A war on grot spots in Spalding has been declared after the efforts of volunteers planting flower beds and council street teams to keep the town looking clean and tidy.

Within hours of the article about Spalding in Bloom hanging baskets across the town to make it look vibrant and welcoming being published in our sister paper, the Spalding Guardian, an 83-year-old resident reported an easy chair had been shredded at a play area near his home.

The man, who preferred not to give his name because his car was vandalised for voicing his anger in the past, said living near the play area in Atton Avenue had become a nightmare.

He said: “I complained to the council about the mess last bank holiday and they sent a truck to clear it up.

“The kids leave chip papers and all sorts.

“When I moved here 20 years ago it was a lot different. It’s got worse over the past few years but I’m too old to move now.”

Within minutes of being asked to highlight other grot spots in Spalding on our Facebook page there were a number of suggestions posted – with the skatepark on Low Fulney Field in Holbeach Road, areas of St Helena Drive and Horseshoe Road and behind Aldi just a few.

However, according to councillors residents can all play their part in keeping the town looking nice.

Coun Roger Gambba-Jones said: “Only this morning a kid was kicking a shredded football about Wygate Park and then just left it and thought I was nuts when I asked him to put it in the bin.

“People have to step up and either report litter or even pick it up and put it in the bin themselves.

“This is what the Big Society is about – communities and councils working together.”

Coun Angela Newton, who was out again on Friday morning with members of Spalding in Bloom, said help was always welcome: “The beds and baskets are looking lovely but we would be grateful for any help with weeding and watering.”

l Spalding in Bloom is grateful to Spalding Plant and Bulb Co for sponsoring baskets on the charity shops and Gardman Ltd for the brackets.

Thousands of people turned up at Wellhead Park for the annual Bourne Festival at the weekend.

Crowds were entertained with live music, a funfair, children’s games and a circus tent.

These visitors were riding high in the funfair.

For more pictures see the latest edition of the Free Press.

A teacher at a troubled Spalding school has expressed his disgust after alleging the former headteacher was given a £220,000 pay-off.

Janet Daniels left the school last month before the release of what is expected to be a damning Ofsted report. At the time it was not clear whether she was sacked or resigned.

The teacher, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing his job, said: “You asked did she go or was she pushed? Well, I can tell you she got a pay-off of £220,000 – that’s two years’ salary for destroying our jobs.

“No-one is going to want to give a teacher from here a job after finding out they’ve come from a school that was put in special measures – which you will find it has been in the next couple of days.

“It was the discipline policy that did it – Mrs Daniels just wouldn’t back us up.

“I put it to the teachers to go for a vote of no confidence, but they were worried about their jobs.

“I sneaked out to make this call I was so angry, but if I say who I am I’ll get the sack.”

Ofsted carried out an unplanned inspection after parent Rebecca Thirkell raised fears about discipline at the school.

Rumours the school had been placed in special measures quickly followed.

Miss Thirkell said: “Mrs Daniels should not receive any kind of pay-off.

“Literally hundreds of students have been let down by her and the school and for the Year 11s who have just left it has been a case of too little too late.

“Instead of giving money to her for any kind of pay-off, it should have been put into the school to directly benefit the students.”

When Mrs Daniels left, deputy headteacher William Scott was made acting headteacher until a permanent appointment was made.

A new chairman of governors, education consultant David Rich, was also appointed.

The teacher who called the Lincolnshire Free Press said: “Mr Scott’s a good man – he’ll do a good job... if he’s allowed to get on with it.”

Parents were this week wishing Mr Scott good luck on the Facebook page Gleed – New Beginnings.

Carol Stevens said: “This new term marks New Beginnings for the whole school. Let’s all endeavour to show Ofsted that the Gleed can be a place we are all proud of.”

Another mum Lesa Jeffery, of Parents of the Gleed, said: “I’ve had meetings with the governors and everyone seems positive about the future.

“If the school is in special measure maybe that is a good thing because the only way you can go from there is up.”

Anna Crispin, CfBT Schools Trust director, said: “CfBT Schools Trust can confirm that information received by the Spalding Guardian is wholly inaccurate. However we cannot comment any further on the matter.

“Sir John Gleed School has a professional and dedicated teaching staff. CfBT Schools Trust intends to work closely with the acting headteacher and chair of governors to ensure that any improvements made as a result of the published Ofsted report are made in the interests of the whole school community including the teaching staff in order to raise standards and outcomes for all.”

Thieves are getting easy pickings in Long Sutton and Sutton Bridge because drivers are failing to lock their cars.

Police say there was an increase in thefts from cars in the Suttons during May, but most of the crimes involved unlocked cars.

A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “Over half of the reported incidents involved vehicles which were unlocked at the time of the crime and motorists are urged not to let themselves become an easy target for thieves.

“Items including sat navs and loose change were stolen.”

Police say drivers should always lock their cars when they park up, even if their vehicles are tucked away in garages or left on their own driveways.

At other times, drivers are advised to park in well-lit areas where their vehicle can be seen by passers-by at night.

And everything and anything of value should be removed from the car.

A police spokesman said: “Never leave anything on display in your vehicle. Even small change could pose an attractive target for opportunist thieves.”

Sat navs are a prime target and police say drivers should remove them, their cradle and suction pads from the car – and even wipe away marks left on windscreens by the suction pads.

A district councillor is facing a probe into his business dealings amid questions over whether he is fit to stay in office.

Rodney Grocock is under investigation by South Holland District Council’s Conservative group over allegations about his former company, Vantage Businesses Ltd that ceased trading in December 2012.

Mr Grocock faces questions after a Spalding Guardian story two weeks ago in which an elderly couple branded him a “rogue” for refusing to carry out repairs on double glazing fitted at their Cowbit home, despite it having a ten-year guarantee.

The story also included claims by Wellingborough-based Glazerite Windows that Mr Grocock owes more than £17,000 after entering into a contract as a sole trader to supply goods in 2008, meaning he would be personally responsible for the debt should his business fold.

Mr Grocock has denied any wrongdoing and plans to carry on as a district councillor, 
although he has stood down 
as a junior portfolio holder and planning committee member.

He said: “I think I’m a good councillor, I think I do things properly and I look after my constituents.

“It’s just that I had a business that ran out of steam and I feel absolutely gutted about it.

“There’s no way that I would embarrass South Holland District Council because that isn’t my style.

“But I’m no longer a councillor with any clout because I’ve been taken off my junior portfolio role and the planning committee.”

The internal party investigation was launched after a complaint about Mr Grocock was made to district council leader Gary Porter.

He said: “Somebody made a complaint about how Rodney had conducted his business affairs and once I was made aware of the situation, I had a conversation with Rodney and as a result, he asked me to relieve him of his duties.

“The Conservative group is investigating the complaint to see if there are reputational issues for the group.

“I don’t know how long it will take but the complaint has been referred to the Whip for the group.”

Despite the complaint, Mr Grocock said he planned to see out his four-year term as a councillor before the next elections in 2015.

“My company, Vantage Businesses Ltd, finished trading on December 31, 2012, and I don’t trade under that name any more,” he said.

“If I was still trading, I would go out gladly and willingly to put any complaints from people right.

“But I’ve not done a single thing wrong using the word ‘councillor’ and if I went out when I was trading as Vantage Businesses Ltd and said ‘I’m Coun Rodney Grocock, would you buy my windows?’ the council would get rid of me.”

Mr Grocock now works as a self-employed salesman for another company, Vantage UK, but he has declined to answer any questions about it.

He said: “I’m not going to comment on Vantage UK because it’s not council work, but I fully intend to honour my two years left as a councillor.

Standing on an embankment to create a human chain for casualties and bodies to be passed from a crashed plane in Kegworth is the haunting memory a Spalding police sergeant will take with him into his retirement.

Sgt Stuart Brotherton hangs up his helmet for the last time at the end of the month after 30 years service.

Destiny steered him back to the town where he was born but he says many of the highlights of his career were during his time with Leicestershire Police.

He said: “When I started out Lincolnshire Police was not recruiting so it seemed a natural choice to join a neighbouring force.

“The 1980s were some of my happiest and most memorable years.”

During his time based at Melton Mowbray he was involved in indexing data during the Caroline Osbourne murder investigation, the miners’ strike and was called to assist at the Handsworth riots and the Kegworth air disaster.

Sgt Brotherton said: “For an officer who had not been in the force long, standing on an embankment to create a human chain for casualties and bodies to be passed along was a harrowing experience. It’s a memory that will stay with me forever.”

He was promoted to operations sergeant for Leicester and the surrounding area in the late 1980s.

Among the awards Sgt Brotherton received was the Chief Constable’s Commendation for bravery for arresting an armed robber.

He said: “Luck was with me because I spotted a vehicle like the one reported but the driver didn’t seem to be acting suspiciously. I followed him and when he turned off the main road and he got out and put his hands in the air.

“There was a gun under the seat – not a real one but the victim wouldn’t have know that.”

In addition to the bravery award, he has also received a number of internal Superintendent Commendations for meeting performance objectives.

Personal reasons brought him back to the area in 1996 –starting in Oakham – and introduced him to neighbourhood policing.

During nine of the past ten Spalding Flower Parades he was responsible for organising the policing of the streets until it was handed over to security firms.

He said: “At the beginning it was a huge task. It was nice to get an email this year from the organisers thanking me.”

Over the years he has seen many changes. He said: “From the 1990s there has been a lot of restructuring in the force.

“Political involvement has also seen budget cuts and that has naturally made the job more challenging.

“Locally, our challenges have included anti-social behaviour and street drinking.

“But I think I am leaving Spalding in good shape. There is an excellent team of officers here to carry on the work.

“They are my second family and I’m really going to miss them.”

Married a few months ago to his partner of 20 years, Sgt Brotherton intends to take some time out after retiring to spend with his family.

He said: “They say behind every successful man there’s a good woman – and Pat has been my rock over the years.”

However, at 54 he doesn’t intend to sit back and relax for long. He said: “I’ll be looking for some work that will hopefully make some use of my years in the force.”

Wheels are in motion to promote a community centre in Donington threatened with closure and attract much-needed funding.

A roller disco was held last Tuesday evening as the first of a number of new activities being organised to secure cash from Sport England.

The roller disco was held by the centre’s entertainment committee, in conjunction with Leo Promotions.

Committee member Michelle Allgood said: “The roller disco was incredibly well-supported. It was a great night out as it was family friendly and the later session catered for the advanced skaters.

“Everyone enjoyed themselves and we had very positive feedback from all involved.”

There are plans to hold this event every last Tuesday of the month, with the next one booked for June 25.

The community centre in Donington was built 18 years ago after many hours’ fundraising by the local community. It was designed as a venue for larger functions, such as weddings, with a bar and kitchen facility.

However, in spite of being used by a number of groups – including Brownies and Guides, the Young Dons Football Club and a mother and toddler group – the building has been used infrequently for larger functions.

It is now in need of refurbishment, as well as improvements needing to be made to the access road.

Three consultation sessions were held where residents of Donington and the surrounding villages were invited to give their thoughts on how the building could be used for the benefit of the local community.

The overwhelming suggestion was for a gym and mixed sports facility.

Plans are now being drawn up by the committee and members will then apply for Sport England and other funding.

It is hoped that as there is renewed interest in fitness activities that Donington will, with a little bit of help, be able to provide a much-needed community sports facility.

Michelle said: “We are applying to Sport England on the back of the legacy left by the Olympic Games. It would be such a shame if it was to close down. After the success of our first event we are hopeful we can save it.”

l There are two roller disco sessions being held on the last Tuesday of the month – with beginners starting at 6.30pm and seniors and advanced at 8.15pm.

A disgruntled dustman stole a payment card and fuel worth £424.76 because he wanted South Holland District Council to give him the sack.

Simon Gilbert (31), of Thames Road, Spalding, acted in the way he did because he couldn’t budget on his monthly pay and wanted to be paid weekly.

Spalding magistrates heard Gilbert got his wish – the council ended his employment – and he has found another job where he will be paid weekly.

At a hearing on May 16, Gilbert pleaded not guilty to theft of a fuel card from South Holland District Council on March 27 but changed his plea to guilty on Thursday.

At the earlier hearing, he admitted three counts of fraudulently obtaining fuel from a service station at Whaplode – once on March 30 and twice on April 1.

Marie Stace, prosecuting, said Gilbert was one of two refuse collectors working with a driver on March 27.

The fuel card was kept in the cab and the driver reported it missing at the end of the day.

On the first occasion, Gilbert used the card at Whaplode Service Station at 1pm to obtain fuel worth £98.65.

Then he drew fuel from the same service station twice on the same day – taking an amount worth £87.89 at 1.51pm and then £238.32 at 8pm.

Miss Stace said CCTV showed Gilbert using the card.

Solicitor Mark Hudson, mitigating, said Gilbert found it a lot easier to budget on weekly rather than monthly pay.

He said it didn’t make sense for Gilbert to terminate his employment with South Holland District Council in the way he did.

“This is a person who is depressed because all he needed to do was simply stop working, quit his job,” said Mr Hudson. “But he didn’t – he did this. He wasn’t thinking straight. He always knew he was going to get found out and he has lost his job.”

The court adjourned sentence to June 20 for a probation report. Gilbert’s unconditional bail was extended.

A community swimming pool in Bourne has splashed out £32,000 on improvements to secure its future.

The pool, which opened for the summer at the start of half-term last week, had been in desperate need of refurbishment.

Poor weather in previous years has presented volunteers with a number of challenges to keep the facility in Abbey Lawns open.

However, two donations of £15,000 from the BRM Race Day held in Bourne last year and the local Len Pick Trust has meant vital work to the bottom of the pool has been done.

Paula Biggadike, secretary of the Bourne Outdoor Swimming Pool charity committee, is thrilled with the start of the new season.

She said: “The donations were fantastic – without them we wouldn’t have been able to do the work.

“We have had algae growing in some of the cracks at the bottom, but now it’s been resurfaced.

“Cummins Generators Technologies of Stamford came in and helped to hand paint the surface – two or three times in some places.

“It makes it a much nicer surface for swimmers.”

One of the BRM race cars was at the pool for the opening last Saturday.

Paula said: “We’ve had a great start. Hopefully, the weather will hold out for us.”

Two accidents on the outskirts of Spalding led to rush-hour headaches for motorists heading to work this morning.

Both collisions happened at about 6am, one on the A16 Spalding bypass and the other at Springfields roundabout, involving three vehicles.

They were a Peugeot 206, smart car and an articulated lorry which caused the road to be blocked for a while and the vehicles were eventually recovered at about 7.30am.

There were no reports of any injuries and the road has now been reopened.

The trust which runs Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital is to create around 80 new nursing posts.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust says the new jobs are necessary to meet the increasingly complex needs of patients.

It follows a major Trust-wide review into nurse staffing levels, led by the interim director of nursing Eiri Jones.

More and more patients who need to be admitted to hospital are elderly, frail and with more than one serious health condition, meaning they often require more intensive levels of care.

As a result, the Trust board has committed to investing £3million to recruit more nurses, saying it strongly believes “excellent care is delivered through the right staff, doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right place”.

The investment will be used to increase staffing at night, enable all ward sisters to focus on their supervisory role and to provide extra nurses on wards with the greatest clinical demands.

Eiri Jones said: “This is a very important commitment to the safety and quality of care we deliver to our patients and is our top priority,”

The trust is currently one of 14 across the country where patient death rates are being reviewed following the mid-Staffordshire hospitals scandal.

Spalding fire stationcould take a step closer to being manned 24/7 if plans for on-site accommodation are approved.

The plans are for a two-storey building to provide five bedrooms, living room and kitchen/dining room to allow up to five firefighters to stay on-site overnight to provide emergency cover from 6.30pm to 7.30am.

It follows a review by Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue into its response capability, which resulted in a decision to increase the number of stations across the county manned 24 hours a day.

Spalding is one of the latest to undergo the change from being staffed only during the day.

The new house, which would replace an existing vehicle storage compound and five parking spaces, would only be used by on-duty crews.

The storage area would be relocated elsewhere on the fire station site in West Elloe Avenue.

The decision on the planning application will be made by Lincolnshire County Council’s planning and regulation committee on Monday.

Cycle Together is a fully inclusive event run under the banner of Actionability, one of the Leonard Cheshire Disability events.

All the money raised will go to help disabled guests and their carers enjoy a holiday at Park House, the unique Leonard Cheshire Disability hotel at Sandringham. It will subsidise hotel costs, pay for outings and buy amenities.

Cycle Together starts and finishes at Park House, on the Sandringham Estate, on Sunday, June 23 with a choice of 90, 50, 20 or ten-mile routes.

The charity is hoping for at least 500 cyclists of all ages and abilities, and invites keen cyclists as well as family groups to take part.

The scenic routes are on fully sign-posted quiet roads with support vehicles, free food and drinks – as well as goodie bags and certificates at the end.

The registration fee is £15 (10/20 mile routes) or £20 (50/90 miles) (free to under 16s) with a target sponsorship of over £50 per person.

Long Sutton residents are now getting used to seeing a large group of colourful cyclists sweeping into the Market Place on Saturday mornings.

The group’s website has the strapline that says it all – ‘It may be windy but it’s flat’ and for beginners the group’s title is a good selling point!

The community cycling project known as No Visible Hills Cycling Group has been setting out for a two-hour ride every Saturday morning now for just over two years.

In that time the group has grown from just two, when old cycle racing friends Deryck Gilham and Andy Wheeler decided to meet up for a ride, to over 55 members.

It is usual for a ten to 20 strong peloton to set off each week.

The rides are usually for 20 to 30 miles depending on weather conditions.

“A majority of the cyclists taking part have been new to cycling,” explained Deryck Gilham.

“They have found that, with guidance from experienced members, they are achieving so much more and are now taking part in much longer organised sportive and charity rides.

“ Its such a great way to start getting out on your bike.”

The concept is simple: No Visible Hills Cycling Group is free, informal and sociable, says Deryck.

He says: “Just turn up and ride. The No Visible Hills members ride every Saturday, summer and winter.

“To join, simply be in Long Sutton Market Place at 8.30am on any Saturday.”

To enjoy the rides the group just asks people to check that they can cycle at 13mph for one hour.

No Visible Hills members will be actively supporting Cycle Together, Sandringham, a charity sportive in aid of Leonard Cheshire Disability’s Park House at Sandringham on June 23.

The event offers four distances to choose from and while No Visible Hills members may be tackling the more challenging longer routes, beginners and families are encouraged to take part in the shorter, ten-mile course.

For more details on this major new event, go to www.lcdisability.org/cycletogether or contact Phil at pasdavies@btinternet.com

　For information on No Visible Hills Cycling Group contact Deryck Gilham, telephone 01406 362538 or email deryck2@talktalk.net

Visit www.novisiblehills.weebly.com

A few weeks ago in this column my fellow Young Farmer William Tyrrell discussed the prospects of young people starting in agriculture.

With land values ever increasing due to more people investing in it from outside the industry, it is a lot harder to farm without diversifying into other areas. On our farm we did this in 2005 by taking on a recycling franchise for Agri Cycle Ltd.

In the future, without young people inheriting farms/land, I cannot see many running their own farms; simply bigger farms taking on the younger generation as they grasp the newer technologies quicker, which is where agriculture is moving.

For instance, GPS is something a farm will not be without in the next ten years. Efficiency in time, fuel, overlap and reducing wastage are the biggest issues now and the more efficient we can grow crops the more we can produce for an ever growing population.

All our crops are in the ground now and looking well, with one exception – the peas, which the pigeons seem to be dining on daily. Other than that it is remarkable how well land conditions are and crop growth is doing well across the board.

Two weeks ago was our Spalding Young Farmers AGM. I stood down as chairman but still have an active role looking after next year’s programme and as social secretary organising our club ball, race night and Tractor Working Day on Sunday, October 6.

If there is a contest for the shortest time from field to freezer, then south Lincolnshire’s pea growers win the award.

The 30 members of Holbeach Marsh Cooperative Ltd, many of whom farm in that area, can boast that their harvest is frozen within two-and-a-half hours of leaving the field.

In other words, from the time the pea harvester strips the pea pods from the vine in the field until the time the peas come off the freezing belt in the factory should be no more than 150 minutes.

Richard Fitzpatrick, general manager of the farming cooperative, says this year a total of about 3,500 acres will be planted with pea vines, probably producing in the region of 8,000 tonnes of peas at harvest.

Like many growers, pea planting was delayed by the cold weather and so the average harvest start date of June 20 will be pushed back a couple of weeks.

John explains that the cooperative is a historic organisation, starting in the early 60s as a potato cooperative, with peas introduced in the mid-1990s. The cooperative now deals solely in peas.

John explained: “It’s the only way we can do it because harvesting equipment is so expensive at £300-400,000, and we have three in operation and one as a spare.

“An individual grower wouldn’t justify doing it and the other thing is that processors like to deal with as few suppliers as they can.”

Gedney Dyke Lincoln Red cattle breeder Alan Hargreaves walked away from the Deeping Show with the winner’s cup in the two-year heffers class.

Alan, of Ancona Farm, said there was a strong class of eight in the class from several counties.

He said: “If we’d picked up third or fourth I’d have been very satisfied, but we won the class.

“The same heffer won at the Great Yorkshire Show last year and also at Woodhall Spa in a big class so she will go to the Linconshire Show next and then the Great Yorkshire.”

He said the animal enjoys the shows, having been trained from an early age to relish walking in and out of the trailer with the reward of their favourite food.

He said: Most of them enjoy it once they are relaxed and settled into it.”

Alan says he “plays” at keeping Lincoln Reds, with just half a dozen calves or so each year. This year, calving is almost over, and Alan says they are all looking good.

More than 490 leading agricultural suppliers will keep an estimated 26,000 visitors up to date at Cereals 2013 tomorrow and Thursday.

The arable event, at Boothby Graffoe, near Lincoln, has more than 64ha of stands and demonstrations, including crop plots, working machinery, a sprays and sprayers arena and the renewables area where the focus is on green energy, biofuels and non-food crops.

The show is described as a one-stop service, offering products, advice and information, from seeds to sprayers, crop varieties to cultivation equipment, and fertiliser to finance to growers.

Admission is £23.

Late arable crops are “wide open to exploitation” from pest attack, according to independent agricultural consultant Dr Alan Dewar.

He warns that insecticide choice will be important to ensure control due to the high level of grain aphid resistance.

He says: “History tells us that aphid epidemics can, and have followed cold winters,” adding that natural predators are at low levels.

The deadline for the third and final round of applications for rural communities to apply to a £20m broadband fund has been extended.

Communities now have until June 17 to apply.

Details to apply available from www.rdpenetwork.defra.gov.uk