MP Meets Residents in the Gatherums

Friday, 12th November 2004

Sir Peter Tapsell met with residents of Louth on Friday, 12th November to discuss Springside and the Gatherums. The meeting was organised by Kate Levey, one of the residents who is aggrieved by the graffiti, vandalism, and other evidence of neglect at this local beauty spot.

A small crowd gathered to voice their concerns. Groundwork Lincolnshire have been consulting and planning a project for well over a year for this area, but in that time no practical work has been undertaken. Some residents believe that the council are not doing enough to take care of Springside and the Gatherums whilst this project is being planned.

Peter Tapsell MP explained that he has no power to influence planning decisions, but he proved willing to listen to complaints. Unfortunately the same could not be said of the ELDC or members of the steering committee of the Gatherums and Springside Regeneration Group, who were conspicuous by their absence.

Kate Levey is a local resident and was involved with the Gatherums and Springside Regeneration Group before she resigned in protest at the project's slow progress.

Sir Tapsell toured Springside with residents, examining the extent of the vandalism and graffiti. Some people feel that it is unsafe to walk through the area at night. The MP concurred, saying "I think any woman would be stupid to walk down here at night." He agreed to write to ELDC to highlight the problems that were discussed.

Although Groundwork have secured at least £18 000 of funding, according to figures released at the Gatherums and Springside Regeneration Group's AGM, £16 232 of this is projected to be spent by the end of 2004. £10 000 of this comes from an Operation Gate It grant which can only be spent on consultation, but that restriction doesn't apply to all of the money. Further controversy about this project arises because the two members of Groundwork who are overseeing it, Andrew Mindham and Callum Howell, also sit on the steering committee. This puts them in the position of being both the client and the service provider for this regeneration project.