7 Our Environment

To meet the challenge of climate change; ensuring integration and delivery of the Climate Action Plan across all NK Plan priorities

£1m

further investment in our climate action agenda for the District

This additional boost will be used to fund high priority actions from our Climate Emergency Strategy and Action Plan, which is currently being reviewed.

It’s a huge investment but also just the start of meeting the cost of reaching net-zero.

The intention therefore is to use this money to ‘prime the pump’ for the big-impact projects we have in store to help take positive and tangible action on climate for our District.

We’ll share more as the monies are officially allocated to specific projects.

It’s coupled with the allocation of another £1 million in measures to build up reserves and resilience for post-Covid recovery and a further £1 million for investment in leisure assets, visitor venues and broader economic activity.

Don’t forget - you can see us at Heckington Show this year for more on how we’re acting on climate across our Council.

Could you Be

More Hilda?

Could you answer the call to ‘Be More Hilda’ by rediscovering the thrifty things that were once common – and could now help the environment?

Mrs Smith’s Cottage Museum has a six-month campaign calling on all of us to ‘Be More Hilda’; to rediscover a simpler and more sustainable lifestyle for the 21st century; just like Mrs Smith herself.

The aim is to reacquaint people with traditional lifestyle habits, with the added benefit that they can naturally lead to more sustainable choices such as seasonal eating, make-do-and-mend, growing your own food and reducing waste – and so shrink our carbon footprint.

A season of workshops, talks and events is on offer at the cottage, online, and around North Kesteven.

The programme will culminate in creating an almanac-style guide to be sold at Mrs Smith’s Cottage giving practical advice inspired by Mrs Smith’s life, interspersed with relevant quotes from her diaries.

For the full Be More Hilda events list, please visit www.

mrssmithscottage.com/bemore

Having been saved by the local community, Mrs Smith’s humble cottage in Navenby was first opened as a museum in 1999.

The museum was closed in 2012 when serious structural issues and deterioration of the building became apparent, however the Council worked to secure funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to see Mrs Smith’s Cottage brought back into use as a popular heritage attraction and today it’s run with the help of a team and dedicated volunteers.

Mrs Smith’s Cottage is open Friday to Monday from 12 noon until 4pm. Visitors can drop in, but bookings are recommended.

Visit www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/actonclimate to see more climate news

As part of our aim to help the District reach net zero by 2030, we plan to invest in more solar panels on the Council office roof.

The installation is expected to reduce our electricity bill by as much as 25% and save over 20 tons of C02 per year.

Upon completion, the project would see 230 solar panels installed on our Kesteven Street building at an estimated cost of £150,000, drawn from the Council’s ‘Invest to Save’ reserve – a fund specifically earmarked for projects that reduce long-term overheads. They could pay for themselves in as little as five years.

The new panels would add to the Council’s existing, smaller, installation that currently provides a modest contribution to energy usage and carbon footprint.

Investing in projects like this is vital to maintaining a strong and resilient financial footing that allows us to protect and enhance public services. The Council faces electricity bills more than doubling, with no action. Money saved on running costs is ploughed back into our wider operations, and the panels would help cut our costs and carbon footprint for years to come. The proposal will go through the planning process, but could be operational before next winter.

Already the Council draws free excess heat and hot water from Sleaford’s Renewable Energy Plant.

For energy saving tips and support, turn to page 17.

Photo: Chris Vaughan Let’s act on climate

Want the latest climate action news in North Kesteven - direct to your inbox?

Sign up for our Act On Climate newsletter online at www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/ stayconnected

or scan the QR code below with your phone!

Looking after our wildlife

More than 160 people helped launch our Looking After Lollycocks project by joining us on a free fun day.

Activities at Lollycocks Field in Sleaford included pond-dipping, bug hunting and habitat building and the chance to find out more about the project.

Species found included stickleback fish, tadpoles, water boatman and caddisfly larvae in the pond there, plus birds, beetles, butterflies and plant-life.

Keep an eye on the project’s progress and volunteering slots via our channels and at www.

hillholtwood.co.uk/looking-after-

lollycocks as Hill Holt Wood works on enhancements, including a new kingfisher nesting bank and more.

Under the Witham/Slea Blue Green Corridor project, in-channel works including bank softening in Sleaford will start soon to help improve the rivers for wildlife. Volunteers are welcome to help here also, look out on our channels and the project website for more on this.

We’ll share the results from our recent Blue Green survey soon too, which had a fantastic response.

Improvements at Lollycocks Field in Sleaford will include:

• Extended boardwalk to protect vegetation; • Refurbished scrape and two new scrapes added; • Kingfisher nesting bank • New hedgegrow and wildflower seeding; • Traditional and sensitive hand coppicing to encourage ground growth; • Neutral and fen grass land management; • Resurfaced path in a later phase of work. The Council takes a no tolerance approach to fly-tipping together with partners across the countywide Environmental Crime Partnership.

Fly-tipping can be reported to the Council at any time at

www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/flytipping

Remember the SCRAP

fly-tipping code:

SUSPECT all waste carriers; do not let them take your waste until they have proven themselves to be legitimate.

CHECK their waste carrier’s registration details, then verify them by searching the Environment Agency website or by calling 03708 506 506. Note down the registration number of the vehicle used. REFUSE unexpected offers to have any rubbish taken away. ASK what will happen to your rubbish and seek evidence that it is going to be disposed of appropriately.

PAPERWORK should be obtained. Make sure you get a full receipt and waste transfer note for your waste removal.

Follow progress and events online and on social media @withamslea

Garden Waste Collection Costs

Cost for collections Cost for bin*

(if you don’t already own a brown bin/s)

One bin £40 per year £35 each

Each additional bin** £8 per year each £35 each

*You only pay to purchase each bin once, it is then yours to keep and you need only pay the collection fee in future years. **You can have up to four garden waste bins.

Why not save yourself time, effort and hassle by signing up for our garden waste service?

A brown bin collection from your house is a convenient, low-cost and carbon-conscious option.

Simply fill it up, sit back and relax while our team collects it.

The cost of an annual service is £40 for a single bin, with collection of any additional bins charged at £8 each.

The cost to buy each bin if you don’t have one is £35.

The service runs up to 24 March 2023, fortnightly apart from a reduced frequency in December and January due to the drop in need for the service in those months, or when factors dictate.

Sign up at www.n-kesteven. gov.uk/gardenwaste, email

customer_services@n-

kesteven.gov.uk or call on 01529 414155.

You can pay by direct debit for seamless service and no need to renew each year.

The Council offers a paid-for collection service for bulky waste and electrical items, which ensures safe and environmentally-sound disposal or re-purposing.

The service can be booked at www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/ bulkywaste or call on 01529 414155.

Items collected include: sofas, bed bases, mattresses, washing machines, fridges, freezers and wardrobes. Collection can take up to five working days, but the day cannot be specified.

For up to three items the charge is £30 and £60 from four to six items. Electrical and non-electrical items are charged-for separately.

A combined total of almost £10,500 in fines and court costs must be paid by four people – plus a driving ban handed to one – after they were caught fly-tipping in the District.

You can read full details on the incidents and the fines handed to each of the four fly-tippers at

www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/news

One of them is William Jones, 41, of Lowfield Paddocks in Stragglethorpe, who is banned from driving for three months until July 24, after admitting fly-tipping (pictured below) at the Holdingham Biogas site on August 28 last year.

The ban was handed to him at Boston Magistrates’ Court, following a joint investigation by the Council and Lincolnshire Police’s Rural Crime Team.

In addition to the ban, Jones was ordered to pay a total of £3388.25.