'˜We want action, and we want action now'

Caistor Town Council has vowed to take action over the town's empty buildings.

Councillors discussed the problem during their monthly meeting and agreed to compile a list of empty properties and any others needing 
attention.

Their plan is to then send this list to West Lindsey District Council, pushing for action to encourage owners to bring back buildings into 
use.

Coun Mike Galligan told the meeting: “Caistor’s main problem at the moment is derelict 
buildings.

“We want action, we want action now.”

Unlike the town council, the district council has details of building 
ownership.

One of the town’s most notable empty buildings is the Grade Two listed Westgate House in Plough Hill, which has been derelict for many years.

Coun Martin Sizer told the meeting that some of the town’s ‘iconic buildings’ were in a bad state.

He said: “That will continue unless something is done now.”

Coun Alan Caine said: “It’s really a case of finding new ways of getting these buildings back into use, 
commercially.”

Speaking during a public forum part of the meeting, resident Cliff Rust said he believed that unless the ‘state’ of these building was ‘pointed out’ then nothing would be done to tackle 
them.

He said: “Something really does need doing 
now.”

But Coun Angela Clark said the problem has been on the agenda for many 
years.

She said: “When I was on the council in 2003/4 this was on the agenda 
then.

“It’s been going on quite a long while.”

As well as contacting the district council, Coun Galligan questioned whether it would be possible to get in touch with MP Sir Edward Leigh and Lincolnshire County Council leader Martin Hill asking them to ‘drive this 
forward’.

He said: “Otherwise we’ll be here in five 
years.”

The meeting was held in the Arts Centre at Caistor Town Hall.

It took place on Thursday, December 
10.

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