Upcoming RAF Scampton Home Office Event Draws Criticism
The forthcoming virtual community engagement programme at RAF Scampton, orchestrated by the Home Office, has faced scrutiny due to its online-only structure and has been termed as a "box ticking exercise". The virtual meeting, organised for Wednesday, September 27, is open to the inhabitants and employees in Scampton, Lincoln, Welton, Dunholme, Aisthorpe, Brattleby, Cammeringham, and North Carlton.
Virtual Meeting Details
In an announcement by the Home Office, it was disclosed that attendees need to sign-up on Eventbrite to be part of this upcoming meeting. They are required to provide either their home or work address for validation. Subsequently, participants will then be dispatched a link to join the online session. Initially, 1,000 tickets were issued for the event, but the quantity might be augmented considering the demand.
Environment of Distrust
Discontent arose following an inspection visit by West Lindsey District Council officers to the former airbase, despite initial hindrance earlier in the week. The visit aimed at confirming the government's compliance with the Temporary Stop Notice (TSN) issued the previous Friday. However, Sarah Carter, a local resident and leader of the 'Save Our Scampton' campaign, called the forthcoming meeting a "box ticking exercise".
"We have been on site today (Thursday). The Home Office didn’t allow us to take any photographs. There is no evidence to suggest the council’s position has changed at this time with regards to the Temporary stop notice and we await the Home Office’s response. We are not withdrawing it at this time," said Sally Grindrod-Smith, WLDC Director of Planning, Regeneration and Communities.
Residents Express Discontent
Many inhabitants expressed frustration on exclusion from the meeting. One resident, Tina Staines, voiced her dissatisfaction explicitly, labelling the meeting as a "load of rubbish". Mrs Carter also raised concerns over the online only character of the meeting, arguing that the elderly might face difficulties in accessing the digital forum due to their unfamiliarity with such platforms.
Mrs Carter's Proposal
During the last meeting, Mrs Carter recommended traditional methods like door-to-door letter distribution to ensure all residents receive information. However, despite its denial for being too time-consuming, the Home Office has committed to considering organising specific meetings for elderly residents at the local school in the future. This commitment trails a larger ongoing debate on digital literacy and accessibility among the older generations.