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Work is continuing at Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service to help keep hundreds of thousands of race fans safe at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone this year.
The four-day race weekend get underway on Thursday July 4 and is expected to see over 160,000 people in attendance on race day alone as the weekend culminates on Sunday July 7.
Preparation for the event has been ongoing for the last nine months with a dedicated Silverstone Planning Team created within the Joint Operations Team, which works in partnership with Northamptonshire Police.
The Team works with Silverstone Circuit and partners from Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire to understand and manage any potential risks that could occur during the event.
The Service will also have a dedicated command team for the event which will oversee operational crews co-located with multi-agency partners onsite, whilst continuing to protect the communities of Northamptonshire.
In addition, our Fire Protection Team have been working tirelessly over the months leading up to the Grand Prix with Silverstone and their contractors to offer advice in relation to safety plans and procedures.
The work that the Fire Protection Team does covers a wide range of areas across the racing weekend. This includes safety within the temporary hospitality venues, crowd management at the on-site concerts and liaising with local hotels and accommodation to ensure all fire safety regulations are being followed.
Members of the Fire Protection Team will also be visiting the campsites in and around the circuit, offering fire safety literature from our Prevention Team to provide campers with advice on how to stay safe from fire when at the event.
Matt Butler, NFRS strategic commander for the British Grand Prix, said: “A huge amount of work goes on all year round to help make sure we are suitably prepared and able to respond to any type of incident whilst at attendance at the British Grand Prix.”
Matt (pictured below left) added: “Planning for a major sporting event that will bring hundreds of thousands of people into the county is a big task that cannot be completed in isolation and I am confident that, alongside our multi-agency partners, we can ensure fans enjoy the event and go home safely.”
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02 July 2024
![Fruit and veg](https://cms.westnorthants.gov.uk/sites/default/files/styles/responsive/public/1440/810/0/2023-01/Food%20crime.jpg)
Over the summer months many of us will be enjoying the warm weather and may be hosting family and friends.
We’ve put together a simple checklist to help you make the most of your food and avoid becoming unwell because of poorly prepped or stored food and avoid food waste going in your bin.
Step one - beforehand
- Check the number of people you’re cooking for if you’re hosting – check for any allergies or dietary needs
- Plan out your food to make the most of what you’re cooking and avoid waste
- Make the most out of offers or discounts to help save money where you can
Step two – storing and preparing your food
- Store food in the right places, checking labels for storage instructions – make the most of fridge and freezers and store raw meat at the bottom of your fridge
- Check your fridge’s temperature, because the temperature of your fridge can rise when it's full, increasing the chance of food poisoning. Your fridge should be between 0-5°C
- Check for use by dates and stick to these, as tempting as it might be to go over a day or so
- Be sure to take any meat out to defrost the night or day before, defrost at the bottom of the fridge and ensure it is fully thawed before you begin cooking.
Step three – cooking food
- Wash your hands before and throughout dinner preparations, especially after handling raw meat
- Use different chopping boards and utensils for raw and ready to eat/cooked food. Wash any equipment thoroughly in hot, soapy water between uses
- Make sure any meat is cooked through – there should be no visible pink meat, juices are running clear and use a food thermometer to check meat reaches 75°C in the thickest part
- Put leftovers in a sealed container inside the fridge within two hours of cooking, to be used within two days
- Split food into smaller portions to help speed up the cooling time.
Step four – enjoying and leftovers
- Keep chilled foods out of the fridge for no longer than four hours / out of direct sunlight
- Eat food within two days of cooking or defrosting
- When reheating, only reheat once and ensure the food is steaming hot.
To find out more about food safety and guidance visit the Food Standards Agency website.
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01 July 2024
![Casting a vote in a polling station](https://cms.westnorthants.gov.uk/sites/default/files/styles/responsive/public/1440/810/0/2024-07/General%20Election%20voting.png)
Are you ready for the General Election this Thursday 4 July?
West Northamptonshire Council will be administering the election for the Parliamentary Constituencies of Daventry, South Northamptonshire, Northampton North, and Northampton South, with voters in each constituency electing a Member of Parliament (MP).
The candidates standing in each of the four constituencies can be viewed here
Read on to find out everything you need to know in order to have your say in this election.
Voting at a polling station
Polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm on Thursday 4 July, so you can cast your vote.
You can find details of your polling station on your poll card, which was sent to you in the run-up to the election.
If you have misplaced your poll card don't worry. You don't need it to vote and you can check details of your polling station here
Don't forget your photo ID
When you arrive at the polling station please give your name and address to the staff inside the polling station.
You will also need to show your photo ID to confirm your identity.
You can use an expired photo ID, so long as the image on the ID remains a good likeness to you. However it must be the original document - a photocopy is not acceptable
Any of the following is acceptable:
- Passport (UK, EU/EEA, Commonwealth issued)
- Driving licence (including provisional licences) (UK, EU/EEA issued)
- Blue Badge
- Certain older/disabled people concessionary travel cards
- Identity card with PASS mark (Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
- Biometric Immigration document
- Defence identity card
- Certain national identity cards.
Please check the list of acceptable forms of photo ID to ensure you have one that allows you to vote.
Returning your postal vote
If you arranged a postal vote and have left it too late to post it back, you can still bring your postal vote to the council offices or your polling station. You will need to complete a postal vote return form, which will be provided to you when handing in your vote.
If you post your postal vote through a council letter box, it will be rejected. This is due to a change in the law. For more information visit The Electoral Commission website
New constituency boundaries
This election will use new constituency boundaries, after they were redrawn in 2023 to reflect population changes and to try to even out voter numbers in each area.
This means you may be voting in a different constituency to previous elections. The new boundaries can be found by visiting the Boundary Commission for England
Election results
The votes will be counted once polls have closed at 10pm on Thursday 4 July, with the results expected to be announced in the early hours of Friday morning.
The results for each of the four constituencies in the West Northamptonshire area will be published on our X and Facebook pages as soon as they are declared. They will also be posted on our Elections Results page
Find out more
More information about this election can be found on our General Election 2024 page
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01 July 2024
![People smiling and waving with a framed award](https://cms.westnorthants.gov.uk/sites/default/files/styles/responsive/public/1440/810/0/2024-07/TMDF%20KAVS%20Celebration.jpg)
A charity that works to alleviate hunger and provide for those in need across Northamptonshire has been awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation received the award from His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, James Saunders Watson, in recognition of the support it gives to people in need across the county.
Equivalent to an MBE, the award is the highest that can be given to voluntary groups in the UK.
The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation was established in 2020 in response to the pandemic and since then has provided invaluable aid to thousands of people.
It has supported more than 83,000 people through distributing food parcels and supporting school children by providing breakfast boxes, school shoes, and technology to help them with their studies.
It also tackles loneliness and improves wellbeing through a range of local clubs and groups as well as via its Doorstep Buddies programme, which provides regular home visits to people who are socially isolated.
The charity works with a range of organisations including local schools, Community Mental Health Teams, Northamptonshire Domestic Abuse Service, Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, Northamptonshire Social Services, and Northamptonshire HM Prisons and Probation service.
"We are so, so honoured to receive this award. Our amazing team of volunteers are the absolute heart of our charity, and we couldn’t do what we do without their amazing, continued support. It is a delight to have made such a significant impact in Northamptonshire, and for everybody’s hard work to be recognised in such a fantastic way. I want to say a huge thanks to all our volunteers, trustees, and donors - this wouldn’t have been possible without their support.”Teresa McCarthy-Dixon, Founder of The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation
“It is wonderful that the McCarthy-Dixon Foundation has been recognised with the prestigious King’s Award for Voluntary Service. This award is much deserved and one that truly honours the incredible work the Foundation does and the impact it has on people’s lives across Northamptonshire every day.James Saunders Watson, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire“The Foundation has grown considerably since it was originally established and the breadth of support they offer is remarkable, all achievable due to their magnificent volunteers that contribute their time to help others. A truly exceptional foundation.”
To find out more about the Foundation or how you can get involved, please visit the McCarthy-Dixon Foundation website.
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28 June 2024
![Drone photo of Sandy Lane Relief Road near Northampton](https://cms.westnorthants.gov.uk/sites/default/files/styles/responsive/public/1440/810/0/2024-06/Sandy%20Lane%20Relief%20Road.jpg)
The first section of a new relief road which has been created to support the delivery of new housing developments has now opened to the public in Northamptonshire.
The road, which is the first section of the Sandy Lane Relief Road to be opened, has been built to connect residents at the new housing schemes and surrounding residential areas with the existing Sandy Lane road, opened to road users for the first time on Friday 28th June.
Miller Homes and Vistry Group are delivering a significant number of new homes in this part of Northamptonshire and the existing route between the A4500 and Roman Road passing along Sandy Lane was temporarily closed as part of this.
“We know in implementing much needed new housing developments there can be impact on residents but by working closely with the developers, we have sought to mitigate these as much as possible and address issues as they arose.Stuart Timmiss, WNC Executive Director for Place and Economy“I would like to apologise to the residents of Harpole and Duston, and businesses in the area, who have had a difficult time while this closure has been in place, and we apologise for the inconvenience caused and thank them for their patience.
“We’re very grateful to colleagues at Vistry Group and Miller Homes for working with us to deliver this link as soon as was possible.
“We will continue our conversations with Homes England to get the whole relief road completed as soon as possible.”
The two developments – known as Western Gate, built by Vistry Group under its Linden Homes and Bovis Homes brands, and Norwood Quarter, built by Miller Homes – will provide almost 800 new homes between them close to the Harpole and Duston areas of Northampton.
“We are pleased to have now opened this section of the Sandy Lane Relief Road for traffic to connect back onto Sandy Lane and between the new developments being built in this part of Northamptonshire.Spokesperson on behalf of the two developers“We have worked closely with West Northamptonshire Council to complete the work on this section of the new relief road as quickly and efficiently as possible, ensuring safety was at the top of our priority list at all times.
“We also appreciate the disruption this has caused while the road was being built and would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused, and now hope road users will benefit from the improved transport infrastructure for many years to come.
“Miller Homes and Vistry Group remain committed to delivering quality new housing within Northamptonshire, as work continues on our respective developments nearby the newly opened relief road.”
While one part of the Sandy Lane Relief Road has now opened to the public, West Northamptonshire Council hope that construction to join up the newly opened road to the southern section of the road will commence soon.
For further information about the developments being built by Miller Homes and Vistry Group, visit:
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