Weekly works progress

A series of major highway works are taking place in Grantham until December 2024.

Here is what’s happening during w/c 7 October.

Market Place

ActivityDates
Market Place works are complete—

Station Approach

Phase 2 – Station Road

ActivityDates
Continued engagement and dialog with businesses/residents and local councillors.Monday 7 October 2024 – Friday 11 October 2024
Install Nal sockets to splitter island and kerb build out.Monday 7 October 2024 – Friday 11 October 2024
Trim sub-base to islands and footway.Monday 7 October 2024 – Friday 11 October 2024
Remove, replace and reset ironwork.Monday 7 October 2024 – Friday 11 October 2024

Dysart Road

ActivityDates
Temporary traffic lights will be employed, along Dysart Road, from Trent Road to Heathfield Road towards the A1  this will be in parallel with the one way closure, and to protect the workforce and travelling public, this is to provide safe working space for deeper drainage works Monday 7 October – Monday 14  October
Topsoiling of verges on the South side from Goodliff Road and The AvenueMonday 7 October – Monday 10  October
Drainage works on north side of Dysart Road, from Kempton Way to Ventor AveMonday 7 October – Monday 11  October
Surfacing works commence Friday 4th Oct at night, between the hours of 7pm and 6am.  This will necessitate a full road closureCommence 4 October onwards
Final full switch of TM to the north side of Dysart for daytime works – closure will remain as westbound will be this week, this had been delayed due to the bad weather ta the start of this weekThursday 10 October

For more information please checkout https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/major-projects/grantham-highway-improvements

For completeness below is recent correspondence with Grantham Town Council which provides additional information on works:

Response Sent: Monday, September 30, 2024 5:06 PM – Cllr Tim Harrison & Town, District & County Cllrs

Dear Tim,

By way of a follow- to your email, I thought it would be important to respond to the points you make and the queries you raise below in-line:

—

Blame Game

As far as I know, no objective ‘blame game’ or ‘finger-pointing’ is happening. When approached by the media for comment, LCC must correct incorrect statements, often generated by incorrect social media comments. For example, the allegation that “LCC forced these unwarranted works on Grantham”. You will appreciate this is a false statement, and it is proper that we correct it when asked by the Grantham Journal.

  • TH: You refer here to one issue. There has been considerable finger pointing throughout since it all started falling apart. Indeed Sam Edwards was recently on local radio doing exactly that. 
  • RD: As previously stated, it’s important that we answer when asked about these works. It is a matter of fact that they were proposed by SKDC and at the meeting of the Future High Street Board (15/8/23) you and other members of SKDC voted to move forward with the scheme.

Background

For the record, I would make the following points concerning the Grantham works:

  • The Market Place and Station Approach works are SKDC’s brainchild. They are managed by the SKDC Future High Street Board (FHSB), of which you and several other district councillors and officers are members.
    • TH: You are correct, Kelham Cook and his cohorts did indeed come up with this brainchild. Despite Having a plethora of more appealing options. This, as you know was left until the only choice was undertake or hand the money back. You then came up with a plan you could deliver.
    • RD: The scheme scope was designed by SKDC. It was you and your colleagues who defined what they wanted to happen, i.e. the roadway on Market Place to be raised to create an event space and improved way finding on Station Approach. LCC merely took this ambition and turned it into a deliverable plan.
  • In February this year, we held a public engagement event where we explained all the schemes in the plan, and the then-District Leader, Cllr Richard Cleaver, presented the Market Place and Station Approach Plan. You were in attendance and voiced your opposition to both schemes. I repeated the position that it was SKDC’s project, and if you told us not to proceed with the schemes, then we wouldn’t. No such instruction was ever received from SKDC.
    • TH: As you say, I told you at that meeting that the scheme wasn’t wanted. I also raised, at that very same meeting, the issues of your scheme of roadworks colliding.
    • RD: you and your colleagues had plenty of time to change your mind and cancel your scheme, but you chose not to. If you were against it why did you vote for it on the 15/8/23?
  • Following this meeting, SKDC’s Future High Street Board formally decided to proceed with the Market Place and Station Approach schemes and instructed us to begin the contracting and procurement process.
    • TH: This is indeed correct and you then did this knowing what you already had planned throughout the town.
    • RD: the entire purpose of that evening was to publicise all the plans we had for the town.
  • In preparation for the busy period, we scaled back routine maintenance to minimise disruption. We worked with the various utility providers to avoid conflicts. As part of this reduction, we have postponed the High Dike works and the Greenhill Road / Barrowby Road crossing until 2025.
    • TH: You have indeed postponed the High Dyke works giving credit to Cllr Martin and Cllr Bailey. This however was only announced after I highlighted the problem and had requested you come and meet with the town council.
    • RD: You have never raised the High Dyke works with me. Cllr Martin and Cllr Bailey did.
  • For the duration of these works, we have LCC staff who are tasked with monitoring performance and scheduling permanently onsite in Grantham acting as our ears and eyes on the ground. Myself and other members of the team are also regular visitors.
    • TH: So which member of LCC Staff is responsible for the shortfall in setts causing the issues in Market Place? Your staff have also been very conspicuous with involvement with the town’s District Councillors and with the new town council.
    • RD: The contractor is responsible for their supply chain, we worked hard to overcome the various issues. We had previously raised this risk with you (FHSB Meeting 15/8/23)
  • Our works were programmed consecutively with limited overlap. These schemes were:
    • High Street, Great Gonerby & Gonerby Road, Grantham reconstruction and new crossing – 7th May to 31st May COMPLETED.
    • Barrowby Road crossing – 3rd June to 4th July COMPLETED
    • Alma Park Reconstruction – 8th July to 7th August COMPLETED
    • Dysart Road Reconstruction – 29th July to December UNDERWAY
      • TH: If by underway you mean a few path ends have been dug up to facilitate the closing of the whole road then you are indeed correct. I question the necessity of this.
      • RD: In which case you would be alone in thinking Dysart Road didn’t need doing. The surface condition and flooding have been causing problems for years and the scheme is probably the most urgent in the town.
  • Several suggestions have been made that the Station Approach works should be postponed or cancelled. As we have repeatedly stated, if SKDC instructs us to stop the work, we will. However, I would emphasise that there will be significant congestion whenever this critical junction is dug and worked on, regardless of timing.
    • TH: More apt would have been correct management of this project (as with the market place) from the off. The closure of the Wharf Road filter was questionable. The setting of the lights so close to Harlaxton Road bridge would indicate to even the casual observer that there would be issues with traffic being caught under the bridge. The scheduling of the lights leaves a lot to be desired. Most residents are saying the signage is very confusing. There is also then the massive conflict with Dysart road works
    • RD: We continue to monitor the works and adjust timings etc to keep traffic moving. 
  • We (LCC) have been meeting with the FHSB regularly for several years, and specifically in October 2023, when both schemes were discussed. I suggested that neither scheme was worthwhile and seemed more vanity than practical. You similarly expressed the view that you could see that the problems created by traffic delays and reduced footfall would far outweigh the minor aesthetic improvements. Despite this, the board pushed us very hard to agree to deliver these schemes by March 2025 (to meet their funding deadline), which meant doing them in 2024. We discussed the other Grantham works, which were already programmed, and the traffic problems that would no doubt occur.
    • TH: I’m sorry, this was not discussed at any meeting I was present at. However I did raise the issue, it was not discussed.It was merely said it would be dealt with, yet here we are.
    • RD: The minutes for many of the meetings are in the public domain.

Market Place Scheme

  • The Market Place Scheme began in May with an expected completion date of 19th August.
    • TH: So what happened to the controls on this?
    • RD: As previously explained there were problems on the scheme and it took extra time to complete, it is now open.
  • A dedicated Public Liaison Officer (PLO) has been onsite, acting as the central point of contact, whom I know you and others have spoken to regularly.
    • TH: This was not an officer it was an employee of Taylor Woodrow. Why did the shortfall of blocks not become apparent until Thursday 15th?
    • RD: the role is called Public Liaison Officer and it is a condition of the contract LCC entered into with Taylor Woodrow. The issues around blocks should have been apparent earlier but we were only informed late in the day. 
  • SKDC decided to raise the road level to the same level as the pavement.
    • TH: Yes they, did under your advice, I also said at the time if you are doing that why not the lay-by in front of  Prime Comfort. Yours and Sam Edward’s response was that the drains couldn’t cope with it, until I pointed out that the whole Market place used to be a flat space, (until you and Mark Heaton dug it up in 2011), and it all drained perfectly then. Plus the fact that the Mowbeck runs under there.
    • RD: No, it wasn’t our advice to level the surface. That was a requirement from the SKDC scope that first arose, I believe, in your bid to central government. The issue with raising the remaining section is about utilities generally and the need to get permissions for diversions and the impact that would have had on your budget and timeline.
  • We set up a WhatsApp group for local businesses and councillors. This has helped address access and delivery concerns by connecting impacted businesses with the team delivering the scheme. For example, when there have been issues with contractor vehicles blocking deliveries or people needing access to their premises to make repairs.
    • TH: You did indeed set up a WhatsApp group but I find it unsettling that you think this is something you should be lauded for, indeed it’s the very least you can do in the terms of engagement.
    • RD: It has worked well, it would be good if you could follow this as an idea on your schemes.
  • The quarry has had supply issues, and the blocks were delivered slower than we had scheduled. We issued this update on 19th August:
    • TH: So if the delays were apparent why was it not mentioned to us, the town, and in the WhatsApp group you champion, until so late.
    • RD: Once we had a clear view of the problem and the impact it was then the correct time to mention it.
  • The sett provider is a company called Tectonix. The setts are being installed by a sub-contractor 4 Smart under the main contractor Taylor Woodrow. The setts delivered to site have had three issues in the build up to the delay. A material defect with some of the setts which have been replaced by Tectonix free of charge, setts not being delivered in accordance with the agreed schedule and a higher percentage than expected of wasted blocks (due to cutting to size) from the contractors installing the blocks, resulting in additional setts needing to be ordered above what was anticipated. The additional orders that have needed raising with Tectonix will be recovered from Taylor Woodrow as part of the contract and LCC are considering all options available in terms of recovery from the sett provider. As the Market Place project and Station Approach project are being delivered under the same contract, the final commercial position and the overall project cost will not be until both projects are complete. The commercial arrangement of the contract is on a target price basis so any gain share / successful recovery of costs will be resolved when the contract is finalised. Any underspends that are generated through this process will be passed to SKDC for them to decide how to allocate, as Lincolnshire County Council is delivering this scheme on behalf of the District Council.
    • TH: So who was responsible for anticipating the setts needed and why didn’t they pick up earlier the delayed and sub standard quality setts? A large underspend would tell me precisely that there were not enough ordered in the first place.
    • RD: The responsibility lies with the contractors, Taylor Woodrow, however our onsite team should have picked up on it sooner. The large underspend has nothing to do with the blocks, its simply the costs of delivering the project is below your budget.
  • I am very sorry that this project has overrun. We are investigating the delays and the financial redress internally and with the contractor.
    • TH: How long will this investigation take? How much did you spend with Tectonix?
    • RD: Once concluded we’ll update SKDC as per the open book contract we have. You are in receipt of all timesheets and invoices from the contractors.
  • Any underspends and penalties will be passed back to SKDC for spending as you feel appropriate.
    • As they should, an unnecessary comment really.
    • RD: As these communications are being published online for the public to review, it’s important to provide as much context as possible.
  • The Market Place is now partially open to vehicles; access from High Street to Westgate is now possible. The Conduit Lane section remains closed to cars, and we expect to have it open by the end of September.
    • TH: What was the engineering issue in the market place that I was told was the real reason for the delay, was it the massive concrete block that wasn’t excavated, so the setts had to be massively cut down? Or was it the well that we nearly lost a vehicle down?
    • RD: I don’t know what this issue is you refer to. Conduit Lane was delayed due to blocks, however I am pleased to report it is now open.

Dysart Road Works

  • This big scheme has been in the planning stage for several months and is looking to address the surface issues and flooding problems along the entire length from the railway bridge to the A1.
  • The Dysart Road works began on 29th July with traffic management beginning 5th August, and we revised the traffic management plan to make the road one-way. This should allow for better traffic flow rather than using alternate lanes running with multiple sets of traffic lights.
  • As usual with our schemes, we have contacted impacted businesses and residents and liaised with the local schools and bus companies about road delays.
    • TH: I have it on good authority that your laison with bus service providetr is very poor and that indeed services are being removed. You have also not engaged with a single taxi company.
    • RD: Our liaison over Dysart Road works was good and in plenty of time. The bus operators and schools were reasonably content with the plan. I know your/SKDC liaison over your works on Station Approach was almost non-existent. We have subsequently tried to address this failure and done our best to make up time.
  • As with Market Place, there is a dedicated Public Liaison Officer for this scheme.
    • TH: I keep saying this is not an LCC Officer this is a Taylor Woodrow employee.
    • RD: No one has ever said it’s an LCC officer. The job role is called Public Liaison Officer, which we insist on as part of the contract. 
  • We continue to monitor the traffic management and have already made changes, particularly around the access down across Sankt Augustin Way, to keep traffic flowing as much as possible.
    • TH: I am sorry, with your experience and professionalism as a highway authority all guess work should be taken out of setting up the roadworks. Monitoring should only be needed to deal with anything untoward happening. Why was more consideration not given to a staged set of works on Dysart Road in order to impact less on the businesses, why could this have not been delayed until Station Approach was finished ? It’s not as if we haven’t been waiting long enough that a little more time would matter.
    • RD: Dysart Road works are the most important works to be done and we couldn’t go through another winter with the issues along the road. Surely you should have delayed Station Approach works. I accept that above you question the value of the Dysart Road scheme.

Station Approach Works

  • The Station Approach works began last week and, as expected, the first days were terrible regarding traffic congestion. There is no easy way of digging up the junction of the A607 and A52 without causing severe disruption. We have never shied away from this and have tried to warn people. I disagree with your statement that it is ‘rude’ to suggest to people they need to plan; accordingly as it is just a sensible, practical warning.
    • TH: No there is no easy way of digging up this junction. So make it easier by doing what I suggested when we met last week re signal timings, position of lights and opening up the Wharf road filter until it is absolutely needed. See below you actually actioned this. Why was this not planned before starting? Fail to plan-plan to fail.
    • RD: We have lots of suggestions and inputs from various people, we do our best to accommodate the various views. We make changes dynamically as appropriate and viable.
  • The first week of a scheme of this nature is always the worst; after a few days, people get used to the issues and, where possible, find alternatives. This isn’t to suggest that the congestion goes away, just that people get used to it. The initial pain has been compounded by a broken-down car on day one and a suspected drug driver smashing five cars up in the middle of the works on day two.
    • TH: I find it insulting that people who don’t live in this town have the audacity to just say to the people who pay their wages and live here….”just put up with our poor planning and mistakes and plan accordingly for your journeys”. The fact you think this is acceptable would indicate you are out of touch with local feelings.
    • RD: This is a blatant misrepresentation of what we are saying.
  • We continually monitor traffic at this location and elsewhere in the town and have changed the traffic light timings to encourage maximum flow.
    • TH: This would be expected as a given it is not a plus. 
  • One issue we have seen is vehicles queuing under the Harlaxton Road rail bridge. This has meant HGVs have struggled to get through, which blocks Wharf Road. To reduce this, we have moved the stop line back towards the BP garage and brought in a traffic management operative to hold traffic back so that the bridge stays clear.
    • TH: This was obvious this would happen as previously mentioned. Why did your planners not pick up on it?
    • RD: Moving to an extra phase for Old Wharf Road would have slowed the junction down, hence our current design with enhanced warning signs. 
  • Seeing how traffic was funnelling onto the junction from Dysart Road and Westgate, we have also moved the crossing to enable us to open up the western lane, so there are now two lanes exiting onto the junction.
  • The scheme is being done in phases, the first of which is the northeast quadrant, which is why the slip road onto Wharf Road is closed. As a partial option, we are exploring whether we can allow a left-hand turn out of Westgate onto Wharf Road using the temporary layout in place. This phase will be complete by the end of September, which should alleviate some delays as drivers will be able to turn out of Dysart Road / Westgate and turn left onto Wharf Road.
    • TH: This again was something I raised at our meeting last week. Something again that should have been picked up by your planners.
    • RD: It was, hence the phased approach with the most difficult section being done first.

Update on our meetings

Since the schemes started, we have met on two occasions onsite, the most recent being last Tuesday. We discussed several issues which it would be helpful to recap here (my comments are under each in italics):

  • You expressed concern about the number of complaints you had received and the perception from many that you and Grantham Town Council were responsible for what was happening.
    • I can completely understand your concerns over this. Grantham Town Council has no responsibility or mandate on highways issues, so it is unfair that it is held responsible. As a district councillor and member of the SKDC Future High Street Board, you are part of the decision-making process for the Grantham Market Place and Station Approach works. However, I appreciate you didn’t support either scheme.
  • You felt that our work was being rushed and our lack of maintenance over recent years meant everything was being done simultaneously.
    • RD: I am on record for saying that the lack of spending on roads in rural England is a problem. As a county council, we have always tried to maximise our spending on roads. However, we have to balance the budget against schools, children’s services, adult social care, etc. If we wanted to spend more on filling potholes, then some other areas would have to be cut.
    • TH: I’m sorry it must be just a coincidence then that the roadworks locally only get done in the approach to a county election.
    • RD: We do works across the county all the time. It makes sense to bundle works in batches by area to keep costs down and avoid years of ongoing delays.
  • You felt we had lied about the delays in opening the Market Place. In particular, you stated that curing the grout from the blocks took only four hours, not seven days.
    • RD: This issue is based on a misunderstanding. The seven-day curing time refers to the concrete base on which the setts are laid, not the grout between the blocks. As the materials arrive, our laboratory takes samples and tests them over time so that we know when they have reached a suitable strength to drive over. Seven days is the standard time we allow; obviously, if we rush this part of the process, there is a real risk that the blocks will come loose. We need to accept the professional opinion of the qualified civil engineers working on this issue who adhere to national design standards.
    • TH: For the avoidance of doubt here, this is a total switch around from what yourself and Sam Edwards said clearly to me and SKDC. You both, on numerous occasions, have stated that it was the grout between the blocks. It was not a misunderstanding. Then to compound this switcheroo I will remind you that the reason you came up with the claim it was the grout was because I highlighted to you the blocks had been laid many days already, you clearly both said it was the grout. Even when I showed the spec sheet from the manufacturers you still said it was the grout.
    • RD: The issue is clearly as I have stated and we have been consistent in stating that. You have never showed me a specification sheet for anything.
  • You felt that people who live in the town should make decisions on Grantham, not those who don’t.
    • RD: I don’t think this argument stands up. Firstly, we have locally elected county councillors. They are involved in the scheme planning process and help to draw up priorities. Residents of Grantham elect them with a specific democratic mandate to be members of the Highway Authority. Secondly, we have a local Transport Board, which meets regularly with local stakeholders to help discuss and coordinate issues such as potholes, public transport, and development. Finally, even local district councillors, like yourself, sit on the district council’s planning committee, which sees councillors from Grantham making decisions about what is built in the Deepings and vice versa. There is a limit to how locally decisions can be made.
    • TH: I totally agree with you, how many of those locally elected county councillors will be here tonight to liaise with the town council and take the message of their constituents back to County? How many highways representatives will be there?
    • RD: It’s for others to explain their approach. Does this mean you will be withdrawing from the Planning Committee at SKDC when it discusses matters not related to specifically where you live? I’d be interested to see the minutes and attendance list from your meeting. 
  • You expressed a strong desire to see electrical sockets installed in the Market Place to help the Market attract a broader range of stalls, providing the sockets were suitably weatherproof. You felt that this would help justify the work in the first place.
    • RD: The requirement for power sockets wasn’t included in SKDC’s specification before we started the scheme, but SKDC officers have subsequently raised it. Once SKDC has finalised what they want and where, it will be easier to comment on whether it’s feasible. I am concerned about the prospect of digging up the Market Place so soon after working there. It may be possible to deliver power to key locations in the area in such a way as to avoid digging into the new surface.
    • TH: I’m sorry, please do not falsify what was said when we met. I at NO point said it would justify the works! I said it was the least that could be done. I also wanted this doing whilst you were down there but you all, as with the lay-by, stated it was not feasible. However in our recent meeting you asked what kind of power access did I want there, to which I clearly replied that is your job, please just provide ones that work not like the ones in Stamford that were flooded after a few months (how much did that cost?) You said you would try to work it out.
    • RD: To avoid any further confusion and communication issues it will be best if SKDC does any further works under delegated Section 278 powers. You have made it clear the amount of expertise you have in delivering schemes so this way it will be much more transparent for the public and tax payer. I have no idea how much the sockets cost in Stamford.
  • You raised the east slip lane closure at the bottom of Westgate/Dysart Rd, where the road meets the junction.
    • RD: As mentioned above, Phase 1 of Station Approach involves working on that slip road, so the lane closure is required. As a partial option, we are exploring whether we can allow a left-hand turn out of Westgate onto Wharf Road using the existing temporary layout. We are confident that it can be lifted completely when the work moves to Phase 2 at the end of September.
    • TH: Why are these options not all considered before embarking on projects?
    • RD: they are, hence the design of the phasing.
  • You expressed significant worry that extra traffic and buses will gridlock the town when the schools return next week.
    • RD: I share your concerns, and we are meeting with bus operators and schools to try to plan accordingly. We will also have additional traffic management teams onsite the week the schools return so we can respond as quickly as possible to any issues on the ground.
    • TH: Why are you only meeting now? Are your planners not aware of school traffic? Surely any reasonable planning team would have all this sorted way in advance of  a project starting. This is messing with people’s lives and livelihoods. It is not a suck it and see project. Where are the risk assesments? What are your contingencies for an A1 closure or for, god forbid another fatality in the town and emergency access? It is awful now, what are your plans for when the schools go back?
    • RD: We met the operators over our works many weeks ago. When SKDC agreed to handle the comms for your schemes the expectation was that you would consult. Once we became aware you hadn’t we took it up. 
  • You flagged the fallen barriers over the missing tree planting area on Westgate.
    • RD: I have now personally picked them up twice, and I have asked our team to put extra sandbags on them. We hope to replace the tree later in the year.
    • TH: Why does this need to continually keep being mentioned and chased? Why is it not dealt with?
    • RD: You raised it. I am simply responding to your query.
  • We discussed the lack of financial compensation for businesses impacted by the Market Place closure, whRD:ich reduced access and footfall.
    • RD: As you know, I wrote to SKDC earlier in the year asking this exact question, and I will support you in pushing them to do more to support local businesses. After speaking to SKDC Leader Cllr Baxter, I believe that the town centre’s footfall figures are improving, and that will be in no small part due to your efforts regarding growing the Market.
    • TH: Please….the town’s footfall is dying since the advent of the Station Approach and the non starting Dysart Road. Championing increased footfall before that is a moot point
    • RD: I don’t think supporting local businesses is irrelevant.
  • You felt traffic wardens shouldn’t be in Grantham on Sunday and were sometimes too heavy-handed.
    • RD: This is a perennial problem as I get as many complaints about lack of enforcement as I do overzealous ticket issuing. We constantly adjust the schedule to try and find the right balance.
    • TH: The complaints about lack of enforcement do not include early mornings and evenings after 6pm. The complaints about lack of enforcement come from mainly residential streets affected by schools, commuters and the likes. Please dont try to blur the lines. You promised last year to liaise with me re-traffic wardens.
    • RD: I speak to many people over enforcement levels and it isn’t possible to keep everyone happy. Some want less enforcement, equally many want more.
  • You raised that cars are driving and parking on Welby Street despite it being pedestrianised.
    • RD: We are unable to enforce the moving vehicle offence; that is a police matter. We have instructed our traffic wardens to patrol the area and give tickets to vehicles parked in the pedestrianised area.
    • TH: As you said, my complaint wasn’t about moving vehicles it was the parking ones, remove the parking and they wont drive up there.
    • RD: We are patrolling for parked cars on the street, but equally there is private car parking behind the buildings which people are still accessing, we can’t control that.
  • Subsequently, you and others have reported water pooling in the Market Place.
    • RD: This has already been picked up as part of the snagging. I don’t have an answer yet, but it is likely the contractor will have to relay the blocks at the right heights.
    • TH: So…are you saying that on this brand new job that is now open in parts, will have to be dug up yet again? Who was responsible for quality control?
    • RD: No, it is open completely now.

RD: Being cognisant of the need not to confuse the residents of Grantham, dragging the town council into this through another set of meetings is not a good idea. There are already structures in place, such as the Future High Street Board and the Grantham Transport Board. Rather than introduce another group of councillors into the firing line, we will continue to work with SKDC, local residents, businesses, and all those impacted to try and minimise the disruption.

TH: I hear your opinion on Grantham Town Council not being involved because it will confuse the residents, in my opinion you do them a disservice. So far the structures in place are not working. Even you must agree that. But I am sorry, this issue that you and SKDC have created affects ONLY Grantham. We most definitely should be involved. Indeed if we had had a Town Council this last 50 years we most definitely would be. I will definitely continue to liaise with the people that voted for me. Only today I have been contacted by two large businesses in the town expressing their utter devastation at the way things are being handled. I will inform both of them of your response. As a highways authority you have passed these roadworks in the Market place as we speak I have just watched two near misses with young cyclists shooting across the junction. The issues that inclement weather will bring are scary. Where are the risk assessments for these issues? Where will the County be if there is a serious accident? 

RD: You voted for the Market Place scheme on the 15th August 2023. New road layouts can cause confusion at first as people get used to them and we will continue to monitor them. So far it works reasonably well. The design layout is as per your specifications and is broadly in line with what is done elsewhere in the UK, these low speed locations are designed to be pedestrian friendly and encourage car users to drive slowly by de-cluttering. I have met with various cycling groups and they haven’t raised concerns with me directly. I will write to you separately about the issues with your CCTV system and the vandalism in the Market Place. 

RD: I met with Cllr Ashley Baxter, leader of SKDC, this morning, and I’m sure he’ll report back to you as a local district councillor in due course. I would also urge any councillors or members of the public to speak to their local county councillor (https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/findyourcouncillor).

TH: For your information those Grantham County Councillors received my initial email, not one of them as yet has responded to me. What makes you think they will respond to businesses and members of the public? Most of the public I engage with have no confidence in a response. I will continue to liaise with Grantham people about what is happening in Grantham. They need to know who is making the decisions, mistakes and shortfalls that are affecting their livelihoods. In the hope that they will make better choices when next electing representatives. You see as a Town Council Chairman I don’t get a penny, even the bursary I get as a District Councillor goes back into the town, I have also never claimed a penny in expenses. So, Grantham people know that what ever I do as a Councillor is coming from a place of wanting better for the town. 

RD: I appreciate you are electioneering so will leave your comments for others to judge.

RD: I am very happy to continue meeting with you and others to discuss issues and improvements at upcoming meetings, such as the next Grantham Transport Board.

TH: I welcome more meetings with you, will you be coming tonight? 

RD: I continue to meet with lots of people over the current and future plans for Grantham. I think I was very clear about why I wouldn’t attend your meeting. How many town councillors did attend? Am I to understand that all of the above are concerns raised by the town council?

RD: Please do stay in touch and let let me know if you have any further queries. Please can you confirm when the agendas and minutes for Grantham Town Council will be published, it would be good to attend and see the council in action first hand.