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.

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!

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.