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17 March 2022

Primary Schools in West Northants are being invited to take part in interactive online workshops on the subject of e-safety following funding from West Northamptonshire Council.
The workshops will take place throughout June and July 2022, and will be delivered by local theatre group Cherwell Theatre Company to Year 5 and Year 6 students.
Students will take part in activities and watch ‘Do You Accept’, a film created with and for young people exploring cyberbullying and e-safety through an engaging fantasy story.
The film was produced by Cherwell Theatre Company in partnership with Arts council England, Thames Valley Police, Oxfordshire Community Foundation and Cherwell District Council and has now been seen by over 2,000 children.
The company will deliver webinars and technical support to teachers before the virtual workshops and provide further activities including a quiz and resource pack which can be completed following the sessions.
West Northamptonshire Council Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education, Cllr Fiona Baker, said: “I am delighted that students in West Northants will benefit from these workshops and learn about all aspects of internet safety.
“Being online plays a huge part in many children and young people’s lives, particularly over the last two years through the pandemic, so it is vital they know how to keep themselves and others safe.
“Whether you are a young person, parent, carer, school or organisation, we can all take positive actions to help make the internet a safer place.”
Cherwell Theatre Company Artistic Director, Tristan Jackson-Pate, said: “We’re grateful to West Northants Council for supporting this vital work.
“We estimate over 1,000 local children will benefit from the project, taking part in practical drama workshops led by the film’s actors.
“We aim to help children express their feelings about all aspects of life online and start positive conversations amongst their peers and wider community.”
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17 March 2022

Ladieswear from some of Europe’s leading designers will be showcased during a special event at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery on Monday 21 March at 7pm.
The free fashion show is a unique collaboration between West Northamptonshire Council and Northampton clothing boutiques Voni Blu and Bonsoire and will raise funds for the Northampton Hope Centre through a charity raffle.
Along with displays of the latest day, evening and occasion wear, hairdressers Finn & Co are set to give a styling demonstration, while visitors will receive a complimentary drink and goody bag on arrival.
Councillor Lizzy Bowen, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth, said: “This is a great opportunity to discover what’s on offer from some of Northampton’s leading independent fashion boutiques and enjoy an evening in the impressive surroundings of the recently refurbished museum and art gallery.
“This event is one of several initiatives being delivered in West Northamptonshire as a result of the Welcome Back Fund, which is aimed at encouraging people to get back into their local town centres and support independent businesses.”
Tickets can be collected from Voni Blu in Castilian Street, Bonsoire on the Market Square, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery in Guildhall Road or online at Eventbrite.
The event is free, but places are limited so booking is essential.
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15 March 2022

A rural bus route linking Daventry with Banbury is set to continue through the summer after West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) reached a deal with its operator.
Stagecoach West announced last month that its 200 bus service would cease on 2 April due to low passenger numbers.
However WNC and Oxfordshire County Council have now jointly made arrangements with Stagecoach West to fund the service on its current timetable until 27 August.
This will give WNC time to carry out a comprehensive review of bus services across West Northamptonshire, in order to determine how best to support public transport across the network in future.
The 200 service runs from about 7am until 6.25pm on weekdays and between 8am and 6:25pm on Saturdays, providing a link between Daventry and Banbury and stopping at a number of villages including Chipping Warden, Byfield, Woodford Halse, Charwelton and Badby.
We understand the financial pressures on bus operators, particularly during the pandemic when passenger numbers were understandably lower.Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways and WasteHowever bus services such as this offer a lifeline to people in our rural communities, so we are pleased to work alongside Oxfordshire County Council in order to step in and offer this support, allowing this important route to continue running during the summer.
This will give us time to carry out a wide-ranging review of bus services right across West Northamptonshire, in order to find solutions that will offer the best possible outcomes for our communities.
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15 March 2022

People are being urged to come together to give their communities a Great British Spring Clean with support from the Council.
We have used Welcome Back Funding to buy hundreds of litter picking sets for community groups to borrow.
Our officers will be using the new equipment when they support a community litter pick being organised by Daventry Town Council in support of the Great British Spring Clean on Saturday 26 March.
However, we encourage other groups across West Northants to use the sets to organise community litter picks throughout March.
Booking the litter picking equipment
Each kit includes litter pickers, sacks and bag hoops to assist with litter picking, as well as a step-by-step guide for holding a litter pick, to help you plan a safe, effective and well supported event.
We can also pick up and dispose of sacks of litter that have been collected from public land.
Find out more information on borrowing the equipment and booking a litter collection
You can also email [email protected]
It is appalling that some people show such little regard for the environment and their local community that they drop litter wherever they like.Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Climate, Transport, Highways and WasteWe’re committed to tackling this issue, and it is always heartening to see the great work of volunteers who work so hard to keep their communities clean and tidy. We want to do all we can to support their excellent work, as well as encourage and assist other groups to join them. By working together, we send a strong message to offenders that their actions are not acceptable and will not be tolerated.
If you would like support to hold litter pick in your community, please get in touch with us.
The Welcome Back Fund provides councils across England a share of £56 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), to support the safe return to high streets and help build back better from the pandemic.
The Welcome Back Fund forms part of a wider package of support that government is providing in order to help communities and businesses bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic.Cllr Lizzy Bowen, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and GrowthMaking our streets and open spaces as clean, tidy and as welcoming as possible is a big part of that, so I wholeheartedly support the use of funds for this purpose.
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14 March 2022

Poor housing conditions, unlicensed HMOs, fly-tipping and fire safety were among the issues tackled during three days of action in Semilong in Northampton.
The multi-agency operation earlier this month saw officers from West Northamptonshire Council’s Housing Enforcement Team join forces with Northamptonshire Police and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue to identify and address a range of concerns.
The Council’s housing enforcement officers identified 50 properties that they believe could be operating as unlicensed HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation), and will now carry out further investigations and visits to ensure they meet acceptable standards and the licence requirements.
They also issued three emergency prohibition orders on homes where conditions were so dangerous that they risked the safety of their tenants. Alternative accommodation was found for the occupants.
Ten empty properties were identified, and the team will now work to identify the owners in an attempt to bring them back into use.
The Fire Service issued a Prohibition Notice on one HMO due to it not being fitted with smoke detectors. This was later lifted after the landlord addressed the issue, and an Enforcement Notice with Action Plan served to ensure compliance in the future.
Additionally, a number of referrals were made to the Prevention Team for Home Fire Safety checks requested by residents, and two referrals for joining the Fire Service as firefighters.
A referral was also made to the Council’s Licensing Team due to possible breaches of licensing conditions by a shop in the area, and Northamptonshire Highways was alerted to issues with poor parking and vehicles driving the wrong way down Salisbury Street.
The council’s waste contractor Veolia also removed a number of piles of fly tipping from streets in the area.
People in rented accommodation deserve to live in safe and properly managed homes. Whilst most landlords in West Northamptonshire take their responsibilities seriously, there are those who do not, and we are committed to identifying those landlords and taking action where appropriate.Cllr Adam Brown - Portfolio Holder for Housing on West Northamptonshire CouncilWorking with our partners on operations such as these offers an important opportunity to improve conditions for residents, and to speak to people about any issues they may be facing so that we can work together to tackle them.
These days of action were a really great opportunity to learn more about local concerns and to gather intelligence.PC Polly Egerton-ScottOne of the really positive things that came out of it was hearing from the community that things have gotten much better recently, in terms of crime levels and the amount of anti-social behaviour they are seeing.
This was really heartening to hear as it shows that we are making a difference.
I hope it reassures people that we are out and about, showing a police presence in their local area, and that they will feel more empowered in the future to report things to us as a result.
Fire Protection Officers used this opportunity to provide residents and landlords with fire safety advice and support, as well as reinforcing fire safety legislation. A number of premises were flagged as falling short of fire safety regulations and action was taken to address these.Scott Richards, Head of Protection at Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue ServiceWe want to work with businesses and landlords to ensure that people are safe and properties are protected, but we will also use our authority to issue notices when fire standards pose a serious risk to life.