Council suspends bin collections after third of staff affected by coronavirus
| Updated: 11:42, 12 February 2021
North Kesteven District Council has suspended its refuse and recycling services from today (Friday) and throughout the coming week (February 15 to 19).
The council says this is an unprecedented break in service, but has been necessary due to a third of the team having to self-isolate following transmission of the Covid-19 virus.
NKDC says it is hoped that following this break in service, all waste and street scene operations will resume on Monday, February 22.
Waste collections in North Kesteven have been suspended for more than a week. (44390286)
A reasonable amount of side waste will be accepted on the first recycling bin collection across the network, plus on household collections for Friday customers whose collection is missed this week.
Trial date set for man accused of rape and multiple child sex offences
Historic offences in Lincolnshire and Derbyshire
Derby Crown Court. | Photo: Google Street View
A trial date has been set for a 53-year-old man from Grimsby, who was charged with 21 alleged sexual offences against children, including 12 counts of indecent assault on boys under the age of 14 in Derbyshire.
Andrew Mark Ditchfield, of Fourways in Tetney, Grimsby, was arrested on suspicion of multiple offences on November 17 before the following day being charged with 21 offences against 11 victims.
He appeared at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates Court on November 19 and was remanded to prison. He appeared at Derby Crown Court via video link from prison on Thursday, December 17 for hearing and trial dates to be set.
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Lincolnshire’s council leaders said they are disappointed that the county remained under the toughest coronavirus tier 3 restrictions on Thursday.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said the vast majority of areas, including the Greater Lincolnshire region, would remain in tier three along with neighbours to the west Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
However, he also added that the county’s southern neighbours of Peterborough (Cambridgeshire) would be placed into tier 3.
Questioned by Gainsborough MP Sir Edward Leigh on why some parts of Lincolnshire could not be separated from others, Mr Hancock said: “We did look very closely at the southern end of Lincolnshire, which is a long way from where the rates are incredibly elevated around Lincoln, the coast and West Lindsey.
Council staff get extra Christmas holiday as COVID efforts present
Most councils joined the scheme
| Photo: Adobe Stock
Under pressure staff at some of Greater Lincolnshire’s councils will be rewarded with an extra day off.
Several councils have confirmed the move in response to the hard work that staff have done over the coronavirus period.
A scrutiny committee at West Lindsey District Council is due to agree a day’s additional leave on Thursday, while the City of Lincoln Council’s executive will examine similar plans on Monday.
City of Lincoln council leader councillor Ric Metcalfe said staff had done “a magnificent job” during the pandemic.