This means they are simple tostore and far easier to distribute thansandbags in an emergency.

They inflate when immersed inwater, allowing a protective floodbarrier to be built up quickly toprotect doorways and airbricks.

Stuart Davis, Parish Clerk said:“We wanted to be ready for anemergency – which comes off theback of the flooding problems wehad in 2007.

“I would like to say thank you tothe district council for the grant,which we have used to pay for 50 ofthese aqua-sacs.

“If anyone has not applied for the

cash they should do as it is better tobe safe than sorry.”

Market Rasen Town Council wasgiven a share of the cash to create arisk management strategy.

Faye Rowland, Clerk of the towncouncil said: ”We are delighted toreceive this money. We have beenaffected by flooding in the past butluckily we were not affected as badas some other places. We believe itis important to always be prepared. “

Yvonne Clark, Parish Clerk forSturton by Stow Parish Council said:“We are pleased to receive a share ofthis money as we are puttingtogether a community emergencyplan. We hope this money will beused to implement that.”

Mike Spencer Chairman ofBrattleby Parish Council welcomedthe grant, which is being used toextend an existing culvert.

He said: “We are thrilled to receivethis money as we have got an oldstone culvert built around 1839 thatruns through the village and used totake all the water but we needed toextend this to the existing stream.”

Mr Spencer gave a stark warning tofellow town and parish councils inthe district to make use of the grant.

He said: “If people do not apply forthese grants people will assume wedo not need them and they will ceaseto exist – take this opportunity whileit is here.”

Application forms are available onthe council’s website by visiting:www.west-lindsey.gov.uk./parish/floodgrant� Pictured left is Keelby parishcouncillor John Indian with clerkStuart Davis and just some of theirAqua-sacs

Floods risk cash still availableAct now to make sure your parish doesn’t miss out

Flood warden John Dearman andvice chairman of Langworth ParishCouncil Cive Buttress pictured on

flood patrol

PUTTING OUR CUSTOMERS FIRSTLocal Government has the challenge to improve services whilstreducing the cost to tax payers – with the approaching budgetcuts this challenge is that bit harder.

In West Lindsey’s new ‘Customers First 2010-2015’ strategythe council sets out how it plans to improve the services it givesto customers whilst also making it easier for customers to get tothe services they need, when they want them.

Alan Robinson, Revenues, Benefits and Customer Services

Manager said: “We would welcome parishes’ comments on ourdraft Customers First strategy. Our work with parishes isimportant to the success of our plans and key to the delivery ofimprovements for residents. We would really value their input.”

From September 27 the strategy and feedback form are avail-able online at www.west-lindsey.gov.uk/customerfirst.

Alternatively if you would like a hard copy please contact KatyAllen on 01427 675149

If you have an item you would like includedin Parish Matters please contact us at

communicationsteam@west-lindsey.gov.uk

Have your say on shaping your communityResidents in West Lindsey are being given an opportunity to

raise any issues or concerns in their community.The latest round of Area Forum meetings will be taking place in October and is an idealopportunity to find out about everything from pot holes to the latest developments within

Gainsborough Growth Point which will affect the whole district. Here are the dates and times for the next Forums to put into your diaries.

Gainsborough and Surrounding Area

Monday 4th October at The Guildhall – 6.30pm – 9pm

Topics include:� Helping to shape future services at John Coupland Hospital� Update on Gainsborough Growth Point� Helping to shape the future direction of the Area Forums.

Wolds Area Forum

Thursday 14th October – Caistor Town Hall – 7pm – 9pm

Topics include:

� Winter road treatments and pot hole repairs� Helping to shape the future direction of the Area Forums.

Lincoln Villages Area Forum

Weds 20th October – Fiskerton Village Hall – 7pm – 9pm

Topics include:

� Winter road treatments and pothole repairs� Helping to shape the future direction of the Area Forums.

Refreshments will be provided.Free transport is also available for more information about this contact

Karen Yates, Community Officer on (01427) 675140.