Charges of poaching against three men were dropped after a landowner said he did not wish the cases to continue.

Prosecutor Victoria Brankovic told magistrates the landowner, Patrick Duffy, made a retraction statement in which he said he wasn’t threatened or intimidated in any way “and he wants the defendants to be given a second chance”.

Jack Richardson (23), of Middle Marsh Road, Holbeach St Marks, Daniel Devall (47), of Fairfield, Herstmonceux, East Sussex, and Henry Devall (23), of Bidford Road, Bromley, denied poaching at Leadenhall Road, Holbeach St Marks on February 16 last year. Their cases were dismissed at Boston magistrates’ Court.

A man convicted in December of stealing £700 cash from Hallgate Timber is awaiting sentence.

Ugis Gustavsons (40), of Pipe Office Lane, Boston, had denied stealing the cash at Lime Walk, Long Sutton, on March 14 last year. Boston magistrates on Thursday adjourned sentence to January 30 because there was no interpreter and no pre-sentence report.

Bicker brothers Kevin and Nicky Hardstaff will be sentenced on February 7 for an assault in Boston in September.

Kevin (23) and Nicky (24), of Lowgate Avenue, pleaded guilty when their cases went to court in October, but sentence was further adjourned on Thursday.

A man was taken to hospital after the Ford Focus he was driving went off the A15 near Morton and into a ditch.

It happened on Wednesday just before 11.45am and the man was taken to Peterborough City Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Bourne and District Neighbourhood Watch Association is holding its next meeting at the town’s fire station in South Street on Tuesday February 4 at 7.30pm.

The guest speaker will be Barry Meech of B M Locksmiths, Bourne, who will be talking about home security and the SmartWater property marking system.

Anyone interested in community safety is invited to the meeting where questions and concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour can be put to the police.

Meanwhile, the association is looking for a new secretary and for more information, call Philip Knowles on 01778 425438 or email philipknowles@sky.com

A homeless man arrested for using “aggressive” tactics when begging has been banned from doing so anywhere in England and Wales.

James Philip Waxman (33), of no fixed address, was given an Anti-social Behaviour Order (ASBO) by Boston magistrates on Wednesday when he was sentenced for causing a public nuisance by begging.

It means Waxman is not allowed to beg in any public place in England and Wales indefinitely.

Reports of traders and women being stopped in The Crescent by someone begging for money were acted on by police and Waxman was arrested last December.

At the time of the reports, a spokesman for The Crescent Traders Association said: “These incidents are happening in the daytime but they are still unnerving and frightening to experience if you are on your own.”

Spalding community policing inspector Jim Tyner said: “Some people may consider begging to be harmless but we were receiving numerous calls about the aggressive and anti-social nature of Waxman’s begging.

“Poverty is not a crime and along with local charities, we have tried to support Waxman but he would not accept our help and the ASBO gives the courts increased sentencing powers.”

BREAKING NEWS FRIDAY 4PM: Drivers are facing delays in Deeping St Nicholas after a lorry went off the road earlier today.

It happened on the A1175 Littleworth Drove, near the junction with New Road, at about 10.15am.

The road was closed for a number of hours while the lorry was recovered but no one was injured in the crash.

A round-up from around the local courts

Boston Magistrates’ Court:

January 13

Ryan Bates (22), of Penny Gardens, Kirton. Assault (Boston). Community order made with curfew requirement for 3 months and electronic tag and requirement to participate in Building Better Relationships Programme, £60 victim surcharge. Damage to property. £20 compensation.

Belinda Barnes-Brown (46), of Green Walk, Market Deeping. Failing to give driver ID (Nettleham). £110 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Adam Boggis (26), of West Street, Crowland. Speeding (Deeping St James). £400 fine, £40 v/s, £85 costs, 4pts.

Anthony Smith (48), of Ancaster Road, Bourne. Speeding (Welby). £100 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Gregory Bailey (28), of South Drove, Spalding. Failing to comply with community order. Fined £500 for 10 offences of obtaining fuel without paying, £75 costs.

Mariusz Grzesik (35), of Hardwick Estate, Kirton. Failing to meet insurance requirements (Boston). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £110 costs.

Neil Heaton (49), of Edinburgh Crescent, Kirton. Failing to meet insurance requirements (Boston). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £110 costs.

Krysztof Mielniczyk (39), of Thomas Middlecott Drive, Kirton. Unlicensed vehicle (Boston). £200 fine, £35 back duty, £90 costs.

Christopher Scott (27), of Marsh Road, Kirton. Failing to meet insurance requirements (Boston). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £110 costs.

Simon Blackburn (32), of Rowan Avenue, Spalding. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Elwira Bobkowska (26), of Winsover Road, Spalding. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Allison McKenzie (47), of Goxhill Avenue, Donington. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Jake Read (21), of Cowbit Road, Spalding. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Jan Stepien (44), of South Parade, Spalding. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Grantham Magistrates’ Court

January 7

David Santini (51), of North Drove, Quadring. Fraudulently used a cheque to gain £1200. Community order with 60 hours unpaid work, £1200 compensation, £60 v/s, £250 costs.

January 8

Jacqueline Bennett (45), of Wentworth Crescent, Harrogate. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £60 fine, £20 v/s, 3pts.

Matthew Cullum (34), of Saxon Way, Bourne. Failing to give driver ID (Nettleham). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Chad Hill (21), of Seagate Terrace, Long Sutton. No insurance (Long Sutton). £110 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts. No separate penalty for failing to stop after an accident, failing to report an accident and for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Robert Madgwick (42), of Merlin Close, Bourne. Speeding (Welby, 1.6.13). £135 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Robert Madgwick (42), of Merlin Close, Bourne. Speeding (Welby, 29.5.13). £135 fine, 3pts.

David Winyard (53), of Blackheath Road, Lowestoft. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 6 months.

Ion Banu (56), of Redmile Walk, Peterborough. Speeding (Langtoft). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Albert Howell (60), of Walsall Road, Willenhall, West Midlands. Speeding (Kirton Holme). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Tomas Solovejus (32), of Georgian Court, Old Market, Wisbech. Speeding (Tydd Gote). £400 fine, £40 v/s, £85 costs, 5pts.

January 9

Algirdas Berzanskis (34), of Vere Road, Peterborough. Drink driving (Spalding). Community order with 50 hours unpaid work, £60 v/s, 385 costs, disqualified from driving for 40 months.

Lincoln Magistrates’ Court

January 6

Mark Smith (26), of Ash Court, Donington. Defective tyre (Sleaford). £400 fine, £40 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Damen Haskett (37), of Holme Lane, Little Downham, Ely. Speeding (Swineshead). £35 fine, £20 v/s, £50 costs, 3pts.

Carol Hoodlass (44), of Green Close, Hull. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £35 fine, £20 v/s, £50 costs, 3pts.

January 8

Chantell Hewitt (24), of Atton Avenue, Spalding. No TV licence. £400 fine, £40 v/s, £90 costs.

Nicholas Knibbs (37), of Spalding Road, Bourne. No TV licence. £400 fine, £40 v/s, £90 costs.

Jayne Knight (32), of Marketstead Estate, Kirton. No TV licence. £400 fine, £40 v/s, £90 costs.

Valerie Lee (38), of Earlsfield, Moulton Seas End. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Maxine Lewsley (26), of Daniels Crescent, Long Sutton. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Catherine McHugh (43), of Balmoral Avenue, Spalding. No TV licence. £400 fine, £40 v/s, £90 costs.

Sasha Miller (24), of Railway Lane, Sutton Bridge. No TV licence. £400 fine, £40 v/s, £90 costs.

Amie Howden (23), of Nene Meadows, Sutton Bridge. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £130 costs.

January 13

Alan Marshall (33), of Little Meadow, Great Oakley, Corby. Speeding (Crowland). £165 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Scott McKenna (45), of Turnbury Close, Lincoln. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £115 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Kevin Smith (49), of Grounds Avenue, March. No insurance (Bourne). £110 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Graham Clarke (49), of North Road, Gedney. Assault (Lincoln). 12 months conditional discharge, £15 v/s, £85 costs.

Paul McCartney (30), of Python Hill Road, Rainsworth, Mansfield. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £60 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

A man accused of possessing or making indecent images of children and possessing an extreme pornographic image of someone performing a sex act with a dog has been sent by magistrates to Lincoln Crown Court.

David Hall (59) faces 12 counts of making an indecent image of a child, one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child, one count of possessing an indecent image of a child and one count of possessing the pornographic image of the act with a dog.

He is further accused of attempting to incite a young girl into engaging in sexual activity and of breaching a sex offenders order.

All of the allegations relate to Holbeach and to the months of April, May and June 2012.

Hall, of Caeser Road, North Hykeham, near Lincoln, was sent by Boston magistrates on Wednesday to appear at Lincoln Crown Court on May 14.

He was granted unconditional bail.

A motorist knocked down and killed a cyclist while cutting a corner on a dark country road, Lincoln Crown Court was told.

Joseph Strong failed to see David Hall despite the cyclist wearing a high visibility jacket and having his lights on as he made his way home from work in the early evening.

Phil Howes, prosecuting on Thursday, said that Mr Hall (58) was waiting to turn right off the B1357 onto Green Lane at Moulton Seas End when he was hit.

He suffered head and chest injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The defendant was driving his Chevrolet travelling south through the village of Moulton Seas End. David Hall was riding his cycle north along that same road coming towards the defendant from round the bend.

“As the Chevrolet negotiated the bend it collided with Mr Hall on his pedal cycle.”

Mr Howes said that Strong stopped at the scene and along with other motorists tried to assist Mr Hall along with paramedics and a doctor but they were unable to save him.

Strong admitted he was “near” to the centre of the road as he took the bend but said “He came out of nowhere. I didn’t see him.”

Accident investigators who reconstructed the incident concluded that Mr Hall was stationary before turning right onto Green Lane and was waiting for Strong’s car to pass. Strong was cutting the corner on the bend and his wheels were over the centre broken white line as he was trying to avoid being too close to the edge of the road.

A survey later carried out by police revealed that over half of motorists cut the corner when negotiating the same bend.

Strong (50), of Burnstone Gardens, Moulton, admitted causing the death by careless driving on February 1, 2013.

He was given a six month jail sentence suspended for a year and banned from driving for 12 months.

Judge Sean Morris, passing sentence, told Strong: “You are a good man and a family man but you made a very bad judgement call. From the minute it happened you have never sought to blame anyone else.

“You never set out that day to take a life. You have never tried to wriggle out of this.”

Neil Guest, defending, said Strong, who works as a site manager, was a broken man as a result of what happened and was full of remorse.

He said the incident happened on a moonless night and the area was very dark.

“There was no excess speed. He was just over the line. He is a man who has dedicated himself to his family and to work.

“He is now a broken 
man. If he could turn the clock back he would but alas he cannot.”

So South Ferriby has neighbours collecting for those who were flooded in their area.

Boston flood victims get a 50 per cent reduction in council tax without asking.

And Hull has the Government batting for them against the insurance companies refusing insurance or raising the charge and excess for flood victims.

Yet we in Surfleet have an excess increase this year from £1,000 to £10,000 without even claiming.

What do we get in the South Holland District? Go on, guess. I think you will find the second word of two is all. Someone from South Holland District Council turned up at Surfleet in 2009 then, obviously, the novelty wore off and were never seen on subsequent floods.

So much for support in a constituency, where, no matter what happens at election time the same party will be returned; unless one lives in the south or a Labour-controlled area, of course.

Roy Sell

Surfleet Seas End

This is in response to Andrew MacDonald’s letter, entitled ‘Do not ignore worthy charities’.

He suggests that those who support animal charities instead of charities striving to alleviate human suffering need to re-evaluate the direction of their moral compass. I do not think it is a question of morality – for that suggests supporting only certain causes is morally ‘right’, inviting arrogance where greater open-mindedness is needed.

I concede that animal charities have one up on some others; the animal suffering often depicted in these charities’ advertising stimulates a particularly strong sympathetic response in many people.

But that does not diminish the worthiness of the cause or people’s support for it.

Cancer is something we all fear. Without a doubt, we all know of someone who has been affected. It follows that cancer charities understandably receive a massive amount of money from countless donors who, directly or indirectly, have been affected by cancer.

I previously worked for a charity supporting people with eating disorders (note: my salary was grant- funded). Promoting understanding was a battle against misconceptions – often the result of media misrepresentation – so donations were typically from those personally affected.

Knowing the severity, prevalence and mortality rates, and having known someone who died of complications arising from an eating disorder, of course I wanted to encourage donations. But should I judge those who instead choose to contribute to non-humanitarian causes about which they feel more strongly?

What of those who choose not to give at all – are they to be judged?

Charitable giving is a choice. Individuals and causes championed by charities benefit not just from monetary donors, but volunteers and all those who feel passionate about making an equally valid contribution to organisations set up to variously and incrementally improve the world we live in.

Lawrence Brown

Long Sutton

Some 22 years ago this week I was sworn in as a new constable. This has given me cause to reflect on what has been a period of momentous change for the police service.

When I became a constable in 1992 John Major was Prime Minister and Michael Howard was the Home Secretary.

As I made my first arrests, the Queen announced that 1992 was her “annus horribilis”.

In this age of social media, texts and tweets, my children are amazed that when I went to police training college at Ryton-on-Dunsmore, my only way of keeping in touch was a weekly letter in the mail and nightly queuing for the pay-phone. It was a time when unleaded fuel cost 43p a litre (but was still advertised in gallons). Inflation was 3.7 per cent and interest rates were 6.75 per cent.

No one could have predicted the implications of a barrier-free Europe with the introduction of the European Union in 1992. And in the long hot summer, there were riots in several British cities. Additionally, police authorities were undergoing significant change.

So, Constable Tyner joined the police at a time of austerity and political change... no change there then.

When I joined in 1992, the police didn’t deal with common assaults. A common assault is a minor assault, usually pushing or shoving or a minor slap, where there is no visible injury. We didn’t deal with them and we didn’t record a crime. That kept the crime figures down!

If we were called to an incident of domestic abuse where the lack of injuries was consistent with common assault, then we told the victim to see a solicitor to take out a private prosecution.

I compare that with the service we now offer to victims of domestic abuse. Every assault, however minor, is recorded as a crime and investigated. A risk assessment is carried out every time we attend an incident of domestic abuse and support mechanisms are put in place.

If there is evidence of a crime we will always arrest. Victims of domestic abuse are much better served today than they were in the ‘good old days’.

Some aspects of policing remain unchanged: mainly the drunken behaviour on a Friday and Saturday night. But there genuinely is much less violence and disorder than there was when I was a bobby on the beat. I think what’s different is that much more is reported by the media so there is an increased awareness of what’s going on.

Of course, when I joined no one had heard of social media. There is a negative side to the easy communication that exists today. Every day we receive complaints because someone has been called a rude name on Facebook.

A positive aspect of social media, though, is how we use Twitter to let people know what we are doing. I should stress that we don’t put all our activity on Twitter. For example the work of our detectives and of our emergency response teams doesn’t make it on to Twitter.

But we do tell you, in real time, where our Community Policing Teams have been patrolling and what they have been dealing with. I used to hear people say ‘I never see a police officer’. Well now you can ‘see’ us online and learn about what we are doing. Anyone with access to the internet can follow us on Twitter. Our Twitter names are @spalding tyner and @spaldingpolice.

Twitter may not suit everyone, but what is encouraging is that a younger part of our community that would not normally engage with us are talking to us online through Twitter. This can only be a good thing.

Of course, if you are not in to technology, you can still talk to us the old-fashioned way.

One huge difference between policing in 1992 and today is that nowadays people are much more willing to hold us to account. Every area of South Holland has a community policing panel that meets on a regular basis. These are local panels run by local people, not the police.

You can apply to the chair of the panel to become a member or you can simply attend as a member of the public. These panels set the policing priorities for their own area. Quite simply, they tell us what we should be dealing with in their village, town or their estate. This could be speeding vehicles, cyclists without lights, anti-social behavior outside a local shop or street-drinkers in Spalding town centre.

Objectives are set and the local police have to report back at the next meeting. I think it’s brilliant that we are held to account in this way.

We are also challenged, in a less formal way, through the online pages of the Lincolnshire Free Press and Spalding Guardian. Although it is national police policy that I can’t engage in conversation with anonymous commentators, I do read the comments and use them as a barometer of public feeling.

It is frustrating sometimes when comments are put on by people that are not in possession of the full facts. When we don’t get things right, sometimes there are operational or legal reasons why I can’t say more. That’s frustrating for all of us.

However, it is obvious that when people comment about current policing issues it’s because they care about their town and want it policed correctly. In that respect, we all want the same thing.

So while I might long for the younger, fitter, 1992 version of myself, and we might all long for a return to the police numbers of the 1990s, neither of these things are going to happen.

But what we have got in South Holland is the best ever team of better trained, professional, multi-skilled police officers, PCSOs and Special Constables serving you. So no, I don’t long for the good old days.

Some years ago there was quite a lot of correspondence in the local papers regarding people in Spalding being refused home insurance.

The reason, given by the insurance companies, was that Spalding was on a “flood plain” and therefore at an unacceptably high risk of flooding.

In view of the fact that, in the intervening years, it appears most of the rest of the country has suffered from flooding; I wonder what the insurance companies will now have to say!

For the information of the youngsters who run these insurance companies, I would inform them that the last time Spalding suffered a serious flood was in 1947 (which I witnessed) and the relief channel completed in 1953 makes it nigh on impossible that it will ever happen again.

Reg Chalkley

Spalding

After the initial elation of being given our own page in the Spalding Guardian, there was disputation over what our first column should consist of.

It then came to my attention that the readers, with no prior knowledge of who we are, could be confused as to what our column is.

Therefore, I dedicate our first article to introducing my team and our aims.

Firstly, I shall introduce the concept of this page. ‘The High Life’ clearly connotes a life of exuberance and fulfilment, although the pun is perhaps the most informative aspect of this title.

I am a student of Spalding High School, and I, alongside my team, wish to enlighten the public to the life of our school. We hope to circulate school events to the community on a weekly basis.

I now wish to explain who ‘we’ are. I am the joint editor of the school’s online paper ‘The High Quarterly’ and now, proud journalists of ‘The High Life’. The team consists of nine students who produce our uniquely crafted online newspaper.

The team is governed by Amanda Rossi, with two editors, myself and Eleanor Toal. Each student delivers a flair to the paper within their own subject-specific field.

The team consist of Hannah Greenacre (current affairs, school events, marketing), Rebecca Warren and Mercedes Baxter Chinery (science, maths, food, technology), Lily Dobbs (sport, geography), Annie Nicholas (fashion), Rebecca Wright (creative writing, crafts, books), Annie Fletcher (interior design, art).

As well as editing, Eleanor also looks after travel, philosophy and languages while I cover theatre, music and history. It is an honour to write for the Spalding Guardian and its readers and we hope you enjoy our column.

It’s taken a year to get this far, but residents of Spalding will have to wait longer for a town centre manager.

More talks are to take place after failure to agree on top contenders for a slice of £207,935 left from the Section 106 Springfields development pot.

The decision to form a sub-committee was made at South Holland District Council’s Cabinet meeting.

Both the Town Forum and an online poll supported the need for a town centre manager but failed to agree on other projects.

The Town Forum listed a bandstand for Ayscoughfee Gardens and water taxi mooring at Chain Bridge Forge as their next priorities, with the poll calling for a community studio at Tulip Radio and the bandstand for Ayscoughfee Gardens,

Another project up for consideration was a joint marketing campaign for the town with Springfields Outlet Shopping Centre.

Coun Roger Gambba-Jones said: “I can see the headlines now. ‘Yet another committee to decide on Section 106 cash’.

“The town centre manager proposal is the only one that can have a proper impact on Spalding’s future.

“The money is supposed to benefit the town centre and I think Springfields has a cheek to ask for their money back for marketing that would probably say ‘come to Springfields and have a look at Spalding if you want to’.”

Phil Scarlett, chairman of Spalding Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said it was 18 months since it was first asked to come up with a proposal.

He said: “How many projects to benefit Spalding have been lost because a town centre manager was not in place?”

John Charlesworth, of Spalding Civic Society, said: “We think it’s extraordinary the decision is being referred back to a panel responsible for shortlisting projects with nothing to do with the regeneration of the town centre.

“The town centre manager is the only one that focuses on the regeneration of the town centre.”

BREAKING NEWS 10.15AM: A motorcyclist has been injured after a crash between a motor bike and a van in Whaplode this morning.

It happened on High Road where a Pioneer motor bike collided with a Ford Transit van near JR Cycles just after 7.20am.

There were delays between the A151 and its junctions with Hockney Hole Lane and Wallisgate, but the road is now clear.

Meanwhile, a woman from King’s Lynn has been injured after her Kia Rio car hit a tree in Main Street, Gedney Dyke just before 8am.

Also, an 18-year-old woman from Quadring has been taken to hospital after her car hit a telegraph pole.

It happened on Westthorpe Road, Gosberton, where a Rover 25 driven by the woman crashed into a telegraph pole just before 8.25am.

Finally, recovery work is taking place on the A17 Washway Road in Saracen’s Head where a lorry crashed into a lamppost just after 8am.

No one was injured but police are advising motorists that recovery work may take some time, causing delays at the junction with Pipewell Gate.

People in South Holland, Bourne and the Deepings are being urged to clean their chimneys after a spate of fires across the county.

One of them was in High Road, Moulton, where a chimney fire was put out on Thursday evening.

Debbie Robinson, deputy community safety manager at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, blamed most chimney fires on blocked flues which should be cleaned regularly by householders.

She said: “Chimney fires most commonly result from four basic causes - infrequent sweeping and cleaning, burning of unseasoned wood, improper appliance sizing and overnight burning or smouldering of wood for long periods in wood burners.

“So to reduce the risk of a fire, make sure your chimney is swept regularly by a qualified, professional chimney sweep.

“Put simply, if your chimney flue is clean, it will not catch fire because there is nothing in it to burn.”

More than £37,000 of money owed to South Holland District Council is to be written off.

The amount is made up of £8,749,30 council tax, £21,520.13 business rates, £5,533.54 accounts receivable, and £1,479.87 former tenant arrears.

Approval to write off the debts was being sought at last Tuesday’s Cabinet, before which a case study had been circulated to councillors.

Coun Roger Gambba-Jones requested details of the actual process which had taken place in order to justify the timescales.

He said: “We need to remember that although the term ‘write offs’ is used a flag will stay against the person’s name and through shared data if someone shows up again we will endeavour to get the taxpayers’ money back.”

Anyone who is experiencing difficulty should contact the council as soon as possible.

Coun Gambba-Jones said: “It’s no good burying your head in the sand. If someone has got into trouble there are things that can be done to help.”

Further discussions are due to take place at the next Cabinet meeting.

Council house tenants in South Holland could face a rent increase of more than seven per cent.

The increase will be discussed by full council after being announced at the Cabinet meeting last Tuesday.

It is being recommended that the rent will increase by 7.06 per cent. This means the proposed average rent will be £79.33 a week, an increase of £5,23.

Charges for sewerage will be increased in line with the annual increase applied by Anglian Water.

This has provisionally been included at five per cent and will be revised once the water inflation rate is known.

Tenants will be served a statutory period of notice about the increase.

The council’s stock as of April 1 last year, excluding shared ownership properties, was 3,881 properties.

It is expected to be 3,887 by April 1 this year, including new builds.

Draft housing revenue account budget for 2014-15 is £17.766m an increase of 6.61 per cent.

Income for the same period is expected to be £16.936m - an increase of 6.54 per cent.

The council’s key priorities for housing include providing more high quality housing, to reduce incidence of homelessness and continue to achieve the decent homes standard for its stock.