Cuts-hit Lincolnshire County Council proud of its achievements

Determined Lincolnshire County Council is continuing to improve its services, despite widespread cuts in funding.
Firefighters at the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service tackle an arson attack in Gainsborough.Firefighters at the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service tackle an arson attack in Gainsborough.
Firefighters at the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service tackle an arson attack in Gainsborough.

That was the message delivered by Coun Martin Hill, the council leader at the annual general meeting of the authority.

Coun Hill highlighted the key achievements of the council over the last year when providing services for about 750,000 residents.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “We are determined to innovate at every opportunity, making services better, rather than just keeping them the same.

“This is no easy task at a time of hugely reduced funding, and with both demand and responsibilities growing.

“I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the last year.”

Coun Hill went on to list a raft of accomplishhments, which included the investment of £50 million in special schools, and £23 million to increase general school places.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue service had geen given a good rating after an inspection. Almost £10 million had been allocated for new fire vehicles and equipment, helping firefighters to handle 23,000 calls and 10,000 incidents.

About 3,000 households had been helped by the Troubled Families initiative, and all seven of the county council’s children’s homes had been judged as good or outstanding.

Adult social care had been delivered on budget for the seventh year in a row, despite considerable extra demand and costs.

There had been about 60,000 health-visitors contacts since the service was in-sourced last year, leading to significantly improved performance times.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

More than 100,000 potholes had been fixed and 85 miles of roads resurfaced, while £2 million had been earmarked for road-safety improvements.

Coun Hill named more of the council’s achievements, which included the continued reduction of landfill across the county.

More than 750 businesses had been sujpported to develop and grow, while a £1.5 million grant had been secured to provide superfast broadband in rural communities.

Two million books had been loaned out by the county’s libraries, and 1.5 million illicit and counterfeit cigarettes had been removed from circulation by the council’s trading standards department.

There had also been a £900,000 investment in a new countywide domestic-abuse service, providing specialist support for children and young people.