Forum for residents of St Georges Park and Long Leys Road Lincoln

[Cllr Helen Heath]

Many of you will have read in the Echo about the Council's spending review, and I understand this has generated some anxiety about the future of cherished assets like the Commons and the Grandstand. I thought it might help if I explain what is happening and why.
The Council has got to make cuts in expenditure because its income over the next few years is far lower than expected, and this will inevitably imact on what services can be delivered. The shortfall has happened because the Government only gave the Council a paltry 1% increase in funding, when officers had expected around 1.75%. Compare this offer to the rate of inflation, and you will see that it is a pretty substantial reduction in funding. The other source of funding is Council Tax, but that provides a much smaller revenue. 80% of homes in Lincoln fall in bands A & B. If we raise the council tax by 1%, it only generates £50k, which is peanuts.
The controlling group has taken the decision not to 'salami slice' across the board, but to undertake a fundamental review of provision, and ask ourselves the following questions:
1) Could this service be provided more cost effectively?
2) Could this service be provided in a different way - eg in partnership, or by another organisation?
3) Could this service generate more income?
4) Do we need to provide this service at all?
I think this is the right approach, but inevitably when the political arguments start, they will be about priorities. The controlling group is asking permission at the Exec meeting on 15th Sept for officers to start the business case process for a number of services, including waste collection, community centres, and car parking. Just because an item is under review, does not mean that it is for the chop, but you can be assured that I will be keeping a close eye on this, and challenging any proposals that I think are wrong, as I am sure will the two Labour councillors for this area.
The controlling group has agreed to an all member workshop, to be held in sufficient time for its findings to be fed into the process before decisions are made. I am prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt, and accept that this is being done in good faith. That doesn't mean they will make choices I agree with, and I will of course challenge any decisions I think are wrong.
One last thing - the Executive is a public meeting, and you can attend and listen to the deliberations of the Exec at 6pm in Committee rooms 2&3.
Regards,
Helen Heath.

[JT]

I wonder if this will affect what the cemetery will be like compared with the plans we were shown....

[SteveW]

Apparently so, the latest sketch on the back of a fag packet shows the field staying as it is with two shovels propped up against a new self closing gate!!!!

[iggy]

lets hope so
a nice simple design like all the rest in lincoln will do or even better scrap it and move to a site up hill with no water problems

helen if you hear anything about what is going on in the wet and soggy field please let me know thanks