Services Operating to reduced standards:

•  Bourne Corn Exchange is open for a limited number of events and activities.

•  Stamford Arts Centre is open for film, hires, workshops and activities. Box Office Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 8pm

•  The Guildhall Arts Centre in Grantham is open for a limited number of events and activities. Box Office Open Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm. Please click through for the Covid-19 precautions, actions and advice in place.  

Most SKDC public meetings can be viewed live via YouTube.

Click through for more information on how to join our meetings and/or to see the agenda: https://bit.ly/2Ypr0Pu

To make a general enquiry:

• Contact Us form online
• Email: customerservices@southkesteven.gov.uk
• Telephone: 01476 40 60 80
• Out of hours/emergency number: 01476 59 00 44

Services operating to reduced standards:

Grantham - All services are available by appointment only, these can be made by contacting us. Post boxes remain available for document drop off, these are collected weekly.

Bourne - Open for Library services as well as Council appointments that can be made by contacting us. Post boxes remain available for document drop off and are collected weekly.

Services operating to normal standards:

• Processing of online applications and email enquiries

Services operating to reduced standards:

• Telephone enquiries

Services withdrawn until further notice

• Viewing the electoral register
• Receipt of evidence 

Services operating to reduced standards:

• The council will use its discretion on deadlines for Freedom of Information requests
• The Information Commissioner's Office states that people should expect delays on FOI and Subject Access requests as resources are diverted to other areas

SKDC's responsibilities on homelessness operating to normal standards.

Repairs & Maintenance described below operating to normal standards:

• The priority for our Housing Improvement & Repairs service will be for emergency and external repairs only.

An emergency/urgent repair is something that needs to be fixed quickly because it is a danger to health or safety.

For example:

• no heating or hot water (during extreme weather)
• no electricity
• no cold, clean drinking water
• dirty water coming up through plug holes or toilets
• a damaged door or window that has left your home insecure
• a severe leak or burst pipe
• leaks affecting the electrics
• unsafe electrical fitting that is sparking or smoking, or bare wiring.
• excessive damp affecting the health of the occupant or the building structure
• external work eg roofing repairs

Services operating to a reduced standard:

Routine repairs will be logged. They will be dealt with at a later date as resources will be directed to ensure emergency and urgent repairs are dealt with.

Services withdrawn until further notice:

• Communal rooms at sheltered schemes remain closed.

Services operating to normal standards:

Applicants for new hackney carriage and private hire driver licences who have completed all parts of the application, including the Group 2 medical, can make an appointment with customer services for their application to be taken.

Services operating to reduced standards:

Vehicle Licences ​

• Vehicle licence applications should continue to be made as usual and will be processed when accompanied by all necessary documentation. Vehicle plates will be available for collection from Customer Services on Monday (am) and Thursday (pm).
• Documentation for vehicle licences can be emailed in to licensing@southkesteven.gov.uk

Driver Licences

• Driver renewal applications should be made as usual. Where the applicants own GP is unable to provide a group 2 medical due to reduced services, the applicant may obtain the medical from a different GP/Doctor who as access to their medical records. The standard SKDC medical form must be completed and signed by the practitioner.  

Our staff would welcome the use of face coverings for visitors to Wyndham Park Visitor Centre.

Planning Services

If you are intending to submit a new application, we would encourage you to use the Planning Portal's comprehensive online submission and payment service. Please see our website here for how to apply through the Planning Portal: http://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=8169

Applications made directly to the Council by email or post, together with cheque payments, could take much longer to process.

Services operating to normal standards:

· Planning Applications, Street Naming and Numbering, Land Charges and Planning Support will continue to be provided as normal.

· Planning Committee meetings have resumed.

· Processing Applications for temporary changes of use to allow takeaway services during COVID period.

· Coordinating requests to extend construction hours on building sites.

· Member training 

· Planning Policy functions

Services operating to reduced standards:

· Submission and payment for planning applications electronically via the Planning Portal are encouraged. Email and paper applications may take longer to process.

· All planning applications are being determined but with restrictions on site visits, including visits by Members of the Planning Committee.

· The duty planner service is replaced with telephone appointments.

· Non-statutory site notices are replaced by wider neighbour notification by letter.

· Urgent enforcement complaints are being prioritised.

· Site visits for enforcement cases that were delayed due to Covid restrictions are being visited as officers work through the backlog of investigations.

· Planning Policy enquiries will be dealt with via email where possible, or telephone.

Services withdrawn until further notice:

· Placing non-statutory site notices at application sites

Extended Construction Hours

Following the announcement by the government on 13 May 2020 regarding a relaxing of working hours on construction sites to enable greater productivity following the COVID restrictions, South Kesteven supports this approach but would remind developers of the need to balance extended working hours whilst continuing to consider the impact on local residents, some of whom may be working prolonged hours as key workers in the fight against Coronavirus.

Until 30^th September 2021, if your planning permission contains restrictions on construction working hours, you must make a request to our Planning Team who will consider your request in consultation with our Environmental Health Colleagues and issue a response to you before you begin to operate the extended hours. Please forward any requests to: planningenforcement@southkesteven.gov.uk .

It may also be helpful to Inform local residents, through your websites or by letter drop, of the Government's relaxation and your intended working hours. You may also want to consider offering a complaint helpline should be people feel they are being excessively disturbed. Please remember that the relaxation of working hours does not exempt enforcement action by this authority where a Statutory Nuisance has been established.

Message to Restaurants, Cafes and Drinking Establishments

Temporary Permitted Development rights allowing for the provision of moveable structures such as marquees, decks and large canopies within the grounds of the establishment cease to apply after 1^st January 2022.

If your establishment has erected such a structure it must be removed immediately after this date. If you wish to retain any structures after this date, you should apply for planning permission not less than 8 weeks before the end of temporary period to allow adequate time for your application to be determined.

House visits will be undertaken but entry to the property will not normally take place.