Police in Spalding are looking for a gang of three men who were seen kicking vehicles parked in the Alexandra Road and Love Lane area of Spalding.

The men were seen vandalising the vehicles at about 4am on Sunday when some damage was caused.

Meanwhile, vandals broke windows and tools were stolen from about ten sheds at an allotment site in Battlefields Lane, Holbeach.

The sheds were targeted overnight between Sunday September 7 and Monday September 8 and police are treating the case as criminal damage and burglary.

In other crime news, thieves broke into a garden shed and stole two bikes in White Leather Square, Billingborough.

Police are treating the incident which took place overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, September 2 and 3, as burglary.

In Deeping St James, three people wearing balaclavas tried to break in and steal tools from a van parked in Locks Close on Friday.

The gang were disturbed while trying to break into van and ran off in an incident that happened at about 1.15am.

Anyone with information on any of the incidents should call 101.

Finally, a rider of a petrol-powered motor cycle has been reported by police after complaints from people living in the Pennygate ares of Spalding.

The cyclist was stopped by police after he had been seen riding on a motor cycle in poor condition and the vehicle was eventually seized.

In what have been described as “challenging times” for game management, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust is urging farmers to become engaged in the debate.

‘Is there too much talk and not enough action?’ is the question it proposes asking at its 2014 Members’ Conference on October 29 (10am).

The organisation says this is an ideal opportunity to join in the debate on game and wildlife conservation and to have your voice heard.

The meeting is being held at the Royal Geographical Society in London and a sandwich lunch and refreshments are included in the price of £40 for members and guests.

Tel: 01425 651010

It’s been a long harvest for Sutton Bridge farmer Michael Booth and his son Simon.

The harvest at M D Booth & Son only finished last Monday, after something like five weeks of work.

When our photographer Tim Wilson caught up with them Michael and Simon were flat lifting and subsoiling with minimum tilth on 30 acres of wheat.

Michael explained: “The whole idea is that on that particular field we have a blackgrass problem and this gets the blackgrass germinated and they we can either spray it off or cultivate again, which will kill it, because we are getting that field ready for another crop of wheat.”

The farm has had a problem with blackgrass on some fields, and Michael says it’s getting worse every year.

He says: “Straw burning used to get rid of it, so that controlled quite a lot, and it’s getting resistant to chemicals in the wheat, so if we can do it now before we drill, and spray it away then we can knock 70 to 80 per cent of the population of the blackgrass out.”

The soil on his farm is what Michael calls “hard and tight” after a really dry summer, followed by a wet one and “an indifferent” one this year.

Moisture content is important though, because the salt content of the water means they can’t irrigate, but have to “take what comes”. Michael says they are in a good area because the soil does retain the water when it rains and this year they had showers when it was needed.

Minimum tillage also helps to retain the moisture, says Michael, who has been on the farm since 1962. He worked with his father as Simon works with him, growing potatoes, sugar beet, wheat and barley under contract.

Coffee is too expensive and there are not enough family trucks on the road – but if Spalding was like Canada it might not have been so attractive to three English teachers who have flown halfway across the world to face new challenges.

Melissa McCarthy, from Newfoundland, Dawn Lunan, from Montreal, and Andrew Schneider, from Hamilton, joined the staff of Sir John Gleed School at the beginning of term after giving the school and town the thumbs-up following a recruitment day earlier in the year.

Amye Wilson, from Ireland, has also crossed the sea to help fill the 12 vacancies at the school, leaving just two positions to be covered by supply staff.

Dawn said: “It was a bit like speed-dating at the interview day in London, but right from the start we were impressed by the honesty about the school.

“When we came for a visit, we thought Spalding was everything we expected from a typical, beautiful British town and our welcome here has been very warm.”

Andrew said: “It’s been awesome. In the corridors I hear the students say ‘there’s my teacher, he’s from Canada’, but in the classroom I’m just like any other teacher. To be part of the changing times at the school will be a great experience for us.”

Melissa said: “Coming to England was never in the plan, but there are no jobs in Canada.

“I had many talks with my family, but having the opportunity to live and work in England seemed too good to miss. As soon as I arrived, it felt like a community here.”

Chris Mallaband, executive principal, said: “Being able to fill the majority of the vacancies means we are starting this year with a massive increase in stability.

“Recruitment from within the UK was proving difficult – I think this is the case in a number of places, but probably felt most in rural locations. It is also particularly the case within the key subjects of English and Maths.

“We were struck with Dawn, Andrew and Melissa and invited them to the school, saw them teach and liked what we saw.

“We thought that ‘selling’ Spalding might be difficult as it doesn’t have the bright lights of London, but in fact it was easy to sell it. They were really attracted by the very safe, attractive environment with just about everything you need on the doorstep.

“Also – in Canadian terms – it isn’t very far from London if you want to visit the city or other really good centres.

“It’s great to have young, enthusiastic colleagues who are just starting out in their careers with us and also great to have staff from around the world working with us. The students love their accents!”

A well-known and much-loved Spalding hairdresser who passed away earlier this year has left a big mark on the hearts of many across the county.

Clayton Gilks, who passed away suddenly aged 48 in May, was committed to fundraising for charity, and was particularly involved with the BeAttitude Homeless Community at St Mary Le Wigford Church in Lincoln.

Members of the community were thrilled when money raised by Clayton, along with £1,500 at his funeral, was put towards a re-vamped kitchen at the St Mary Le Wigford church hall.

Jackie Kirk, a volunteer at BeAttitude, said: “The re-vamped kitchen is something that will benefit the whole 
BeAttitude community.

“Clayton was absolutely brilliant – he even donated clothes and socks here – and he was someone that everyone loved.

“His sudden death has shocked us all but we’re hoping his legacy will live on with this new kitchen.”

Clayton, who worked as a hairdresser with Stuart Taylor at Stuart’s Barber’s in Spalding, would visit the charity, which helps homeless people, every Tuesday and would often cycle the 43 miles to and back to Lincoln to do so.

Clayton would use his hairdressing skills to give those at Beattitude a haircut and would give any money he was given by his clients to the charity.

The kitchen, which was in serious need of updating, included new toasters and frying pans which Clayton had donated as he would go out of his way to help out at the BeAttitude community in any way possible.

Prior to his death Clayton, who was a big fan of taking part in edurance cycling, had planned on embarking on a sponsored cycle ride to raise more funds for the charity.

The kitchen was bought from eBay for £150 and fitted by Ash Gregory for free.

The rest of the money raised by Clayton and his friends and family went towards fuel and PVC paint.

A bus company is considering disciplinary action against a driver for leaving a 15-year-old girl from Holbeach stranded in the countryside.

Richard Pengelly, Norfolk Green’s operations manager, told the Free Press on Friday the driver had “messed up” and had been called in for a meeting with him.

Chloe Halgarth caught the Norfolk Green bus from Spalding High School last Tuesday but was dropped off Gedney on the A17.

Angry grandfather Alan Evans said: “How could the driver leave a 15-year-old girl in the middle of nowhere. Goodness knows what could have happened.”

Mum Lindell Daffeh, who teaches in Peterborough, received a text from an anxious Chloe about 4.30pm. Lindell said: “She said ‘I don’t know where I am’. We used ‘Google Locate’ to get a postcode and find her. I had to pick her sister up from Spalding High then get over to Gedney.

“I’d told her to start walking because I didn’t think it was safe for her to just stand there. I finally got to her at 5.45pm – I wasn’t happy.

“It’s sorted now, but the timetable on the county council website is wrong. I do think the bus company and council need to get their act together.”

Mr Pengelly said he had apologised to both Mr Evans and Chloe’s mum for the incident. He said: “A request had been made for Chloe to get off at the Red Lion in Holbeach, but the driver didn’t think we went there.

“We take our responsibility for the children who travel with us seriously and accept that on this occasion we messed up, but the driver is being dealt with. It’s disappointing for us that our apology wasn’t enough.”

A mum-of-two was killed in a charity bike ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats while raising thousands of pounds for Alzheimer’s sufferers.

Sally Preece (49), formerly from Spalding, died in hospital on Saturday after being fatally injured in a crash with a car on Friday at 11am on the A85 near Loch Earn in Scotland during the Deloitte Ride Across Britain.

Sally is the daughter of Spalding couple Terry and Judy Wing and leaves brother Martin, sister Hayley, her husband, Philip, and children Brad (16) and Amy (13).

People touched by the tragedy added more donations to her JustGiving page, taking the total to more than £1,000 above Sally’s original target.

Sally was riding in a team for Lloyds Bank, her employer.

On her JustGiving page, Sally wrote: “As I’ve got older I’ve got worse for accepting challenges! Perhaps call it my perpetual mid-life crisis.

“I suppose it all started with a black belt in karate, then running the London Marathon, and finally because all of the above caused arthritis in my feet, I’ve switched properly to cycling.

“This epic ride is going to be harder than all the previous madcap ideas! Cycling for nine days, averaging 106 miles per day, and then crashing out in a tent, is not everyone’s idea of a ‘holiday’.

On her JustGiving page, Sally gave her reasons for taking part in the ride as: “I want to help dementia sufferers and challenge myself.”

After describing the hardships of the ride, Sally said they were nothing compared to dementia and what it can do to sufferers and their families.

“It is a horribly scary thing and nobody is immune,” she wrote. “Please help me to help others!! Thank you to all my lovely friends :-)”

Sally had hoped to raise £4,000 but by yesterday (Monday) lunchtime donations had passed the £5,500 mark with people writing brief tributes such as “Devastating God bless you” and “So sad and outrageous that someone should die doing what they loved, and whilst trying to help others. Thoughts to the family”.

Sally was one of only three women on the team taking part in the cycle ride to raise money for the Lloyds Bank charity of the year, the Alzheimer’s Society Live Well campaign.

She ran the London Marathon in 2011 for Help for Heroes.

Sally organised the Cheltenham Connections charity concerts as well as playing violin in the Cheltenham Philharmonic Orchestra. She was also a big supporter of good causes because she wanted to improve the lives of those in need.

Hayes in the House by MP John Hayes

In the 18th century, the great Conservative thinker Edmund Burke eloquently described the role of what he termed the ‘little platoons’ – the associations, clubs and volunteer groups peppered across our villages, towns and cities.

In recognising them as the building blocks of civil society, Burke saw such groups as ‘the first link’ in a chain that ‘proceeds towards a love of country, and to mankind’.

The readiness to volunteer and willingly give time to help others is the mark of a vibrant, healthy, big society.

Be it those who work tirelessly for St John Ambulance, or risk their lives as retained firefighters; those who spend time serving in charity shops or endlessly fundraise for good causes, all who give their time to benefit others are building, through their particular little platoon, strong communities so making a strong nation.

In Sutton Bridge a special kind of voluntary work could not be more vital; the men and women of the Coastguard Rescue Service there are volunteers, working in all seasons and weathers – however treacherous the conditions – to save lives by providing assistance to those in distress.

Across Britain’s 10,500 miles of coastline each year coastguards assist around 25,000 people, in response to 21,000 calls for help, and deal with inspections of foreign flagged ships visiting the UK, and threats from pollution at sea.

I look forward to spending time with the Sutton Bridge coastguards this week, meeting Richard Martin, the acting chief coast guard, and members of his team while witnessing them in action as they stage a water safety and rescue demonstration.

The good work of these volunteers reminds me how grateful we all should be towards those who selflessly devote their time and effort to the common good.

Through helping others we find our place in society, and, ultimately, our own humanity.

In the words of the American poet Emily Dickinson: ‘If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain. If I can ease one life the aching, or cool one pain… I shall not live in vain.’

Protesters battling to stop installation of nine wind turbines are wondering why Natural England withdrew its objection to a planning application.

Wind Ventures is seeking consent for the 126m tip-height turbines on a site sandwiched between two nature reserves on Fen Farm, South Fen, West Pinchbeck, also known as The Delph.

Protest group Stop West Pinchbeck Wind Farm hired an ornithological expert who found “major flaws” in the way the company collected its bird survey data.

South Holland District Council (SHDC) met natural England last September. Following that meeting, the developers submitted further surveys to the council.

In April, Stop West Pinchbeck Wind Farm chairman Tony Fear said standards set by Natural England “do not allow you to patch up a poor study with data from a different season so continuing to consider the planning application without redoing the study seems questionable”.

But Natural England has since withdrawn its objection while issuing advice to SHDC on a number of areas, including that it should make a more thorough assessment of potential displacement of birds.

Mr Fear said: “With Natural England now withdrawing their objection, they are in effect approving a sub-standard survey which just doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. If you create a standard, you need to be the one that’s making sure that everyone is working to that standard – and if you can’t be bothered to do it, what’s the point of the standard?”

He said Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, which runs Willow Tree Fen Nature Reserve and has received funding from Natural England, is maintaining its own objection to the plan.

A spokesman for Natural England said: “The wind farm development at West Pinchbeck is a local issue to be determined by the local authority and we have provided South Holland District Council with ecological advice to enable them to make that decision.”

• Opponents The Delph wind farm may go to the local government watchdog, the Ombudsman, to complain about the district council’s handling of the application.

Mr Fear is watching closely the council’s handling of the EnergyPark Sutton Bridge application – and may follow in the footsteps of Shirley Giles, the Sutton Bridge hero and great-granny, who has now gone to the Ombudsman.

Mr Fear said his group believed they would have been more involved in the planning process but found: “We are just not part of the party, really.”

A council spokesman said: “There has been ongoing dialogue with the applicant and with Natural England and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust in relation to ecological issues, including those raised by the stop the wind farm group. The group submitted its latest comments on September 8 in relation to further information submitted by the applicant at the end of August.”

Blogger Trish Burgess writes for the Free Press

September is the month of new beginnings. I remember the first time I took my son Rory to school, his little hand clasped in mine.

He confidently walked into his classroom and made a bee­line for the jigsaws. I, meanwhile, made a hurried exit, trying not to cry until I was out of sight.

Each September after that was another new start as he moved up through the infants and the juniors. My role changed from year to year, firstly taking him by the hand to the cloakroom to hang up his little coat before eventually only needing to wave him off at the gate.

Secondary school was a huge step. Taking the bus each morning, he looked such a small boy with a heavy rucksack. I hovered some metres from the bus stop on the first day to make sure he got on it and spent anxious moments looking out of the window in the late afternoon, waiting for him to appear.

As I type this I am trying to prepare myself for the next September beginning. There are only a couple of days to go before my boy goes off to university for the first time. The nest is going to be empty very soon and, in an effort to not think about it, I am busying myself with washing clothes and making lists. I remember my own first day at university. I was nervous, of course, but keen for my parents to leave so I could just get on with it. My mum tells me she cried all the way home and felt a keen sense of loss for weeks afterwards.

In those days, the 1980s, keeping in touch with family back home was difficult. We communicated by letter, Mum often sending me cheery cards with clippings from the local paper. There was also the weekly phone call, necessitating a walk to the phone box in town to queue, pockets full of 10p pieces, and ring at the prearranged time. No wonder my parents felt cut off from me.

I know that if my son wants to contact me there are so many ways he can do it: a call from his mobile, a text, an email, a Facebook message, Skype: all done from the comfort of his own room. Of course, the reverse is also true. Unless my husband restrains me, Rory is in danger of being pestered by his mother on a regular basis using all these forms of communication.

Rory leaving will be a huge wrench for us in so many ways. There will be one less place to set at the table, the back seat of the car will be empty when we go on trips and there will be a large Rory-­shaped space on the sofa next to his dad, especially when sport is on the TV. But there won’t be a space in my heart. He filled that 18 years ago and will stay there forever.

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

A man who admitted growing 50 cannabis plants was today jailed for eight months.

Nicholas Brown (38), of Hop Pole, Deeping St Nicholas, admitted producing the drug between December 1 2013 and April 1 this year.

Judge Michael Heath had adjourned sentencing Brown for a week so care could be found for his 15-year-old son after telling him he faced a prison term.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Brown had previously been fined for producing one cannabis plant and was in breach of a suspended sentence.

Passing sentence, Judge Heath told Brown: “You are 38 and pleaded guilty at a preliminary hearing to producing cannabis.

“There were 50 plants in various stages of propagation. Some was for your own use and some was for supply.

“You had been fined on February 8, 2012 for producing cannabis, all be it just one plant.

“You are in breach of a suspended sentence.

“I am told you did well on that programme and completed the community requirement.”

A destruction order was made for the cannabis plants and growing equipment at the request of the prosecution.

Judge Heath added: “I adjourned sentence for arrangements to be made for the care of your 15-year-old son.

“I am aware you are the sole carer. He cannot be seen as a get out of jail card.

“I am told that has now been done.”

Brown was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment for producing cannabis and a one month concurrent term for breaching a suspended sentence.

A Donington timber company must pay more than £11,000 after an agency worker lost the top of his finger in an unguarded machine.

A 23-year-old man from Holbeach was helping to clear a blockage on a woodworking machine at Select Timber Products Ltd on July 15 last year.

Surgeons had to amputate the top of his middle finger on his left hand. He also suffered severe lacerations to two other fingers and only has partial movement in these and his middle finger.

The Mill Lane company was fined a total of £9,900 and ordered to pay a further £1,193 in costs after pleading guilty at Grantham Magistrates’ Court to three separate breaches of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found two of the machine’s guards had been removed. The machine operator had lifted the main guard to clear the blockage, while a fixed guard on one of the machine’s six cutting heads had also been taken off to make cleaning easier.

HSE inspector Neil Ward said: “About 30 to 40 similar incidents are reported to HSE every year. Nearly all result in amputation injuries and most, including this one, could have been prevented if the cutters had come to rest before operators approached them.

“Neither the machine operator nor the injured man had been trained to a suitable standard by Select Timber Products.

“HSE publishes free guidance for this type of machine but that guidance was not followed.

“Workers should not have been clearing blockages with any of the cutters turning and the fixed guard should never have been removed from one of the heads.”

Detectives investigating the murder of dad-of-two Warren Free (42) who was attacked at his home in Spalding are still gathering evidence on what happened to him.

Mr Free was found with serious head injuries at a house in Coronation Close on August 28 and died at Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, the following morning.

Seven youths, five boys and two girls, are on police bail having been questioned about Mr Free’s death and detectives are in contact with the Crown Prosecution Service about what charges, if any, should be brought.

An inquest into Mr Free’s death was opened and adjourned two weeks ago by south Lincolnshire senior coroner Prof Robert Forrest.

Speaking after the inquest, DCI Martin Holvey of East Midlands Special Operations Unit (Major Crime Branch), senior investigating officer in the murder case, said: “Lots of enquiries need to be completed through house-to-house visits and forensic work which takes time.

“A large number of officers are involved in this inquiry and a file of evidence needs to be sent to the Crown Prosecution Service when the investigation is complete.”

A major incident room has been set up at Sleaford Police Station but detectives are still available to speak to in Spalding for anyone who may have information relating to Mr Free’s death.

Chief Inspector Paul Timmins, the man in charge of neighbourhood policing in South Holland, said: “The investigation into Mr Free’s death is ongoing and we are keeping our enquiries open.

“It’s very important for us to be a good focal point for the community and we’re very grateful to our colleagues from East Midlands Special Operations Unit who have provided fantastic support to us.”

Meanwhile, people in Spalding have been donating to a collection run by two Spalding businesses for Mr Free’s 13-year-old son Adam.

Customers at Jack’s Fish Bar and Late Shopper, both in Holbeach Road, have put cash into collection boxes at both stores for Adam who lived with his dad in Spalding.

Ranjit Khela, co-owner of Late Shopper, said: “Quite a few customers have been asking about the collection and people have been giving generously.

“What happened to Mr Free was sad and the customers were shocked to hear of this sort of thing happening so close to where they live.

“But this has shown how the community can come together and help the family of Adam and, as a local shop, we’re happy to help in any way we can.”

Prayers for Mr Free’s family are being said at St Paul’s Church, Spalding, where candlelit vigils took place following his death.

Priest-in-charge Rev Mike Chesher said: “A number of church members attended and prayers were offered for Warren, Adam and the rest of the family.

“We’re also praying for them at St Paul’s every morning, except Fridays, at 8am.”

Spalding micropub The Priors Oven has just been added to the Good Beer Guide 2015.

The pub, which opened in December 2013, was the first of its kind to be opened in South Holland and has gone from strength to strength.

Owned by Nathan Marshall and Charlie Rawlings, the pub is different from others in the area due to the fact that there are no televisions or noisy fruit machines in the pub and conversation is the key to the atmosphere in the well regarded pub.

Manager Jason Watson said: “We’re really happy to be in the guide as it’s the best thing for a pub to achieve.

“We class it as a real acheivement seeing as we’ve managed to get there in such a short space of time and we’re just so happy and pleased.”

The pub, which sells cider, wines and mainly local real ale, is now one of 4,500 drinking establishents in the guide.

CAMRA’s good beer guide names the best real ale pubs in the country, all of which are recommended and suggested by members of the various different CAMRA branches.

Jason said: “Fenland CAMRA came along and tried us out, and then on Tuesday last week they came along with a pack all about the guide with stickers and all sorts in it.

“We were really surprised but so pleased as well.

“We don’t serve a lot of food, so there’s not much chance of us getting an award for that so to get into the Good Beer Guide is just the best news.”

For more information on the Priors Oven, visit www.priorsoven.com

There is more hope for pubs in South Holland, following the news that a local property developer and businessman has purchased two well known drinking establishments in the area.

Sean Portass, who has already been successful in turning around several pubs in the area, has purchased both The Red Lion in Holbeach and Turpins in Long Sutton to add to his already large portfolio of public houses and businesses.

Sean has had great success in transforming other pubs in the area and is now planning on starting his own Pub Watch scheme.

He said: “One of the main reasons for buying Turpins was to be able to create such a scheme as it was the last pub in the town I didn’t own.

“I feel Long Sutton pubs need to work together in order to create a safe family environment for all to enjoy.”

The Red Lion in Holbeach is another big project for Sean and will need a lot of refurbishment.

Sean said: “The small town has crying out for a new lease of life and a nice social place, and I have finally found the right pub to do so and I hope it will bring something extra special to Holbeach.”

The future for village pubs appears to be brighter than ever following this paper’s calls to end their demise, as many other establishments have contacted us with positive news.

The Wishing Well in Dyke near Bourne has been saved from closure by a group of villagers who didn’t want to see its doors closed for good.

The group formed a consortium at the start of the year then bought the pub, which went into administration in 2013, in May this year and are already working hard to improve the well loved village pub.

Brian Waltham said: “The pub would have closed if the consortium hadn’t bought it.

“It took a lot of time to buy the pub but we got there and we’re already pleased with how it’s going.”

The pub, which includes a 60-seater function room and 12 bedrooms, has been kept open throughout the process of the consortium taking ownership, which was a concious decision by the group.

Brian said: “We decided not to close the pub because we have a great garden and with the lovely weather from the end of May it just seemed the right idea.

“The pub is a work in progress but we’ve done a lot of work and there is more to come.

“We’ve got a new chef with a great new menu and we’re hoping Christmas and New Year will be busy with parties – we’re even open on Christmas Day.”

The support of other people in the village has not gone unnoticed by the consortium.

Brian said: “Pubs are the very heart of villages and they even add value to properties so it’s important that they stay.

“We’ve had some great support from people in the village over the past few months. It’s good to work together as a community.”

Looking back at farming issues making the news.

Drilling barley at the new Holbeach Agricultural Centre due to open that summer, the first time dedicated agricultural education had been provided locally since the closure of the Kirton Institute.

Looking back at farming issues making the news.

A Fisons Farmwork project on clay soil overlaid with flint, which incorporated a new technique of land drainage. It used the new Barth WO160, and it was hoped it would complete about 75 chains of drainage a day.

I write these weekly columns to explain some of the hidden challenges facing my officers.

I have written copiously in recent weeks about reduced police numbers and the impact on the service we offer.

This doesn’t just affect our visibility on the streets, it can sadly also have consequences for victims. When you call the police, it’s reasonable to expect that we will take your call seriously and deal with it appropriately.

Every call for service is assessed by the call-takers in our control-room and will be graded as ‘urgent’, ‘priority’ or ‘routine’.

‘Urgent’ incidents are those where there is a danger to life or a risk of injury being caused imminently. Examples include serious road accidents, assaults or serious disorder. If a crime is in progress, or if an offender is still on scene, or has just left the scene, this would also be ‘urgent’.  As you would expect, these should receive an immediate response.

‘Priority’ incidents would be those where there is no immediate risk to life or injury. An example would be a compliant prisoner detained for shoplifting in a supermarket. Incidents which involve vulnerable or distressed people would also be graded as ‘priority’. Many other types of incident could be graded as ‘priority’ where prompt attendance is considered appropriate to the circumstances.

We will attend ‘priority’ incidents as soon as a resource is free. However, each ‘priority’ is assessed on its own merits, using our professional judgment, and some will take precedence over others.

Any other call where attendance is considered appropriate would be graded as ‘routine’. Where possible, we try to make appointments for routine incidents.

Mr Smith lives in Crowland. He has had problems with a neighbour for several years. It has affected Mr Smith’s health and taken over his whole life. Mr Smith is now on medication for his nerves and he feels afraid to go out, for fear of what the neighbour will do. So when Mr Smith’s unpleasant neighbour made a rude gesture as he was walking past, Mr Smith called the police to report it.

At this point, I think I need to make the distinction between what is important and what is urgent.  Mr Smith is a vulnerable victim. Some people may think a neighbour making a rude gesture is trivial, however after years and years of similar conduct, Mr Smith is at the end of his tether and wants the police to help.

Any of you who have been victims of years of anti-social behaviour will understand this. So, his call is important, but he is not at immediate risk of harm, so this would not generate an urgent response. Mr Smith called 101 at 4pm on a Saturday in August.  The call-taker assessed his call as a ‘priority’ because of Mr Smith’s vulnerability. This meant that the next available officer should have visited him. 

This was a busy Saturday evening. From the time Mr Smith called in until 10pm officers dealt with the following urgent incidents: a traffic collision in Spalding, a violent domestic incident in Deeping St Nicholas, a concern for welfare in Tydd St Mary, another concern for welfare in Holbeach, a suspicious incident in Quadring and a fight outside a pub in Spalding. 

The constant stream of urgent incidents meant that no officer became available to visit Mr Smith, or any of the other non-urgent callers, that evening.

Because of this, an appointment was made for 8pm – 9pm on the following day.

At 8.30pm on the Sunday Mr Smith was contacted by the duty sergeant, who explained that officers were dealing with a serious collision in Sutton Bridge and a sexual incident in Donington.  Mr Smith agreed for the appointment to be rearranged for 5pm to 7pm on the Monday.

Unfortunately at 4.58pm on the Monday an officer was attacked in Sutterton.  All available officers had to rush to the scene and there were five arrests made.  This tied up all officers taking statements, conveying prisoners to Boston etc for several hours.  Unfortunately, because of the confused nature of an incident like this, Mr Smith’s appointment was missed.

A constable booked on duty at 7pm the same evening and they were tasked with visiting Mr Smith. The officer visited Mr Smith at 8pm, but unfortunately they had only been with Mr Smith for a few minutes when they were diverted to deal with a high-risk suicidal missing person in Deeping St Nicholas. There were no diary appointments available for the next day, but it was noted that Mr Smith’s local community beat manager was on duty on the Thursday. That officer visited Mr Smith as soon as they came on duty on the Thursday. This was five days after Mr Smith’s original call.

I am genuinely sorry that it took so long for an officer to deal with this incident. I share this example with you in the hope that this demonstrates the demands on our limited resources and the difficult balance between dealing with what individuals feel is important to them and the need to respond to urgent incidents. It doesn’t mean that Mr Smith’s case isn’t important.

Readers will each have their own policing issue that is important to them and they feel frustrated about. For some it’s street drinkers or foreign-registered vehicles. For others, its cyclists on the pavement or motorists using mobile phones. Many people are fed up with seeing cars contravene the pedestrian area of Spalding Market Place or parked outside schools. I’ve lived in Spalding for nearly 30 years and understand that these are all important issues.

Could anyone look Mr Smith in the eye and say that their policing issue is more important than his?

Being a police leader is about getting the right numbers of officers in the right place at the right time. It’s also about using my professional judgement and taking tough decisions when we don’t have the right numbers. At the risk of repeating myself from other recent correspondence, this isn’t something that we can always achieve because of the demand of emergency incidents, but I remain committed to providing South Holland with the best policing service that we can with the numbers that we have.

Bungling South Holland District Council is in hot water for a “useless” response to an official complaint about its handling of a revised plan for a massive power station at Sutton Bridge.

Village hero Shirley Giles (74), the great-granny who defeated the council in the High Court after it unlawfully gave planning consent to EnergyPark Sutton Bridge, fired off official complaints to the local government watchdog, the Ombudsman, and to district council chief executive Anna Graves, over the council’s handling of the revised application.

The council replied to Mrs Giles in a letter dated September 9 – saying it would respond “within 20 working days, in this case by 7 August 2014”.

As well as the dates mix-up, the council failed to put a stamp on the letter so Mrs Giles, who walks with a stick, had to go to the Post Office and pay £1.53 to collect it.

She said: “To be honest with you, I can’t find words that can actually describe them any more. Incompetent? I don’t know, really. Absolutely useless? Definitely. I am lost for words. It’s absolute rubbish that they keep sending out.”

Mrs Giles said a second resident who complained received identical treatment – and the council is still investigating how it first offered villager Nina Wells the chance to speak about the EDF gas-fired power station at the August 27 planning committee and then withdrew consent on the night.

The pensioner says she emailed Anna Graves on September 16 and received a message to say she was “out of office until the 15th”.

Mrs Giles asked: “How much worse can they get? The worst thing they ever did was to go in with Breckland council – things went rapidly down hill after that.”

A council spokesman said: “We have started an internal investigation to find out why the lady in question was charged. The incorrect date in the letter was an error and we will be contacting her to apologise and inform her of the correct information.”

More than 600 residents voted in a local referendum – a parish poll – to have both proposed power stations decided by public inquiries, but the result was ignored by the council.

The planning committee raised no objections to the EDF plan and is due to consider the EnergyPark project at a later date.

Mrs Giles won her case in the High Court over a key issue concerning sustainability and the council had to shell out £10,500 in council tax payers’ money for legal costs.

The pensioner says it was agreed then that she would take part in any future decision-making process but she tells Anna Graves that “this has not happened”.

The wood-fuelled power station will burn 420,000 tonnes a year.

In her official complaints, Mrs Giles lists a string of issues that haven’t been answered – including where that wood will come from.