Posts Tagged ‘Lincolnshire County Council’

Quad Restaurant reusable coffee cup

January 8, 2019

Quad Restaurant demonstrating how not to.

Not barista friendly ugly plastic reusable coffee cups, one of the worst examples of reusable coffee cups I have come across.

No surprise,  low take up.

The Quad is the privately run renamed former County Restaurant, the staff restaurant of Lincolnshire County Council.

Early last year, it was the norm to see staff sitting at table drinking tea or coffee out of a takeaway cup when ceramic cups available.

This has at least improved, more are using ceramic or compostable cups. But where are the compostable cups deposited? This will be general waste stream unless special bins provided.  A tiny step in the right direction but still a  fair way to go.

Plastic cups are still being used for water. These should be glass.

Plastic is being used for their own yogurts. And why low fat yogurt with additives which is very unhealthy?

Only one person observed using a Quad Restaurant reusable cup everyone else using ceramic or Vegware compostable cups.

The reusable cups need to be removed, or if compostable cups for people to take back to their office, bins for compostable cups.

Lincolnshire County Council should be setting standards, not lagging behind best practice of indie coffee shops.

The County Council needs to do a deal with KeepCup, ecoffee or POLŪ to bulk buy branded cups, which are sold at cost to staff, given away at conferences, to get the message out.

There should be a latte levy of 25p on takeaway cups. The money goes into a  separate pot, once a month, staff choose, funds raised go to a local environmental group.

Should aim at 80% minimum of replacement of takeaway cups with reusable cups.

But also recognise compostable cups, reusable cups, are addressing symptoms of a grab it and go takeaway culture. Should encourage relax with coffee served in ceramic.

The Quad should have a target date for plastic free, zero waste.

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Posted in Lincoln, NotoCosta | Leave a Comment »

Vegware compostable coffee cups at County Restaurant

January 11, 2018

County Restaurant is one of the best kept secrets in Lincoln.

It is one of the best places to eat lunch weekdays.  Or was. It went downhill. I am pleased to say it has improved, at least if my roast dinner and sweet that followed is typical of the daily fare.

Sitting by the side of the coffee machine, vegware compostable coffee cups. Also some other coffee cups not sure what they were.  Also lids, not sure if compostable.

About half the people with a  drink were using the takeaway cups. There were ceramic cups available.

By the drinking water, plastic cups and glass.

The majority of people a takeaway cup to take back to their desk.

Unless bins for the composting of the cups, nothing has been gained and the cups will go to the waste stream.

It beggars belief, polystyrene burger-style boxes for takeaway food.

Encourage relax with a coffee in the restaurant, a coffee in a ceramic cup.

Though as there are indie coffee shops in the town serving speciality coffee, why not take a walk, relax in an indie coffee shop, support the local economy, not drink something disgusting out of a  machine?

For those wishing to take back to their desk, bring your own coffee cup, have KeepCup on sale, bulk buy, brand with Lincoln Imp and a slogan to encourage their use, sell at a discount.

As this is Lincolnshire County Council, responsible for waste disposable and recycling, why are they not setting much higher standards? They should be showcasing best practice for others to follow.

The lid and cup have been retained. They will be dropped on the compost heap to see what happens.

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Posted in Lincoln, NotoCosta | 1 Comment »

Lincolnshire Libraries Decision – Reactions from Public & The Library Campaign #LibraryPlanNO

February 4, 2015

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Posted in books, culture, Dark Mountain, democracy, Lincoln | 1 Comment »

Mass closure of Lincolnshire libraries

February 3, 2015
Lincolnshire pop up library

Lincolnshire pop up library

Councillor Worth and his fellow undemocratic clods at Lincolnshire County Council have committed cultural vandalism. — William Hussey

We go round in circles.

Lincolnshire County Council decided upon mass closure of public libraries.

There was no public support, but hey, we are arrogant county councillors, our only interest is in getting our snouts in the trough. We don’ t give a toss what the public thinks or wants.

The Council were challenged in the High Court. Lawyer acting for the Council was forced to admit, not a single person in favour of library closures. The judge slammed the council for its arrogant high handed treatment of local people. A victory for the local people.

The Council could then have done the decent thing, heeded public opinion, listened to what the judge had to say. But oh no, mass closure of public libraries was back on the agenda.

At a scrutiny committee last week, its role as the name suggests, to scrutinise. The public were allowed to speak, but only for three minutes.

A councillor who tried to raise valid points, was cut off mid-stream, all discussion or debate terminated.

The committee rubber-stamped mass closure as they had been ordered to do.

This is what constitutes scrutiny in Lincolnshire.

Today the executive voted on the matter. The same executive who had decided on mass closure of public libraries.

It was a foregone conclusion, mass closure of public libraries.

County councillors who show arrogant contempt for the public.

County councillors who think they are above the law.

County councillors who are unfit to hold public office.

County councillors who should be surcharged for so far wasting nearly three-quarters of a million pounds of public money.

The decision to close libraries has no support, not from local people, not from writers, not from local councils, not from county MPs, not from government ministers. The Philistines that took the decision to close libraries are completely isolated. They represent no one other than themselves.

This is what constitutes democracy in Lincolnshire.

Out of 45 libraries, only 15 will remain, leaving 30 that will either close or be run by volunteers. Volunteers are making very clear, they are not prepared to be unpaid labour for a corrupt and rotten council. The 30 will suffer a slow death. Of the 15 on reduced hours, the Council is trying to privatise.

The public do not want to see their libraries closed.

Two fingers to the public.

And what do the library staff think?

The library staff are gagged.

Consultation is not going through the motions. Consultation is heeding what is said, then adapting policy accordingly.

The Council has a legal duty to carry out genuine consultation. In this the Council has failed.

A second Judicial Review?

As we have seen in Greece a Syriza grass roots revolution is required in Lincolnshire, not because local people want the trappings of power or wish to get their snouts stuck in the trough, but because much needed reform is required in the way the County Council functions, currently Lincolnshire County Council is not fit for purpose.

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Posted in books, culture, Dark Mountain, democracy, Lincoln, literature | 2 Comments »

Kim Jong Un of Lincolnshire

December 21, 2014
Martin Hill Lincolnshire's answer to Kim Jong Un

Martin Hill Lincolnshire’s answer to Kim Jong Un

The leader of Lincolnshire County Council is the Kim Jong Un of Lincolnshire.

Snout in the trough, an increase in his allowances whilst public services slashed.

Philistine, mass closure of two-third of the libraries in Lincolnshire, those that remain on reduced hours. The people fought back, a stunning High Court victory.

The latest from this nasty jumped up petty demagogue, is to force through constitutional changes, whereby it will no longer be possible for the people to petition the council and force a matter of concern to be discussed.

Once again Martin Hill sticks two fingers up to the people of Lincolnshire and shows he is unfit to hold public office.

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Posted in democracy, Lincoln | Leave a Comment »

Do the decent thing Mr Worth… apologise!

October 13, 2014

So Lincolnshire County councillor Nick Worth, Executive Member for Libraries, says (Echo, October 2): “I have nothing to apologise for”.

Nothing to apologise for? After being responsible for wasting vast amounts of Council Tax Payers’ money (thought to be as much as £100,000) on a flawed and futile public consultation to which the outcome was already pre-determined, he feels there’s nothing to apologise for?

This is a pretty incredible statement after his proposals were judged flawed in the High Court in a Judicial Review.

So now the consultation has to be done all over again, at yet more public expense, and in the meantime library hours have already been cut all over the county. None of the benefits promised by Mr Worth have been delivered – just the cuts and the wasted money.

And Lincolnshire is now seen across the country as the failed, dead-beat, backward county that values its citizens so highly that it considers a decent library service too good for them. Even a fellow Conservative local MP, Sir Edward Leigh, has criticised the proposals.

And the new consultation itself (about which Mr Worth laughably says “We are open-minded, so if you have a proposal, please complete the survey.”)? Does it give the public the chance to tell the County Council that it wants the library cuts reversed? Not at all. All it does is to provide ‘the opportunity for respondents to suggest alternative means of providing library services in Lincolnshire, which are comprehensive and efficient, and therefore consistent with the council’s legal duties, and affordable within the council’s budget.’ No scope for telling the County Council to stop the cuts and get on with the job of running a proper library service – just the chance to come up with better ideas for hacking back our libraries than the half-baked ones dreamed up by Mr Worth.

A County Council Executive report has already accepted that the response to the original consultation ‘was predominantly negative and that those who responded were generally opposed to changes to the library service.’

It also accepted that there were criticisms of the consultation process itself. Why not do the job you’re paid to do, and give us a decent library service that the county can be proud of – rather than ashamed of? Not so long ago, another Lincolnshire public servant claimed that he had nothing to apologise for. He too was responsible for mistakes that had to be sorted out by the costly intervention of the High Court.

He too brought the county of Lincolnshire into disrepute. He too cost Council Tax Payers large amounts of money. That man was Alan Hardwick, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire. He had to apologise in the end.

Come on, Mr Worth – take the honourable course of action. Apologise to county taxpayers for the mess that you’ve presided over and give the public what they’ve told you they want instead of battling on with these ludicrous and damaging plans.

— J Thorpe

Originally published by Lincolnshire Echo.

Nick Worth has shown arrogant contempt for the public. He is unfit to hold public office and should resign.

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Posted in books, Lincoln | 2 Comments »

Lincolnshire County Councillors snouts in the trough

June 10, 2014

The obscenity of increase in allowances for Lincolnshire county councillors whilst simultaneously they impose cuts, impose mass closure of libraries across the county.

And less we forget, they quite literally get their snouts in the trough when it comes to pig time in the County Restaurant.

One rule for them, one rule for local communities. For elected officials, it is a gravy train run at our expense.

One again we see the need for a right of recall, to kick these odious councillors out of office.

The local community is now crowd funding to raise the money for a Judicial Review of the mass library closure.

Well done Stephen Palmer, who has had the decency to donate his £100 increase in allowances to the fund to fight a Judicial Review. Will other councillors have the decency to follow his excellent example? We are waiting to hear from you.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Philistine councillors support mass closure of Lincolnshire Libraries

June 9, 2014
Save Lincolnshire Libraries

Save Lincolnshire Libraries

When a society destroys its libraries, you know there is something very sick at he heart of that society.

Lincolnshire County Council is planning what amounts to little more than wanton vandalism of its libraries. The county has seen nothing like this, not since the Vikings and Henry VIII ransacked the monasteries and destroyed centres of learning.

Why, because a bunch of Philistine councillors having decided libraries are not needed. Austerity, an excuses for Shock Doctrine, slash and burn of public services.

Lincoln saw its biggest ever demonstration, but those who took to the streets, were treated with arrogant contempt by county councillors.

It is not only Lincolnshire, where corrupt councillors and officials, in the pocket of Big Business and greedy developers, are failing to act for local communities.

People have had enough.

If nothing else, this illustrates why we need the right of recall, not just for Members of Parliament, but also local and county councillors, who are failing to act in the best interest of their local communities.

Those who will suffer most, are kids from poor backgrounds, who have no books in the house, where they have no safe place to study at home.

This is the council that wastes money on shipping its staff around Lincoln in taxis because they are too bone idle to walk. Their excuse is it is not safe, they have a duty of care. Would a commercial organisation waste money on taxi fares for its staff to travel across the town centre? We know the answer would be no. Not safe? Not safe from what? Are they going to be mugged, run down? Maybe they will encounter angry local taxpayers. The council is responsible for both policing and road safety. A good turn off for tourists, do not come to Lincoln, its streets are not safe.

Cost cutting does not of course extend as far as councillors, who are only too happy to get their snouts in the trough.

Lincolnshire actually has a budget underspend of £40 million.

Lincoln Yellow bellies, are not taking this lying down. They are crowd funding to raise the necessary money to file a Judicial Review. Please support their fund raising.

Meanwhile tax dodgers Starbucks, Vodafone et al are laughing all the way to their offshore tax havens.

This coming Saturday, UK Uncut plan to occupy Vodafone in protest at their tax dodging. UK Uncut put the figure at £6 billion. A recent Private Eye report puts the figure much higher, ten times as much.

Tax dodging and austerity are two sides of the same coin.

Those fighting the Lincolnshire library closures, should ensure every single Vodafone shop in the county is occupied on Saturday. And spread the word.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Lincolnshire County Councillors get their snouts in the trough

January 11, 2013
bangers and mash

bangers and mash

Lincolnshire County Councillors have quite literally got their snouts well and truly stuck in the trough.

To feed these councillors lunch when they have a meeting costs just over £17 a head for a two course lunch, a year ago it was over £18 a head.

How, how can it possibly cost this much when eating at the County Restaurant? They could go into town and eat at a good restaurant for less.

Main course at the County Restaurant costs during the week £3-30 for the dearer option, £2-80 for the cheaper option. For example sausage and mash with cabbage £3-30, liver and onions with cabbage and mash £3-30.

On a Wednesday, roast lunch £4-50. For a meal deal, roast plus hot dessert £5-50.

For dessert, a yoghurt 50p. On a Wednesday a hot sweet is available at £1-50. A hot sweet used to be available every day.

During the winter, soup at £1-20 (plus 50p for a bread roll) is available as a starter.

The quality of the meals varies, but used to be very good, of late standards have slipped.

Absolutely no way does this come to £17 or £18 a head.

There is absolutely no reason the councillors cannot queue up with their tray same as everyone else, other than their own self-inflated importance. But please do not all join the queue at the same time and delay others as people value their lunch break.

Typical meals

For the snouts in the trough Lincolnshire County Council has a £22,000 catering bill for lunches during full council meetings. This at a time of savage spending cuts across the county. This at a time when the poorest paid council workers have to rely on tax credits and other handouts like food banks.

Lincolnshire County Council has admitted spending almost £22,000 on lunches for councillors attending meetings since 2009. A total of £21,940 was spent catering for the 77 councillors at 17 full council meetings. That works out an average of £16.76 per head. Here is a breakdown of the figures:

  • 2009-2010: £6942.77 for 5 meetings = £18.04 per head
  • 2010-2011: £6235.79 for 5 meetings = £16.19 per head
  • 2011-2012: £4832.43 for 4 meetings = £15.69 per head
  • 2012-2013(so far): £3929.44 for 3 meetings = £17.01 per head
  • TOTAL SINCE 2009: £21,940.43 for 17 meetings = £16.76 per head

Maybe the councillors should sit down and eat what schoolchildren are served for lunch, if Scotland is anything to go by, not very good, as shown by Martha Payne on her food blog NeverSeconds, maybe they would like to try what was served up early May 2012.

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Posted in food, Lincoln | 1 Comment »

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