New Year message from Leader of North Kesteven District Council, Coun Richard Wright

It is a month characterised by Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, gates, time and doorways.

Here at the gateway to 2024, that characterisation seems apt as ever for North Kesteven District Council, the communities we serve and the partnerships we forge.

2024 sees the 50th anniversary of the council being formed - and indeed all district councils which emerged from the 1974 shake up in local government arrangements - and so an ideal opportunity to reflect on the pioneering

advancements made by this council over successive decades on improving quality and access to affordable housing; investment in job creation opportunities; and the promotion of safe, sustainable and flourishing communities.

Significant progress on all of these measures - and our environmental commitments and ambitions to be carbon net-zero by 2030 - was advanced in the last year alone, with more houses built for private rent; council homes

among the most energy-efficient possible including more council houses retrofitted for cost and carbon efficiency; completion of the first stages of the £70m new business park in Sleaford; approval for the £9m extra-care accommodation project in Sleaford; and innumerable grants, schemes and initiatives.

While there is no reorganisation taking place in the way councils like ours function as a consequence of the devolution deal and new arrangements for additional spending powers and delegation from central government to local determination on certain aspects of investment such as jobs, skills and environmental measures, there will be other changes. And to me that brings advantages of not only an additional £24m-plus per year for Greater

Lincolnshire to level up historical inequalities in investment on infrastructure, roads and skills, but also opportunities for all of the county to achieve more together for mutual benefit.

This £24m a year is also only a part of the deal, with a further £28m upfront with £2m-plus in immediate benefit to Sleaford's new enterprise park, and likely many further phases once the government sees that we mean

business and can be trusted to deliver.

As a council, we will still be looking to inspire climate action and a just transition to net zero across the district. We will still be committed to customer service, partnership and co-design of the plans we need to chart

our communities' future towards 2030. We will still be investing in our housing stock to unlock choice and advancing more of our ambitions for economic regeneration and community cohesion.

We also now have an opportunity to look at previous plans - plans that were put on hold whilst we diverted time and resources to our communities during Covid, and that will need a fresh approach in a post pandemic social and economic environment.

January is a gateway and through the devolution arrangements that people are currently encouraged to engage with and help shape for Greater Lincolnshire's benefit, and through the delivery of our own NK Plan which

targets investment and initiatives for people and places to flourish and the combined contributions of partners pulling together, it’s all a door I am very proud to be pushing early in 2024 on behalf of our residents and businesses and the wider area as a whole.

I thank everyone within the council, partners and most importantly our communities for the advancements made in 2023 - and indeed the past 50 years - in shaping our safe, supportive and sustainable places and making a

difference.

The general economic outlook remains challenging for many people and organisations and the council is no different in that regard, but we are in a strong position and well-placed to continue making that difference, daily, to enable every community to flourish.

I wish you well for 2024, and look forward to sharing with you our ambitions and new opportunities as they arise.