Letters

Let’s focus on what is best

Lincolnshire Independents have been working locally and nationally for better funding for Lincolnshire.

The Conservative Government has responded by hitting our rural counties the hardest with the biggest cuts and leaving the Metropolitan councils only lightly touched.

One might wonder why a new Government dares take its rural voters for granted?

The amount of our income tax that gets returned to local councils has reduced dramatically over the last four years, by 40 per cent in fact.

We have now been given leave to raise council tax by four per cent every year, making an eye-watering 17 per cent over the next four years.

This government may have promised not to raise taxes, but it has said nothing about forcing councils to do it instead.

The catch, however, is that it will still not be enough. Council tax is much smaller than income tax. Tax based on income is also fairer.

The Conservative Government approach includes further service cuts and increased charges wherever possible.

Extremes based on political mantra in both Labour and Conservative parties are not helpful.

We need to look at the facts and focus on what will best benefit our residents.

Marianne Overton

Independent councillor for Branston and Navenby on Lincolnshire County Council and for the Cliff villages on North Kesteven District Council 
Leader Lincolnshire Independents

Animals

Thanks for your support

On behalf of Hollies Animal Rehoming Trust and all the animals currently in our care, I would like to say a massive thank-you from the bottom of my heart to the staff and customers of Iceland in Sleaford.

We were advised that we were to be the store’s nominated charity in the run-up to Christmas.

In the three weekends leading up to the big event, we were allowed in store to bag pack and last night I took delivery of the donations of goods and toys which had so kindly been received.

This will make such a difference as we move into the new year and will all go towards the animals in our care.

Daisy is one of our rescue dogs looking for her forever home and enjoyed helping me sort the donations.

Thank you so much again from everyone involved in our charity.

Liza Yeaman

Via Facebook

Sleaford Live

Make sure you are in our guide

Preparations for Sleaford Live 16 Festival have been on-going since July 2015 and are now coming to an exciting last few weeks.

This’ll be the 12th year that this successful event has taken place, growing from mainly musical venues to include theatrical performances, dance, choirs, painting, poetry, drama, workshops - in fact, every form of artistic talent offered in Sleaford and the surrounding villages. The ten-day festival takes place from Friday April 29 to Sunday May 8 in a variety of places, all noted in the 2016 programme .

The events part of the programme is filling up fast so we would like to hear from any entertainers - soloists, bands, dance, drama or music groups - who have not yet contacted us re performing at the festival. Or if you have a venue and are missing a performer, we can match-make for you!

Please contact Keith Collishaw on [email protected]

The programme is distributed free all around Sleaford and surrounding villages. Don’t leave it too late - please send details of your event or advertisement to committee members as soon as possible so as not to miss the deadline.

Updated news at www.sleafordlive.wordpress.com

Keith Collishaw,

Chairman, Sleaford Live 16 Committee.

fundraising

Santa will be back next year

On behalf of Father Christmas, members of the Rotary Club of Sleaford Kesteven and the Sleaford and District Round Table, I would like to thank all those people who generously donated to the recent visits by Santa’s sleigh to Sleaford, Heckington, Leasingham, Ruskington and Greylees.

Thanks to (mainly) good weather – apart from a slight dousing at times – the two clubs raised nearly £3,000, which will go towards this year’s allocated charities – many of which are in the local area. Santa will again be escorted by members in almost 12 months time.

Tony Dixon

Rotary Club of Sleaford Kesteven