Jenkyns reveals her 'biggest challenge' as mayor

Dame Andrea Jenkyns has been mayor for six months

The Mayor of Lincolnshire's plans for a potential new town and a county-owned bus service were two of the subjects covered when she took part in a hot seat on BBC Radio Lincolnshire.

Dame Andrea Jenkyns was elected as Reform UK's candidate in May and said, after six months in the job, she had not spent much of her £24m budget since taking office.

The mayor was asked her views on Thursday on a range of topics including green energy, transport and even her party conference entrance.

Here are some of the main takeaways of what she had to say:

New town?

Dame Andrea revealed she has held talks on constructing a new town in the county but would not say where it would be located.

"I can't say where because that would increase the land value," she said.

"I want to build a new town and I want it to be lovely and aesthetically pleasing.

And the reason why she wants to push ahead with the plan?

"We've seen where they [developers] put 1,000 houses here, 200 houses there and don't put the infrastructure in, so people in our beautiful villages are struggling to get doctors appointments.

"By having a town I want to pressure on the government to relieve the housing targets on our districts."

On transport

The mayor described transport and infrastructure as the "most important" challenge she faces but admitted it would "cost billions to sort".

She said: "If I had a magic money tree it would be invested in transport and infrastructure because from that we can get people moving around the county, better education, better jobs and it's better all round."

Dame Andrea was asked about public transport and said "anything is on the table" to help improve services.

"As someone who doesn't believe in public ownership I'm even thinking do we need to purchase a bus company to get people out there?

"A bus should be a lifeline, not a last resort and the fact that there isn't a seven-day service in some areas isn't right."

Green energy

BBC Radio Lincolnshire listeners asked Dame Andrea, who has previously spoken out in support of fracking, what she thought about renewable energy.

It followed a decision by the government in October to approve a 3,000 acre (1,214 hectare) solar farm near Gainsborough.

The mayor made her thoughts clear: "I'm opposed to solar farms on farmland, I have no problem on a roof, it makes sense for a business. I don't want it on productive farmland.

"I've petitioned against mass solar farms on prime agricultural land. We feed Britain from Lincolnshire, that's where it's wrong to me."

The future of the BBC

Following several controversies, the resignation of the BBC director general Tim Davie and the threat of legal action from US president Donald Trump, Dame Andrea was clear with her feelings on the future of the corporation:

"I've called for the BBC to be defunded because they have a biased view. I've been doing that for many years.

"Any BBC outlet I go on - whether local or national - never gives the viewpoint of British citizens which is why Reform is doing so well. We are their voice."

On singing

In September, Dame Andrea walked on stage at the Reform party conference in a blue, sequinned dress before bursting into song.

And the mayor was adamant it was a spur of the moment decision to perform.

"I only decided [to sing] as I walked on stage. I wanted a rock-type song and I thought 'what the heck, I might as well join in singing'.

"It was a bit of fun with the party activists."

When asked whether she regretted the moment, the mayor replied: "In my experience, too many politicians are up themselves and take themselves far too seriously.

"Be authentic, you get to your 50s and think 'just be yourself' although it gets me in trouble at times being too honest."

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