Latest news with #AshleyBaxter
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
The Lady's not for spurning: Margaret Thatcher's home town will hold week-long festival to mark what would have been Tory icon's 100th birthday
Margaret Thatcher 's hometown is planning a major festival to mark the centenary of the Iron Lady's birth. 'The Festival of Thatcher' is being backed by council leaders in Grantham, Lincolnshire, in celebration of the UK's first female prime minister. It would take place in the week of October 13, 100 years after Margaret Roberts , as she was then, was born in the market town. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, South Kesteven District Council leader Ashley Baxter told a meeting of its finance and economic overview and scrutiny committee meeting this week: 'My aim is that, with the events happening during the week marking 100 years since the birth of Margaret Thatcher, anybody coming into Grantham - regardless of whether they are the son of a blacksmith or the son of an industry baron - should realise that Grantham was the home of Margaret Thatcher. 'And they and should go away thinking, ''they told the story fairly, and that was a fair representation of what Margaret Thatcher's impact on the UK and the world was''.' Mrs Thatcher was born on October 13 1925 and spent her childhood in the Lincolnshire market town before heading off to Somerville College, Oxford, at the age of 18 to study chemistry. Despite her historic time in office, the former Tory leader's legacy remains controversial. Last year Grantham Museum rejected a plea to rename itself in her honour, with managers saying it existed to promote 'all of Grantham'. The late Conservative Prime Minister became MP for Finchley in 1959 and succeeded Edward Heath to become Tory leader in 1974, before leading the country from 1979 to 1990. The argument about how or even whether Mrs Thatcher, who died aged 87 in April 2013 after suffering a stroke, should be recognised in Grantham has rumbled on for nearly two decades. A statue of Mrs Thatcher has stood outside the museum, which is devoted to the history of the town and the surrounding area, since 2022. But it has been repeatedly vandalised.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hundreds of council homes to get energy upgrades
A council has agreed to spend almost £8m on energy efficiency improvements to its housing stock. South Kesteven District Council's cabinet formally approved a contract to upgrade an estimated 273 council-owned properties at a meeting on Tuesday. Measures include fitting solar panels and low-carbon heating measures. Work is expected to start in June. Virginia Moran, cabinet member for housing, said: "This is an extension of considerable work that we have already done on a number of properties." Council leader Ashley Baxter described the project as a "triple whammy", by "improving our council stock, reducing bills for our residents and improving the environment." It comes after the authority submitted a bid to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, which awarded a grant of about £4m, which will be match-funded by the council. The contract, with Equans Building Ltd, is valued at about £7.8m over a three-year period, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. isten to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Plans for 250 homes given the go-ahead New solar farm on outskirts of town is approved Council pays £250k a year to power disused factory Local Democracy Reporting Service South Kesteven District Council
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Hundreds of South Kesteven council homes to be upgraded
A council has agreed to spend almost £8m on energy efficiency improvements to its housing Kesteven District Council's cabinet formally approved a contract to upgrade an estimated 273 council-owned properties at a meeting on include fitting solar panels and low-carbon heating is expected to start in June. Virginia Moran, cabinet member for housing, said: "This is an extension of considerable work that we have already done on a number of properties."Council leader Ashley Baxter described the project as a "triple whammy", by "improving our council stock, reducing bills for our residents and improving the environment."It comes after the authority submitted a bid to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, which awarded a grant of about £4m, which will be match-funded by the contract, with Equans Building Ltd, is valued at about £7.8m over a three-year period, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. isten to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Festival of Margaret Thatcher planned in Grantham for centenary
A festival to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Margaret Thatcher's birth is due to be held in her home town later this former Conservative prime minister was born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, in 1925 and died in April 2013, aged Kesteven District Council is planning a programme of events during the week of 13 October.A council meeting earlier heard ideas being suggested for the festival, including themed beers with names such as Iron Lady or Grantham Lass, which would "relate to the Thatcher experience". According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, details of the programme are still being developed, with little yet confirmed about what will be included in the leader Ashley Baxter indicated the event could be called "The Festival of Thatcher".Speaking at a finance and economic overview and scrutiny committee meeting on Tuesday, he said he hoped the event would give a fair representation of the former PM's "impact on the UK and the world".Thatcher was the UK's first female prime minister and held the post from 1979 until her resignation in Whitfield, assistant director of leisure, culture and place at the council, described the anniversary as a "significant event for Grantham".She said: "There will be a lot of organisations wanting to put on events, performances and shows. "What we're trying to do is bring together a group of stakeholders so they don't all end up fighting for the same bite of the cherry, and so there's a co-ordinated approach."Conservative councillor Mark Whittington pointed out that 2027 would mark the 300th anniversary of the death of Isaac Newton and his former school in Grantham was planning to celebrate the said he and fellow councillors had met the headmaster of The King's School about plans for a year of events. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cash for town centre improvements announced
Plans have been announced for an £880,000 town centre improvement scheme in a Lincolnshire market town. South Kesteven District Council has approved plans for a number of projects in Grantham including the installation of power to Market Place and Westgate along with planters, benches and cycle parking. Work to mitigate damp and improve environmental conditions for exhibits at Grantham Museum has also been agreed. Officials said the scheme would be funded using money left over from other projects funded through the government's Future High Streets Fund. Other proposals include new signs for the railway station and other points of interest along with improvements to the public space and the conservation area of the cultural quarter. At a meeting of the council's cabinet, council leader Ashley Baxter said: "The prospect of even more investment in Grantham town centre is great news for residents, businesses and visitors. "These projects will be funded from a windfall resulting from an underspend against the budget for the recent Market Place and Station Approach improvement works," he added. Work was completed in the market area in September last year after complaints of traffic chaos caused by multiple roadworks in the centre of the town. Last week, the council offered businesses a free spot in the market as part of a four-week trial. Council officials said the project would give traders "a feel for trading on Grantham Market" before deciding whether to sign up for a regular spot. The new projects must be contractually committed by the council by 31 March and be completed by the same date next year under the terms of the fund. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Traders offered free trial spot at market Multiple major road schemes 'crippling' town South Kesteven District Council
