Category Archive News

More than 11,000 plants, shrubs and trees are set to grace the new seating areas currently being built at Riverhead Square in Grimsby this autumn as part of the regeneration scheme.

The design was created by national experts in the field, Arup design, and included the list of sustainable plants which worked with the harsh weather of the east coast.

The tree species selected for Riverhead Square have contrasting characteristics, including leaf shape, colour and canopy spread. Evergreens are combined with deciduous specimens for year round seasonal interest providing blossom in Spring, colour in Autumn and fruit in Winter.

The existing lime trees were removed and will be replaced with semi-mature Field maple trees which have a reputation for managing tough urban conditions well. These will be installed in tree pits, and positioned to frame views through the square keeping open views of the shopping centre. They will also provide height and shading in some areas.

The plants include perennials, shrubs and bulbs as well as swathes of grasses and wildflowers with pops of colours and scents from different flower species. The shape of the flower beds and seating and the curved flow of the area leading to Frederick Ward Way have been designed to represent our coastal sand dunes.

The planting also includes a rain garden as part of the sustainable urban drainage programme, and plants have been chosen to represent the dune edge and give a natural feel.

Chris Pulford, the Council’s Area Manager for Grounds Maintenance in Grimsby, said: “The plants chosen are mainly low maintenance varieties which will help increase biodiversity in the town centre. The planting scheme will complement the planting we’ve carried out in other areas, such as outside the municipal offices, on Cleethorpes’ sea front and in various roundabouts around the town.”

The scheme derives directly from the recent Masterplan, where people said that they wanted more places in the town centre to spend time in a nice open space.

As previously reported, the Riverhead scheme is one of the Towns Fund schemes to improve the look and feel of the town centre. Further work is ongoing in Freshney Place, the Central Library, Alexandra Dock Housing site, and additional work is being planned for the waterfront to complement the other schemes.

Article and image from NELC. 

PLANS for a primary school in Waltham have been approved by Councillors at a meeting of North East Lincolnshire Council’s Planning Committee.

The primary school, which is being funded by North East Lincolnshire Council, the Department for Education and through Section 106 contributions, will be run by Lincolnshire Gateway Academies Trust (LGAT).

Plans for a second primary school in Scartho, on land off Matthew Telford Way, were approved in December last year.

Lincolnshire Gateway Academies Trust has announced that two new schools will be known as Waltham Gateway Primary Academy and Scartho Gateway Primary Academy.

Councillor Margaret Cracknell, portfolio holder for children and education at North East Lincolnshire Council, said:

“I’m really pleased to see planners approved these proposals. The two primary schools in Scartho and Waltham are desperately needed by 2026 to accommodate pupils.

“I know that we are keen, along with Lincolnshire Gateway Academies Trust to work with local residents to minimise any disruption.”

“These school spaces are sorely needed, and it’s vital that we start to plan now for the future.”

Martin Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Lincolnshire Gateway Academies Trust, appointed to run the two new free schools serving Waltham and Scartho, said: “We’re pleased both have now been approved by planners.

“We’re looking forward to continuing to work closely with North East Lincolnshire Council and our other partners to provide additional, quality education provision in Waltham and Scartho.

“We will keep residents informed throughout the build and there will be opportunities for local communities to engage with us to help address any concerns.”

Work is expected to begin on both sites immediately.

Article and image from NELC. 

North East Lincolnshire residents are encouraged to have their say on the proposed £720m devolution deal with public events set to get underway.

There are 20 events being held across the county including Grimsby, Immingham and Cleethorpes.

Between 9 and 25 January, the devolution tour will also visit other areas of Lincolnshire such as Sleaford, Ashby, Boston, Gainsborough, Crowle, Scunthorpe, Bourne, Brigg, Louth, Grantham, Barton upon Humber, Skegness, Spalding, Market Rasen and Lincoln.

The first of these events will be held at Cleethorpes Library, Alexandra Road, on Tuesday 9 January from 1.30pm to 5.30pm. Those who attend will have the opportunity to complete the devolution consultation and have support to do so.

Devolution would bring a host of new powers to Greater Lincolnshire, handing down finance and responsibility in a number of agreed key areas including transport, skills and training, housing and highways.  

Cllr Philip Jackson, the Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “As a life-long resident of North East Lincolnshire, I would not be championing this proposed Greater Lincolnshire Deal if I did not believe it was in the best interests of all the residents who live and work across our borough.

 “This is a deal that puts local people front and centre when it comes to things that will make a real difference. Take skills and training as an example. For people to take advantage of the opportunities that are here, we need to make sure as many as possible are skilled, trained, and ready. This deal will allow local people and partners to work together to provide and grow exactly what is needed – we will also have the budget to do so. And this is just one priority area,” he added.

There are a number of other devolution events being held across North East Lincolnshire throughout January:

• 10 January – Grimsby Town Hall, Town Hall Square, Grimsby, 5.30pm to 7.30pm;
• 11 January – Centre4, 17a Wootton Road, Grimsby, 12noon to 4pm;
• 15 January – Immingham Library, Pelham Road, Immingham, 11am to 3pm;
• 16 January – Freeman Street Market, Freeman Street, Grimsby, 11am to 3pm;
• 18 January – West Marsh Community Centre, Beeson Street, Grimsby, 12noon to 3pm.

As well as attending the in-person events, people can also have their say by completing the consultation on the Let’s Talk Lincolnshire website- external site . You can also find an executive summary and a Q&A on what devolution means at www.nelc.gov.uk/devolution- external site .

Following the eight-week consultation period, further formal meetings will take place to assess the consultation results and put a recommendation to the Government. If a decision is taken to move forward, a Mayoral Combined County Authority would be formed with the election for a Mayor in May 2025.

Article and image from NELC. 

North East Lincolnshire Council have extended the deadline for applications as they look to improve the borough’s neglected land and littered alleyways.

Clear It is a voluntary community clearance scheme aimed at those who suffer with fly-tipping. Since being launched in November, 12 people have signed up to the scheme.

The deadline has now been extended to January 31^stwith members of the public encouraged to get involved. Expressions of interest will be assessed and work will commence at the beginning of March.

To submit an application, visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/clear-it.

How does it work?

With Clear It, the Voluntary Community Clearance scheme, the Council aims to support communities to come together, safely clean up an alleyway or an open space in their area and improve community pride.

Volunteers will take responsibility for removing waste from an alleyway or patch of land and Council staff will help dispose of it.

The Council will also provide equipment such as litter pickers, bin bags and large bins.

Officers will arrange a site meeting with successful applicants to assess the site, the amount of waste and agree a date for the work.

Cllr Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for Environment and Transport, said:

“This scheme looks to help people who are willing to come together and clear illegally dumped waste from an alleyway or patch of neglected land that’s not owned by the Council.

“We’d like to see these types of spaces given a fresh start so they become vibrant places the community can enjoy and make better use of.

“Community volunteers in Liverpool started a similar project where they cleared up the mess and the Council took away the rubbish.

“They transformed their alleyways from rubbish dumps into community gardens and safe places for children to play, wouldn’t it be great to see that here?

“If you are keen to transform a neglected alleyway or patch of land, please use the online application form at www.nelincs.gov.uk/clear-it.”

Cllr Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for Safer and Stronger Communities, added:

“Our Clear It scheme gives people the opportunity to work with their neighbours and take ownership of their shared space.

“We sympathise with people whose lives are affected by mess left in their alleyways, but they are private property and it’s not the Council’s job to keep them clean.

“Not all wards have alleyways, so to make the scheme fair and open to all parts of the borough, we are including patches of land that aren’t part of the Council’s usual street cleansing duties. These might be areas where the owner can’t be traced or where it’s not clear who’s responsible for it.

“We’re willing to help those who organise themselves and put plans in place to try and bring their alleyway or a neglected patch of land into use after we’ve helped them by disposing of the rubbish.”

Visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/clear-it for more details. If you have questions about the scheme, please email cleanandgreen@nelincs.gov.uk.

What can I do if my application is not successful?

There are other options for those who would like to clear their alleyway.

You could work with your neighbours and clean up the mess together. If there are any clearances costs these could be shared with other neighbours. This is a great way to take ownership of your shared space. Please contact the Council for advice before you do this by emailing cleanandgreen@nelincs.gov.uk.

Community Recycling Centres – Household waste can be taken free of charge to our two community recycling centres. In some circumstances we can give community groups passes to use the tips for waste they clear from alleyways. Please contact the Council for advice about this by emailing cleanandgreen@nelincs.gov.uk or check the list of what can be brought to the tip here for bulky waste, please see here. However, if you are still unsure, please contact the recycling centres on  01472 326288 prior to your arrival.

Private clearance company – You could pay a private company to clear the waste and dispose of it for you, but make sure they are licensed to take it. Waste carrier licences are issued by the Environment Agency. You can check for licensed waste carriers at https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers – external site or by calling the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506.

Article and image from NELC. 

Following both the launch of the new Local Area SEND Inspection framework in November 2022 and the SENDAP green Paper in March 2023, Officers across education, health and care have worked with families, providers, and a range of different teams and professionals to compose the first drafts of three key strategies for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in North East Lincolnshire.

The strategies are:

• Draft Joint Commissioning Strategy 
• Draft Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Alternative Provision (SENDAP) Strategy                        
• Draft SENDAP Sufficiency Strategy  

With a significant focus on getting children with SEND, and their families, the right support at the right time we hope that these strategies identify where our priorities are across the borough to further strengthen this offer.

Officers who have led on the drafting of the strategies have worked tirelessly to include a range of voices and feedback that has been gathered since September 2022.

The Delivering Better Value in SEND engagement surveys, events, and workshops along with the launch of the NEL Parent Carer forum have both provided a huge amount of insight data, that has helped to shape the five key priorities, and the content of what the borough needs to focus on over the next five years to make things even better for our children and their families.

We are keen to hear your feedback to be able to complete the final documents, which will then provide a clear direction of travel over the next five years.

The strategies and consultation can be found on North East Lincolnshire Council’s ‘Have your say page’. Have your say | NELC (nelincs.gov.uk)- external site 

There is also a separate ‘data needs analysis document’ draft that is being finalised. It will be linked to the final strategies.  

You are also welcome to attend one of our consultation feedback teams sessions to hear about and discuss the draft strategies and give your input to shape final documents.

Dates:
Monday 8 January 2023 from 9-10am

Monday 15 January 2024 from 2-3pm

Tuesday 23 January 2024 from 6-7pm

The sessions are repeated, please confirm which one you’d like to attend by contacting SEND Training SENDTraining@nelincs.gov.uk

Councillor Margaret Cracknell, Portfolio Holder for Children and Education said:

“We have a responsibility to listen to the experience of children and young people with SEND and their families in North East Lincolnshire.

Their involvement with these strategies is imperative and central to our work. This allows us to deliver the best outcomes for them.”

Rebecca Taylor, Head of SEND and Inclusion at North East Lincolnshire Council said: “We really encourage people to read our strategies and respond to the consultations.

“There has already been an extensive amount of work with those at the centre of the work to develop the content of these strategies.

“The strategies give us a clear framework and shared direction going forward to it’s really important that people read them and give us their views.”

The consultations will close on Tuesday 30 January 2024.

Article and image from NELC. 

The Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, Cllr Philip Jackson, pictured, discussing the plans for a transformed Western end of Freshney Place – reflecting the ambition of the authority to move forward with a more diverse and attractive Grimsby Town Centre.

As we reflect on 2023 as a year of opportunity and challenge across North East Lincolnshire, as the Leader of the Council I look to 2024 and the future with optimism.

The last 12 months has presented many turning points for us as a local authority, all of which are set to have a positive effect on the communities within which we live and work.

The saying goes that ‘Rome was not built in a day’ and those words can certainly be applied when you look at the months of hard work, and dedication that has, and is still, being put into transformational change in North East Lincolnshire.

For almost all of 2023, and during the preceding year, this authority has been challenged with looking at how change can and will happen for our people and our place – neither one of which can grow and thrive without the other.

For our ‘place’ we were given the confidence in our ability to achieve as millions of pounds of Government grant monies was secured. 2024 and beyond will now see our plans to transform our urban heartlands in Grimsby and the resort of Cleethorpes start to become a reality. Freshney Place, Riverhead Square and our support for the new Onside Horizon Youth Zone in Grimsby and a new building for Sea Road in Cleethorpes – examples of what will be achieved.

And for our ‘people’, my colleagues and I were acutely aware of our need to invest in our young people and support the re-building of our Children’s Services team. As 2023 ends we see how that team is now hugely improved and this has been recognised in the most recent OFSTED visit.  There remains a long journey ahead, and we know that challenge remains, but it is a journey we remain determined to continue. We will do everything within our power to ensure our cared for children are supported in the best way possible.

Then there is our ‘wider place’. North East Lincolnshire is a determined place with determined people. But we are a small unitary authority and to achieve the best for everyone, I believe we will be stronger if we unite with those around us and see a collective voice heard on the national stage.

That is where the proposed Greater Lincolnshire Devolution Deal comes into its own (the Leader is seen here signing the historic deal). It is a deal that I believe is the right one for North East Lincolnshire – and I say that not just as a political leader, but as a resident with family and friends who also live and work here.

This proposal does not risk this borough’s identity – indeed our council will remain the same. What it does give us, however, is the powers and money to unite with our fellow Greater Lincolnshire colleagues to make decisions at a local level about things that will make a positive difference to local people. I do urge you to get involved in the current consultation at www.letstalklincolnshire.gov.uk- external site 

All told, it has been an extremely busy year for everyone, and that will continue as our pace of change goes on. I wish to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved, and to our residents too, I wish you all a very Happy Christmas.

Article and image from NELC. 

North East Lincolnshire Council has appointed a number of senior managers to lead it’s Children’s Services, all with recent experience of running Ofsted-rated ‘outstanding’ services.

Incoming Director of Children’s Services at North East Lincolnshire Council, Ann-Marie Matson, and her team will take over, continuing the Council’s work to offer the best support at the right time for vulnerable children, young people and their families.

Ann-Marie has taken up the reigns from Interim Director, Janice Spencer OBE, who led has led the service since September 2022. Janice worked closely with Lincolnshire County Council, Ofsted and the Department for Education to improve the Council’s Children’s Services.

At a recent event with staff, Janice thanked staff for their hard work and support over the past 13-months:

“The sooner you intervene to support a struggling family, the better the outcome that is achieved.

“In North East Lincolnshire I’ve seen that partnership working is much stronger than it ever was before, and that has been critical in making the improvements that we’ve achieved so far.

“I’ve been here for 13-months, and can say that North East Lincolnshire gets under your skin. It’s a great place, and it now has some strong foundations to build a really great support mechanism for children and families.”

Speaking ahead of her first day, Ann-Marie Matson said:

“I’m really looking forward to continuing the hard work – building upon the foundations that have been put in place.

“I’m really excited to be joining the team here. There are lots of great people doing incredible work every day to safeguard vulnerable children and keep families safe and happy.

“This work is without a doubt one of the biggest responsibilities that a Council has, and it’s important that we are able to provide safe and effective support to families at the right time, and only where absolutely necessary.

“I can’t wait to hit the ground running.”

Ann-Marie joins North East Lincolnshire Council from North Lincolnshire, where she has over 25 years experience of working with Children and Families.

Joining Ann-Marie’s team are Charlene Sykes, Service Director Safeguarding and Early Help, and Paul Cowling, Service Director Regulated Services.

Speaking following the new appointments, North East Lincolnshire Council’s portfolio holder for children and education, Cllr Margaret Cracknell, said:

“I’m thrilled that we have been able to appoint a permanent team to lead our children’s services going forward.

“Janice and her team have done a brilliant job of helping us to really recover from a difficult place, putting in the building blocks for a great future.

“Although only an interim appointment, Janice brought a tremendous amount of experience, support and tenacity to the role, and has helped us to get to a really strong position.

“I know that Ann-Marie will continue that work. It’s fantastic to have a permanent team at the top with a really strong and experienced leadership. I’m optimistic for the future of our children’s services.”

Ann-Marie and her team joined North East Lincolnshire Council in December 2023.

As part of the transformation, the Council is hiring new social workers at all stages of their careers. Visit the jobs section at www.nelincs.gov.uk to find out more. We’re also hiring to new key roles to support the strategic development of our Children’s Services team.

Article and image from NELC. 

Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCo’s) from local schools met on Wednesday 6 December at Grimsby Town Hall to build on an ongoing piece of work to improve our offer for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

This work is a part of Delivering Better Value in SEND, known as DBV. DBV is a national programme funded by the Department for Education. North East Lincolnshire is one of 55 Local Authorities to participate.

The Local Authority is being supported to identify the highest impact changes that can be put in place to improve outcomes for children and young people.

As part of the focus on improving our offer with and for schools, they have each completed an individual SEND evaluation facilitated by the Local Authority in conjunction with Learn Teach SEND Hub.

The purpose of the event was to take the findings of their evaluations further, to receive and share advice and guidance as well as receive resources to support their individual action plans.

Rebecca Taylor, Head of SEND and Inclusion said: “We have done an extensive amount of research and engagement to understand the needs of our schools and their pupils.

“The SEND evaluations have given us the opportunity to take this further, working with each setting to understand in more detail their individual strengths and challenges, and establish solutions.

“Every setting now has an individual action plan encompassing all areas of SEND that they can execute in a targeted way to improve their offer. This creates a strong foundation for even more improvements going forward.”

The next cohort of schools will meet on 24 January meaning all Local Authority schools, Academies, and Trusts will have taken part.

Cllr Margaret Cracknell, portfolio holder for children and education, said: “We are being proactive in our approach by working with schools in such an individual way.

“This approach means that we are unlocking the potential of our schools and their staff to provide the right support to children and young people.”

Article and image from NELC.

The Worshipful the Mayor of the Borough of North East Lincolnshire, Councillor Ian Lindley, is looking to inject some disco into the area with a non-stop dance event.

Read More