Councillor Steve Swift

After months of working on a program to improve and replace play equipment, Bottesford Town Council has submitted its bid to the Big Lottery Fund for funding to bring about these changes.

Members of the Parks Committee have taken the opportunity to visit other play areas in neighbouring communities and it is obvious that Bottesford's parks in comparison are looking somewhat tired.

In determining how to move forward with the bid, the Council has contacted all schools in Bottesford and the response has been tremendous with some 606 individual replies being returned covering all seven schools as well as the youth club.

Children and youth across the age spectrum have given their verdict on what they consider to be their favourite and least favourite pieces of play equipment and offered their own suggested improvements to the town's Valley, Greenacre and Chancel Parks.

The exercise has certainly been worth while and hopefully, fingers crossed, a success.

A meeting of North Lincolnshire Council's Planning Committee yesterday (Wednesday 8th November) voted unanimously to reject the proposed development of ten dwellings on Chancel Road.

Committee and Ward Members had earlier taken a site visit to assess what impact the development may have. 

The proposed application if given the go ahead would have seen the building of eight 'three storey' houses and one pair of semi detatched bungalows on the site with access from Oakwood Rise. However as both representatives of the applicant and objectors addressed the Planning Committee outlining their cases the decision was to refuse permission. 

The controversial decision on whether to grant approval for development of the present garage site on Chancel Road takes place this week (Wednesday 8th November).

Planners are recommending North Lincolnshire's Planning Committee to grant permission to the building of ten dwellings on the site, a slight deviation from a previous application for eleven properties which was refused. 

The plans, however, have met with numerous objections from local residents and Bottesford Town Council on a number of grounds.

The meeting of North Lincolnshire Council's Schools Organisation Committee, convened (2nd November 2006) to consider objections to the merger of South Leys (formerly Riddings Comprehensive) and Thomas Sumpter Schools had to be abandoned amid confusion and chaos.

Questions remain as to whether the Local Education Authority (LEA) have followed correct guidelines in pursuing the amalgamation of the schools. 

Pupils, parents, staff and the wider communities will now have to wait until December 4th when the Committee reconvenes to consider the next steps on the future of Education in the area.