A TWO-storey police office and 30-cell custody suite could be built at Sutterton – or on another site between Spalding and Boston – by the world’s largest security company, G4S.

Lincolnshire Police Authority struck a deal with the company that will see its employees take over some jobs handled by police officers.

The outsourcing contract is worth £200million over ten years and it emerged this week that a new ‘police station’ is part of the deal and its construction and staffing will be a nationwide-first for an outside contractor.

Lincolnshire Police Authority refuses to reveal potential sites, but someone closely connected with police matters – who asked not to be named – this week told the Spalding Guardian that the police office and cells are likely to be built at Sutterton or on a site between Spalding and Boston.

The source told us: “It’s down to G4S. They will do what they think commercially is better for them. It’s likely to serve more than one police station.”

Police authority chairman Coun Barry Young said: “Because of commercial sensitivity, we cannot comment until the formal contract with G4S – of which this is only one aspect – has been signed.

“Once a potential site has been identified, a planning application will be made to the relevant district authority. It will be for local planning officers to assess the application to ensure that it complies with national, county and local planning requirements and policies.

“They will also take into account representations made by technical consultees, such as the highways authority and the environment agency, and by the general public.”

Coun Young said Lincolnshire has four “designated” custody suites providing a total of 61 cells with “standby” custody suites offering a further 26.

No firm decisions have been made on whether some existing cells will close once the new complex opens.

The new cells will be built on a “hub and spokes” model so more cells can be added when needed.

Former Lincolnshire Police Authority member Coun Phil Dilks criticised the authority for not naming potential sites when the £200million is coming from the public’s pockets.

He said: “Surely the public who are paying for it have a right to know?”

A MOTORIST who collided with a pedestrian on the A17 at Holbeach has denied causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving.

Kyle Simpson (25), of Market Rasen Way, Holbeach, pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared before Spalding Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Pedestrian Jason Smith died following the collision on June 1.

The case has now been adjourned for a committal hearing on April 10.

Simpson was granted unconditional bail by the court.

WHEN Tom and Lan Ho opened The Golden City in The Crescent in Spalding coming up to 40 years ago there were far fewer interesting eating opportunities for local people.

Tom recalls that his was the only Chinese restaurant and there were just two Chinese takeaways in town in the early 1970s when they first opened.

In the intervening years many others have opened – and some have closed – but Tom and Lan, whose first name is Kwai, have continued to serve up what they call “Anglicised Chinese food” to what has grown into a loyal and enthusiastic following.

The Cantonese cuisine on the menu is more authentic, but Tom points out: “If we did 100 per cent authentic Chinese I think 99 per cent of our customers would say, ‘What’s that?’.

“In the 1970s, how many people would know about Chinese food?

“If you gave them meat or fish with a bone in it, would they like it? We learned by working for other people, so we didn’t invent the Anglicised Chinese food, but we have our own tastes and style. We are very unique in our own way, taste-wise.”

Their focus has always been on cooking up the sort of healthy food for their restaurant and takeaway customers that they enjoy at home, and which perhaps explains how the pair have managed to stay so fit and young-looking despite the fact that Tom will be 65 in August, while Lan is 60.

One of the main differences in their food is the fact they don’t use monosodium glutamate (MSG), a food enhancer commonly found in Chinese dishes, but which they consider less good for human health.

“I eat what I cook,” says Tom. “Our food has a distinctive taste, more natural and healthy with fewer additives.”

Lan and Tom take turns at cooking, and Lan describes her cooking style as “more delicate”.

She adds: “We try to keep it as natural as possible, that’s why we drink green tea every day. We like everything natural and fresh. That’s why you can taste the food. I want to look after the public’s health as well as our own. We try anyway.”

Their food has certainly found favour with customers.

Tom says they are beginning to get the fifth generation of some families coming into the restaurant and adds: “You should see the customers’ reaction when we shut for a month at Christmas! We have really nice customers, we are very lucky. They are very loyal and we thank them.

“We have people travelling from Bourne and Boston who wouldn’t go anywhere else and people from London, Scotland and Yorkshire who always drop in if they are here.”

As a result of the warm welcome they have always received, Tom and Lan, who have a son Paul (Pak Ming) and two grandchildren, regard Spalding as their home.

Tom points out he has spent more time in the town than in Hong Kong, where he grew up in the same street as Lan. He moved to this country at 16 because there was no work for youngsters at home, starting with lowly kitchen jobs in Dudley and Liverpool.

He ended up working at Lan’s father’s restaurant in Stamford, where he was reunited with Lan.

They married and were living in London when Lan’s father let them know the restaurant had come up for sale in Spalding.

The couple maintain their links with the wider Chinese community through the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, of which Tom was vice-chairman for six or seven years.

It’s a social club which does charitable work and supports a weekend Chinese school.

Tom and Lan have no thought of retiring and say, with the help of their good staff, they will carry on as long as they can because “it’s nice to have something to do”.

The restaurant is open on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Call 01775 768282.

A ROYAL Air Force serviceman has spoken of his surprise at seeing a familiar sight from south Lincolnshire some 8,000 miles away in the Falkland Islands.

Sgt Paul Chapman got in touch with the Spalding Guardian when he spotted a machine belonging to Crowland Cranes working at the Mount Pleasant Complex (MPC), the main operating base on the island.

Sgt Chapman, who is from Holbeach and serving on a four-month detachment in the Falklands, said: “I was extremely surprised when contractors at MPC started to dismantle the three water storage towers that have formed part of the unmistakable skyline of the facility since it was built.

“The reason I was surprised was the large mobile crane that was employed to assist in hoisting the now redundant sections of the water holding tank back down to the ground was from Crowland Cranes.”

Crowland Cranes’ managing director Pete Issitt confirmed it was a 50-tonne capacity all-terrain crane from the firm’s rental fleet.

He said: “It was delivered to RAF Brize Norton by Crowland in September. From there it was internally transported to the Falklands.

“The crane assisting with various lifting tasks associated with the oil exploration industry which is taking place over there.

“Our lifting equipment company TMC Lifting Supplies has also been heavily involved with supplying either direct or via Brize Norton most types of lifting tackle for the projects in the Falklands, again predominantly oil industry based.”

He said travellers making their way across the world will stumble across the firm from time to time.

Mr Issitt said it has engineering works being completed in Egypt, West Africa and most recently Sierra Leone, while Crowland Cranes is also European dealers for one of China’s largest crane manufacturers, Zoomlion.

He said this has resulted in Crowland Cranes being contracted to support 46 European countries with technical support and spare parts.

DEVELOPERS behind proposals for Spalding’s Holland Market have assured shoppers that car parking will form an integral part of the plans.

Michael Moran, who represents the UK interests of Holland Market owners Corbo, said since details started to emerge about the plans he has been approached by a few people with concerns that changes could result in a loss of valuable parking for those using the shops on Holland Market as well as in the town centre.

But Mr Moran said: “I can definitely say that we recognise that Holland Market car park is an integral part of the town centre and we are committed that it remains freely available to the whole town.

“Any plans we have would not take that away.

“We have had four or five approaches from people who were worried about the car parking provision if we increase the retail and leisure units on there, but I can confirm we will increase car parking to accommodate.

“I am keen to allay these fears. We are a retail orientated developer so we know the importance of car parking for shoppers and we are not going to take that away.

“There would be nothing to stop us charging for parking but we don’t want to do that and we are committed to providing free parking for the people of Spalding.”

Mr Moran is hoping to be able to reveal further details of his plans, which include the current retail areas on both sides of Winfrey Avenue, as well as the bus station and Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field, within the next six weeks.

He has already confirmed he has had talks with South Holland district council leader Gary Porter and has an agreement in principle with Spalding United Football Club to move off the Sir Halley Stewart to a 300-seat stadium and community sports facility Corbo could provide on the edge of Spalding.

Possible development of the Sir Halley Stewart has already proved controversial as a number of people are opposed to building on a green space in the town centre, particularly one which was bequeathed to the people of Spalding.

A NEW group is looking for volunteers to lend a hand in an emergency such as flooding or bad weather.

The Suttons Emergency Planning Group has been set up in partnership with the Environment Agency and South Holland District Council, with help from local councillors Chris Brewis and Michael Booth.

Chairman of the new group, Richard West, said: “We are desperate for members of the community in Sutton Bridge, Long Sutton, Gedney and surrounding villages to join us in our mission.

“To make it sustainable and worth going ahead with we need volunteers so that in the event of adverse weather, for example, we can put our emergency plan into our action.”

Mr West said it would not be the role of the group to replace emergency services or the council, but would complement what they do.

It would involve identifying vulnerable members of the community so they could be treated as a priority in the event of an emergency, and possibly helping to distribute sandbags or other useful supplies.

Anyone who is interested in finding out more can contact Mr West by e-mail at sepg@hotmail.com

OFFICERS were left with a pair of broken handcuffs when a man became violent in the back of a police van.

Phillip Malone (35) was said to have been “bashing” the handcuffs in a hammering motion after being arrested for possessing a cannabis joint on December 22.

Malone, who gave his address as care of Godsey Lane, Market Deeping, pleaded guilty to possession of a Class B drug and criminal damage when he appeared at Spalding Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

He was fined £40 and ordered to pay £40 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Rebecca Ritson, prosecuting, said Malone had also repeatedly banged his head and threatened to damage the van and kill himself during the incident, which happened when officers visited a property in Deeping St James.

Malone said he hadn’t seen his children for a month over the incident. He said he “went quite happily” until a further arrest was made.

He added: “I will take any punishment that’s going to be given.”

A MAN of 22 phoned police on the day of an armed police siege at Sutton St James to say he was pleased an officer had been shot in the head and that “a lot more people should go around doing this sort of thing”.

The call was taken by an operator who had just come on shift and wasn’t aware an officer had been injured in a gun incident until she later spoke to a colleague, Spalding magistrates heard.

Rebecca Ritson, prosecuting at Spalding Magistrates Court on Thursday, said Louis Woodward opened by saying he was aware an officer had been seriously injured in the Holbeach area.

He then said: “I hope a lot more people go around doing this sort of thing.” Woodward told the operator: “What goes around comes around,” and then said: “I just want to let you know how pleased I am.”

When the operator asked Woodward if he wanted to comment on a more formal basis – and she could get an inspector to ring him back – he said ‘yes’ and volunteered his name, address and phone numbers.

Woodward again told the operator: “I am referring to the officer that’s almost had his head blown off.”

Miss Ritson said the operator was distressed by the call, saying Woodward spoke clearly and “seemed to relish and enjoy what he said”.

Woodward, of Queen Street, Grantham, pleaded guilty to making a grossly offensive call from West Road, Bourne, to police on January 31.

Sentence was adjourned to Tuesday, March 13 for a probation report to be prepared.

Solicitor Nen Stasojevic, mitigating, described Woodward’s phone call as an act of the “greatest folly” and “immense stupidity”.

Mr Stasojevic continued: “Mr Woodward is no stranger to contact with the police. He perceives that, rightly or wrongly I don’t know, that he has been ill-treated by the police in the past. Obviously that is no excuse for his behaviour and it is his behaviour that brings him before the court.”

Since the offence, Woodward has been referred to a psychiatrist. Mr Stasojevic said: “He is on medication, things are improving. He is looking forward to starting employment as an architect/surveyor.”

Presiding magistrate Peter Dolby told Woodward: “It was unpleasant, distasteful and caused the officer who took the call some distress.”

nAs we have already reported, a single shot was fired at the window of a police patrol car late on the morning of January 31 and a bullet was found lodged in the mouth of a police officer.

Armed police surrounded a house at Sutton St James and the occupier, Barry Horspool (61), was found dead in an upstairs room, ending an 11-hour armed siege. No police weapons were fired.

CAMPAIGNERS hoping to set up a “free school” for secondary education in Crowland say it could be up and running in 2014.

Members of the Education4Crowland steering group say their plans are progressing quickly behind the scenes and they are now focused on securing a site.

Chairman Glyn Mayley says talks are ongoing with Lincolnshire County Council over the possible use of the South View Primary School site on Reform Street.

The site could be empty if the primary school moves into the former St Guthlac School site, which is now the University Academy Holbeach Crowland Campus.

He said: “We have been working really hard to get it open in 2013. I see 2014 as an opportunity rather than a spanner in the works. Once that site becomes surplus to the county council’s requirements I will be registering an interest with Building Schools for the Future which is overseeing various sites.”

Mr Mayley says the education plan and ethos for the school have already been set and it is hoped it will have an intake of two forms of year seven pupils when it opens.

Pupils will follow the English Baccalaureate measure, which recognises a C grade or better across English, mathematics, history or geography, the sciences and a language.

Mr Mayley explained: “It’s all about aspiration and why should local children not get a really good education. The aspiration target is 100 per cent A*-C grades at GCSE.”

Mr Mayley hopes the steering group will be able to procure a school provider to run the school on a day- to-day basis if its application for Government funding is success.

The application, which would result in the group becoming an educational trust, is expected to be made this time next year.

Paul Holmes, the county council’s head of technology and property management, said: “The governors of South View have been asked to look at the former St Guthlac School with a view to transferring the primary school on to this much bigger and better site, at the earliest in the summer of 2014.

“Clearly there will need to be changes to the buildings to make them fit for use as a primary school and the governors and the county council will be planning this over the coming months as well as identifying the necessary capital funds to make this all happen.

“Crowland Parish Council is also part of the planning for the former St Guthlac site, along with the other existing users of the site, to ensure that the appropriate community facilities are available on the site.”

Mr Holmes confirmed any site that becomes available will go through the council’s “usual processes” if it is declared surplus to requirements.

SPALDING landlords and police have welcomed calls by Prime Minister David Cameron for measures to help ensure responsible drinking.

Mr Cameron has vowed to launch a new strategy to tackle the “scandal” of drunkenness and alcohol abuse which blight many town centres on Friday and Saturday nights.

One of the measures that could be included come the autumn is a minimum price on alcohol, which could see the cost of supermarket own brand bottle of vodka rise from £8.35 to £11.85 and a cheap bottle of wine from £3.75 to £4.20.

It is hoped that it will discourage people from binge drinking and getting “pre-loaded” before they go out for a night in town.

Insp Rod Rose, of Lincolnshire Police, said: “Many people choose to buy cheaper alcohol from supermarkets to drink before they go out because at the moment some alcohol is very cheap.

“If a minimum price was introduced it might result in a reversal of that trend.

“People would still only have the same amount of money but if they spent it in pubs and clubs they would not have so much alcohol and therefore not get so intoxicated and would not be so incapable of behaving themselves.

“A lot of problems we face at the moment are because people are coming into town after having so much to drink at home first.

“It is the police and health services who have to pick up the pieces when people get out of control”

Matt Clark, owner of Spalding’s Loaded nightclub, said there is a definite trend of people drinking at home before a night out.

“He said: “Our venues are predominantly entertainment so we don’t rely so much on the sale of alcohol but pubs and bars need those sales to stay alive.

“I think people definitely do pre-load because we have definitely seen an increase in the number of people coming to Loaded straight from home who are already inebriated.”

And Pete Williams, landlord of the Punchbowl in New Road, said: “A lot of people don’t come into town now until 10pm or 11pm and they are already well oiled, then they may only buy two drinks in the pub until closing time.

“They come in to enjoy the ambience but they are already at the alcohol level they want to be at to enjoy the evening and I don’t get the benefit of taking their money.

“So I would welcome a minimum charge, it would be a miniscule amount of help but it’s a step in the right direction.”

MORE than 1,700 South Holland people could soon make history by switching to the first ever cheap gas and electricity deal negotiated by a district council.

Bills are set to be slashed by at least 15 per cent – and more savings are likely to come with the so far unnamed consortium offering to put all customers on Smart Meters.

More than 1,700 people have so far registered an interest and council leader Coun Gary Porter says there are at least another 400 people in the pipeline.

Coun Porter said the consortium is happy to start with “a relatively small number” of interested people to make the deal happen and they about to submit a formal proposal to the council.

He said: “We will then get our people to do ‘due diligence’ on it to make sure it all stacks.

“I am fairly confident that it will stack, but I still wouldn’t want to put our name on it until we have thoroughly checked it out.”

No one who has registered an interest is committed to going with the new deal. The final deal will be offered formally once the council is completely satisfied.

Coun Porter said the council is working out its communications strategy for residents switching to cheaper fuel and it may include village roadshows where people can sign up with the consortium.

He said: “We have told them we don’t want any cold calling so there will be no door knocking.”

Coun Porter personally negotiated the cheaper fuel deal after publicly criticising energy companies for charging inflated prices.

He is delighted the deal is about to be sealed and says he will be even more pleased when he too is benefiting from cheaper energy.

Coun Porter said: “If the deal is the right deal, it would be stupid for me not to sign up. People will think I am either a liar or a fool if I don’t sign and I don’t want people to think either of those things.”

You can register an interest by:

l Visiting www.sholland.gov.uk and clicking on ‘Deal Offered for Cut-Price Fuel’

l Visiting the council offices in Priory Road, Spalding, or seeing your ward councillor

THE roof of a house at Gosberton Risegate has been completely destroyed in a blaze which saw firefighters on the scene for six hours.

The fire broke out at the semi-detached house in Siltside at about 3.30pm yesterday.

Fire crews from Donington and Spalding attended initially and were later joined by crews from Kirton, Holbeach and a second crew from Spalding.

The roof was destroyed, while the rest of the house, including the garage, was severely water and smoke damaged.

Firefighters used two breathing apparatus, four hose reel jets and three main jets to tackle the blaze, which was caused by hot metal filings from an angle grinder igniting wood shavings.

YOUNGSTERS from three Spalding schools came together for a fun morning of competitive sports.

Pupils from the Parish Church of England Day School, St Norbert’s primary and Monkshouse primary took part in a kingball tournament, hosted by the Sir John Gleed School.

PE teacher Hannah Bray said: “Mixed teams of ten took to the court.

“Myself and fellow PE teacher Alice Dooley co-ordinated the festival by issuing kingball games packs to the schools, then allowing them time during PE lessons to prepare for the event.”

After the scores had been settled, headteacher Janet Daniels presented medals to the winning school, St Norbert’s.

Mrs Daniels said: “It was a fantastic morning of sport. A fun time was had by all involved and when the games had finished, pupils were given juice, fresh fruit platters and an opportunity to have a guided tour of the school.”

TWO developers at the centre of ambitious plans to bring big name stores to Spalding have locked horns over the benefits their schemes will bring to the town.

After claims in the Spalding Guardian on Thursday that the Holland Market development would not bring any benefits for the people of South Holland, a furious Michael Moran, who represents Holland Market owner Corbo’s interests in the UK, is believed to have contacted Richard Garvie to express his anger.

Mr Garvie, the man behind plans for a Sustainable Spalding regeneration company, revealed plans to bring a supermarket and cinema to a 12-acre site off the A151 opposite Spalding’s McDonalds.

He claims it would generate millions of pounds of investment and pay for the running costs of a regeneration company for five years, while Holland Market plans would “not lead to any new investment in new facilities for Spalding”.

Corbo has threatened to take legal action against Mr Garvie unless he publicly retracts his statement.

Mr Moran told the Lincolnshire Free Press: “I had a rather blunt conversation with him and I told him we take it very seriously when someone makes false claims about our scheme.

“He hasn’t got a clue what we are doing.”

Town leaders have dismissed Mr Garvie’s plan as “pie in the sky”, saying he has not come forward with any concrete evidence to back up claims the site was the option preferred by the majority of people he talked to during a consultation exercise last year.

Jason Rooke, chairman of Spalding and District Area Chamber of Commerce, said: “It strikes me that Mr Garvie’s plan hasn’t got any legs, but even if it did, what would we prefer – a development within the town, albeit to the side of the town centre, or one on the outskirts of town?

“To me the town needs development, not the bypass, so my feeling would be that if Holland Market is done carefully it would be a positive thing.

“To say that Holland Market development would not lead to investment in the town is ridiculous, because there are plans for additional community facilities such as the football stadium.”

HOMES without water in Market Deeping should have a normal service shortly after 12noon today.

Anglian Water engineers were called out to Church Street at 6.50am where a four-inch pipe had burst.

A spokesman for the firm said a normal service is expected to resume just after 12noon.

If problems do continue into the afternoon, customers are asked to report them to customer services.

Original story, 10.30am today - A BURST water main is to blame for homes in Market Deeping having no water or low water pressure this morning.

Anglian Water engineers are currently working to restore the supply to the area and an estimated completion time has been given on the company’s website as 2pm.

The message adds: “Once again, we apologise for the inconvenience caused by this interruption to your service.”

THE efforts of apprentices and employers alike have been celebrated at a ceremony in Holbeach.

Staff, apprentices and guests turned out to University Academy Holbeach to see who would be crowned top of the class in three categories for the annual apprenticeship awards night.

Glen Farrow in Spalding and Mick Cawley Motor Engineers were jointly praised for their roles in the Employer of the Year Award.

Apprentice Samantha Scott was applauded for her efforts to train in the motor trade as she was crowned Personal Achiever of the Year.

The final award of the night saw the apprenticeship assessors put forward their nominations for Apprentice Of the Year and Tasmin Cunningham, who is completing her level three in business and administration, took the top spot.

A MAN and a woman accused of intimidating a court witness have been sent to Lincoln Crown Court.

Adam Bishop (28) is accused of driving a car at Anna Burnett as she walked across the entrance to a car park on October 9 in Boston Road South, Holbeach.

Kerrieann Facer (29) is accused of telling Ms Burnett: “Mark said ‘hi’ and whatever happens, we’ll come and get you” on October 13 in St John’s Street, Holbeach.

Bishop, of Lawyers Close, Holbeach, and Facer, of Fleet Street, Holbeach, had their conditional bail extended when they appeared at Spalding Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

They are due to appear at the higher court on March 15.

A RENEWABLE energy pioneer has become the first in Lincolnshire to have the newly MCS accredited Bergey Excel-S 10kW wind turbine installed on his property.

Roger Marshall, who owns a cold-store business near Quadring, trading in vegetables, opted for a Bergey system maintained by a 25 metre self-supporting lattice tower, ensuring the turbine will not be affected by wind shear and turbulence.

SIAC Wind Energy, which installed the turbine, has taken a unique approach within the UK and bucked micro wind energy trends by advocating taller towers, ensuring output is maximised at each installation.

The turbine was put up by a team from SIAC’s installation and re-sale partner for Lincolnshire and Norfolk, Greenleaf Microgen, of Spalding.

It is expected that the 10kW turbine will pay for itself in less than five years.

Jon Naylor, Regional Manager at SIAC Wind Energy, said: “It has been a pleasure working with Roger to bring his Bergey installation to fruition.

“He already embraces environmentally friendly technology, using heat from his cold stores to heat his home and a Photovoltaic system installed on the roof of the building.

“His enthusiasm for all things renewable really knows no bounds.

“Roger will now enjoy many years of free energy and income from the Government’s Feed-In Tariff scheme.”

For more information visit www.siacwindenergy.com

A MAN of 18 was remanded in custody by Grantham magistrates on Thursday when he appeared in court accused of dangerous driving after a car crashed in Foxes Low Road, Holbeach, on Wednesday.

Adam Hughes, of no fixed address, is also accused of driving without a licence, insurance and MOT. He will appear at Lincoln Crown Court at a later date.

A 78-YEAR-old Long Sutton woman denied attempting to murder her husband when she appeared before Lincoln Crown Court today.

Florence Thomson, of Sturton Way, is alleged to have stabbed her husband Keith Thomson on November 11.

Judge Michael Heath adjourned the case for trial on a date to be fixed and remanded Thomson in custody.