Humber’s four local authorities working together ‘better than ever before’, North Lincs Council’s new boss tells Chamber

The Chair of the Chamber’s North Lincolnshire Area Council Rob Bradley (left) with Cllr Waltham and the Chamber’s Northern Lincolnshire Manager Anne Tate.

THE new leader of North Lincolnshire Council, Cllr Rob Waltham told Chamber members that the four local authorities in the Humber are now closer than they have ever been.

Speaking at the Chamber’s North Lincolnshire Area Council meeting, Cllr Waltham who took over the local authority’s top job from Baroness Liz Redfearn recently, said the four local authorities in the Humber “were working together better than they have done previously, and that was good to see.”

Chamber Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly welcomed the news, and suggested that there may now be an opportunity for a fresh approach, led by Northern Powerhouse Minister and Goole MP Andrew Percy and supported by Martin Vickers and Melanie Onn. “I sense that common ground is appearing and that the South Bank is making progress and is happy to be part of the Northern Powerhouse and the Energy Estuary,” Dr Kelly said.

Cllr Waltham also highlighted some of the other challenges facing North Lincolnshire Council, such as the cost of social care, and the uncertainty surrounding Brexit. He said: “There is lots of farmland in Lincolnshire and we are expecting much less cash in the form of subsidies.

“There is also £13-million for flood defences and there are 60 acres of business enterprise land for which they are now seeing enquiries thanks to £2-million for the Northern Powerhouse from the Regional Growth Fund.

Cllr Waltham also highlighted the challenges faced in regenerating town centres and said he wants to deregulate as much as possible and provide free car parks and markets. The Council had also launched a £800,000 investment for a new market in Ashby and noted that there may also be a new one in Scunthorpe later.

He said the Council needs to manage the transfer of business rates and the Government will be the principal funder for regeneration, so there is a need to be clearer about what is required. He said they need to be financially competitive on business rates, especially in the case of heavy industries like the resurgent British Steel plant.