Small and medium enterprises in South Holland, Bourne and the Deepings can benefit from Creative England’s £150,000 Rural B2B Fund.

Applicants are asked to find the best digital B2B solutions for the rural market, with up to £25,000 available for each business.

Ideas could include industry-specific auction websites and a carbon footprint apps, among many others.

The fund aims to open up new opportunities for those in outlying areas with creative digital solutions, thereby stimulating business growth in rural locations.

Councillor Colin Davie, executive member for economic development at the county council, said: “Over the next few years we’ll be dramatically improving broadband speeds and we want to make sure local businesses within the eligible regions are in pole position to reap the benefits.

“This project will take things another step forward.”

The deadline is July 27 and for more details, go to www.onlincolnshire.org

Blogger Trish Burgess writes for the Free Press

I bought a new kettle the other week. It beeps when I switch it on at the wall, it beeps when I press the ‘on’ button, it beeps quite furiously when boiling point is reached and then, just to annoy me even further, it beeps when I lift it up from its base.

Why does it do this? I know I have switched it on and it has no need to tell me when it’s boiled as it switches itself off anyway. I certainly don’t need to be told that I have lifted it up.

I don’t think this is an aid for people who are visually impaired. Surely the beeps would, if anything, be confusing? No, I think it has been designed to beep just because it can.

It’s not the only thing in the kitchen that makes an irritating noise. The oven will notify me when the dinner is cooked, which is fine, but it also beeps to remind me that I am switching it on as I am switching it on just in case I wasn’t sure. The old microwave pinged: this new one definitely beeps.

The hob beeps as I increase the heat, one beep for every incremental step; the dishwasher beeps when I choose a setting and merrily wakes the house up when it has done its job. The washing machine used to beep until I discovered a settings menu and silenced the blasted thing.

But the most annoying beep belongs to the fridge. The nanny fridge. Heaven forbid I should cause a drop in temperature as I open the door. It allows me precisely one minute in which to choose what to have for dinner before scolding me with a high­pitched squeal so that I have to shut the door to silence it. I need more than 60 seconds to create something appetising and nourishing from an egg, some limp lettuce and an out­of­date jar of mango chutney.

It’s even more problematic when I want to clean it, although I am winning the battle here. It takes me 58 seconds to remove the food from one shelf and wipe the surface before it chastises me. I repeat the sequence, shelf by shelf, closing the door just in time and then have great pleasure in telling the fridge that all the food is now on the kitchen bench and deteriorating whether it likes it or not.

I was moaning to my mum about my digital kitchen and she said it was my fault for buying new­fangled things. When she was a girl, nothing in the kitchen made noises like that. Gas hobs made a pleasing woomph when you turned them on, dishes were washed by hand and the washing machine was a tub with a handle.

“Yes, but you had one thing that made a racket,” I replied. “Your kettle whistled.”

Some things never change.

You can follow Trish on Twitter @mumsgoneto and read her blog at www.mumsgoneto.blogspot.com

A marquee and 30 fence slats have been damaged in Long Sutton.

The marquee in Garnsgate Road was damaged between 1.45pm and 5.30pm on Monday June 30 and the slats in White Acres between 11pm and 11.30pm last Tuesday.

Anyone with information should call 101.

Heavy plant machinery has been stolen from the site of a former secondary school in Billingborough.

Police believe a low loader trailer was used to take equipment from the former Aveland High School site in Birthorpe Road at about 3.50am last Monday.

Anyone with information should call 101, stating 30 of June 30.

A Raleigh bike has been stolen from a house near the Royal British Legion Club, Burghley Street, Bourne.

The red and yellow bike was taken between Saturday June 28 and Monday June 30.

Anyone with information should call 101.

On The Beat with Inspector Jim Tyner

Sometimes you have to use a bit of cunning to catch a thief. I was part of a plain clothes pro-active team with my colleague, John.

Spalding had been suffering a series of burglaries and all the clues were pointing towards Dwayne and Shaun being responsible. Both had been arrested many times before, but were being elusive this time.

John and I had been tasked with finding them. We visited every known haunt: pubs, friends, family. We asked around, but no one had seen them or wouldn’t tell us if they had. It was all to no avail. For the second part of our shift we decided to walk about and skulk in the shadows in an area where burglaries had been taking place. We might just be lucky enough to catch a burglar while they were burgling.

Well, we walked and skulked for about three hours, but no one was about. It’s soul destroying when you put the effort in and go out on patrol and the burglars don’t have the decency to turn up! It was now 10pm on a Sunday night and getting close to the end of our shift so we decided to walk back to the police station along the riverbank.

As we walked along the riverbank footpath at the rear of Double Street there was a lone figure lurking in the penumbra of a distant street lamp.

This was the days before the street drinkers had taken up residence in that area, so it was unusual to see someone hanging about. John nipped down a side alley out on to Double Street itself and I waited while John looped round on to Albion Street in order to approach the lone figure from the opposite direction. We had him trapped in a pincer movement.

Once I could see John approaching, I then stepped out of the shadows toward the man on the path. On seeing me the man turned and walked straight in to the arms of John. At last something was going right: it was our old friend Shaun, the wanted burglar, who was one half of the duo we had been looking for earlier.

He was quickly arrested by John and then we noticed a holdall on the path next to him. Could this be a burglar’s haul? Was it going to be laden with stolen loot? As I unzipped the holdall, you can imagine my surprise and disappointment when I discovered neatly folded T-shirts, jeans, rolled up socks and underwear. Shaun was packed for going on a long trip.

This was strange. If Shaun was packed for a long-term getaway, why was he hanging about on the riverbank? And where was his inseparable buddy, Dwayne?

As we waited for other officers to come and collect Shaun from us, the penny dropped. Dwayne’s sister lived nearby. It was my guess that Dwayne was visiting his sister for a quick goodbye before leaving town with Shaun. We had to act fast before Dwayne realised Shaun had been arrested. There wasn’t a moment to lose.

John and I returned to the riverbank path and went to the back door of the house where Dwayne’s sister lived. We could hear voices inside. Now, if I knocked on the back door and shouted it was the police, there’s a good chance we wouldn’t be invited in with open arms.

There was also the chance that if Dwayne was in there, he’d make a run for it out the front door, so my colleague John crept round the front to cover the front door.

I walked up to the back door, knocked loudly and stepped in to the shadow so I couldn’t be seen. As I knocked, the voices inside stopped suddenly. Oh dear, had my policeman’s knock given me away? After a long pause Dwayne’s unmistakable voice shouted through the closed door ‘Who is it?’

To this day, I still don’t know what made me say what I said next. On the spur of the moment, I’m afraid I told a little white lie and shouted back ‘It’s Shaun’. As I said this there was a rattle of keys in the door and the sound of bolts being slid back.

The door was opened and there was Dwayne, looking out expectantly for his friend Shaun. I stepped out of the shadows and Dwayne’s eyes fell on me. His expression was one of confusion, quickly changing to one of being crestfallen. But before Dwayne had a chance to react further I grabbed both of his shoulders and pulled him out into the back yard.

Dwayne and I fell to the floor as he started struggling furiously. Out stepped Dwayne’s sister shouting every form of abuse at me, and trying to pull me away from Dwayne. Behind her, out stepped her boyfriend. He was well known to me: I had arrested him many times and he was the one who had previously said ‘Why is it always you? Why is it always me?’ (Spalding Guardian, June 19).

This could turn very nasty very quickly. Thankfully, just as things started to get heated, John ran round from the front to assist me. He had also called for reinforcements and we very quickly had the situation under control.

So, thanks to a bit of luck and a bit of resourcefulness and a tiny untruth in introducing myself as Shaun, we had two burglars incarcerated ready for CID to deal with. Despite a few cuts and grazes, I was euphoric: John and I had caught Spalding’s most wanted!

The only problem was, for weeks afterwards, everyone insisted on calling me Shaun.

Following Public Health England’s call on Thursday for a drastic reduction in the public’s sugar intake, the government is considering implementing a sugar tax on fizzy drinks.

While the health agency suggests only around five per cent of a person’s daily calorie intake should come from sugar, a 330ml can of pop can contain a whopping seven teaspoons of the white stuff.

When we raised the issue of the sugar tax on our Facebook page, most local people were strongly against the proposition.

Ken Bridges said: “For God’s sake, who sits there thinking of this rubbish? Tax this, tax that, is that all the government think about?”

The suggestion of the tax came just one week after ITV News reported that hundreds of children are having their teeth extracted as the result of sweet beverages.

While this may be the case, dental surgeries such as Spire Dental in Long Sutton are attempting to change things.

Last week, children from Long Sutton Primary School and Rainbow Nursery visited the dental office to give them the opportunity to try out masks, gloves and the dental chair, and to learn about the importance of good oral hygeine.

A representative from Spire Dental said: “Visits like this are extrememly important because children need to become comfortable at the dentists.”

While Friday 13th is a date shrouded in superstition, a local tattoo artist used it to turn around the luck of past and present service people in the area.

Chris Day, of No Regrets Tattoo Studio in Long Sutton, tattooed 13 customers for £13 in aid of Help for Local Heroes.

He said: “I’ve always supported the charity. My dad is a veteran and my parents are involved in The Royal British Legion, so it’s a cause close to my heart.

“The event went really well, thank you to everyone who took part. It was a great day.”

The profits from the 13 individual designs that Chris completed on the day, alongside additional donations, raised over £200.

Anyone who wishes to make a donation to the Help For Local Heroes fund can visit Chris’ Facebook page for further details or contact Harold at the Anglia Motel.

I live on Park Road in Spalding and have noticed a huge rise in the speed of vehicles using this road.

Many vehicles travel above the 30mph speed limit and, at a guess, 70 to 80 per cent of drivers probably average 40-50mph and there is a small number that drive at dangerously high speeds, easily doubling the speed limit. There used to be regular mobile speed checks on this road several years ago to get drivers to slow down but since the recession and police cuts these checks have stopped altogether.

We have many pensioners living along this road and it is a main route for many school children who have to cross it to get to the footbridge.

This road is virtually straight for about a mile which encourages drivers to put their foot down.

Cars are often getting their wing mirrors knocked off by vehicles trying to squeeze through at speed – the faster drivers travel, the more aggressive they get.

Surely with the increase of traffic on our roads it is time to put in calming measures such as regular speed bumps.

Mr N. Bingham

Park Road

Spalding

The South Holland Local History Group has been running for over 25 years in Spalding and welcomes anyone who wants to come along and find out more about the area’s history.

It aims to promote and encourage interest in the history of people and their way of life in the area.

It was originally set up by history teachers Rose and Bernard Clark in 1987 for those wishing to research their family history.

However in 1989 the group became more focused on the history of South Holland as a whole.

When Rose turned 83, she retired from the group, so Dennis Wolfe took over as chairman with Gordon Nottingham as treasurer.

Gordon says: “I book the speakers and we like to keep it as local as we possibly can – we have quite a lively programme with some really interesting speakers.

“For example, we have Gordon Boswell from the Romany Museum talking about the famous Appleby Horse Fair, as well as Brenda Harper, who is a retired history teacher, who gives great talks about local history.”

The group meet once a month from September to July every year, excluding January and February, and around 30 to 40 people often turn up to the lectures.

The meetings, which are held in the lounge at St John the Baptist Church, are open to all and entry is £2 per person. The group’s next meeting is their final meet before their small break and will be held at 7.30pm on June 25.

I am writing about the article in the Spalding Guardian on June 26.

Once again, we are told that the marina at Sutton Bridge will soon be under way.

The last we heard from Coun Davie was that if things were not in place by the end of July, Lincolnshire County Council would ‘pull the plug’. We are now told that it will start ‘in the autumn’. What part of July 31 comes into autumn?

He trots out the previous claim that “this will provide a significant boost to the local economy, something that will benefit businesses and residents alike”. This has never been substantiated to my knowledge, or anyone else’s. Self-catering visiting boat owners, if any, are unlikely to buy more than a carton of milk or a paper.

Local boat owners will add nothing. What other business benefits will accrue? The only benefit to residents would be a possibly more attractive view over the river, and most residents cannot see the river.The proposed 80 pleasure moorings are being reduced to a ‘so far unknown level’. Why? Many years ago, when this ill-fated project saw the light of day, the ex-harbourmaster from Wisbech said that a small number of moorings would render the project financially unviable. What additional benefits would accrue from more ‘commercial moorings’ to boost the viability of the project?

The whole project is being pushed ahead on unproven and very shaky grounds. There is still the time for Coun Davie to save an enormous waste of public money.

Those funds could be more practically used to raise the banks of the river to protect nearby businesses and residents’ property.

It only needs an agreement with the Environment Agency, who I’m sure would be delighted to get funding to improve flood defences, and will waste far less time and effort to achieve.

Chris Brandon-King

Sutton Bridge

A weekly column by Dr Miles Langdon of South Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group

As kids across the country eagerly anticipate that final school bell signalling the official start of summer, parents grow anxious at the prospect of entertaining and funding six weeks’ worth of fun-filled family time.

Mums and dads across Lincolnshire will be pleased to hear there are numerous cost-effective summer solutions right at their fingertips, to keep the little ones busy indoors or out.

First, visit the Change4Life website: www.nhs.uk/Change4Life/Pages/local-change-for-life-activities.aspx, enter your postcode, select whether it’s an indoor or outdoor activity you’d like and the number of children involved, and a range of local activities will appear.

Warm summer days provide the perfect opportunity to get out and about more, improving your physical and mental wellbeing.

Make the most of our picturesque countryside and spend the afternoon exploring the Lincolnshire Wolds or our stunning coastline.

Visit www.walkinginlincs.co.uk to download an explorer map, pack a picnic, remembering your five-a-day and healthy, energy-boosting snacks, and make a day of it.

The Change4Life website has some great recipes for lunchboxes and picnics: www.nhs.uk/Change4Life/Pages/healthy-lunchbox-picnic.aspx

Your local council will also be organising sports clubs, theatre groups and various other events as part of a ‘Summer What’s On Guide’, which will be available online in the coming weeks, so keep an eye on their website for swimming offers and other local attraction discounts that the council often promote during the holiday period.

Don’t forget, the sun is at its strongest between 11am and 3pm, so if your child is outdoors during this time, make sure they are covered in a high factor sun cream containing UVA and UVB protection, (even in overcast conditions) and reapply regularly throughout the day – use a waterproof lotion if you are visiting an outdoor swimming pool.

Try to encourage them to wear a hat and keep hydrated – particularly if they are taking part in sporting activities.

The Family Information Service can also help families who need formal childcare over the summer or other children’s services and activities.

For further details and advice, contact the Family Information Service on Freephone 0800 195 1635, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, or via email at fis@lincolnshire.gov.uk

I am responding to Richard Carey commenting on UKIP’s performance (Spalding Guardian, June 12 ) which shows him to be the true blue Tory that he is.

His evaluation that UKIP had a poor performance, despite halving the Conservative majority at Newark, and increasing their European MPs and councillors, reflects that they are in complete denial as to what the British public really want on many crucial issues.

His reflection on the good work of councillors past and present is exactly what UKIP would wish to bring by actually listening, and not having a ‘we know best attitude’.

Continue to ignore the electorate at your peril.

Geoff Garner

Branch Secretary

UK Independence Party South Holland Branch

Since it opened in 2011, Chosen Charity Shop in Holbeach has been raising huge amounts of money for local causes.

The brainchild of 18 former charity shop workers, the business is unique in the fact that the good causes it raises funds for are nominated by its customers.

Mary Cooper, one of the shop’s founders, said earlier this year: “People are really taken by the fact that the money is donated to many local causes and that they can actually see the effects.”

The business certainly has the support of the public; while in 2013 they raised a whopping £20,000, the aim for this year exceeds this total by a further £5,000.

With the shop donating all their profits to local charities once every two months, many causes in the area have felt the benefit.

This year alone has seen donations made to Callum Pite’s Smile Charity, which is in memory of a Sir John Gleed student who sadly passed away from cancer in 2013, Braille Watch South Holland and Hearing Dogs for the Deaf.

Most recently, Gedney LIVES First Responders received a cheque for £3,000, with the local Mencap club, Gateway, also being given a £2,000 donation.

The business raises funds by selling the unwanted goods of local people.

Mary added: “If anyone has anything they would like to donate we would welcome it.”

Suitable donations include clothing, toys and books.

Dozens gathered in the Black Swan in Spalding to watch as a mother and daughter had their heads shaved for charity.

Tracey and Devon Baxter, from Chesnut Avenue, have raised £344 for Macmillan Cancer Support so far – with donations continuing to flow in.

Mum Tracey, 46, said: “It was a really good day – very eventful! The people at the Black Swan were so supportive.”

Onlookers watched as Nigel Baxter and Karen Robinson did the honours – setting to work to rid the pair of their long locks.

The event comes ahead of the Shave or Style Macmillan week next month in which people are being encouraged to get a new hair-do, or shave it all off, in support of those with the disease.

While the mother and daughter both had their heads shaved in a show of solidarity, Tracey believes it was an especially charitable act on the part of her 16 year old daughter.

“I’m very proud of Devon. At her age, looks are very important, so it was a brave thing for her to do.”

By South Holland District Council’s waste and recycling officer Laura Simpkins

So I’ve filled my green bag with recycling, but what happens to it next?

Many residents say they are interested to know what their items are recycled into. Here are a just a few of the ways they get reused.

Once your recycling has been separated at the materials recycling facility they are bailed up and sold onto recycling reprocessors, who use the materials to make new items.

Plastics collected for recycling are first sorted into different types and colours. This grading process identifies what their future use could be.

Most plastic gets shredded into flakes, which is then used to create fibres for the textile industry who use it for the filling in sleeping bags or even loft insulation – it only takes 25 large two-litre plastic bottles to make a fleece.

Plastic not shredded is melted and moulded into new products such as bin liners and carrier bags, DVD cases and even garden furniture.

Recycled paper and card is taken to a paper mill where water is added to turn it into a soupy pulp. Non-recyclable items like staples and ribbons are removed in a giant washing machine that spins the pulp. 

The pulp is then screened, cleaned and de-inked, before continuing onto a press where it is wound onto a giant roll.

Unlike some other recyclable items, paper degrades in quality each time it is recycled, so it may not always be of high enough quality to make it into paper.

Instead, this lower quality recycled paper is used in home insulation, toilet paper and cardboard. Aluminum cans are shredded and any coloured coating removed. The shredded cans are then melted down, poured into casts and chilled.

The metal is then rolled out to be made into new cans.  This is a quick process – within six weeks the cola can you put in your recycling bag could be back on the shelf! Recycled aluminum cans could also end up as part of a car, aeroplane or bike!

Any waste steel put out for recycling is melted down with iron ore and limestone. The molten metal then goes into moulds before being cooled and chopped into blocks ready to be used again for new cans, cars, buildings and so much more!

Some glass that is collected is melted down and used to make new glass bottles and jars while finely crushed glass, which has similar properties to sand, goes to the building industry for road surfaces and decorative finishes. And finally some of this ‘sand’ goes for use in golf bunkers.

There are endless possibilities to what your recycling could become. So remember to think green and choose your green bag!

Please recycle after reading.

Members of the Royal British Legion took to the streets of Spalding on Saturday to raise money for the alteration of the Ayscoughfee War Memorial.

The memorial is missing the names of 24 of Spalding’s heroes who lost their lives in World War I, which were omitted accidentally.

Members of the Legion were joined at their stall in the Market Place by local MP, John Hayes, a member of the Holbeach branch of the organisation and leader of the campaign.

Mr Hayes said: “This campaign which we mounted, inspired by the 100-year anniversary of the commencement of the First World War, is receiving huge, generous support from the people of Spalding.

“The names of those who were mistakenly omitted should be added, for their descendants and for posterity.”

The fact that names had been missed was only discovered earlier this year.

The research was carried out by the Spalding and South Lincolnshire branch of the Western Front Organisation mostly by member Cheryl Arnold.

Hundreds of shoppers in Spalding donated cash to the cause, which not only aims to update the memorial, but to restore it.

Mr Hayes added: “I am determined that our splendid war memorial should look as good as it did the day is was unveiled.”

The local MP is also running a campaign next year to have inscribed stones added to the Lutyens-designed memorial for those local people who gave their lives in the Second World War, with 2015 marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the conflict in 1945.

Anyone who wishes to donate to either campaign can contact the Holbeach branch of the Royal British Legion.

In reply to your article on the Sutton St James solar farm proposal in the Lincolnshire Free Press (July 24), I write with the backing of residents who are affected by this scheme.

We agree solar farms are a source of good, clean energy; however they need to be sited in appropriate locations as stated by government guidelines and not just 25 metres from residents’ houses. Taking 81 acres of prime agricultural land out of high quality food production in the current climate is surely unacceptable; this amounts to the size of 50-plus football pitches.

There is already the Grange Farm Solar Park of 50 acres approved for Sutton St James village which will provide a community benefit fund – is that not enough for one village?

The benefit of a community fund of £18,000 is a huge amount of money for our village but should this monetary fund benefit our village whilst causing other nearby parish residents, who reside next to this site, much distress?

The developer promises newly planted screening but this will take up to 10-15 years to grow and mature, so the visual impact for local homes will be immense. The ideal place for these schemes are brownfield sites, poor quality land and factory/warehouse roofs.

C Faulkner

Sutton St James

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.

Boston Magistrates’ Court

June 16

Paul Brewer (48), of Uplands, Peterborough. Speeding (Whaplode). £100 fine, £20 victim surcharge, £85 costs, 3pts.

Eimantas Radzevicius (25), of Galway Close, Spalding. Public order offence (Spalding). Six months conditional discharge, £15 v/s.

Alan Shorter (40), of Feneley Close, Deeping St James. Speeding (Deeping St James). £115 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Steven Hall (45), of Cobgate, Whaplode. Speeding (Spalding). £100 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Vladimirs Ivanovs (34), of Spring Gardens, Spalding. Speeding (Spalding). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Marius Slupskis (34), of St Michaels Avenue, Wisbech. Failing to give driver ID (Swineshead Bridge). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Adam Fisher (50), of Dawsmere Road, Gedney Drove End. Speeding (Gedney Drove End). £245 fine, £25 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Richard Willis (46), of All Saints’ Road, Lowestoft. Speeding (Whaplode). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Ilhan Ahmedov (33), of High Street, Holbeach. Speeding (Spalding). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Tony Beaver (50), of Bay Tree Grove, Auckley, Doncaster. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £100 fine, £20 v/s, 3pts.

Toms Briedis (29), of Sheila Crescent, Spalding. Failing to give driver ID (Nettleham). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Suzanne Hirst (31), of Glinton Road, Helpston. Speeding (Spalding). £100 fine, £20 v/s, 3pts.

Crystal Millar (26), La Milesse Way, Swineshead. Speeding (Spalding). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Carl Walsham (42), of Rural Avenue, West Pinchbeck. Failing to give driver ID (Nettleham). £600 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.

June 18

Lee Bliss (49), of Gedney Dyke. Assault (Holbeach). £110 fine, £20 v/s, £250 costs.

Tomasz Golebiowski (37), of Hardwick Estate, Kirton. Failing to provide a specimen of breath (Kirton). £110 fine, £20 v/s, disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Robi Watson (21), of Lambeth Walk, Stamford. Theft of motor vehicle (Gedney). £130 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs.

Levi Gray (18), of Richmond Way, Leverington. Drink driving (Holbeach). £100 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 12 months.

David Humberstone (53_, of Green Lane, Algarkirk. Drink driving (Gosberton). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Tomasz Michalec (44), of Main Road, Deeping St Nicholas. Drink driving (Spalding). £290 fine, £29 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 20 months.

Christopher Peace (35), of Farrow Avenue, Holbeach. Drunk and disorderly (Holbeach). 18 months conditional discharge, £85 fine, £15 v/s.

Jack Cooper (23), of Broadgate, Weston Hills. Possession of cocaine and cannabis. 18 months conditional discharge, £15 v/s, £85 costs, drugs to be forfeited and destroyed.

Adam Ivory (30), of Withington Street, Sutton Bridge. Drink driving (Long Sutton). £250 fine, £25 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 18 months.

June 23

Keith Sheppard (65), of St Swithins Close, Bicker. Speeding (Tealby). £90 fine, £20 v/s, £50 costs, 3pts.

Numan Ahmed (19), of Thorn Lane, Leeds. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £105 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 5pts.

Gordon Boswell (45), Claylake, Spalding. Speeding (Wildmore). £400 fine, £40 v/s, £85 costs, 4pts.

Simon Bullock (42), of Princess Way, Stourport on Severn, Worcs. Speeding (Whaplode). £100 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Dave Connors (55), of Hagden Lane, Watford. Speeding (Crowland). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Stephen Mason (45), of Stanway Road, Waltham Abbey, Essex. Speeding (Crowland). £180 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 4pts.

Anthony Pygott (55), of Thomas Middlecott Drive, Kirton. Speeding (Asgarby). £75 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Benjamin Ruck (27), of Princess Road, Kirton. Driving without due care and attention (Utterby). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 4pts.

James Newton (40), of Stephens Way, Deeping St James. Speeding (Great Ponton). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

June 25

Peter Minns (56), of Bury Old Road, Whitefield, Manchester. Drink driving (Sutton Bridge). £350 fine, £35 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Mark Stockdale (28), of Rowan Avenue, Spalding. Drunk and disorderly (Spalding) and resisting a police officer. 12 months conditional discharge, £50 compensation, £15 v/s, £85 costs.

Christopher Early (21), of Seadyke Road, Kirton. Possession of cannabis (Kirton). £190 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, drugs and paraphernalia to be forfeited and destroyed.

June 26

Kaspars Lagis (38), of Commercial Road, Spalding. Assault (Spalding). £300 fine, £75 compensation, £30 v/s, £85 costs.

Laimundas Tautkus (39), of Fengate Road, West Pinchbeck. Drink driving (Boston). £230 fine, £23 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 14 months.

Keith Andrew (31), of King Street, Kirton. Theft of mobile micro SDCH card worth £18 belonging to Asda (Boston). £18 compensation, £70 costs.

Philip Newbon (45), of Glenside South, West Pinchbeck. Drink driving (West Pinchbeck). £250 fine, £25 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Jonathan Patton (25), of Penny Gardens, Kirton. Assault (Boston). £50 fine, £125 costs.

Lord Chancellor Chris Grayling is being advised by the courts service “to move to close” Spalding Magistrates’ Court.

But MP John Hayes and local lawyers are fighting the step – saying the court’s de-listing in December, which temporarily ended hearings there, is denying South Holland people access to local justice and having a huge impact on courts elsewhere.

Defendants and witnesses from South Holland are travelling miles for their day in court, resulting in overloaded lists in Boston and Lincoln, prisoners spending longer in custody than they should – and waiting times for hearings more than doubling.

The South Holland and The Deepings MP and solicitor Rachel Stevens, from CDA (Criminal Defence Associates), met Mr Grayling and senior courts service officials in London last week.

Now they and a small group are compiling further evidence to challenge Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service reasons for recommending closure.

Mr Hayes said Mr Grayling has already promised to look at providing a video link in Spalding so people don’t have to travel for court hearings elsewhere.

“I said that the access to justice is so compromised that it was essential a video link was formally part of any future plan,” said Mr Hayes. “I also said if you are going to have a video link, the most logical place to do it is from the existing court building.”

Miss Stevens described the London meeting as an opportunity to challenge many of the courts service arguments, in particular “the suggestion that this decision is going to save public money”.

She said: “Spalding court is not an expensive facility and, in so many ways, it is clear that this is in fact throwing a significant burden on other budgets which fall within the public domain – for example social services, the police and legal aid.

“I was also able to report some first-hand experience of the consequences that are already being felt by the temporary closure of the Spalding court since Christmas.

“In effect the court service has completely failed to adequately anticipate, and provide, for the impact of the Spalding court work on other courts in the county.

“The result has been grossly overloaded court lists in Lincoln and Boston, inadequate facilities for members of the public attending family proceedings courts and waiting times for court hearings more than doubling ... and it’s only going to get worse.

“I think Mr Grayling is under the impression that we are the sentimental townspeople bemoaning the loss of our small High Street shops when he believes he has provided us with a slick and shiny out of town hypermarket.

“What he needs to understand is that we have been given a rather shambolic jumble sale which sells poor quality products at grossly inflated prices.

“The minister has said that he will hold a consultation process to properly consider all the issues that we have raised and I would therefore ask anyone who has any first-hand experience of the impact of the court closing, ie difficulties in travelling elsewhere in the county or extended waiting times for cases to be resolved, to please write to Mr Hayes at his constituency office to register your views.

“I include in this magistrates, police officers, witnesses and people using the family court.”

nYou can write to Mr Hayes at Office 1, Broad Street Business Centre, 10 Broad Street, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE11 1TB.