Representatives of the UK horticultural sector, including the NFU, have written to the government asking for clarification on seasonal agricultural workers.

Their letter was spurred by the end of the SAWS scheme and went to immigration minister Mark Harper MP, calling for clarity and speed to allow the industry to plan its future business.

It pointed out that SAWS accounts for 33 per cent of all seasonal workers in the sector and was a well managed scheme for controlling migrant workers, who stayed in the UK for just six months.

Spalding could be getting 42 new homes despite several objections from nearby neighbours.

Reliant Building Contractors has applied to South Holland District Council for permission to build the houses on Kings Road.

The application goes before the planning committee tomorrow (Thursday) night and if given the go-ahead would see 19 four-bed and 23 three-bed homes built on the site as a mix of semi-detached and terraced homes.

The scheme also includes seven affordable homes which were not included in the original scheme, but were added following a viability appraisal.

Access to the site, which is currently a BT depot, would be via Kings Road.

Six objections were lodged against the plan with the main concerns over density, a lack of diversity in the houses, no provision for garages, increased traffic flow, sewerage problems and schools and doctors in Spalding are at capacity.

Despite these objections, council planning officers are recommending the scheme is approved, although they say that a request from Lincolnshire County Council’s children’s services department for a section 106 contribution of £299,671 is not viable.

The Tillage-Live 2013 event takes place next week at West Hall Farm, Welton, in Lincolnshire.

The opportunity to see all the latest equipment at work is next Wednesday, September 11 (from 8am to 3pm). The field day is also a chance to hear new ideas from industry experts and for operators to get a hands-on drive of the latest sprayers, and hands-off experience of guidance and auto-steer equipped machines.

Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is looking for two new non-executive directors to join its board.

The organisation is the largest provider of mental and social health care services to the community of Lincolnshire. It is responsible for some 45,000 service users a year, a £100million annual budget and just under 2,000 staff.

The current non-executive membership of board has strong expertise in the fields of law, logistics, patient advocacy, personnel management, business and commerce.

As well as a passion for mental health and wellbeing, the board is looking for the new recruits to have significant commercial acumen, ideally having had experience in accountancy expertise, to help ensure the trust is financially fit for the future.

Chairman Eileen Ziemer said: “We hope there is a lot of interest in this important opportunity to join a strong and ambitious board which is devoted to improving the recovery experience for the people in our care.”

The role of non-executive director includes contributing to the overall strategy of the trust, scrutinising performance and making sure financial controls, governance and assurance systems across the organisation are robust and transparent.

A major international conference in London in April next year will be devoted to 1300 years of St Guthlac of Crowland.

Crowland Abbey Church that bears the name of the saint will also celebrate the life and times of St Guthlac, but the Rev Charles Brown said details of the commemoration are still being worked out.

He’s delighted the saint is the subject of an academic conference.

The conference, at the University of London’s Senate House, has been organised by The Institute of English Studies and the university’s Institute of Historical Research.

It will look at topics such as the legend of Guthlac, the Exeter Book poems, and Guthlac and Benedictism.

The abbey church is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, St Bartholowmew and St Guthlac.

“We are unusual in that we have not just one patron saint but three,” said Mr Brown.

He said Guthlac came to the area to live as a hermit – a solitary life of prayer – when Crowland was just an island in the Fens.

Mr Brown said: “He developed a reputation as a very holy man.”

The community safety partnership which covers South Holland wants to hear your views on crime and anti-social behaviour to help set priorities for next year.

East Lincolnshire Community Safety Partnership brings together key agencies including police, fire and rescue, health, probation and local councils.

Its aim is to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime to ensure the region remains a safe place to live, work and visit.

Each year the partnership asks people to share their concerns around crime and disorder and identify the priorities they’d like the partnership to focus on.

Last year the partnership produced a three-year strategy for tackling crime.

The current priorities are anti-social behaviour, violent crime (including domestic abuse) and social cohesion (in Boston and South Holland). The partnership is also addressing fear of crime and alcohol misuse.

In South Holland the partnership is delivering the following projects to address concerns:

• a publicity campaign to ensure people know how to report anti-social behaviour

• Operation Trunk to address street drinking in Spalding

• Deterring drug dealers and users from pubs and clubs through regular checks on premises with a drugs itemiser

• Engaging with migrant workers in the workplace and offering crime prevention advice and information.

• Fitting security equipment into homes to ensure the safety of domestic abuse victims.

Coun Nick Worth, South Holland District Council portfolio holder for Community, said: “This is an opportunity for the public to tell the partnership what issues concern them. Their input is vital as this will help us to determine our future priorities.”

The survey is available to complete online from Monday, September 2, at www.sholland.gov.uk. The closing date for responses is Friday, October 11.

Thieves got away with a red Longjia moped stolen from Queen Street, Sutton Bridge, over the bank holiday weekend.

It happened some time between 10.30pm on Friday and 11.30am on Saturday and anyone with information should call 101.
Meanwhile, police are trying to find out how a vehicle parked in a Spalding shopping area was damaged at the weekend.
The red vehicle was parked near the water tower in Holland Market car park when it was scratched with a key or similar object some time between 10.15am and 10.30am on Saturday.

A bicycle with a distinctive black “paw print” saddle has been stolen from outside a Spalding supermarket just before the bank holiday weekend.

It was taken from cycle racks outside Sainsbury’s store in Holland Market some time between 5.15pm and 5.30pm last Thursday.
Police describe the bicycle as being red and black, with a black saddle, tiny bell on the left hand side of the handle bars and a nut missing from the left hand fork.
The cycle chain was cut and anyone with information should call 101.

A spate of thefts where Victorian-style chimney pots have been taken is baffling police in Holbeach.

Two of the pots, which can be used as planters, were taken from Edinburgh Walk and another from Washway Road, with a similar theft reported from Spalding Road.
Police believe all three incidents are linked and anyone with information should call 101.

A terminally-ill Fosdyke woman is determined to “kick cancer where it hurts” after being diagnosed with the disease.

Sally Wainwright has stomach cancer – but wanted to do something to help others in a similar situation.

With the help of friends and family, Sallyfest music event is to be held at Baston, near Bourne, to raise money for Cancer Research and Macmillan Nurses.

Sally said: “After being diagnosed I cannot begin to describe the effect it has on friends and family, as well as myself.

“Cancer must be beaten. It is a cruel disease that can affect every single one of us.

“It is indiscriminate and it’s time we kicked cancer where it hurts.”

Kim Gain, a friend of Sally and fellow breeder and exhibitor through the dog-based charity Bracco Italiano Society Health and Welfare, said: “You feel totally powerless when you hear the kind of devastating news about a friend that I did.

“It was like being hit by a truck to be told you are going to lose such a close friend to such a terrible disease.

“But after talking to Sally we agreed there was something we could do. We could make a difference to help others and Sally said this was what she wanted.”

Owners of Windmill Farm Caravan Park agreed to host the event in a farm building and donate camping proceeds.

The event will be held on Saturday, September 21, at Windmill Farm Caravan Park in Baston, starting at 5pm.

Two live bands and a DJ will provide music all night long. As well as music there will be a barbecue, bar and a raffle. Proceeds from the park and bar will also be donated. Readers are invited to display a poster that can be downloaded at MulleredAtTheMill.co.uk

An ambulance has crashed into a garden in Pinchbeck Road, Spalding. The incident happened at 5am this morning.

There were no patients in the ambulance at the time and the driver and his co-worker were dazed but not seriously hurt.

It is thought they were returning to Spalding Ambulance Station at the end of a night shift.

The house was empty, with neighbours saying the occupants are currently on holiday in Barbados.

A recovery vehicle is currently at the scene.

There’s a personal flavour to the lyrics written by Spalding band The Offshore Rivers’ singer songwriter Matthew Aylett, writes Luke Harrison.

The four-man band has just produced its debut EP and one of the tracks, Farewell, is about a break up with a girl, although the songwriter admits: “I find it hard explaining what the songs are about and originally it was hard to sing them but when you do it’s easier. You just get on with it for the band.”

That honesty pays off, because it’s a favourite with fans, around a hundred of whom travel to support the band when they gig up and down the country.

It’s also one of the first songs Aylett showed Jackson in the early days: he recalls the nerves involved in exposing the work, but Jackson saw its merits, put a drum beat to it and the bond between the two was born. Follow the band at www.facebook.com/theoffshorerivers and www.soundcloud.com/theoffshorerivers

Spalding’s newest PSCO is now becoming a familiar figure around the town centre.

This week PCSO Natalie Hines has been continuing her patrols dealing with issues of concern for local residents.

Here is her latest update.

When you sit down and read an interview about an up and coming band trying to break the music scene, you expect some jaw dropping statement of how they have reinvented music, or a violent, verbal, vendetta against everything and everyone.

With Spalding-based The Offshore Rivers, it’s different. In fact from interviewing lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Matthew Aylett about the band’s debut self-titled EP, you would be mistaken for thinking you were reading from a farming magazine.

“We grew very organically. We have a very organic sound,” Aylett confidently declares, referring to the band’s fusion of country and soul complementing the rock ‘n’ roll influences of Bob Dylan, Neil Young and The Band to create the unique sound on their five song EP.

Like many young bands, it was formed slowly: Aylett and drummer Dave Jackson found themselves hanging out more and more following the ending of the bands they were in.

“We were on each other’s wavelength and listened to music together,” said Aylett. “I showed him country and he showed me soul. From that we did a few home recordings together and always knew we were going to form a band, we were just looking for the right fit.”

That finally happened two years later with the addition of Andy Dilley on bass and Jack Johnson on lead guitar.

The idea for the first track on the EP, Rosemary, stems from Aylett’s time spent travelling through Australia in 2007 and his country influences are at their most evident in this track. It also highlights the harmonies that the band worked on a lot while recording the EP, self-funded and recorded in studios above a shop in Peterborough. This meant it had to take place through the night and around band members’ day jobs.

The lyrics of the second track, Ghosts, again draw on Aylett’s experiences and is, like the first track, a dreamy, peaceful country sound.

In contrast, the third track, Down, Down Down, starts with a thunderous trumpet solo and becomes a more dark and mysterious sound once the drums kick in, Aylett’s vocals stronger and more confident.

Again, it’s Aylett’s thoughts expressed in lyrics, influenced by Bob Dylan, Neil Young and American writer Jack Kerouac. He says: “Sometimes when you write, it just comes straight off the pen, and that’s particularly true with this song.”

Police have arrested a man on suspicion of theft after confronting staff at a Spalding town centre store earlier today.

A man was arrested at Savers in Hall Place where he refused to pay for goods and then became aggressive with staff shortly before 1.30pm.

Shoppers were turned away by staff while police dealt with the incident and the store was eventually reopened.

“Hot air” during a meeting in Spalding was blamed when councillors were evicted into the car park after one of them smelled burning.

The 12 councillors, planners and members of the public were asked to leave the chamber at South Holland District Council after Coun Howard Johnson raised the alarm about 8.35pm.

They had just returned from a break following a heated discussion about whether Jeremy Chew should be allowed to speak ahead of his application for Spalding Rugby Club to change the use of agricultural land to pitches in Drain Bank South, Cowbit.

Mr Chew claimed the club had not been informed it had to notify the council if he wished to address members.

However, planning committee chairman Coun Roger Gambba-Jones said it would set a precedent if they made an exception and the request was denied.

However, when the council resumed the smell of burning became stronger and everyone was asked to gather in the car park while the source was investigated.

It had been thought the source could be the webcam equipment which had caused the cancellation of the previous meeting and this was switched off.

But as Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue had been called, Coun Gambba-Jones adjourned the meeting, leaving four planning applications and three other items to be heard at a later meeting.

These included Spalding Rugby Club’s application and plans to change the use of a site at Lefley’s Garage in Holbeach to build 51 dwellings and convert the Station House into four dwellings; a single storey garage extension in Birch Grove, Spalding, and the erection of 12 affordable dwellings off St Margaret’s in Quadring.

Coun Chris Brewis commented outside: “I can see the headlines now ‘Hot air at council causes fire’.

A spokesman for the council said: “After use of a thermal imaging camera by fire officers, checks of the air handling, boiler rooms and roof space it was concluded that the smell was actually external to the building and had permeated through the fresh air vents into the chamber.

“The council is satisfied with how the situation was handled by all concerned and gives its thanks to Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue.”

The date of the next meeting is to be confirmed by tomorrow (Friday).

A leaking roof has forced Spalding Magistrates’ Court to close and the building may be out of action for at least a month.

Rainwater soaked a witness room, offices used by the Crown Prosecution Service and Probation Service – and part of a ceiling collapsed in one of the magistrates’ retiring rooms.

Cases listed for yesterday (Thursday)) were moved to a special session at Grantham Magistrates’ Court and it’s likely that all Spalding cases will be heard there over the next few weeks.

Defendants arriving at the Spalding court yesterday were given the option of travelling to Grantham, but only a handful chose to do so.

The long-term future of the court is in doubt because various sessions have been stripped away – and another is set to follow suit.

• See Tuesday’s Lincolnshire Free Press for more information on the court.

A driver was more than twice the legal alcohol limit the day he crashed into the back of a stationary BMW – shunting that car into the back of a Vauxhall.

The man who caused the accident, Stephen Hill (34), was injured and taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Jim Clare, prosecuting, said police found Hill slumped in the driver’s seat at the scene in Gedney Road, Long Sutton, on March 9.

Mr Clare said Hill made a full and frank admission to police that he was “very much in drink”.

Hill gave the causes of the crash as driving too fast and braking too late.

A sample taken at the hospital showed Hill had 193 milligrammes of alcohol in blood – the legal limit is 80mgs.

Solicitor Daven Naghen described the incident as “a bit of a wake-up call” for Hill.

Mr Naghen said: “All he can really put forward is that he had relationship problems and he had been drinking following these.”

District judge John Stobart, sitting at Grantham, banned Hill for driving for 20 months, but that can be cut by five months if he attends a drink-drive rehabilitation course.

Hill, who is unemployed, was also fined £180 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Hill, of Peacock Court, Sutton Bridge, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

A man has denied burglary and theft of a chainsaw at a property in Tydd St Mary in April this year.

Jake Molsher-Howarth (20), of Livingstone Drive, Spalding, also denies stealing two heat pump units, worth a total of £9,000, from an address in Bury St Edmunds and receiving the pump units. He will stand trial at Spalding Magistrates’ Court on December 12.

Former Crowland man Daniel Brooks (27) denied assault by beating when he appeared before a district judge on Thursday.

Brooks, now of Perranporth, Cornwall, will stand trial at Grantham Magistrates’ Court on November 13. He was granted bail.