POLICE officers should be on hand every day to deal with problems in Sutton Bridge when a new community centre opens this weekend.
Two councillors who represent the Sutton Bridge ward on South Holland District Council, Michael Booth and Chris Brewis, have provided £1,000 from their designated budgets to pay the rent on the new police post for a year.
Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Richard Crompton has assured villagers the new post will be “probably used daily”.
Chairman of the new £500,000 Sutton Bridge Community Centre, Peter Clery, has welcomed the addition of the office and the chief constable’s words, saying: “It is vital to Sutton Bridge that the police should see and be seen.”
Mr Clery is now hoping that as many members of the Sutton Bridge community as possible will go along to the newly-named Curlew Centre, at the Memorial Park, this weekend to see what it has to offer.
As well as the police office, the centre also boasts a parish council office, multi-function hall, Citizen’s Advice Bureau, internet cafe, library, youth club and nursery.
A grand opening ceremony will be performed on Saturday at 3pm by the Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire Tony Worth, supported by MP for South Holland and the Deepings, John Hayes.
People will be able to look round from 2.30pm to 4.30pm and there will be a concert by Nigel Portass and the Collabor8ors, funded by Long Sutton and District Civic Society.
Refreshments will be available throughout the day.
On Sunday there will be a free disco for children aged three to 11 years to celebrate the centre’s official opening.
All children must be accompanied by and adult.
During the event there will be a guest appearance by Scooby Doo and SpongeBob SquarePants, as well as party games and prizes to be won.
Mr Clery added: “Everyone is welcome to come and have a look around at what Sutton Bridge now has on offer.”
South Holland District Council’s executive member for economic development and section 106 funding, Howard Johnson said: “This new community centre at Sutton Bridge is a really lovely building and will be welcomed by all who use it,
“It is also a good example of monies raised via 106 agreements, in this case from the Sutton Bridge Power Station, being spent for the benefit of the whole community.”