Following many enquiries concerning the new company pension legislation, I have been asked to give a brief overview of the proposals.

To encourage and help people save more for their retirement, the government has introduced automatic enrolment (also known as auto enrolment).

Automatic enrolment is where an eligible employee is automatically enrolled into their company pension. From October 1, 2012 to February 2018, depending on business size, employers will have to automatically enrol all eligible employees into a qualifying pension scheme and contribute to their pension plans.

This is a fantastic opportunity for people to improve their standards of living in retirement and like most financial matters there are many options.

So, if you are an employee looking to understand the benefit of joining your company pension and how automatic enrolment could affect you; or if you are an employer looking for a helping hand with your automatic enrolment preparations then please get in touch.

A united front is bringing new hope to a Spalding school fighting its way out of special measures.

The first Parent Teacher Associaton of Sir John Gleed School was held last week, with another already organised to take place tomorrow (Wednesday).

Parent Lesa Jeffery has been in talks with acting headteacher Will Scott to arrange the meetings.

She said: “The school is really buzzing. I’ve spoken to a lot of kids and they all say what a breath of fresh air Mr Scott is at the school.

“He’s going into classes and asking the pupils how things are going and what changes they would like to see.

“I’ve had several meetings with Mr Scott and it’s all very positive. He’s working so hard to pull things round. I even had one email reply from him written at 10.30pm on a Saturday night.

“I was really pleased to see parents, governors, teachers and pupils at the first PTA meeting – and us forming a united front is the message we want to get across.

“We want everyone to get behind the school to help bring about change. People don’t have to have children there – they could be residents who have students pass by every day or local businesses. Everyone is welcome.

“Wouldn’t it be great if one day there was a waiting list of students wanting to go to the Gleed school?”

The school was put into special measures last month after an Ofsted report found it lacking in the achievement of pupils, quality of teaching, behaviour and safety of pupils and leadership and management.

For the past ten days, Mr Scott has been involved in forming a development plan to submit to Ofsted.

He said: “Things are progressing really well and I’m delighted with the way parents and the whole community are getting behind the school.

“We’ve had a very busy ten days working on the development plan that addresses all of the points of improvement highlighted by Ofsted.

“Things are moving very quickly. We all want the best for the students and we are looking forward – rewarding them where appropriate and celebrating their achievements.”

Rebecca Thirkell, the parent who called in Ofsted, is hoping the plan will be enough. She said: “I think it’s too early to say, but I’ve seen people on Facebook page say students wearing wrong uniform is still an issue.”

A Spalding woman says she would not be alive today if it were not for the ambulance service.

Jane Jones (61) only has one lung and suffers bronchiectasis and has had to call the ambulance out eight times between November last year and March.

The former parish and district councillor, who lives in Shire Avenue, said: “The ambulance service gets enough knocks I thought it was about time someone gave it some praise.

“The condition means that quite often I’ve been seen walking from the ambulance and I can often see people wondering why I am even using it.

“But the paramedics always treat me with the upmost respect. I would not be here today if it wasn’t for them.”

A spokesperson for East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) said: “It’s really nice for the patient to get in touch and praise the work our frontlines crews do.

“The patient surveys we carry out show that 95 per cent are satisfied with the service given which means that well over 500,000 patients each year value the care and attention we provide – often in very distressing circumstances.

“We are continually striving to improve and are confident that the changes we are introducing under our Being the Best programme will soon start to deliver results.

“We have also been given extra funding to appoint over 120 new frontline staff and once they are in post, we expect a marked improvement in our performance achievements.”

The praise comes at a time East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) is undergoing a shake-up in a bid to improve response time

Earlier this month, Lincolnshire’s Health Scrutiny Committee asked the Secretary of State for Health to get involved amid fears plans to replace 66 ambulance stations with 13 “hubs” would compromise patient safety. The Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) will submit its assessment to the Secretary of State by tomorrow (Friday).

A little girl’s laughter sent shivers down the spine of the most cynical members of a paranormal team visiting a museum in Spalding.

Xstream Paranormal visited in Gordon Boswell Romany Museum in Clay Lake on Saturday night because “it seemed like an interesting location”.

Vivien Powell, one of the members, said she knew it was going to be a good night because even before the equipment was set up things started happening.

She said: “It’s just a hobby for us, but some members of our technical team are really cynical about what we do.

“But even before we got set up some members of the group who are unbelievers said they could hear a little girl giggling. It was an amazing place – we were gobsmacked.”

Museum owner Gordon Boswell said he couldn’t believe some of the things that happened that night.

He said: “When I bought a Romany caravan from down south I was asked if I would take on the ‘little girl’ too.

“I’ve seen her a couple of times, but on Saturday I heard her giggling.

“The team said there was a lot of paranormal activity. At one time a small table started rocking and then it did a somersault. I couldn’t believe it.”

Vivien said: “We’ve already asked if we can go back.”

Protestors are marching on to save a vital village bus service.

Health walkers who use the threatened Kimes 59 service for their weekly treks around Donington are calling for pressure on the bus company to be stepped up.

Syd Manley (74), of Highfield Road, is one of the leaders of the group, which often attracts up to 30 walkers.

He said: “We probably have 12 people who travel in from Spalding on the bus or pick it up along the way.

”They are trying to keep healthy and be ‘green’ by using the buses as well as enjoy a social activity. So many will be left isolated.”

Kimes 59 service links villages including Donington, Quadring and Gosberton with towns such as Spalding and Boston.

Villagers claim drivers have been telling them the service will cease on Saturday, August 10, and they face redundancy.

However, in spite of rumours other companies make take on the service, no further information is being disclosed.

Dave Shelley, commercial manager for Centrebus Ltd, which runs the Kimes 59 service, said the company had started a full consultation with staff.

He said: “It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

Walkers Brian and Arlene Makin, of Gosberton Risegate, fear Donington will be left with just one bus a week like them, instead of the hourly service.

Brian said: “There’s Call Connect, but you have to book a week in advance and sometimes it doesn’t turn up.”

Margaret Kenworthy, manager of the Ruby Hunt Centre where the walks start, said a voluntary car scheme also runs from there. She said: “We already don’t have enough drivers – we couldn’t cope.”

You asked the police to take action on Spalding’s pavement cyclists – and yesterday on a special 5am patrol they stopped and dealt with a staggering 100 riders.

Operation Oatmeal got under way when most of us were only dreaming about breakfast.

But that is the hour many factory employees finish night shifts and cycle home – and officers were ready to catch them if they were breaking the law.

Sgt Stuart Brotherton, who led the operation, said four hot spots around the town were targeted – Pinchbeck Road towards Pinchbeck, Winsover Road towards Spalding, Hawthorn Bank and Halmer Gate.

Of the 100 cyclists who were stopped, 59 £30 fixed penalty tickets were issued for cycling on the pavements.

He said: “The facts don’t lie – it was a shocking result. Cycling on the pavements is the second biggest concern in Spalding after street drinking.

“While the operation was taking place, one resident came out and shouted ‘bravo’.

“Of course, some were tweeting asking what we were doing – and I am sure many will think there are more important things we could have been dealing with.

“But whenever we attend community panels, pavement cycling is the one people are always complaining about.

“It is a serious crime. As soon as a rider takes to the footpath they are putting pedestrians at risk.

“This operation is sending out a clear message - when people ride a cycle they are riding a vehicle.

“There’s no excuse for the people who were caught and no point saying why can’t we be more lenient because we have been out before and they know they should not be doing it.”

As well as the cycling offences, 10 vehicles were stopped for exceeding the 30mph limit, with four getting fixed penalty notices. one driver was stopped for seatbelt violation, a ticket was issued for a noisy exhaust and two suspicious vehicles were stopped and searched.

Sgt Brotherton said: “This was a successful operation. The officers started at 5am and will still be working through the afternoon.”

From a young age, Julia Farmer of Pinchbeck has dreamt of owning her own cafe.

Now the dream has finally come true in the form of Spirituali-tea in Boston Road South, Holbeach, with its menu of breakfast, salads, cakes and drinks.

Julia said: “I’ve always wanted a cafe of my own and it’s always been at the back of my mind to make it a place where people can come in and experience a bit of nostalgia.

“My pet hate is to go into a cafe or coffee shop and be handed a menu, so I thought it would be nice to have a vintage cafe with proper cups and saucers, where all the food is locally sourced and where people can be reminded of old England.”

Spirituali-tea opened on Saturday within the pub, A String of Horses, after talks between Julia and pub owner Richard Rickerby.

She said: “I’ve known Richard for quite a while and one day, we were talking and throwing ideas around about having half of the pub as a cafe.

“By the end of the day, we decided to do it even though I’d never thought of starting my own business.

“But I had a lot of help from my family and on the opening day, the cafe was absolutely packed full of friends and people I’ve done readings for in my other role as a medium.”

For the first month, Spirituali-tea is opening seven days a week in order to find out when there is most demand from her customers.

“I want people to come here because the atmosphere is different,” Julia said.

Looking at wards and clinics through a patient’s eyes is helping to improve community healthcare services in Lincolnshire.

Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) is using the 15 Steps Challenge to capture first impressions of service areas with the help of volunteer members of the trust.

The challenge, which is part of a national scheme, sees teams of four or five people, including patient representatives, clinical and non-clinical staff and non-executive directors visiting different locations to recognise positive ideas and make recommendations on how improvements can be made.

The project was inspired by a parent who said she can tell what kind of care her daughter will receive within 15 steps of walking to a ward.

Improvements to community healthcare services in Lincolnshire as a result of the challenge have included a review of information provided for patients and their relatives, the redecoration of a children’s waiting area and supply of new toys to make it more appealing, and clearer signage for services.

Keith Rossington, Clinical Governance Manager for the north east of the county at LCHS, said: “We have already made improvements to make our patients’ experience better through the 15 Steps Challenge and further visits across Lincolnshire have been arranged.”

Anyone interested in becoming a member of LCHS can fill in an application form online at www.lincolnshirecommunityhealthservices.nhs.uk

Those interested in participating in the 15 Steps Challenge programme can also contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 0845 602 4384.

A Spalding house builder is in contention for a top national construction award after impressing judges with his work on a town housing project.

Mark Jefferson is through to the next round of the annual Pride in the Job Awards run by the National House-Building Council (NHBC) to reward construction workers who show commitment to achieving high standards in house building.

The Taylor Wimpey East Midlands employee was recognised for his work on the Pilgrims Chase estate in Wygate Park after Mark was shortlisted from around 13,000 entrants from across the UK.

Mark is one of 450 Quality Awards winners through to the regional finals, with winners to be announced in the autumn who will then go through to the NHBC Gala Final in January 2014.

Richard Hartshorn, NHBC regional director, said: “Winning a Pride in the Job Quality Award is a major achievement for any site manager so Mark is at the top of the game.

“The homes our Quality Award winners have built are without doubt among the best in the UK and Mark can be truly proud of this accolade.”

Representatives from The University Academy Holbeach have marked the latest milestone on the £8million academy, being built on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council.

Teachers, along with representatives from the council and the Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire joined main contractor Shepherd Construction to mark the completion of the roof on the new build.

The construction programme is moving at pace. The next section of the programme will focus on the interior of the build with the mechanical and electrical work and plastering of the walls and ceilings.

Throughout the construction programme there have been numerous visits to site by the construction students at the academy who have been involved in the programme from the beginning.

Headteacher Steve Baragwanath said: “We have been impressed with the way Shepherd Construction has caused as little disruption to school life as possible. We are looking forward to completion in October when we will be able to see our vision for the academy come to life.”

Shop fronts in Bourne have had much-needed makeovers thanks to a shop front regeneration scheme funded by South Kesteven District Council.

To date seven projects have been completed costing £22,653 with a further four on the cards costing another £22,718.

The district council’s portfolio holder for grow the economy- economic development, Coun Frances Cartwright said: “This scheme is one of a number of important initiatives to encourage people to visit Bourne and help new and existing businesses to thrive.

“The Shop Front Grant Scheme has made a big difference to the appearance of the town and I am thrilled business owners have seized this opportunity.”

The latest project to complete in Bourne was Newton Fallowell Estate Agents on North Street.

Director Chris Lett said: “I am very pleased with how the work has turned out. It has definitely improved the look of the shop and it stands out a lot more.”

Other Bourne businesses involved in the scheme include North Shoes, Rosedale, The Salvation Army, Time for Tea, A Cliffe, Accountancy East, Joy of Flowers, Harrison and Dunn and Fordham Fancies.

Members of three Rotary Clubs in South Holland joined forces to raise hundreds of pounds for children with a rare skin condition.

An auction for national skin charity DEBRA which supports individuals and families affected by the rare condition Epidermolysis Bullosa raised £1,400 and representatives of South Holland, Spalding and Welland Centenary Rotary Clubs presented the proceeds to DEBRA regional fundraiser John Parker.

John Syson, one of the auction organisers, said: “We enjoyed getting our three Rotary Clubs together for a DEBRA sale in April and we thank those who supported it, enabling us to give £1,400 to help DEBRA children.”

A Spalding businessman is trying once more to build a lorry park, shop and cafe on land in Moulton Chapel.

Sam Kandola has battled for eight years to develop the site just off the A16 and last year had a similar application thrown out.

Now he thinks he’s made enough changes to overcome council objections, including using surfacing to stop dust being thrown up by moving vehicles.

Mr Kandola said the planning committee’s refusal was “disappointing” considering pre-planning advice with planning, highways and economic development officers met with support.

“The refusal was made on the grounds that noise would be detrimental to the neighbouring properties and that there was potential to generate dust,” he said.

Mr Kandola said an acoustic engineer recommended mitigating measures which have been included in the new plan to overcome noise.

“The areas upon which the lorries park will be constructed from concrete, the rest being tarmac, thus preventing the generation of dust,” he said.

Mr Kandola included those points in an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate against the council’s refusal last year, but the inspector considered the changes to be too great and made his decision on the application submitted to the council.

Other changes include a cut in the number of HGVs using the site and a ban on lorry refrigeration units operating there.

Mr Kandola says he’s encouraged by the planning inspector’s report, which pinpoints a lack of facilities in this area supporting the transport network – and goes on to support the proposal, regeneration of the area, proposed jobs and the benefit the shop will bring locally.

Five planning applications for the site have been refused.

Volunteers at Agape Care Foodbank in Spalding are bracing themselves for an increase in demand because of the latest Government cuts announced this week.

Changes, including a seven-day waiting period before people can claim benefits and tougher rules for claimants who can’t speak English, have left leaders of the Spalding’s Agape foodbank fearing an influx of new cases.

The centre is already struggling with a shortage of storage space and is desperately looking for a warehouse to rent at a special rate so that donations from the public and businesses can be packed and given out to needy people.

Pastor Chas Sandhu, minister of the Lighthouse Church, in Haverfield Road, where the foodbank is based, said: “I’m concerned about what the Government has said because it will impact on the foodbank and mean a rise in people wanting help.

“We’ll do our best to support people where we can but they have to realise that we’re not a benefit or here to provide food to people week in, week out.

“The foodbank is here to help people who are struggling because they haven’t got their benefits through yet, they’ve been made redundant or they’ve been hit by a family tragedy.

“We are grateful to people and businesses who are still supporting us, but these changes mean that the people of South Holland will have to work together even more.”

Mr Sandhu confirmed that demand for food parcels was already higher than for the first six months of last year as more people suffer redundancy and benefit cuts.

He said: “It’s going to be very tight for people when the Government changes come in, so we hope that things won’t change in terms of people and businesses giving to us.

“We’re still hoping someone will come up with a warehouse which we can use for a peppercorn rent to store and provide food because we’re running out of space at the church.”

The Rev Rosamund Seal, vicar of All Saints’ Church, Holbeach, where a new foodbank is expected to open in September, said: “Only time will tell what impact the changes announced by the Government will have on people here.

“But in my view, it emphasises the urgency and significance of what we’re trying to do.”

A care service in Crowland that has answered more than 95 calls for help since April is concerned it may have to move again should the library where it is based reduce its opening hours.

Crowland Cares has been based at the library in Hall Street for the past five years, manning the desk each morning five days a week.

Last week, Lincolnshire County Council announced it is considering slashing libraries under its control from 47 to 15 in a bid to save £2million.

Libraries in Crowland and Long Sutton are not expected to be closed, but it is not clear what their opening hours will be.

Volunteer Philip Jackson said: “We want to know what is happening because it’s all very confusing.

“A lot of people are concerned – not just us. As I’m speaking to you, the Health Walks group is coming in.

“The library is also their base and there are a lot of groups who use it. Where are we supposed to go?”

The council has said that libraries under threat could only stay open if they are run by volunteers or are taken on by a business.

Mr Jackson said: “If it wasn’t for us I don’t think the library in Crowland would be open as much as it now.”

A 90-day consultation on the proposals is expected to start on Wednesday, July 3.

Spalding Library is safe and a glimmer of hope has now been given to all those under threat, including Market Deeping and Holbeach.

Yesterday (Wednesday), Lincolnshire County Council’s community and public safety committee recommended scrapping plans to close the libraries.

The executive will make the final decision as to whether to go out to consultation at a meeting on Tuesday.

County councillor for Deeping St James Phil Dilks said: “We have won the first battle to save Deepings Library but we will have to wait and see what happens when the executive meet.

“I spoke at the scrutiny meeting and there was clearly real concern these proposals weren’t the way forward.”

Deeping St James parish councillor Andrew Boswell has already set up a petition to save Deepings Library from closure and a public meeting has been planned for July 11.

Villagers have mounted an 11th hour campaign against a rail hub they fear is a “smokescreen” for a large industrial estate on their doorsteps.

The Rail Freight Interchange is earmarked in the South East Lincolnshire Local Plan for 15 hectares close to the rail line through Deeping St Nicholas.

The plan – which sets out the vision for the South Holland and Boston area through to 2031 – also includes an associated 45 hectares for industrial use.

Around a dozen residents attended a meeting of Deeping St Nicholas Parish Council on Monday, where South Holland District Council senior planning officer Phil Norman outlined the history and current situation regarding the RFI.

He explained that the rail hub had first come to light in 2009, in response to interest from retailers.

Two possible sites were identified, but the Deeping Fen site was eventually chosen and the idea was moving forward with a developer and operator expressing an interest.

The hub has now been included in the Local Plan, which is currently being consulted on across the area.

The general consultation on the wide-reaching document ends tomorrow – although the parish council has been granted an extension until July 4 to submit its comments.

At the meeting parish council chairman Nicholas Watts said 800 out of the village’s 1,000 residents had previously signed a petition against the rail hub, adding: “From that it’s fairly obvious that we don’t want it, but it would seem the council is not really listening to what we want.

“It thinks the need for a rail hub is greater than what the people of Deeping St Nicholas have to say.”

And Coun George Fitzgerald questioned if submitting objections to the Local Plan was worth it, saying: “I think it’s all decided already.”

Residents were also given the chance to have a say at the meeting, with one commenting she had “almost had a heart attack” when she heard about the plan, and another saying it was “just a smokescreen for an industrial estate.”

Coun Watts urged as many residents as possible to write letters of objection to the plans before the public consultation deadline.

Councillors also agreed to read and comment on a list of objections put together by the clerk so its own response could be submitted in time for the July 4 deadline.

Their objections include:

l Air, light and noise pollution on a 24-hour basis close to residential properties;

l Downgrading of the A16 to the A1175, which means it would not be able to accommodate the high volume of traffic generated;

l The hub would change the rural area/village into an urban area.

A petition, led by parish councillor Liz Williams, has already been started and it is hoped as manay villagers as possible will sign it or write their own letters.

Owners of a dream family home whose tenants left a trail of dirt and destruction have been overwhelmed by offers of help.

The story of the “House from Hell” at Gosberton Risegate went national after Midge Clayton and Richard Douville showed the Spalding Guardian how their four-bed home had been turned into a filthy “kennel” by dog breeders.

Within hours of the story hitting the news stand, local cleaners, decorators and residents who just wanted to help were contacting the couple and creating their own version of TV’s DIY SOS.

John Stephenson, who runs a home services business, said he was horrified to read about the mess left by the tenants.

He said: “I’d like to give a couple of days a week to help them get their house back to how it was when they built it.

“That poor couple – I can’t imagine how they are feeling.”

However, when John first visited the house he was 
not prepared for what he found.

He said: “It was disgusting. I’ve been up to my eyes in it, scrubbing poo off the skirting boards.

“I don’t know how the tenants could have let children live in this – let alone dogs.

“I’m sure I’ll never come across anything as bad as this again.”

Other businesses offering help include Tim Medford Rubbish Clearance of Spalding, On Tap Plumbing and Heating of Spalding, Dobemar Kennels of Skendlesby and Bates Environmental of Donington.

An emotional Midge said: “It’s so overwhelming how kind people have been I can hardly speak.

“When you called to tell us about John someone had stopped outside to bring us paint.

“It makes me feel very humble – especially as I’ve never been someone who asks for help.”

A new ‘Welcome to Spalding’ sign could soon be greeting visitors.

Members of the Town Forum preferred a design “like a windmill without sails” and hope to submit it to Cabinet for approval in September.

A location for the Spalding Torch Relay mosaic has been given a flush of approval.

Members of the Town Forum were shown images of how the mosaic would look on the wall of the toilets in the Sheepmarket.

Villagers who feared they would be left stranded by the axing of a vital bus service are celebrating the news it has been taken over by another company.

Brylaine was signing the agreement with Kimes on Friday afternoon – at the very moment the Free Press called to explore rumours employees had been seen taking notes on 59 service buses.

The Boston company will take over the service, which links villages as far away as Donington with Boston, in its entirety on Monday, August 26.

Malcolm Wheatley, operations director at Brylaine, said the company was pleased to have been able to take the service into its network.

He said: “We are taking it on in its entirety. People will recognise the buses and some of the drivers as we have taken them on, too.

“Eventually, the five buses that are part of the agreement may be painted in the Brylaine livery, or replaced, but for the time being they will just carry the logo while people get used to it.

“There may be slight variations on the route, such as it may go through Boston market place, but it will on the whole run exactly the same.

“At the same time as being delighted to deliver what the public so clearly wanted, we are sorry to see the demise of another Lincolnshire name in this area.”

Kimes of Folkingham was established in 1945 and sold to Centrebus in 2011.

A large group of villagers, some from Gosberton and Quadring, gathered in Donington last week to protest about the possible closure of the Kimes 59 service.

Coun Jane King, who represents them on South Holland District Council, was relieved to hear the news.

She said: “This is great if this correct and the service remains exactly as it is at present.

“We had been led to believe the Kimes service stops on August 10. On the whole I am very pleased to hear that we are keeping our bus service.”

A response from Centrebus is still awaited.