Chair's report 2024/25
I was honoured to be appointed Chair of Gosberton Parish Council for 2024-5. This report gives an overview of the Council’s activities over the last year.
We have been working to improve road safety in the village. We have increased the number of Speed Indication Devices (SIDs) deployed around the village, most notably on the approach to Clough school, by the Risegate crossroads, and on Spalding Road. The process has been slower than we would have liked as we have to wait for Lincolnshire County Council Highways department to install suitable posts. Our Speedwatch volunteers have been much more active this year. They could, as always, do more with more volunteers. We continue to press LCC for further road safety improvements and have managed to get reduced speed limits on Spalding Road and Boston Road.
Larger capacity dog waste bins have been installed around the village. We have to regularly remind the Waste Control department at SHDC of the need to empty these as part of their domestic waste collections.
The Council helped out with the village’s D-Day 80 celebrations by providing the catering for the event in the Parish Hall. We also decorated lampposts with commemorative signs and purchased a new D- Day 80 flag.
We have, unfortunately, had a few instances of vandalism in Gosberton park. The council had to purchase specialist graffiti remover when play equipment was ‘tagged’. We also had to claim on insurance when the play tower was snapped from its mountings. It is very disappointing when the Council update and improve play areas only for them to be damaged by a small minority.
The issue of the cemetery reaching capacity is ongoing. Land for an extension to the cemetery had been earmarked in the Local Plan so years ago but the purchase of the land is proving difficult. While we continue to attempt to purchase the land, we are also looking into alternative plots in case we are unable to secure it.
As in recent years, with the absence of a British Legion branch in Gosberton, the Council have worked with local Church leaders to ensure there are Remembrance services at the village and Risegate war memorials.
Our garden allotments continue to be popular. We have had a couple of instances of the plots not being cared for. When this happens the tenants are asked to improve matters, if they are still uncared for the tenant is given notice and the plot offered to the next person on the waiting list.
I would like to thank all my fellow councillors for all their hard work throughout the year, it is great to have a group of people dedicated to the village. I particularly want to thank our Clerk, Fran, who is very efficient, keeps us all in order and often goes above and beyond what is expected of a Parish Clerk.
I end my report on a sad note. Earlier in the year we received news of the untimely death of one of our councillors. Haydn Richardson had only been a councillor for a few months but was already proving to be dedicated and hardworking.
N Oakman