St James Residents' Association

For The Residents And Workers Of St James

Thursday 4 October 2012

Down Your Way for Thursday 11th October Edition

The Borough Council is currently conducting a consultation on whether 7 areas should have a Parish Council. St. James is one of those areas and the Council want you to fill out a questionnaire and give them your thoughts on whether you wish to have a Parish Council in St. James, or not! The consultation runs until 19th October. In addition, they will also be giving you the chance to vote on the issue on November 15th, but have given no details as yet as to how you can do this. The only problem is that the Council do not want to post the information you need, to make an informed choice, to your home. The issue here is you may end up paying a potential £50.00 extra on your council tax bill without ever being formally consulted on it!

So, the SJRA has created a webpage http://www.sjra.info/cgr.html to give you the basic information and to signpost you in the right direction, in addition we will be discussing the issue at our next meeting on 11th October, after the AGM, with representatives from both sides of the debate.

POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER ELECTION
The election for this new post will take place on November 15th and its very important that you vote and find out what is all about as this will have a huge impact on the way you are Policed.

Remembrance Day parade and service 2012


The Mayor of Northampton Councillor Roger Conroy will lead a procession of councillors and town dignitaries from the Guildhall to All Saints' Church as part of this year's Remembrance Day Parade and Service on Sunday 11 November.
The main Parade will form in two parts on the Market Square.  The Northampton Pipe Band will lead the first part of the march to All Saints’ Church at 9.30am and will be followed by the second part led by the Air Training Corps Band at 9.35am.  The Parade will join with the Mayor's procession at All Saints' Church for the Divine Service which starts at 10am.

Free cavity and loft insulation available in Northampton


Free cavity and loft insulation is available in Northampton and people who qualify for the scheme are being urged to get in touch as the funding runs out in December.

The insulation is completely free to eligible homes as it is covered under the government incentive Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT).

The Council is supporting accredited companies Well Warm and GM Contracts to provide insulation to tenant’s homes and anyone who might be eligible will be contacted directly. Tenants can also call 01604 838594 for more information about the scheme. 

Private homeowners and private sector tenants can also claim the offer if eligible.  Anyone who would like more information can contact Northants Warm Homes Insulation Scheme on 01933 231853.

Councillor Mary Markham, Cabinet member for housing said: "Cavity and loft insulation can save you an estimated £300 off your fuel bills. We will be contacting Council tenants who might be eligible and I would urge private homeowners and private sector tenants to also take up this offer before the funding runs out in December.”

Toddler afternoons are back at Northampton museums



Themed activities and play sessions for pre-school children have restarted for the autumn at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery and Abington Park Museum.
The afternoon drop-in sessions take place every other Thursday afternoon from 1pm to 3pm and are free. The theme for autumn is weather and there will be plenty of opportunity for toddlers to meet other children, play with toys, paint and get creative with a host of fun activities.

The next session is this Thursday 4 October at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery. For more dates and venue details visit www.northampton.gov.uk/toddlerafternoons or call Elizabeth Long on 01604 838544 or 838111.

Thursday 20 September 2012


Three more distraction burglaries involving violence on elderly people have been reported to police. These follow seven cases last week which included, as reported in the H&P, a raid on the home of a 92-year-old who feared for his life after he was attacked and left with bruising and cuts to his face.

Detective Inspector Lorraine Gordon, who is leading the investigation, said: “These callous individuals are clearly targeting the elderly to commit these horrific crimes and what makes them worse is the violence or threat of violence used.

“We can’t stress enough how important it is for the elderly or vulnerable not to open the door if they do not recognise the caller.

“We have had a number of cases recently where victims are opening the door without verifying who the caller is.

“We are carrying out regular patrols in the neighbourhoods and issuing leaflets in the area.

Published: 20/09/2012 14:00 - Updated: 19/09/2012 18:58 H&P

Tuesday 18 September 2012

Sheltered Housing Support Service consultation closes on Monday


Consultation on the proposed changes to the Sheltered Housing Support Service closes on Monday, 24 September.

There are 2,200 sheltered housing properties in Northampton and currently support is only provided to these sheltered housing tenants and not to other older people in general needs housing. The current service is considered to be inflexible and fixed at four levels offering daily, weekly or monthly visits by a Sheltered Housing Co-ordinator and an emergency alarm only service.
The proposals look at changing the service to provide support based on customers’ needs, now and in the future. This means that each tenant would have a personalised level of support that can increase or decrease depending on assessed needs. The changes would also introduce new ways for tenants to access support, for example by popping along to drop-in sessions or telephoning support staff for information and help.
Information about the consultation and the questionnaire is available on the Council’s website by visiting www.northampton.gov.uk/shelteredhousing

Friday 14 September 2012

Thursday 6 September 2012

Police and Crime Commissioner Candidates

 

Election Explained

On 15 November 2012, for the first time ever, the public across England and Wales will elect a Police and Crime Commissioner who will be accountable for how crime is tackled in their police force areas. One of their main roles will be to hold the Chief Constable to account. The Prospective Candidates for Northamptonshire are as follows:

Prospective Candidates:

Adam Simmonds - Con
Jim McArthur - UKIP
John Norrie - Ind
Lee Barron - Lab
Matt Stockdale - Ind
Paul Varnsverry - Lib Dem

For more information please visit the links below:

Please be advised that external links are beyond the control of the SJRA.

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Wednesday 11 July 2012

Housing consultation drop-in sessions taking place next week


Three housing drop-in sessions will take place next week where people can pop along, find out more and ask questions about the consultations that are taking place. Tenants, people on the Housing Register and local residents are being asked for their views on proposals to change the Sheltered Housing Support Service and Allocations Policy and Tenancy Strategy.

The three drop-in sessions will take place on:

• Monday, 16 July, 10am to 12 noon in the Court Room, at the Guildhall
• Thursday, 19 July, 2pm to 4pm in the community room, Goldcrest Court, Goldings
• Saturday, 21 July, 10am to 2pm at the Market Square, Northampton town centre
Councillor Mary Markham, Cabinet member for housing said: "We are proposing to make changes to the Sheltered Housing Support Services and the Allocations Policy and Tenancy Strategy. The changes could affect you and I would urge people to come along to one of the drop-in sessions which will be taking place over the next few weeks to find out more and have a say on the proposals.”  As well as the two drop-in sessions, a presentation will be made about the consultations at the Disabled People’s Forum and the Diverse Communities Forum. People attending the forums will also be able to ask questions about the proposed changes.

The Disabled People’s Forum takes place on Tuesday, 17 July and begins at 5.30pm in the One Stop Shop at the Guildhall. The Diverse Communities Forum takes place on Wednesday, 18 July and begins at 6.30pm in the Godwin Room at the Guildhall.

Information about the consultations and the questionnaires is available on the Council’s website by visiting:

Allocations Policy and Tenancy Strategy: www.northampton.gov.uk/consultations

Anyone who has concerns about the proposed changes or would like further information can call 0300 330 7000 or email consulthousing@northampton.gov.uk 

Tuesday 10 July 2012

New Flowers for St James



The SJRA working with local residents to make and keep St James and the flower beds looking nice.















Flowers Donated by the St James Residents' Association.

No parking at Delapre for Saturday's carnival


Visitors attending Northampton Carnival this Saturday (July 14) will not be able to park in the grounds of Delapre Abbey because the land is waterlogged.

The Carnival will go ahead as planned and will be using the park at Delapre Abbey after parading round the town.  But the persistent wet weather has made the ground unfit for vehicles to cross and so cars won’t be allowed in to the Park.

Councillor Brandon Eldred, Northampton Borough Council Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, said that the council had worked closely with the Carnival committee to make sure the event can go ahead."Although the weather has been dreadful we have tried really hard to ensure that the Carnival can take place as we know how much people enjoy the event and how much it brings to the town.  But the ground is just too wet to allow cars to park so we are asking visitors to make sure they plan their journey so that they can park and walk into the site.”

More information about the carnival can be found at http://www.northamptoncarnival2012.co.uk/

Princess Benedikte of Denmark to visit Northampton


Her Royal Highness Princess Benedikte of Denmark is to visit Northampton on Wednesday 1 August to mark the strong trade links between her country and the town. HRH Princess Benedikte opened the Carlsberg brewery in Northampton - the first outside its homeland of Denmark - in 1974 and almost 40 years on, she is to be welcomed back to mark both the historic connections and the future economic partnership.

Lionheart - Northampton Market Square 11-19 July




Prepare for a woolly week as Shauna Richardson’s Lionheart Project visits Northampton’s historic market square.

Three giant hand crocheted lions will be on display in a custom-built, mobile, glass case that is travelling around the East Midlands. These powerful, realistic sculptures reflect the region in both symbol and materials.  Richard the Lionheart’s three lions crest is created using regionally sourced Swaledale wool.
The Lionheart Project is part of Artists Taking The Lead, a series of 12 public art commissions across the UK to celebrate the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad and is funded by Arts Council England and supported by Northampton Borough Council and Northamptonshire County Council.

Saturday 9 June 2012

Borough Council asks for carnival to be postponed because of poor weather


Northampton Borough Council has asked the Carnival Committee to postpone the Carnival due to take place tomorrow, Saturday 9 June, because the very poor weather conditions mean that Delapre Abbey’s grounds and parklands – where the carnival begins and ends with a fair - cannot be used. 

Thursday 7 June 2012

Agreement on the table to move Sixfields plans forward



Northampton Borough Council is in advanced talks with Northampton Town Football Club and the Homes and Community Agency on an agreement to that would pave the way for development in the Sixfields area.

At a recent meeting, the three organisations discussed plans that would enable regeneration in the area, which is part of the Northampton Waterside Enterprise Zone. The Homes and Communities Agency owns a large amount of the land in the Zone and the wider Sixfields area.

Any development would complement the unfolding plans for the Enterprise Zone and would attract businesses to invest and create jobs. This could ultimately see hotel and conference facilities, offices and retail use on the Sixfields site. The agreement would also enable to football club to move forward with the development of their stadium.

Delivering a good plug for recycling



Businesses, residents and schools in Northamptonshire are being urged to recycle their broken or unwanted electronics at a three-day event being held at The University of Northampton, Park Campus, Boughton Green Road, Northampton NN2 7AL.

The recycling event takes place on Wednesday 20, Thursday 21 and Friday 22 June 2012, from 7.30am to 3.30pm. The event will stay open until 7.30pm on Thursday 21 June. All types of business and household electronic waste will be accepted for free and staff will be on hand to help with unloading.

The event is being hosted by The University of Northampton, Northampton Borough Council in partnership with Enterprise, Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce, Northamptonshire County Council, Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership, and European Recycling Platform (ERP), as part of a drive to increase the amount of electronic waste that is recycled.

Touring Exhibition comes to Northampton


A touring exhibition that explores the mystery of where William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway is to open at Abington Park Museum in Northampton on 8 June.

Five churches lay claim to the wedding and ‘And thereby hangs a tale’ looks at the evidence for and against each claim.  The churches cited as contenders for the wedding are St Martin’s Church in Worcester, Temple Grafton Church in Warwickshire, All Saints’ Chapel in Luddington, Holy Trinity in Stratford and All Saint’s Church in Billesley - now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust, the national charity saving historic churches at risk.

The evidence for each claim has been pieced together by the trust, which has organised the exhibition.  Visitors will be invited to sort through historical fact from fiction before drawing their own conclusions.

Northampton joins Bandstand Marathon to close London 2012 Festival


Local musicians from Northampton will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take part in the largest closing cultural event of London 2012 on 9th September thanks to Northampton Borough Council.

Musical performances held at Abington Park bandstand will be one of hundreds of outdoor, community concerts taking place simultaneously across the country, making up the Bandstand Marathon.

Music of all types is welcomed. Bands, groups, choirs and individual musicians are being sought to perform, helping to make the Bandstand Marathon truly memorable and create a cultural legacy for others. 

Claret car park opens to provide easier parking for Saints sell out game


The Claret car park is located on Edgar Mobbs Way, a short walk from Franklin's Gardens, and will be open from 10:30am on Saturday, parking will cost just £4.

Thursday 17 May 2012

Bring Back The Trams


Advertising Space On The SJRA Web Site



Chair - SJRA
If you have a local business and you want to advertise your company why not think about letting us do it for you. The SJRA wish to help local businesses advertise their company for very competitive rates. To find out more why not drop us an email at

stjamesra@phonecoop.coop

or go to our web site

http://www.sjra.info/.

Down Your Way, for Mon 21st May



St. James Church will be holding a Table Top Sale on Saturday May 26th starting at 10.30 a.m.  If the weather is good the stalls will be outside in the Church grounds, inside the hall if rain is forecast. Please come along and support this annual fundraising event.

On 22nd June, in the morning, Lyncrest Primary School are hosting a fun run that will be ran around the local streets. Neighbouring schools have been invited and so far, St James, Earl Spencer, Hopping Hill, Duston Eldean and Chiltern have agreed to take part. The Lyncrest Micro-Marathon is to celebrate health and friendship amongst the local schools and community, as well as marking this Olympic summer.  There will be approximately 500 children taking part and they have received permission to close the roads on the route (Cameron Drive, Ellesmere Ave, Lyncrest Ave, Malcolm Drive, Lovatt Drive and Trevor Crescent). If you need further information please feel free to ring the school on 01604 751336.

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Proposed Changes to the Controlled Parking Zones in Northampton


Consultation Details:

Title:                  Proposed Changes to the Controlled Parking Zones in Northampton 
Subject:             Parking

Start Date:         17 May 2012
End Date:          07 Jun 2012
Result Date:       31 Aug 2012

Overview: At the start of 2012 the County Council undertook a consultation with residents living in parking permit zones (Northampton) to ensure that they are fit for purpose and still meet the needs of the local community.

Having compiled the results of this survey the County Council is now advertising the legal notices for the proposed changes of which the majority of residents have requested in each of the zones. This is the final opportunity to comment before the proposals are agreed and implemented. The proposed changes in all of the parking permit zones are available to view by clicking the links below, along with the assessment of the results of the consultation undertaken earlier this year.

  View Consultation Details

Monday 14 May 2012

Councillors to be briefed on Grosvenor Centre redevelopment plans


This week Borough Councillors will be meeting the Legal & General team responsible for preparing one of the town's biggest and most anticipated planning applications, the redevelopment of the Grosvenor Centre.

Every Councillor at the Guildhall has been invited to meet the Legal & General team to find out what will be happening over the next few months to prepare the planning application for submission by the end of the year. Councillors will also have an opportunity to ask questions and find out what steps will be taken to give residents and businesses the chance to have their say in the evolution of the scheme.

Next month Legal & General will start to hold public consultation events and make information available for everyone to comment on. The meeting with Councillors will help shape this process and agree the best way to manage the consultation process so everyone can get involved.

Councillor David Mackintosh, Leader of Northampton Borough Council said: "The redevelopment of the Grosvenor Centre is a key part in making our town a better place to live, work and visit. This project will be worth hundreds of millions of pounds and will create jobs and investment opportunities in our town centre. And, it is a real sign of confidence in Northampton that we are now only months away from a planning application."

Councillor Tim Hadland, Northampton Borough Council cabinet member for regeneration, enterprise and planning said: "The Grosvenor Centre was one of the most talked about projects at the Northampton Alive exhibition and everything is on course for designs and plans to be on show over the next few months as Legal & General finalise their plans."

A planning application is expected by the end of the year, and more details of the pre-application consultation will be announced in the next few weeks.

Station announcement


Cllr David Mackintosh, leader of Northampton Borough Council, warmly welcomed the announcement by the Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of State for Transport, of funding to allow the redevelopment of Castle Station to go ahead.
 
"This is fantastic news that shows what can be achieved through the strength of our shared commitment to the growth of Northampton.  It underlines the confidence that exists at a national level in our ability to deliver the vision for the town’s future - we are not just making plans for regeneration, we are seeing them come to life,” Cllr Mackintosh said.
 
In March, Cllr Mackintosh, Brian Binley MP and John Markham, Chairman of West Northamptonshire Development Corporation, met with Justine Greening to discuss the urgent need for investment in the station.
 
"This is a really key decision for Northampton. All the major projects taking place in the town are connected and the station is one of the lynchpins.  It’s wonderful to hear that this major investment is going ahead,” Cllr Mackintosh said.

Thursday 10 May 2012

Investigating the issues that matter to residents


Over the next few weeks teams of Councillors will start their work to investigate some of the issues that matter most to people in Northampton. 

Earlier this year Northampton Borough Council's Overview & Scrutiny Committee asked for people to submit their ideas for issues the Committee should look into. The Committee has the power to look into any issue affecting residents or the town, and ideas do not even need to be related to Borough Council services. 

After looking at all of the suggestions for possible investigations the Committee found that there were four popular themes for further work.

Changes to taxi licensing policy to unify rules


Northampton Borough Council’s licensing committee last night (8 May) opted to unify its taxi licensing policy for both Hackney Carriages (black cabs) and Private Hire Vehicles as long as they meet a new condition policy.

"A Public Meeting on the Proposed Bus Interchange With Council Leader"

Follow the link to sign the petition

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/a-public-meeting-on-the-proposed-bus-interchange/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=system&utm_campaign=Send%2Bto%2BFriend

Wednesday 9 May 2012

Thursday 3 May 2012

Gymnastics Club

Take care around Abington Park lakes

Northampton Borough Council and its partner Enterprise, which helps maintain the town’s parks, are advising people to take extra care around the lakes in Abington Park whilst water levels are high. Although rather drier weather is forecast over the weekend, the bottom lake at the Bridgewater Road end of the park has spilled over the pond boundary and caused a pooling of water along the one side.  The water is now back within its boundary wall but the pool of water alongside the lake varies in depth and will take time to drain away.  Any further rainfall may cause the water levels to rise and the council is asking that people take care around the worst affected areas.

Down Your Way, for Mon 6th May

Committee members of the SJRA attended a reconvened meeting organised by County Councillor Suresh Patel  to discuss traffic issues in the area, which were attended by Councillors, Residents Association, Police, Saints management and other bodies. This is the first meeting to take place in over a year and focuses on mainly matchday parking but also other contributory factors as well. The main item of good news is that the Saints will be paying for some more match day traffic management next season for most of the games. More details on this will be available after the fixture list is revealed. Now the Claret car park is to be opened regularly, this will be a useful tool in helping to alleviate traffic and parking problems in the area. It cannot hope to eliminate them all together, and thanks are due to the Saints for stumping up the cash to do this, and for being seen as part of the solution instead of the problem. As many people realise, it is not just the Saints who create traffic problems, the Weedon Road is saturated with traffic most days of the week and particularly on Saturdays as everyone goes shopping. The SJRA has repeated its calls for both ends of St. James Mill Road to be connected to create a through route which would alleviate traffic using St. Peters way and St. James Road. It is staggering that after visiting the Northampton Alive exhibition recently, that the information provided did not include St. James Mill Road being connected, as a key transport strategy for Northampton, mind boggling and short sighted, particularly with the dawn of the much trumpeted Enterprise Zone! The SJRA has also requested from the County Council an electronic traffic information sign to be placed on Westbridge that would advice motorists of congestion in the area and to seek alternative routes, namely via Edgar Mobbs Way. The traffic meeting is due to reconvene in August.

Cracking down on vehicle crime in Northampton

Northampton Community Safety Partnership is launching a crackdown to drive out vehicle crime in the borough.

Vehicle crime – theft of and from cars and vans – is a top priority in Northampton. During 2011/12 there were 1982 vehicle crime offences in Northampton: 1485 of those offences were thefts of items from vehicles, an increase of 18.5 per cent compared with 1253 thefts from vehicles in 2010/11.

Scrapping the metal thieves in the East Midlands




East Midlands Crimestoppers have launched a film to help prevent metal theft, by encouraging the reporting  by members of the public of any suspicious behaviour to the Police, or if they prefer anonymously on 0800 555 111 or anonymously online.
Click to watch Video

Northampton Alive

More than 2,000 people took the opportunity to find out about Northampton’s major regeneration projects at the Northampton Alive exhibition and the bus interchange drop-in event last week.
Around 1,500 people visited ‘Northampton Alive’ and spoke to the Leader, Cabinet members and regeneration experts from Northampton Borough Council and West Northamptonshire Development Corporation about development in the town.

They were able to learn about progress on the key developments taking place in the town, including the Grosvenor/Greyfriars development; Northampton Waterside Enterprise Zone; Castle Station, St John’s and Avon Nunn Mills.

More than 1,000 people also came along to Northamptonshire County Council’s separate drop-in sessions to view the plans for the bus interchange and ask questions of the designers.

When added to the people who came to the Northampton Alive roadshows held at all of Northampton Borough Council’s public forum meetings, the total number of people who have found out more about plans for their town is well over 2,000.

Tell us how you think we are doing

People in Northampton are being asked to say what they think about the service they receive from their Borough Council.

Northampton Borough Council is launching the first 2012 satisfaction survey on Tuesday 1 May. Last year the decision was made to run two online satisfaction surveys a year so the Council could monitor how well it was performing across four key areas:
  • Level of satisfaction with the way the Council runs things,
  • Information about services provided by the Council,
  • Ability to influence decisions affecting the local area, and 
  • Do people agree or not that the Council provides value for money 
The online survey should only take 10 minutes to complete and can be found at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/nbctrackerspring

Still time to have your say on the future of your community

The final deadline for communities to tell the Borough Council how they would like to be represented has been extended to give groups more time to respond.

Earlier this year the Borough Council started a Community Governance Review so that people across the town could have their say on setting up a local council to represent their area. Communities from across our town have been busy getting organised to discuss the options for forming a recognised council or committee to represent their area.

The deadline for petitions was Friday 27 March, however this has been extended to Friday 18 May.

There has been interest in establishing a new community or parish council in 10 areas of the town. Three areas have gained enough support for the Council to take a closer look at developing proposals for residents to vote on later this year. Councillors agreed to extend the Review's deadline to allow the other seven areas additional time to discuss the issue and get the required level of support to start a deeper debate.

Bands in the Park joins London 2012 Festival for season finale

Abington Park will play host to a packed programme of live music every Sunday this Summer culminating in a grand finale that will see Northampton join the rest of the nation in the Bandstand Marathon - part of the London 2012 Festival and the Cultural Olympiad.
The Bandstand Marathon will mark the close of the national London 2012 cultural event and will also mark the end of Northampton Borough Council's popular Bands in the Park season.
This year's season is the longest the park has hosted for 10 years with bands booked to perform at the much-loved bandstand every week from 6 May to 9 September.
Bands in the Park will have something for everyone. As well as traditional brass and wind instrument bands, this year also sees the return of Folk in the Park, an afternoon of music from Northampton's best covers' band, music to accompany the runners during the "Race for Life" event, and, of course, the Bandstand Marathon finale featuring music, community singing and an instrument amnesty.

Big Jubilee Picnic goes craft crazy in build up to big day

With Northampton's Town & County Big Jubilee Picnic all set for Sunday 3 June, a series of FREE craft workshops to get people in the mood for the event will be held at the Guildhall throughout May.

The free 'Crafternoons' will be fun workshops where you can learn how to make anything from a fabulous picnic blanket, home-made bunting, a corgi doggy bag and even crochet crowns for children.

Friday 30 March 2012

Down Your Way, for Mon 2nd April


The results of the recent permit parking consultation are being collated and are due to be presented to the council for ratification and residents with permits will be informed in due course. However early information is that a total of 822 questionnaires were hand delivered to residents living within St. James. A total of 258 were returned which represents an 31.4% response rate. The average return rate is around 20% to this type of consultation so this represents a good response rate for the zone. It was also one of the highest return rates of all the zones consulted.

A total of 97% of respondents were residents and 3% businesses. An average  proportion of residents (24%) do not own a vehicle, 49% have 1 vehicle and 27% of respondents have more than one vehicle. Of all the responses, 26% have access to off-street parking. The majority of residents 86% still want a permit zone in their area, 14% want the permit zone removed. From the feedback to the consultation it is clear that residents want to see the permit scheme operate over a 24hour period and this is partly due to the perception of non permit holders parking overnight. It is also clear that residents want the scheme to operate 7 days a week and the common reason for this is because the Saints also play games on a Sunday. There was a general consensus that lack of parking was an issue and that a limit should be introduced of 2 permits per property. Given the number of businesses in the area and different user groups requiring parking, residents identified that some short stay parking is very valuable to the area and didn't want to see a change to reduce the amount of limited waiting. However there is conflicting views about the 'free spaces” with some residents seeing the benefit for these areas and others thinking they were open to abuse by residents who were using these spaces to avoid buying a permit.

Council Campaign To Tackle Dog Fouling


A campaign to remind dog owners of what could happen if they don’t clear up after their dogs is being launched by Northampton Borough Council in April. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the issue, encourage more dog owners to pick up after their pets and appeal to the public to report incidents and problem areas to the council so that targeted action can be taken. Campaign posters and lamppost stickers will be going up across the town as the council’s neighbourhood wardens prepare for a three-month crackdown on anyone they see not clearing up after their dogs.  Verbal warnings, written warnings and Fixed Penalty Notices of £80, which if not paid could lead to a fine of up to £1,000, will be handed out to those spotted not clearing up their dog’s mess.

Monday 26 March 2012

Northampton Borough Council media release:


Shared services on the agenda for Northampton Borough Council
Northampton Borough Council is working with LGSS, the organisation set up to share services between Northamptonshire County Council and Cambridgeshire County Council, to explore the potential of joining the partnership.
 LGSS was set up more than a year ago to provide a wide range of support services for both local authorities.  Since the establishment of LGSS, the two founding authorities have saved £11 million and to join the partnership could pave the way for savings for Northampton Borough Council in administration and other back office costs.

Down Your Way, for Mon 26th March

Residents Association committee member Gloria Richardson, recently completed her sponsored abseil down the Lift Tower. In doing so she has raised nearly £400 for the Beating Bowel Cancer charity. Thank you to all those who supported Gloria with donations. (Well done Gloria)

More fundraising activity will be happening in the area on April 14th, when the Terry Wire April Fools motorcycle run takes place. This annual event, now in its eighth year has raised £22,000 for Friends of Cynthia Spencer hospice. Nearly 200 Harley Davidson motorcycles are expected to gather at the car park of the Cobblers in Sixfields before setting of on the run to the town centre via Weedon road and St. James Road. The bikes will assemble at 9.00am before departing at approximately 1030 am to arrive in Abington Street at around 1045-1100. There the bikes will be on display and a collection will held to raise money for the Friends group. This event goes from strength to strength and is an unforgettable sight and sound! The event organised by Cllr. Terry Wire is supported by Dave Barringer from Northants V-Twin, the Harley Davidson and Buell specialists of Stenson Street, Towergate Risk solutions and Northampton Town Football Club, as well as logistical support from Northants Police, NBC and NCC and of course the local media.

Many of you will already be aware that the Olympic torch will pass through the streets of St. James as part of the Olympic torch relay. This will be on Monday July 2nd at around 10:20 am and should provide a bit of a spectacle. Organisers are hoping that as many people as possible will line the route and that individuals will organise events around it as “Local Leaders”. In addition they are also encouraging people to plant Olympic themed gardens and planting areas, even window boxes! More information is available from http://www.london2012.com/.

It is also the Queens Diamond Jubilee in June and the council is encouraging residents to celebrate with a street party. All relevant information is on the borough council website at http://www.northampton.gov.uk/.

The next residents meeting will be on Thursday 19th April at the Doddridge Centre in St. James Road at 7.00pm. Amongst the the agenda items we have on confirmed speaker form Northampton Sikhs who will be informing us of the new Sikh Gurdwara in St. James Mill Road, and how it will support and become part of the local community.

Sunday 11 March 2012

Down Your Way, for Mon 12th March.


As previously reported the recent meeting of the St. James Residents Association was very well attended with over 50 people present. Those gathered listened to all the latest news within the area and were asked whether they would be interested in a parish council for the area. A straw poll taken at the meeting indicated that initially they were not in favour the idea.The main topic of conversation however, was the subject of permit parking in the area and Jim Whiting, Senior Traffic Engineer for the County Council was on hand to address the meeting and outlined the improvements to the scheme that were needed but stressed the importance of residents giving their views to the consultation that ends on 2nd March. Jim outlined the importance of returning the questionnaires to tell the council what they want from the scheme. Many questions were asked and they were dealt with in a refreshingly honest but professional manner. The consultation has now closed and the responses are now being sifted. The SJRA will meet with the County Council this week to discuss the findings.

National Personal Safety Day - 8th October 2012

Hands Off Our Homes!

Tuesday 6 March 2012

Northamptonshire County council approves £28 million of budget savings


BUDGET savings of £28 million, including the controversial scrapping of a £500,000 fund to provide Police Community Support Officers, have been approved by councillors. During a marathon, six hour meeting at County Hall yesterday, the Conservative leaders of Northamptonshire County Council approved their money saving plans. The move will mean almost 300 council jobs will be cut, charges for adult social care will rise, £500,000 will be taken away from children’s centres and the council will take away the money it currently gives to fund Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).


Councillor Jim Harker
Leader of the County Council (Con)

The leaders of the council defended the cut to PCSO funding, arguing the police authority should foot the bill, but opposition leaders and anti-cuts demonstrators condemned the party for going back on their 2009 election pledge to “provide £500,000 per annum for extra PCSOs”.

The leader of the opposition, Councillor Brendan Glynane (Lib Dem, Delapre) said: “They’re failing to support the people of Northamptonshire by failing to support visible policing and they’ve now lost the right to call themselves ‘the party of law and order’. “They were elected on a promise of providing more visible policing. They had the opportunity to do that, but they’ve failed.”

He was backed by the deputy leader of the Labour group, Councillor Mark Bullock (Lab, Corby Central) who added: “The Conservatives promised the community they would fund PCSOs and they’ve let them down.” Instead of providing £500,000 for PCSOs, the county council will give the police £300,001 to help tackle violent crime.

The leader of the authority, Councillor Jim Harker (Con, Kettering Rural) said: “The hard fact is that crime prevention is the responsibility of the police and our reduced reserves don’t allow us to carry on with our funding indefinitely.” The cabinet member for finance, Councillor Bill Parker (Con, Brambleside) added: “The money we’re giving the police to tackle violent crime will allow the police authority to spend a similar amount on front-line policing. This really is a win, win for everyone in Northamptonshire.” He also said the council’s decision not to increase council tax would be welcomed by residents, adding: “I’m sure Northamptonshire residents will be grateful that more money will be staying in their pockets. “Not only does this help reduce the burden on household budgets, it also supports our local economy.”

Trees felled in an attempt to speed Northampton bus station plan


Trees have been cut down at the site of a proposed bus station in Northampton - to prevent nesting birds from delaying the work. Council workers have started preparing the Fishmarket site. Independent Northampton councillor Tony Clarke said it made a mockery of the planning consultation process. Conservative council leader David Mackintosh said the development could be held up if birds nest on the site.

Workers have felled trees at the Fishmarket site
where the bus station could be built.


A planning application for the £8m replacement for the Greyfriars bus station is expected to be submitted next month. Mr Clarke said: "The council would be the first to take action if a developer proceeded with works prior to obtaining planning permission, but they obviously think they're a law unto themselves. "It makes a mockery of consultation and weakens our democracy in the process. "They've proven to the public that their views are not worth tuppence and they're carrying on regardless." Mr Mackintosh said: "For too long the council has been criticised for producing plans that never became reality. "It would seem ridiculous if the planning committee approved plans for the new bus interchange only for months of delays because we would not want to disturb any nesting birds."

The new bus station is being jointly promoted by the borough council, Northamptonshire County Council and the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation.

Northampton Borough Council refuse to back down on plan to cut £100,000 PCSO funding


THE LEADERS of Northampton Borough Council have refused to back down on controversial plans to cut £100,000 of funding from the police. When Guildhall officials announced their annual budget plans in December, they included proposals to withdraw funding for three of the town’s Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). The council’s leading cabinet last night backed the proposals, despite opposition politicians claiming the reduction, combined with last year’s switch off of half the county’s street lights and new plans to reduce the number of people who monitor the town’s CCTV cameras, would lead to an increase in crime.
 
Councillor David J Mackintosh
Leader of the Council (Con)

Labour opposition councillor at the Guildhall, Councillor Terry Wire (Lab, St James) said: “We’re totally opposed to cutting PCSOs and we know the people of Northampton are up in arms about it. “But I don’t think the council is listening, that’s why we’ll put forward an alternative budget next week to show how the council could keep on funding PCSOs.”

The leader of the Liberal Democrat group, Councillor Sally Beardsworth (Lib Dem, Kingsthorpe) also criticised the proposed funding cut, pointing out 71 per cent of people who had responded to the council’s budget consultation also opposed the move. She said: “People I’ve spoken to feel the presence of PCSOs makes the community feel a lot safer and there’s a concern crime will increase if they go.” But the leader of the authority, Councillor David Mackintosh (Con, Rectory Farm) stood by previous claims that the council should not fund the police. Pointing out the council’s budget would pay for extra neighbourhood wardens and staff in the council’s licensing department, he said: “We don’t have the money to keep funding PCSOs and do everything else we want to do. “We have to make some difficult decisions in the budget, but I’ve consistently said that policing should be paid for by the police authority.” Northamptonshire County Council also plans to pull £500,000 of funding for PCSOs, but it will give the police a further £300,000 to tackle violent crime.
Other proposals in the borough council’s budget include plans to keep council tax at current levels, the removal of four senior managers at the Guildhall and an investment of £430,000 in the town’s Enterprise Zone.

The budget is due to be finally approved by the council next week.

8,000 miles and more – a talk by Satish Kumar



 CORRECTION: Please note that tickets for this talk are available from Royal & Derngate Box Office and not Northampton Museum and Art Gallery as mentioned in the original release.

Former monk and peace and environment activist Satish Kumar will be visiting Northampton to talk about his 8,000 walk around the world urging peace to world leaders. For over 50 years Satish has been quietly campaigning for peace.  Aged nine he left his family to join the wandering Jains and at 18 he decided he could achieve more back in the world and campaigned to turn Gandhi’s vision of a renewed India and a peaceful world into reality.
Inspired in his early 20s by British peace activist Bertrand Russell, Satish set of on an 8,000-mile peace pilgrimage.  Carrying no money and depending on the kindness of strangers, he walked from India to America, via Moscow, London and Paris to deliver a humble packet of ‘peace tea’ to the then leaders of the world’s four nuclear powers. In 1973 Satish settled in the UK and took up the post of editor of Resurgence, a position he has held ever since.  Over the years he has won many accolades and awards, including Honorary Doctorates from the universities of Plymouth and Lancaster and the Jamnalal Bajaj International Award for Promoting Gandhian Values Abroad.  In 2005 he was a castaway on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs and is also a regular on a range of other programmes including Thought for the Day.
The talk is at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery on Friday 30 March at 8pm and is being staged as part of a series of events linked to the ‘Step into my Shoes’ exhibition, which is showing at the museum until 15 April.  Tickets priced £5 are available from the Royal & Derngate Box Office by calling 01604 624811 or visiting http://www.royalandderngate.co.uk/

St James End before 1965

St James End before 1965

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