Cllr Mark A Kirk

This morning we met with two of our local Labour MPs, Ian Cawsey and Elliot Morley, to discuss a number of issues including post offices and Humber Bridge tolls. At last week's full council meeting the council approved our motion to meet with the MPs and open dialogue with the Local Government Association (LGA) to see what we can do with regards to post office provision where post offices may recently have been closed.

We actually put forward this plan in 2006 but then then Tory council voted it out. Unfortunately they did not support the motion this time round either and the 18 Tory members all abstained from the vote. So much for working together and putting politics aside!  In Parliament last week our three MPs approved a £1.7-billion funding package which will ensure 7,000 post offices survive. The Tories voted against this and instead made a big deal in the media about MPs voting against keeping post offices open - this wasn't quite true.

We informed the council last week we would be meeting with Elliot and Ian and we did that today. It is not as simple as just saying we can bring back all closed post offices and we must look carefully at the entire issue. Council officers are looking at the options and we have been in touch with councils in Essex and East Riding to see what they are doing and whether we can do something similar. A lot of work is going on behind the scenes and I will update the council when we have progress.

I was pleased to read in today's Scunthorpe Telegraph that Transport Minister Rosie Winterton MP has promised to work with ministers to look into concessionary fares for patients crossing the Humber Bridge for medical treatment.

This is obviously promising and I await further news with interest. But that will not stop us pressing on with gathering the evidence for the impact the tolls have on local businesses. We must keep up the campaigning and while I hope the Government will listen and be sympathetic towards those who need to visit hospitals on the north bank, I also hope we will be able to put forward a strong case to help reduce - if not scrap - normal toll crossings.

Tickets went on sale this morning for Lee Evans performance at the Plowright Theatre. The response was fantastic with queues around the block as people tried to buy tickets. So many people tried to get tickets that phone lines were engaged and within an hour every ticket had been sold. 

This goes to prove that North Lincolnshire demands top quality acts. It has something we have lacked for many years now and a perfect example of why we must press on with the new entertainment venue. The Plowright Theatre only caters for around 300 while the new Baths Hall will cater for as many as 2,000. A new venue would attract top quality bands and comedians, like Lee Evans, on a more regular basis and would allow more people to see them.

We must push forward with plans for the Baths and get it built. Queues like this only go to prove the demand is there and we must not disappoint. 

(pic provided by the Scunthorpe Telegraph)

A new survey by the CIPFA shows that the average council tax increase across English councils is 3.9 per cent. This is the same level as the council tax rise we recently announced for the next financial year, which begins in April. There was further good news as the average council tax increase for unitary authorities across England is 4.3 per cent.

It is pleasing to see that we are in line with the national average increase on council tax levels. The modest 3.9 per cent increase represents good value for money - something external auditors have praised us on. The increase is despite increasing costs with many planned major investments including the new £15m replacement Baths Hall entertainment venue and nearly £6m for a new school and merger in Scunthorpe.

For the first time, we carried out an extensive consultation to find out what people's priorities were in terms of council services. This helped us decide where best to direct the money. Residents supported increased spending on a range of services and modest council tax increases. We will continue to provide good quality services to the people of North Lincolnshire and listen to what they tell us.

On Friday evening I attended the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain annual dinner in Wakefield. I am a big fan of shows and fairs and it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to be put on because land is being sold on for housing and developments.

There were a number of speakers at the event, including the Lord Mayor of Kingston upon Hull. Hull Fair is one of the biggest fairs in the country despite the problems that we face nationally.

It is becoming increasingly difficult for fairs because sites are being used for development. The Guild is looking at areas and more opportunities. I am looking forward to Sheldon Dowse's family fair coming to Carlton Street car park for the Easter Fair in Scunthorpe.