Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, is facing significant pressure in her new role, due to an influx of over 2,500 emails from constituents per month. To manage this heavy load, she has sought an increase of £147,000 in her office budget in order to employ additional staff to aid with correspondence. At present, Dame Andrea is tackling these queries single-handedly which often requires working late hours.
A recent meeting of the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA) disclosed that expenses for the May mayoral election crossed £2.3 million, surpassing the sanctioned budget by an unexpected £630,000. The majority of this overspend was due to the cost of handling postal votes.
In light of this, GLCCA member and leader of North Lincolnshire Council’s Conservative party, Rob Waltham, has recommended seeking financial support from the government. His proposal to implore the UK government to help with defraying election costs has won the support of other GLCCA members, including Dame Andrea. They believe that adequate funding is essential for the authority to divert its focus towards local projects.
It is projected that the mayor’s office budget will witness a growth from £115,000 to £262,000 in the forthcoming financial year. This is expected to enhance the office’s ability to serve Lincolnshire’s residents more effectively.
This article was based on original reporting by the BBC, and was later adapted for The Lincoln Post.
