Northampton Borough Council is Consulting on its Tenant Engagement Strategy. To have your say please click on https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BXN5LZW   

The St Crispin’s Street Fair will be in Northampton town centre later this month and there will be a number of road closures as a result.

Organised by fairground owner Albert Evans and supported by Northampton Borough Council, the event will run from Sunday 27 October until Tuesday 29 October and will be situated on Gold Street, Mercer’s Row, Market Square and Abington Street.

For the duration of the fair, Gold Street, Mercer’s Row, Dychurch Lane and the bottom of Abington Street will be the only roads closed to traffic. Gold Street and Mercer’s Row will be closed from 6pm on Saturday 26 October until 6am on Wednesday 30 October and Dychurch Lane and Abington Street will also be closed to traffic from Sunday 27 October until 6am on Wednesday 30 October.

Other changes being made will include the location of the taxi rank, which is usually situated on Mercer’s Row, being temporarily moved to George Row from 6pm on Saturday 26th October and amendments to the layout of the rides on Gold Street, Abington Street, Mercer’s Row and on the Market Square, which will help improve pedestrian access and minimise disruptions to market traders and businesses.

Cllr Brandon Eldred said that certain changes had been made to accommodate this year’s fair after receiving feedback from local businesses. He said: “With the return of St Crispin’s Fair for the second year running, we have asked the organisers to work closely with town centre businesses to find out how we can make this year’s fair work for them as we help attract more visitors to Northampton.”

The fair opening times are Sunday 12pm to 10.30pm and Monday and Tuesday 10.00am to 10.30pm. 

Bus Depot Update

The St. James Residents' Association has held productive talks this morning with the Borough Council leader, David Mackintosh on the subject of the future of the bus depot site in St. James.

As a result of previous correspondence between the Council and ourselves and the talks this morning the SJRA are delighted that the Borough Council have acted swiftly to protect the buildings from the uncertainty of sitting vacant for months on end and thereby giving the building a chance of protection and conversion.

We welcome the fact that long time Jimmies End resident and employers Church's are looking to further invest in St. James and are committed to preserving as much of the buildings as possible, thereby protecting the heritage of St. James whilst creating jobs and boosting the local economy.

In respect of the Heritage Enterprise Hub that the SJRA were planning for the site, we are still looking to create something in the future and the Council Leader is still very much aware of our aims and we remain hopeful of achieving this. In the meantime, we look forward to being involved in discussions with Church's and the Borough Council on how we can best preserve our heritage whilst at the same time creating a world class manufacturing site in St. James.

The SJRA would like to place on record its thanks to all those who signed our petitions and promised support. In particular we would like to thank Mary Clarke-Croucher for giving up so much of her own time to research the project and help bring about the promising news of today.

St. James Residents’ Association hustings Meeting for this years County Council elections

On Behalf of the SJRA Committee I would like to thank all the Candidates in  this years County Council elections who turned out to meet the public and answer their questions at the Doddridge Centre on Wednesday 24th April. The SJRA would like to wish you all the very best of luck and look forward to working with our new County Councillors.

Chair SJRA - J Connolly

Eamonn Fitzpatrick (Green) Dallington Spencer

 Gareth Eales (Lab) Dallington Spencer

  Jenny Conroy(Lib Dem) Dallington Spencer

Viv Dams (Labour) Sixfields

 Jill Hope (Lib Dem) Sixfields

Youth Club

St. James Residents’ Association

News

Hustings Wednesday 24^th April 2013

The St. James Residents’ Association has organised a hustings for this years County Council elections. The event is for residents of St. James who live in the new divisions of Sixfields and Dallington Spencer which have bizarrely replaced St. James ward in County Council terms.

The meeting takes place on Wednesday 24^th April, 7.pm at the Doddridge Centre, St. James Road Northampton..

All Candidates have been invited to attend, those who have replied and confirmed their attendance are, for Dallington Spencer; Gareth Eales (Lab), Eamonn Fitzpatrick(Green), Jenny Conroy(Lib Dem) and for Sixfields; Jill Hope (Lib Dem) and Viv Dams (Labour).

Residents and business owners are urged to attend in order to make an informed decision on their voting preference. They will hear the candidates make a short address then they will have the opportunity to put questions to them.

More information about the candidates can be found on our website here

Please share this e-mail with friends, family and colleagues and perhaps consider putting the attached poster in your window?

Hope to see you there!

Residents’ Meeting Thurs 11th April 2013

The next open meeting of the St. James Residents’ Association will take place next week on Thursday 11th April at 7pm at the Doddridge centre, St. James Road.

We will have updates from local councillors, Police, Neighbourhood wardens and the Castle Partnership. Two of the councillors will be making their last attendance at this meeting as councillors as the changes to ward boundaries in the forthcoming County Council elections mean they will no longer be representing St. James as a ward, they are Tony Clarke and Suresh Patel.

The forthcoming elections will be discussed at the meeting and some of the candidates will be in attendance hoping to influence the residents vote. All are welcome to come along and see if the candidates are worthy of your vote.

In addition, we have two guest speakers; Jodie Low, Director of Free2TalkCIC, a social enterprise company that work with young people and families and help empower them to change their lives, Jodie will be talking about her work and how they help communities and how they can help residents.

The other guest speaker is Pauline Woodhouse, Community Development Officer for the Northampton Bangladeshi Association who will be talking about her work and the Womens’ Forums she is running and the wider role in the community.

Residents will also have the opportunity to raise any issues or concerns that they may be experiencing and wish to share with the community.

Free tea and coffee will be available and everyone is welcome to attend.

Bands in the Park 2013 summer dates announced

Abington Park in Northampton is to play host to a packed programme of 
live music every Sunday throughout the summer.

Sunday 5 May - Bletchington Silver Band
Sunday 12 May - Gretton Silver Band

Sunday 19 May, 12.30pm-630pm - Pentecost in the Park.
A celebration of the feast of Pentecost by local churches

Sunday 26 May - Northampton Concert Band. 10th anniversary Friends of Abington "Picnic in the Park"
Sunday 2 June - Bedford Town Band
Sunday 9 June - Kidlington Town Band

Sunday 16 June, 1pm-6pm - Twinfest at the Bandstand.
Music from Northampton’s Twin Towns plus local artists

Sunday 23 June - NMPAT Music Services.
The bandstand plays host to the best of the county’s youth performers

Sunday 7 July - MK Brass
Sunday 14 July - Watford Band
Sunday 21 July - Abington Wind Band
Sunday 28 July - Towcester Studio Band
Sunday 4 August - Praise in the Park.  Gospel celebration of praise
Sunday 11 August - Rushden Windmill Band
Sunday 18 August - Moulton 77 Brass Band

Sunday 25 August - Similar Jones.
A bank holiday bash - with a brilliant local band from the Beatles and Stones up to the present day.

Sunday 1 September - Corby Silver Band
Sunday 8 September - District of Dunchurch Band