CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR SAY

The rear entrance to the Angel Suite - the one in use for the public meeting on March 28.


Brigg residents have the chance to go along to the Annual Town Meeting and raise any burning issues or topics they wish.
It will be held on Monday, March 28 in the Angel Suite (7.30pm).
The Town Council says: “This is your opportunity to share your views and opinions. Feel free to raise any issues that you are unhappy – or even happy – about.”
The Town Council also advises: “Don’t waste it!” – meaning the opportunity to voice your views.
Sadly, these meetings never attract the number of people they deserve.
Townsfolk can be heard from time to time, grumbling away in pubs, shops and on Brigg streets about what they want to see happening, or even not happening, within the town.
But very few people come forward to have their say at the Annual Town Meeting.
This is a forum parish and town councils across the UK are required to organise and host at least every 12 months.
Brigg’s Annual Town Meeting generally includes a report on work and projects undertaken by the Town Council, usually delivered by the Town Mayor.
A North Lincolnshire Council review is also expected from one, or more, of the Brigg area’s representatives - Couns Nigel and Carl Sherwood and Coun John Berry.
There could also be a report on public footpaths in and around the town from our Voluntary Footpath Warden.
If you are planning to go along to the Annual Town Meeting, please note that entry to the Angel Suite at night is through the Rotunda (conservatory-like building) at the rear of the premises and not through the main glass doors off the Market Place.
See you there?

Couns Carl Sherwood (left), Nigel Sherwood (centre) and John Berry, who represent the Brigg area on North Lincolnshire Council.






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TENANTS' SPADEWORK PAYING OFF

Everything in the garden looks rosy at Brigg’s Atherton Way/Redcombe Lane allotments.
Delivering his monthly report, tenant’s representative Peter Brock told the Town Council Property Services Committee: “There are no problems at all.”
He said one plot was being re-let, all the others were being worked and the chickens kept there were “laying nicely.”
However, he passed on a request from one tenant: Could conifers be cut back, so more light fell onto his plot?
It was agreed to look into ownership of the trees.
Councillors heard the tenancies of three plots at the Grammar School Road site were not being renewed. As there is a waiting list, it should be no problem to re-let them all.
Coun Carl Sherwood said there had been some evidence of rats at the site, the matter being reported to the approved contractor.

How the Atherton Way/Redcombe Lane allotments look in the summer.





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BINNED IN THE BUTCHERY

This picture should really have been taken in CONE-Y Court!
But the location was actually the junction of the Little Butchery and Wrawby Street, close to the Buttercross.
Prime Minister John Major’s Government established a Cones Hotline for motorists fed up with queuing at non-existent roadworks. That initiative ended up in the dustbin, too.
We noticed the binned cone one morning before North Lincolnshire Council’s clean-up team had the opportunity to take it away for disposal.



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ELECTION ON HORIZON

Brigg residents will go to the polls on Thursday, May 5 to elect representatives for the Town Council - in keeping with hundreds of authorities throughout the country.
But polling will only take place if more candidates come forward than there are seats available on our Town Council. If not, those people who put themselves forward will just need to sign the necessary declaration to become councillors automatically, without the need for a public vote.
Long-serving Coun Tom Glossop (pictured) brought this issue to the fore while councillors were discussing changes being proposed by the Personnel Committee at this month’s Town Council meeting.
It was being suggested that “within 12 months of accepting office all members will be expected to attending training courses governing the Role of a Councillor and the Role of the Clerk.”
Coun Glossop was unhappy with the inclusion of the words ‘will be expected’ and warned: “There’s not a rush of people coming forward. Town and parish councils are not oversubscribed.”
He warned that taking such a mandatory approach to attending training courses might deter some people from standing for election.
Coun Carl Sherwood pointed out that although town councillors would not have to pay to attend such courses, there would still be a cost to the ratepayers in providing them.
Deputy Town Mayor Coun John Kitwood said it ought to be remembered that town councillors were all volunteers, and he suggested lack of time in some councillors’ lives meant the council was currently unable to fill vacancies on one of its committees.
The Town Council, meeting in the Angel Suite, amended the Personnel Committee’s suggestion and decided that councillors should be “strongly encouraged” to attending training courses.
A trainer by profession, Coun Chris Pope said: “It’s about sending a clear message to potential councillors that we are supportive in encouraging people.”
Coun Lesley Whitehead (pictured) said that, as a new councillor, she took her duties extremely seriously and welcomed training courses. But she worked full-time. So attending training “during the day” might cause her a problem.
Former Town Mayor Coun James Truepenny reflected on just how much the role of being a town councillor had changed during his 10 years’ service.



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RIVER WORK REACHES BRIGG

Dredging work to remove silt along the River Ancholme to improve its depth has recently been centred in Brigg, allowing townsfolk to get a closer look at the Environment Agency's operation. Ken Harrison took these pictures. The appearance of the vessel brings back memories of when commercial barges visited Brigg - something which continued into the early 1970s.





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BIG EARNER ON SHOW IN JUNE

Many Brigg residents - me included - and some of our businesses make a point of visiting the annual Lincolnshire Show in June. It was sometimes held in Brigg decades ago but is now firmly established on the extensive and impressive showground just north of Lincoln, close to the A15. We plan to keep Brigg Blog followers informed of Show news as it comes our way...

Big business and small local companies are coming together to help Lincolnshire’s agricultural heritage and education to flourish.
They are all backing the annual County Show, organised by the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society to boost awareness of countryside matters, and the vital role that agriculture plays in the local economy.
It will be the 127th Show, the 52nd to be held at the Grange-de-Lings 200 acre site and the two-day event will take place on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd June.
Billed as Lincolnshire’s big day out, the Lincolnshire Show is an agricultural show, one of the few county shows to remain true to its heritage, and last year attracted more than 68,000 visitors and some 650 exhibitors – both numbers that the organisers hope to beat this year.
“The Show is for everyone living in the countryside, working in the countryside and those who enjoy the countryside,” explained the Show’s business development manager Laura Luty. “It’s really great that local businesses are keen to back us in this way. As a charity, it’s sponsorship like this which allows us to continue to develop the Show. As well as helping us to keep costs down, such as visitor prices, we also inject the sponsorship support into educational activities, such as our Schools’ Challenge, which encourages young people to get involved.”
he added: “Many of our sponsors come year after year, because they know it has a commercial value as well as supporting their place in our local community. We have had an excellent response so far but are still talking to companies that are active across Lincolnshire and the East Midlands region.”
Clydesdale Bank is once again the major sponsor for the Show, Langleys Solicitors and BBC Lincolnshire are jointly sponsoring the equine area, which attracts 2000 entries each year across show jumping, mountain and moorland ponies and ex racehorse classes.
Plans for this year’s Show will be announced soon, but organisers say visitors can be confident they will experience another exciting line-up at the renowned county event, with entertainment that will appeal to all tastes and ages.
As well as the show’s traditional agricultural theme – with events including pig racing, show-jumping, the spectacular Grand Parade of the best of the county’s livestock in the Clydesdale Bank Main Ring and the vintage to modern day agricultural machinery display – there will also be a host of other stalls and activities. Last year’s line up included medieval cooking and world-class jousting knights, through to advice on horticulture and sustainable living.
Sponsor of the Lincoln Red Cattle once again this year is The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation plc (AMC). Adrian Cawood, regional agricultural manager said: "AMC view Lincolnshire as one of the most important and foremost farming counties, and the Lincolnshire Show demonstrates the great commitment and enthusiasm towards farming within the county.
“When the opportunity arose three years ago to sponsor the native breed we were very happy to support it and are delighted to continue sponsor the Lincoln Reds again in 2011."

SHOW IS BIG EARNER
The Show is a big earner for Lincolnshire and research carried out last year showed that a massive £44m is being injected into the national economy thanks to the events held at the Lincolnshire Events Centre at the county’s Showground, attracting over 215,000 visitors a year.
More than 80 per cent of exhibitors return each year because of the amount of business they do at the Show and it is estimated that every £1 spent at the Show generates £20 in the local economy. The Show and other events at the Showground boost local hotels and B&Bs, creating demand for 18,400 overnight stays locally.
“The annual County Show is a major tourism attraction, alongside the city’s Cathedral and Castle,” said chief executive Mark Farmer, “It’s also a big earner for the economy, although it’s not just about the Show nowadays, as we have expanded the Showground site to become a major year-round regional conferencing and outdoor events centre.”

BACKING THIS YEAR'S SHOW
Jackie Strange - Shire Horses.
BBC Lincolnshire - Equine Ring
Brown Butlin, A trading arm of Farmacy PLC - Young Farmers’ Trailers
Woldmarsh, Farming agricultural buying group, Louth - Machinery Parade
Spaldings, Agricultural and groundcare replacement parts, tools and accessories -
Machinery Parade
Streets, UK Top 30 firm of accountants, Lincoln - Vice President’s Area
E Park & Sons Ltd, Potato supplier - Schools’ Challenge
Farmacy PLC, agronomy and environmental services to arable sector, Sleaford - Schools’ Challenge
Complete Print Group, Printing supplies - General support
Osborne Refrigerators - Double Harness Scurry
Brewin Dolphin Investment solutions, Lincoln - Parade of Hounds
McKinnells Solicitors, Lincoln - Courtyard
Langleys Solicitors, Lincoln - Ancaster Ring
Cydesdale Bank - Main Ring
Double M Catering, Catering business, Lincolnshire - General support
Lincolnshire Co-op - Lincoln Longwool
Lincolnshire Co-op - Commercial Beef
Savills - Agricultural and rural estate agency services, Lincoln - Roadside Signage
Swales Yorkshire Dales Ice Cream - British Charolais
Agricultural Mortgage Company Plc, Mortgage finance for land-based commercial businesses - Lincoln Red
Robert Bell & Co, Auctioneers and Land Agents, Horncastle, Coningsby, Woodhall Spa and Lincoln - Pig Interbreed Supreme Champion
Masons Chartered Surveyors, Property professionals, Louth - Interbreed Championships
Bang & Olufsen, Sound and vision products, Lincoln - Screens in the EPIC Centre
Saul Fairholm Chartered Accountants and Auditors, Lincoln - Grand Parade of Livestock.

THOUSANDS RAISED FOR CHARITY DOWN YEARS

Brigg’s Town Mayors should feel under no obligation to set up a charity appeal fund.
That was the conclusion after discussions by the elected members of the Town Council’s Policy Committee, held in the Angel Suite.
The talks were prompted by a suggestion from Coun Ben Nobbs, the town’s current first citizen, who is nearing the end of his year in office and who is raising money for worthy causes.
He recommended the Town Council should elect a committee at each annual meeting (to be chaired by the incoming Deputy Town Mayor) for the purpose of organising and co-ordinating events for the benefit of the Town Mayor’s Appeal.
Coun Nobbs suggested that each Mayor should be free to decide whether he, or she, wished to raise funds. However, given the number of Mayors who had done so in recent years, he felt it was now regarded as the done thing. As Mayor he had assumed he should raise money because so many previous holders of the post had done so.
Coun Nobbs was also concerned about the time Mayors had to devote to organising their own fundraising events, which was why he was suggesting assistance should be given.
“Nine months ago I started off with good intentions,” he admitted. “But I’ve got so much on. I think it is just too much for the Mayor to organise events himself.”
Coun Penny Smith pointed out the Town Council elected a Town Mayor each year, not a fundraiser.
Coun Mike Campion said that during both the years he had been Town Mayor some help with planning events had been forthcoming from within the Town Council office.
Assistant Town Clerk Alison Hannath added that support was given, but there was not much staff time available for “additional events” above those currently undertaken.
Not wanting fundraising to be seen as a burden to any Town Mayor, Coun Smith stressed: “If you put yourself forward you do not have to raise money.”
Coun Nobbs and Town Mayoress Barbara Morris (pictured here at an official function in the Angel Suite) have chosen the Lincolnshire Air Ambulance and the purchase of children’s playground equipment to benefit from their fundraising efforts during the Mayoral year 2010-11. Further cash will be raised during the civic charity dinner and auction in the Angel Suite next Saturday, March 19.
Thousands of pounds have been raised for a variety of good causes down the years by various first citizens of Brigg.



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