Down Your Way, for Mon 29th August

Waste collection and street maintenance issues have been high on the agenda of Jimmy's Enders. Complaints about missed collections of rubbish and recycling, in Stanley Road and St.  James Park road, have been voiced, apparently operatives have only been collecting boxes from one side of the road and leaving the recycling on the other. Meanwhile, in Abbots Way longstanding collection problems have hopefully been brought to a head. The household rubbish has on more than one occasion been put in the same vehicle as the green waste and recycling as well as not being collected on the right day. A letter to the leader of the council prompted action and this week the managers were out early in Abbots Way to make sure the items were collected in the agreed manner.

Letters were also sent on the subject of fly tipping and street maintenance. Sources at the council are assuring us that fly tipping is not an issue in St. James as any items are collected regularly by passing collection vehicles going to and from Westbridge depot, they all travel via the back streets of St. James then do they?? This seems a rather spurious answer to a question that many Jimmy's Enders know the real answer to.

St. James Community Fun and Information Day

St. James Community Fun and Information Day

The Friends of St. James Library, the St. James Residents’ Association and the Doddridge Centre in St. James are holding a Community Fun and Information Day at the St. James Community Centre on St. James Square on Saturday 3^rd September 2011 between 10.00am and 2.00pm. The event will be held, if the weather is fine, outside on the precinct between the Library and the Community Centre, otherwise inside the centre if inclement weather appears.

The main aim of the event is to promote awareness of the Library to local people and awareness of what else is available to them in the area and to provide information and help. In addition we want to know what matters to the community of St.James, the good points and the bad points with a view to forwarding their views and issues to local authorities and councillors. We also want people to get involved in their community by perhaps joining the Friends of the Library group or becoming a committee member of the Residents’ Association.

In addition there is fun for all, with “Steve the Magician” making an appearance, Steve is Northants children’s entertainer of the year and he will be balloon modelling as well as performing a magic show at 11.30. There is Indian head massage, nail painting, Henna tattooing, an opportunity to win a pair of Cobblers tickets and a signed Saints Rugby ball, as well as music from Lol and Chalky and much more.

The event is free but visitors are welcome to make a donation to help cover the costs of the event.

Association secretary, Graham Croucher says “its is vitally important that local people get involved in their communities and have a say, after all they are stakeholders in the future of the place where they live. This event is a great opportunity for the community to get together and say hello! They can meet the Residents Association and local councillors, if they wish they can become part of it and help us continue to make St. James somewhere to be proud of and great place to live.”

We would like as many others as possible to join us in order to share what you do within the community. Stalls are stil available to either small local businesses or community groups or bodies. Telephone 07841678018 for more details.             

End                                                     

Free support and information for young council tenants

A free information and support session for young council tenants aged between 16 and 25 years old will be held this Friday (5 August) at the Guildhall in Northampton.

The session gives young tenants the chance to speak to housing and repairs officers about general as well as personal housing issues, find out more about what benefits they may be entitled to and take a tour of the council’s newly redeveloped One Stop Shop, which is home to a wide range of services including Women’s Aid, the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and many other health and social support groups.

Refreshments will be available throughout the drop in session and young children are welcome.  The session runs from 11am to 1pm on Friday 5 August in the Holding Room at the Guildhall.  Everyone who turns up on the day will also get the chance to win a free bowling game for four people.