Leaders mark Lincolnshire Day just weeks after devolution green light

Lincolnshire Day has been celebrated on 1 October every year since 2006. The date was chosen to mark the anniversary of the Lincolnshire Uprising, a revolt by Catholics to King Henry VIII’s plans to establish the Church of England in 1536.

Political leaders, mayors and guests met in Brigg today to explore the heritage of the market town.

They toured the Brigg Heritage Centre, home to the 3,000-year-old Brigg Raft, a Bronze Age plank boat found in the town in the 1880s, thought to have been used to transport people and animals across the River

 Ancholme.

A walking tour of the town centre also explored how Brigg has contributed to the county’s story over the last 1,000 years.

Now in its fourth year, the Lincolnshire Day Civic Celebration Event began as a ceremonial show of unity and pride in our great county. Hosting of the event rotates between the North Lincolnshire Council, Lincolnshire County Council and North East Lincolnshire Council to showcase different areas of the county.

Previous events have been held at Normanby Hall Country Park in 2021, at Lincoln Castle in 2022, and in the Kasbah area of Grimsby Docks in 2023.

This year’s event comes less than three weeks after it was announced that Greater Lincolnshire’s devolution deal will go forward, following successful meetings between the three lead local councils and the new government.

Cllr Philip Jackson, leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, (speaking at the event on our video below) said:

“Lincolnshire Day 2024 is of particular significance as it marks a new dawn for our greater county. Lincolnshire has a great past, and we see evidence of that past as we look around Brigg today.

“However, we can now look forward to an even greater future as we prepare for the new responsibilities that devolution will bring for us all.”

Cllr Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said:

“It was brilliant to host Lincolnshire Day in North Lincolnshire once again and showcase Brigg’s heritage with our partners in Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. This helps strengthen our bond and vision for Greater Lincolnshire including bringing better paid jobs to the area, boosting skills, and making travel faster and safer.

“Only last month, the Greater Lincolnshire devolution deal was agreed, which means we can get to work on seizing this monumental opportunity.

“We will continue to strengthen ties across our great county – from Barton to the north, Cleethorpes to the east and Stamford to the south – working together to unleash Greater Lincolnshire’s potential and create a future full of opportunity for our young people.”

Cllr Martin Hill OBE, leader of Lincolnshire County Council, said:

“When we began working more closely with North and North East Lincolnshire council, we started the Lincolnshire Day Civic Celebration Event to show that the invisible lines of local government do not separate us; from the Humber to the Wash we are one Lincolnshire, working towards common goals.

“Now that we have our Greater Lincolnshire devolution deal ratified, those invisible lines have well and truly been erased.

“Meeting in Brigg on Lincolnshire Day today is not only a chance to celebrate the county’s history, but to look to a bright future, having secured this extra investment for skills, transport, economic development and environmental protection.”

Greater Lincolnshire’s devolution will see an extra £720m invested in the county over the next 30 years. This will be for priority areas of jobs and skills, housing and highways, transport, the environment and nature, net zero, digital improvements, and innovation and trade.

An initial capital funding pot of £28m is allocated to projects across the county including:

• Unlocking land for more affordable housing in North Lincolnshire.
• Supporting phase one of the Grimsby Town Centre Transport Hub.
• Roundabout works at Nettleham.
• Streetworks in Grantham.
• Flood prevention works, including a drainage improvement scheme in Kirkby on Bain.
• A new housing scheme for the Alexandra Dock, Grimsby.
• A grant programme within the UK Food Valley business grant programme.