Down Your Way, for Mon 5th December

The next open residents meeting of the St. James Residents’ Association takes place on Thursday 15^th December at 7pm at the Doddridge Centre on St. James Road. As well as being able to meet your local councillors and police it is also the opportunity to raise any concerns that may be affecting you or that you are having trouble in resolving. Also on the agenda will be permit parking issues and the latest situation on that. We also have a guest speaker; Louise Tuffin Community Involvement Officer for the Great Outdoors Project, which is being run by the Wildlife Trust. Louise will be talking about their work on Stortons Pits (the old gravel pits) and other wildlife areas in Northampton and how local people can get involved.

Christmas is approaching fast and in addition to the Doddridge centre’s Christmas Lunch on Thursday 8^th December at 12.30pm (Tickets cost £12.00 and more details are available by calling the Doddridge centre on 01604 586384), St. James Library will be having Carol singers perform at the library on 12^th December at 2.00pm. The Choir from St. James CEVA primary school will be the Carol singers. Please come along and enjoy the singers and support your local library!

On Thursday 22^nd December the Library will host a “Horrible Histories” Christmas event for  children 6-12 years for more details telephone the library during opening hours on 01604 751037 or e-mail: jameslib@northamptonshire.gov.uk

The St. James library also has a job club on Wednesdays from 4-6pm, there is free information, advice and guidance given by Next Step advisors. So, if you need help job searching, building your CV, completing application forms, performing well at interviews and building confidence why not come along? Booking is essential and you can contact the library via the details above.

The Environmental Warden has been busy trying to tackle the problem of black bag rubbish being dumped on the streets well before collection day. The warden has already been busy in the area in Ambush Street and has helped improve the situation. However, some residents in Greenwood Road, Althorp Road and Wimbledon Street are being irresponsible by dumping their rubbish on the streets and the SJRA has been reporting the ongoing problem to the council. Residents are asked to be responsible in disposing of household waste as the dumping is bringing the area down and posing a health hazard. A regular dumping spot is at the junction of Greenwood Road and Wimbledon Street where all manner of rubbish is being dumped, despite the efforts of the Environmental Warden, and is attracting rats to the area. Residents can report fly tipping and dumped bags by calling 01604 838000.

Residents are also expressing concern at the lack of policing in Victoria Park, where groups of males are gathering to drink alcohol and intimidating other park users. In addition they are seen regularly urinating and leaving their rubbish. Already, one person has been assaulted and racially abused but the Police seem reluctant to intervene. The normally efficient PCSO’s are already stretched as they now have larger areas to Police. The situation can only get worse when the County Council reduce their funding for Community support officers. Even more concerning is the fact that the Police say in the Chron that they are adopting a zero tolerance approach to street drinking and are making arrests and confiscating alcohol, but only in the town centre! Local residents will know that no such impact is evident in St. James and in particular Victoria park where drinkers are out and about as early as 6.30 in the morning.

People who shop on-line can now give financial help to the residents association. Once you have registered online to help the SJRA at www.easyfundraising.co.uk You can then shop online at your favourite retailers and whatever you purchase a percentage is given to the SJRA. You can also use the easysearch option to search for websites and by doing so each search generates a small donation to the SJRA. It doesn't cost you anything extra but will help the SJRA pay for associated costs of running an association.  Everyone is a winner! Find out more at www.sjra.info and follow the links.