Residents kick up a stink over smells coming from Southfield Farm

ANGRY residents living near a farm claim a council is not doing enough to stop smells which are blighting their lives.

People living in the Legbourne Road and Kenwick Road areas of Louth say smells coming from nearby Southfield Farm are still intolerable.

After complaining to East Lindsey District Council's environmental health team, officers started investigating and working alongside the cattle farmer for a resolution.

Annalise Johnson, environmental team manager at the council, and Matt Stephens from the Environment Agency attended Louth Area Committee to give an update.

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But members of the public were left angry that no new information was given, with one man claiming it had been a wasted evening.

Mr Stephens said the Environment Agency responded to an incident of water pollution on October 23 relating to the farm where minor levels of ammonia were reported in a watercourse. This is not linked with the farm's slurry lagoon.

The farmer was given three weeks to come back with a voluntary action plan.

He said: "The farmer has been very co-operative and he has sent us back an action plan. We do intend to visit the site next week and we have been given assurances that practices will be changed so it does not happen again."

Ms Johnson said council officers are continuing to work with the farm following the complaints.

She told how work is taking place to investigate air quality due to the smell but said she believes it is unlikely to be at levels which are harmful, adding that the farm now has its own consultants addressing the problems.

"There is no call for any further legal action to be taken at this time," she said.

"This does not mean we are going to stop. It is an ongoing process and the farmer continues to give full co-operation to East Lindsey officers."

One member of the public claimed they get no response from East Lindsey when they complain.

They said: "We get no response from ELDC whatsoever with no reply to phone calls. We are being completely fobbed off."

Another said: "Every time we are told the smell is tolerable when it is not."

Mrs Johnson replied: "When the original complaint came in, you could not stand anywhere near the lagoon. The last few months you can tell they have treated it."

She added that out of 40 evidence diaries sent by members of the public, only one has been returned.

Councillor Stuart Watson said the council should be more proactive in collecting these diaries from residents.