The latest crop production technology will be discussed and on display at a new event at the East of England Showground at Peterborough on October 30 and 31.

There are four seminars on crop nutrition, crop protection, plant breeding and managing with precision at CropTec. NFU experts will be speaking about farm-saved seed and purity and the financial and practical implications of crop protection compliance.

Treasured buildings in South Holland are to have a chance of being protected under a people power law that allows the district council to keep a Community Assets Register.

South Holland District Council’s cabinet on Tuesday backed the creation of a register, but it’s believed there’s only one application in the pipeline to preserve the use of a building and that’s Ye Olde Dun Cow at Cowbit.

South Holland’s planning committee is expected to consider an application to use the Dun Cow site for the building of nine homes at its meeting on September 25.

The housing plan has sparked fierce opposition in the village with hundreds signing petitions to keep the Dun Cow as a pub.

Community Assets Registers have sprung from the Localism Act of 2011, which gives the public a right to nominate buildings and land they consider “to be of value to the community”.

When any assets on the register are put up for sale, there’s a temporary ‘stop’ on the sale to allow the community to express an interest in buying the asset – and a second “window of opportunity” to create a bid.

The Localism Act allows compensation to be paid to owners of buildings who lose cash by having the sale of assets delayed – but the cabinet is following its officers’ advice of having a no compensation policy and recommended that to the full council.

The Government has pledged to pay compensation if it totals £20,000 or more in a year, but the cabinet still backed the no compensation option.

Planning committee chairman Coun Roger Gambba-Jones suggested the planning chairman’s panel – with the addition of ward members where assets are nominated – could help officers “come to the right decision”.

• Community assets are defined as non residential, with a non-ancillary use, and of benefit to the community.

Pinchbeck company Winchester Growers, which has around 1,000 hectares of daffodils in production, has bought New Generation Daffodils’ 180 acre-holding.

The purchase makes it the biggest single daffodil enterprise in the UK.

A shocking report that teenagers are being brought to Spalding as part of a child sex ring has prompted a call to residents to contact police about any suspicious activity they witness.

Details of a group of “terrified young teenage girls” spotted in Sainsbury’s car park are in Thursday’s edition of the Spalding Guardian.

This follows an incident in Lincoln, in which it is believed a teenager was drugged to be abducted and brought to the town.

For full details and how Act for Justice campaigner Chris Abel is hoping to raise awareness of the crime against children “on our doorstep”, see tomorrow’s Guardian.

A derelict pub in Long Sutton is to be returned to its former glory – in spite of opposition by English Heritage.

The Grade II listed Bull Hotel has stood empty for more than ten years but plans for its extension and refurbishment were unanimously approved by South Holland District Council planners at Wednesday night’s meeting.

In addition plans for 39 residential units served by access off Bull Lane were also given the thumbs-up.

A unit to the rear of the Bull has been designed to reflect the traditional architecture of the pub.

The other units, the majority of which front onto the park, have a more contemporary design but will be constructed using traditional materials.

Developer Jan Von Draczek, of Korvin Developments, originally bought the Bull Hotel in 2004. Previously he has undertaken restoration work at Seagate Hall.

He said: “Working closely with planners we will safeguard the Bull Hotel for the future.”

Paul Jackson, the district council’s planning manager, referred to a report by English Heritage that said it was not convinced the scheme would deliver the regeneration suggested.

It stated: “We consider there is insufficient justification for the substantial harm caused.”

Coun Andrew Tennant said: “The Bull Hotel has been in disrepair for 20 years. We should snatch the chance to see it refurbished.

“As councillors we are guardians of these buildings, but we must also be practical. This plan is going to restore the hotel.”

There was some concern about what would happen if the developers pulled out before the Bull Hotel was refurbished.

Coun Roger Gambba-Jones said: “We have to decide on a trigger point for when we expect the refurbishment of the hotel to be finished to make sure they don’t just walk away after completing 36 properties.

“This sort of thing has happened in the past.”

Paul Jackson, the district council’s planning manager, said setting the trigger point at two-thirds might be something the committee should consider.

Coun Brewis referred to a development in Lime Walk. He said: “Here was a situation where the affordable houses were built and the rest wasn’t. I think two-thirds is about right.

“I think this is one of the most important applications in 12 small market towns in the UK. The Bull has been a dying tooth in the town for many years.

“It is an excellent plan and project and will increase the footfall in the town centre.”

It’s a bit like Marmite – you either love it or hate it – but at least the people of South Holland have access to live classical music.

That wasn’t always the case, and just over 30 years ago the district was a bit of a desert when it came to the classics.

However, South Holland Concerts was established to fill that gap, and has been so successful it is now entering its 30th season.

Anna Maxey and Keith Dobney were the original prime movers, and are still involved, Anna as concert secretary and Keith as concert-goer.

David Jones was asked to become involved early on and has taken on a number of roles over time, but has been chairman for many years.

He says South Holland Concerts puts on four concerts a year, attracting anything from 80 to 150 people each time. The concerts give young people a chance to discover classical music too, because children and students can attend concerts at no charge.

He describes the concerts as chamber music, rather than a full orchestra, so performed by small groups of people, such as a solo piano recital, a piano trio, brass quintet and even small scale opera.

David says: “We try to make it as varied as possible. The problem is people who like classical music might like string quartets, so how do you persuade them to come to a whole season of other things?

“It’s so varied, and the music is ageless and in so many different forms, from early music to Mozart, the heavy stuff to the romantics and 20th century stuff.

“We do hope people will subscribe to all four concerts because that gives us a base of confidence on which to build the next season.”

Each year, South Holland Concerts holds one event under the auspices of the Countess of Munster Musical Trust, which aims to further the careers of young, very talented musicians. David says the young people go through a massive audition and do very well to get on the scheme.

He says: “The deal is we provide a platform where they can perform and the Trust give it a heavily subsidised rate. You sometimes find the performer’s name up in bright lights in later years.”

Concert venues have altered over the years, from the comfy seating but poor acoustics of the NFU building, the Priory School, where a stage had to be built each time, a couple at St Mary and St Nicolas Church, to the newly refurbished South Holland Centre, where they have been held ever since.

South Holland Concerts has arranged a typically varied programme for its 30th season.

The first concert is on Saturday, October 5 when The Dussek Duo will give audience members a rare chance to hear the beautiful and unusual instrument combination of early 19th century harp and fortepiano of the same period.

On Saturday, November 9, I Flautisti, an exciting young recorder quartet, will blow away all preconceptions of recorder music.

Solo pianist John Paul Ekins, in great demand worldwide, will be performing locally on Saturday, January 18.

Finally, Martyn Jackson on violin and Alison Rhind on piano will be performing on Saturday, March 1.

All performances are at South Holland Centre in Spalding at 7.30pm.

Tickets for individual concerts are £12 adults, £11 concessions, or buy a subscription ticket (£36 or £33) and attend all four concerts for the price of thr

MP John Hayes is tipped for a top job in Government that would give him an official residence in Downing Street.

National newspapers named Mr Hayes alongside two high profile politicians – Liam Fox and Eric Pickles – as contenders for the role of Tory Chief Whip in the wake of the Government’s defeat in the Syria vote.

But the South Holland and The Deepings MP emerged from a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday refusing to speculate about his future.

Mr Hayes, who works at 10 Downing Street following his appointment as Minister without Portfolio in March, said: “I never comment on such things.

“Obviously I am very happy with the job I am doing with the Prime Minister – I am working very closely with the Prime Minister. “It’s just a great thrill to be at the heart of Government and to be working in 10 Downing Street. Who wouldn’t want to do that?

“It never pays to speculate on one’s own future.

“I am grateful for the opportunities I have had and continue to have.”

Mr Hayes describes his current role as the “most exciting job that I have had in politics”.

Political commentators predict the current Conservative Chief Whip, Sir George Young, will lose his job in a Cabinet reshuffle expected to take place within weeks.

The Tory Whips are being blamed for David Cameron’s defeat in Thursday’s House of Commons vote.

Mr Hayes, who was elected to the Commons in 1997, served as Assistant Opposition Chief Whip in 2001.

As well as holding numerous Opposition posts, he was the Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning from May 2010 to September 2012 – and Minister of State for Energy from September 2012 to March this year.

The Independent newspaper described Mr Hayes’ current role as “Mr Cameron’s link man with Tory backbenchers.”

A chilling account of “terrified young teenage girls wearing provocative clothing and being controlled by a foreign man” has underlined concerns Spalding is at the centre of a sex trafficking ring.

Act for Justice campaigners Chris Abel and his wife Jacqueline were visiting Sainsbury’s on the evening of Saturday, August 17, when they spotted the group in the car park.

Mr Abel, who lives near Bourne, said: “It just didn’t look right.

“The girls were only aged 14 or 15. When I got eye contact with one of them it was like getting a rabbit in headlights.

“There was a look of terror there. The girls were definitely being controlled by the man – it just looked wrong.

“That is one of the signs of human trafficking. Sex is easy money. These girls are often beaten up, threatened and their passports taken away.

“Those who are caught up in it are fearful of police and telling others about their situation, so we don’t realise it’s going on.

“We notified the police about this incident, but there are others we are aware of that have happened in this area.

“It is not just a national or global problem, it is happening on our doorstep.

“The public can help by reporting anything suspicious to the police.”

The UK is considered fertile ground for traffickers. A report by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), published in 2010, revealed that at the very minimum, 2,600 women were confirmed to have been trafficked into England and Wales and forced to work as prostitutes, and that an additional 9,200 women in brothels and other premises were considered to be “vulnerable migrants” who had possibly been trafficked. There are an estimated 5,890 brothels in England and Wales.

The incident witnessed by Chris and Jacqueline follows a complaint made to police earlier in the year by a father whose daughter was drugged in a Lincoln nightclub.

Before any harm could come to her, the girl’s father turned up at the nightclub to take her home.

However, a source told the Free Press that the father was informed by police that an intelligence operation was investigating a trafficking ring based in Spalding.

It is understood the investigation was dropped after information was leaked.

To raise awareness of sexual trafficking, Chris will set off next Friday for a three-day 200-mile sponsored cycle from Stranraer, near Portpatrick, following Hadrian’s Wall to Tynemouth.

The team also hopes to raise £1,000 for the charity Hope for Justice, who rescue men, women and children caught in human trafficking.

Chris said: “We will be raising awareness along the way in the hope people will keep their eyes open for anything suspicious.”

Ins Jim Tyner, of Spalding police, said: “Child prostitution is a dreadful crime which robs young people of their childhood. Lincolnshire is not an island and so, although rare, it would be wrong to think that we are immune to these problems.

“My officers will pro-actively target any individual who is believed to be taking advantage of desperate and vulnerable people or willing to trade misery for profit.

“Unfortunately this is the sort of crime that is sometimes hidden in plain sight. The public should always be vigilant: there are often obvious indications displayed by victims.

“ Local businesses should also be mindful of signs such as people having had their documents removed and who are frightened or anxious. There are often links to serious and organised crime.”

If you think that a young person is clearly frightened or in immediate danger, please call the police on 999 or CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

South Holland was among 300-plus councils selling the Edited Electoral Register (EER) to firms in the last five years.

Councils were paid at least £265,000, according to a Big Brother Watch report.

The report reveals South Holland sold six copies of its register – five to unspecified organisations and one to an individual – and received £376.50.

Big Brother Watch condemned the sales and says its view is shared by the Local Government Association – of which South Holland leader Gary Porter is vice-chairman – the Electoral Commission and the Association of Electoral Administrators.

The report claims the sales discourage people from registering to vote and says: “It undermines trust and confidence in the wider public sector’s ability to protect people’s privacy and potentially deters people from engaging in a critical part of our democracy.”

The report says research in 2003 revealed 79 per cent of people were unaware of the provision allowing them to opt out of the edited version when they register to vote – and few know they can permanently opt out.

But Coun Porter says there’s a tick box on council forms and anyone can opt out of being on the public electoral register – and firms have any number of ways to obtain people’s details such as the property register.

Coun Porter saw no reason to stop the sales and says money raised goes into the council’s general fund while council tax is going down and Government grant is being cut.

He asked: “Why would you? It’s a chance of making a couple of quid.”

Teachers across South Lincolnshire are set to join a mass strike on October 1, it has been announced.

Members of the two largest teachers’ unions, the NASUWT and the NUT, are set to take part in the national protest over pay and working conditions after the Secretary of State refused to ‘genuinely engage’ in negotiations with representatives to resolve the issues.

The strike day is set to take place on October 1, when many schools could be faced with closure for the day.

This action follows the ‘successful strikes’ that took place in the north west of England on the June 27 in which thousands of teachers took part.

Plans are also in place for a one-day, all-out national strike before the end of the autumn term, the NUT claim.

David Robinson, School Services Manager at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “In times of strike action it is up to individual schools to make preparations for the loss of staff and make a decision on whether there is enough cover to enable the school to stay open safely.

“The health and safety of pupils is the most important thing. It is not clear that union officials have to let school managers know which staff are striking and sometimes this can lead to schools having to make a decision to close on the day. However, when strike action has happened before, in nearly all cases school staff in Lincolnshire have given their schools plenty of notice that they will be taking strike action, allowing alternative plans to be put in place at an early stage.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and provide guidance and support to schools where we can.”

The following decisions have been made by magistrates at court hearings. In all drink-drive cases the legal limit is 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood or 107 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine. Addresses of defendants published here are taken from the legal records held by the magistrates’ courts. The details are given to the court by the defendant – but this may be some time after the original charge and they may have moved in the meantime.

Grantham Magistrates’ Court

August 27

Sebastian Misztella (23), of Havelock Street, Spalding. No insurance (Spalding). £600 fine, £60 victim surcharge, £85 costs, 6pts.

Doris Townshend (65), of Hall Lane, Moulton Seas End. Speeding (Whaplode). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Inga Brickiene (29), of Park Close, Spalding. No insurance (Boston). £600 fine, £60 victim surcharge, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for six months.

Julia Crellin (30), of St Judes Road, Kirk Andreas, Isle of Man. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £60 fine, £20 v/s, £43 costs, 3pts.

Damian Kopic (21), of Sydney Street, Boston. Driving without due care and attention (Fosdyke). £300 fine,

£30 v/s, £43 costs, 6pts.

Christopher Mair (36), of Lauriston Place, Edinburgh. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £40 fine, £20 v/s, £25 costs, 3pts.

Justin Read (31), of Garden Lane, Wisbech. Driving while using a mobile phone (Market Deeping). £40 fine, £20 v/s, £25 costs, 3pts.

Daniel Sampson (22), of Chancery Court, Spalding. Speeding (Surfleet). £40 fine, £20 v/s, £25 costs, 3pts.

August 28

Sean Melia (42), of Crookston Road, Eltham, London. Drink driving (Sutton Bridge). £165 fine, £20 v/s, £85 cost, disqualified from driving for 20 months. No separate penalty for failing to surrender to custody.

Edgars Saukants (27), of London Road, Spalding. Theft of garden tools and equipment worth £1,600 from a garden shed. Six-week prison sentence. Failing to surrender to custody. Seven-day prison sentence to run concurrently. Breach of suspended sentence. Six-week prison sentence to run consecutively. Theft of a TV from Sainsbury’s worth £149.99. Seven-day prison sentence to run concurrently. Theft of cosmetics from Savers worth £29.98. Seven-day prison sentence to run concurrently. Second count of failing to surrender to custody. Seven -day prison sentence to run concurrently. No action taken on breach of conditional discharge. Breach of community order. Twelve-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Edgaras Sirutavicius (25), of Clarkes Road, Newark. Breach of a restraining order. 24-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months. Assault (Spalding). Six-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months to run concurrently, £85 costs. Criminal damage. 4 weeks prison sentence suspended for 12 months to run concurrently. £500 compensation.

August 30

Steven Fleming (51), of Knotts Close, Morton. Speeding (Osbournby). £505 fine, £15 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Pauline Hill (57), of Council House, Inkerson Common Bank, Spalding. Speeding (Whaplode). £35 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Joanna Mitchell (51), of Applewood Drive, Grantham. Speeding (Donington). £60 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Gareth Osborne (48), of Wimberley Close, Weston. Speeding (Bracebridge Heath). £335 fine, £34 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

September 2

Rebecca Martin (18), of Coronation Avenue, Deeping St Nicholas. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Josephine Rastall (42), of Pointon Road, Billingborough. No TV licence. £35 fine, £20 v/s.

Nicola Robinson (26), of Halfleet, Market Deeping. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Tracy Bradley (35), of Rowan Avenue, Spalding. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Kimberly Brummitt (41), of Albert Avenue, Gedney. No TV licence. £400 fine, £40 v/s, £90 costs.

Pauline Chamberlain (58), of Cranmore Lane, Holbeach. No TV licence. £400 fine, £40 v/s, £90 costs.

Moria Hales (31), of Daniels Crescent, Long Sutton. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Karen Harvey (53), of Spalding Road, Pinchbeck. No TV licence. £400 fine, £40 v/s, £90 costs.

Ashley Knott (36), of commercial Road, Spalding. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Georgie Mason (19), of Austerby Close, Bourne. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £170 costs.

Paul Masterson (38), of Chapel Court, Sutton Bridge. No TV licence. £400 fine, £40 v/s, £90 costs.

Durand Moore (31), of High Street, Gosberton. No TV licence. £400 fine, £40 v/s, £90 costs.

Terry Parbury (27), of Winsover Road, Spalding. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Donna Rule (33), of Station Road, Long Sutton. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Tracy Whitlock (49), of Campling Place, Holbeach. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Gavin Morson (33), of West Street, Folkingham. Criminal damage (Folkingham). 12-month conditional discharge, £15 v/s.

Sharmain Pearce (27), of Bridge Road, Sutton Bridge. No TV licence. £35 fine, £20 v/s.

Anna Thompson (43), of Lincoln’s Avenue, Gedney Hill. No TV licence. £35 fine, £20 v/s.

Brian Cannell (60), of The Broadway, Morton. No TV licence. £65 fine, £20 v/s.

September 3

Richard Burton (56), of Seagate Road, Long Sutton. Speeding (Whaplode). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Bruan Cagdas (31), of Medforth Lane, Boston. Defective rear light (Crowland). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs.

Robert Smith (31), of The Pastures, Cowbit. Driving without due care and attention (Crowland). £65 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts. No separate penalty for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

David Snooks (45), of Kingsland, Harlow, Essex. Speeding (Spalding). £285 fine, £29 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Nigel Butler (56), of Ivery Lane, Wrangle. Speeding (Pinchbeck). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Russell Heaton (50), of Edinburgh Crescent, Kirton. No insurance (Kirton). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Elizabeth Jordan (66), Wisbech Road, Outwell. Speeding (Pinchbeck). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Katarzyna Krupska (32), of Mallard Close, Spalding. Speeding (Spalding). £400 fine, £40 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Pietrzak Norbert (30), of Pilgrims Way, Spalding. No insurance (Hop Pole). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Johannah Tudor (20), of Millstone Court, Stone, Staffs. Driving while not wearing a seat belt (Sutterton). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 cost.

Tracey Berry (48), of Stonegate, Spalding. No insurance (Spalding). £280 fine, £28 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Stephen Lee (56), of London Road, Kings Lynn. Speeding (Horbling). £35 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts

Denika Marshall (25), of Jorose Way, Bretton. Speeding (Deeping St James). £120 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 5pts.

Clare Murray (46), of Reform Street, Crowland. Speeding (Crowland). £145 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 5pts

Joe Stacey (21), of Lutton Grove, Westwood, Peterborough. Speeding (Spalding). £75 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Alexander Jibb (20), of The Ridings, Shepeau Stow. Permitted another person to use a car without insurance (Shepeau Stow). £110 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts. No separate penalty for permitting another person to use a car otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Bonnie Kemp (17), of Station Road, Gedney Hill. Driving without due care and attention (Shepeau Stow). £160 fine, £24 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts. No insurance. £240 fine. No separate penalty for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Skegness Magistrates’ Court

August 20

Alan Maitland (36), of Edinburgh Drive, Spalding. Speeding (Wildmore). £40 fine, £20 v/s, 3pts.

Shirley Moult (51), of Railway Lane, Sutton Bridge. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £40 fine, £20 v/s, £25 costs, 3pts.

Dawn Perkins (66) of Station road, Kirton. Speeding (Wildmore). £85 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 5pts.

Fire officers have confirmed that a blaze which damaged a van in Sutterton started when a hot strimmer exhaust set garden waste alight.

The blaze started on Station Road at about 9.20am on Wednesday when firemen from Donington and Kirton using breathing apparatus and hose reels brought it under control.

A Ford Transit Flatbed van was damaged by the blaze.

Steps are being made to send home a man in connection with complaints about begging for cash in Spalding town centre.

Police have confimed that a man found by them in the town on Thursday has been referred to a Lincolnshire charity in the hope it can help him return to Latvia after several years spent living in Spalding.

Members of The Crescent Traders Association gave out several warnings to shopkeepers and other businesses about a man they claimed was going into shops over recent weeks and asking for cash.

Spalding community policing inspector Jim Tyner said: “We found the man last night and we’ve put a request in to a charity that can help him return to his home country of Latvia.

“We’re hopeful that they will get in touch with him and help return home in due course.”

Firms achieving exceptional results have the perfect opportunity to celebrate it at the first ever South Holland Enterprise Day and Business Awards.

The landmark event at Springfields Events and Conference Centre, Spalding, on November 20, will be a showcase of business excellence in South Holland and it is hoped that about 250 firms will be represented on the day.

But entries are open now for the Business Awards which are split into six categories - Business of the Year, Apprentice of the Year, Customer Care, Business Innovation, Supporting the Community and Best Use of IT and Communication.

Phil Scarlett, president of Spalding and District Chamber of Commerce which is hosting the event, said: “I want companies to enter themselves for the awards to show what a good job they are doing.

“They carry on in the environment of their own industry but winning an award is a really good way of acknowledging the jobs their staff are doing.”

Entries close on September 23 and for more details, visit www.spaldingareachamber.co.uk

As the name suggests this option provides a much more flexible way of taking an income from a pension pot than standard income drawdown.

By qualifying for this option you effectively remove the cap on the level of income you can take.

In essence there are no income limits at all and you can draw as much income as you like when you like, although most clients plan their withdrawals around their tax bandings.

It should be remembered however that the more income you withdraw now, the less you will have available to use in the future.

As with traditional pension drawdown plans you continue to choose where your pension is invested and your money remains subject to market fluctuations.

The amount you will have available to withdraw in the future will therefore also rise or fall depending on investment performance.

The following criteria have been set out by the government to ensure investors can enter flexible drawdown with sufficient secure income in place to help prevent money running out later in retirement.

You must already have a secure pension income of at least £20,000 a year in place. This can include your state pension, a pension annuity or a company pension.

Unfortunately investment income and money from income drawdown does not count towards the £20,000 threshold.

That implies that pension pots not needed to provide the £20,000 minimum income could be taken as flexible drawdown.

Additionally, pensions can be split, with part used to buy an annuity to secure the necessary income and the remainder taken as flexible drawdown.

Other factors state that you must receive at least £20,000 of pension income in the tax year you enter flexible drawdown and that flexible drawdown can only be taken once you have finished saving into pensions.

If pension contributions have been made to any pension plan in the same tax year; or if you are still an active member of a final salary scheme, then it isn’t possible to start flexible drawdown.

If you think that investigating this area further may be of interest to you, please get in touch.

A drink-driver was home in his bedroom when police arrived to ask him about a single-vehicle crash in Long Sutton in the early hours of the morning.

Benjamin Leuty (23) hit a kerb and his Vauxhall Vectra bounced across the road to hit the other kerb, damaging his car tyres, on August 17.

Leuty, of Bells Bridge, Holbeach St Johns, had more than double the legal limit of alcohol in breath – 71 microgrammes – when tested at a police station.

Jim Clare, prosecuting, admitted to police who tested him that he hadn’t had a drink since the time of the accident.

Magistrates sitting at Grantham on Thursday banned Leuty from driving for 20 months, fined him £280 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £28 victim surcharge.

He can cut five months off the ban if he attends a rehabilitation course.

Leuty pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

Solicitor Rachel Stevens, for Leuty, said: “He is extremely embarrassed and ashamed to be before the court for this matter.

“He had gone to the pub with the full intention to leave his car there, but once he had some alcohol his judgement was clouded.”

Miss Stevens said he was honest with the police who called by saying he hadn’t had any more to drink since arriving home.

A Pinchbeck car dealership is entering an exciting new era after sealing a deal with one of Europe’s top car makers.

Rylatt & Sons has agreed terms with French car firm Citroen to become its new dealer for south Lincolnshire just two years after starting to carry out repairs and servicing on Citroen cars.

Work has started on a new, purpose-built showroom in Elsoms Way and once it is completed in December, a number of new jobs are expected to be created for people in South Holland.

Paul Morfitt, general sales manager, said: “Our relationship with Citroen has been ongoing for about four or five years and we became a Citroen Authorised Repairer in 2011.

“But there was a gap in the market as nobody in the area is currently looking after Citroen sales, so they decided to go forward with us and we have a selection of cars in our showroom.”

Ahead of the new showroom opening, the firm is looking for a new sales executive with a belief that customer satisfaction is essential for the business to grow.

Director James Rylatt said: “The Citroen range of cars and vans has a wide-ranging appeal and there are currently some unbeatable marketing offers, including free insurance and free servicing on certain models.

“We are delighted to strengthen our relationship with the Citroen brand.”

A burglary at a firm in Sutton St Edmund resulted in cash and other items being taken, police confirmed today.

It happened at premises in Broadgate which was broken into some time between 8.30pm on Sunday and 1.30pm on Monday.

Anyone with information should call police on 101.

A banned driver who has already served a prison term this year for driving while disqualified was caught at the wheel in Bourne.

Nicholas Allatt (57), of no fixed address, was driving a blue Jaguar on Cherry Holt Road on August 20 when the police automatic number plate (ANPR) system flagged up that there was no insurance and the driver was disqualified.

Jim Clare, prosecuting, said Allatt gave a false name to the officer and an address in Peterborough.

But then a second officer arrived on the scene who knew Allatt and knew he was disqualified.

Mr Clare said Allatt made full and frank admissions in interview and said he was only driving the vehicle to a scrap yard.

He said Allatt’s case wasn’t helped by the fact that he was given a prison term in January this year for driving while disqualified.

At Thursday’s hearing before magistrates in Grantham, Allatt pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and obstructing a police officer.

Solicitor Roger Lowther, mitigating, said this was Allatt’s fourth conviction in a short period of time and asked magistrates to order a probation report before sentencing him. Sentence was adjourned to September 27.