Issues and SWOT: West Lindsey

strength

Gainsborough has an operating cinema

The Savoy has completed its first year.

Proposed response: Monitor access and use alongside the operator.

Evidence

strength

Make room for homes people can afford

Average private rent is £741 a month (August 2026) in West Lindsey council area. This is £718 lower than the England average for the same month. Homes rented privately ranged from 7.9% in Sudbrooke to 45.6% in Gainsborough South-West — a gap of 37.7 percentage points.

Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.

weakness

Ageing public toilets affect everyday visits

Three town-centre facilities require refurbishment.

Proposed response: Publish closure and alternative-facility information.

Evidence

weakness

Bring support closer to people in poor health

5.6% of people reported bad or very bad health in West Lindsey council area (21 March 2021). Across England, the figure was 5.2%. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 2.9% in Sudbrooke to 9.1% in Gainsborough South-West — a gap of 6.2 percentage points.

This is how residents described their health in the census. It can reveal differences between neighbourhoods, but does not diagnose illness or measure current waiting times. Age profiles differ between places, so these shares do not measure service quality.

opportunity

Reuse an empty building for local activity

Brookenby’s former dining hall could provide a community cinema.

Proposed response: Confirm the remaining works and opening plan.

Evidence

opportunity

Plan homes and care around an older population

25.2% of people in West Lindsey council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021). People aged 65 or over ranged from 16.4% in Scampton to 39.2% in Torksey — a gap of 22.9 percentage points.

Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.

opportunity

Connect local skills to local opportunities

29.3% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in West Lindsey council area. Across England, the figure was 33.9%. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 8.8% in Scampton to 25.4% in Gainsborough East — a gap of 16.7 percentage points.

Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.

opportunity

Target safety work where problems repeat

Mapped police records are available for neighbourhoods in West Lindsey council area.

Published locations are approximate and some crimes are not mapped. Counts show recorded incidents, not the chance of an individual becoming a victim.

opportunity

Turn published plans into visible progress

3 named local projects or plans have official evidence in this collection.

A published plan makes responsibilities and intentions easier to inspect. It does not prove that funding is secured or that promised benefits have arrived.

opportunity

Target support where disadvantages overlap

Households facing two or more measured disadvantages ranged from 8.1% in Sudbrooke to 28.3% in Gainsborough East — a gap of 20.1 percentage points.

These households met at least two census conditions covering education, employment, health and housing. This is not an income or poverty measure.

threat

New work will fail without ongoing upkeep

The toilet programme responds to deterioration and growing maintenance demands.

Proposed response: Budget for cleaning and repairs with the capital work.

Evidence