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15 March 2024
People across West Northamptonshire are being encouraged spring into action this March and help tackle litter in their local areas. West Northamptonshire Council is coordinating and supporting a range of Community Spring Clean activities throughout the month, which coincides with the National Spring Clean campaign organised by Keep Britain Tidy running from 15 to 31 March. To support these events, the council has litter picking equipment available to borrow, guidance on how to safely organise a community litter pick and it can supply sacks. When a litter pick has been registered on our ‘cleaner communities’ web page and the activity is completed the Council will collect the rubbish. There are more than 35 community spring clean events taking place throughout March across West Northamptonshire and residents can join one of these events if they prefer.
Anti-littering messaging will be shared across social media, and the road traffic management signs as part of the campaign in a bid to help deter people from littering and facing a penalty for this crime.
“It is disappointing that some people show such little regard for the environment and their local community that they drop litter wherever they like. The Council is committed to tackling this issue, and it is always heartening to see the great work of our partners, officers and volunteers who work so hard to keep their communities clean and green. 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 to clean our local area, we send a strong message that littering is anti-social and not acceptable. If you would like to hold litter pick in your community and support the community spring clean please get in touch with us to find out more about borrowing free litter picking equipment.”Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways and Waste
To further support this work, higher fines for litter and other environmental crime were introduced across West Northamptonshire from 1 February. The maximum amount those who litter or graffiti has increased from £150 to £500.
The Litter Charter, which was launched in 2022, sets out how the Council collaborates with partners (Wombles, National Highways, community groups), enables community litter picks (by providing equipment and making arrangements to collect the rubbish from public land) and takes enforcement action (fixed penalty notices and fines). As well as the Council’s approach to additional or replacement litter bins. To find out more about the litter charter and to borrow litter picking equipment visit our Cleaner Communities page.
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15 March 2024
Residents across West Northamptonshire can now sign up for optional, chargeable garden waste collections from April 2024.
The annual subscription charge for the fortnightly service from April 2024 to the end of March 2025 is £58 per bin and can be made online at www.westnorthants.gov.uk/gardenwaste
Residents can sign up for an annual direct debit to save having to remember to renew every year. Residents who are unable to access the internet can subscribe to the service by phoning the council on 0300 126 7000.
Once households are signed up to the service, they will receive their new 2024/25 garden waste permit which they will be asked to stick on their garden waste bin. Any bins that have not subscribed will not be emptied after 1 April.
People who do not wish to sign up to the service have the option of composting their garden waste at home, either in a traditional compost heap or by purchasing a compost bin by visiting www.getcomposting.com and typing in their postcode to see offers available in their area.
People can also recycle garden waste for free at any of the Council’s household waste recycling centres.
A comprehensive list of FAQs are also available on the Council’s website at www.westnorthants.gov.uk/bins-recycling-and-street-cleaning/garden-waste-collection-faqs
More information can be found at www.westnorthants.gov.uk/gardenwaste
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15 March 2024
West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is in the process of issuing over 1300 warning notices to drivers who have not adhered to regulations at Hermitage Way, Wootton and Fishponds Road junction after enforcement cameras went live on 16 February.
Right turns are not allowed from Fishponds Road into Great Billing Way and Hermitage Way is a bus only route which is routinely used by other motorists.
The measures have been put in place to address road safety concerns, and prohibit vehicles from using the bus route as a short cut.
To date, at Fishponds Road: 1192 Warning Notices have been distributed and 17 Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) issued. Whereas at Hermitage Way 123 Warning Notices have been given to drivers, and 1 PCN has been issued.
“These new measures aren’t about ‘punishing’ drivers at all but helping them by trying to ease congestion keep our roads safe and keep the traffic and bus flowing in our town. We know some people have expressed concerns about them, but many more also support what we are doing and we have received requests to look at introducing these measures in other areas of West Northamptonshire. We want people to know where this enforcement is taking place and to be aware of the rules of the road in these areas so that they don’t fall foul of the law and help us to keep traffic moving.”Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways and Waste
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15 March 2024
Construction works have started on the development of a new special school located in Towcester which will provide much-needed places for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
Leading construction firm Wilmott Dixon are underway with the development of the new school, called Tiffield Academy, which is set to open in autumn 2025 and will cater for children and young people between the ages of four to 18 with autistic spectrum conditions (ASC), speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), as well as those with severe learning difficulties (SLD). The school will be designed to physically accommodate 250 pupils, although it will operate to an admissions number of 230, with the remaining 20 places expected to be filled through emergency placements or other extenuating factors.
Commemorating the occasion with a ground-breaking ceremony, stakeholders came together to mark the start of the project, which will take shape over the next 18 months. Cllr Fiona Baker, Cabinet Member for Children, Families, Education and Skills at West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) was joined by representatives Wilmott Dixon who are delivering the project and Greenwood Academies Trust who will be responsible for running the new school.
This work follows planning approval in January this year for a three-storey building that is specially designed to create an environment for children to learn, grow and thrive. The school will have general and practical teaching spaces, a lift providing access to the upper floor, with each key stage next to a calm room, intervention room and a group room. There will be two halls proposed to provide physical activities, music, drama and assembly spaces.
The Early Years phase will be co-located with need specific sensory rooms and separate dining spaces for primary and secondary pupils.
“It is positive to see work underway at the Tiffield site in preparation for opening in Autumn 2025 as we know these additional spaces are very much needed and will make a significant difference to the children and young people who will attend the school, as well as their families. This school will provide an engaging environment and excellent teaching and learning facilities to help our students learn, develop and connect.Cllr Fiona Baker, Cabinet Member for Children, Families, Education“This is a step forward and is part of our wider programme of creating 600 new specialist places locally as we continue to see a high demand for SEND places to meet the needs of our children and young people.
“We know this is not a solution for all and that there remain challenges with demand in other areas. We are working hard to provide support in all areas across our SEND offer and are working with schools and learning providers to embed a graduated response to ensure children’s needs are identified as early as possible and met in the best way. We are also reviewing the needs of all children to understand if and when additional specialist provision is needed.”
“We are pleased to be working with the Council and the DfE to deliver a vital new school for the young people of West Northamptonshire. It is great to see the first steps taken today towards this becoming a physical reality. We look forward to welcoming Tiffield Academy into the GAT family and, most importantly, working with our first cohort of fantastic young people from Autumn 2025.”Wayne Norrie, Chief Executive of Greenwood AcademiesSpokesperson for Wilmot Dixon said: “We would like to thank West Northamptonshire Council for providing us with the opportunity to be a part of this new prestigious SEND project. As a result of the collaborative approach between each stakeholder, we are well underway to delivering this exciting new facility. Our goal is to assist West Northamptonshire council and the Greenwood Academy Trust in creating a positive legacy for the trust and the wider community for many years to come.”
Further updates on progress will continue to be shared as building works continue.
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15 March 2024
People are invited to discover the beauty, innovation and artistry of Vivienne Westwood clothing and footwear through the eyes of private collector, Lee Price.
Lee, originally from Kettering, worked for Vivienne Westwood in the mid 90's for 18 years and has been collecting Westwood clothing and accessories for over 35 years. This exhibition is the result of a collaboration between Lee and Northampton Museum and Art Gallery.
Dame Vivienne Westwood is arguably the most influential British fashion designer of the twentieth century. Her name is synonymous with punk and creating iconic fashion collections that combine an encyclopaedic knowledge of fashion history and tradition with an ability to defy convention and incite provocation.
From X rated t shirts and bondage boots to corsets, tartan and tweed her clothes always inspire and provoke comment.
“After the success of PUNK: Rage & Revolution, it is marvellous to see another iconic figure from that era taking centre stage at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery.Councillor Adam Brown, Deputy Leader of West Northamptonshire Council and Cabinet Member for Housing, Culture and Leisure“The collection offers visitors a chance to peer into a moment of time through the eyes of Lee Price, an experienced member of the fashion world with a personal connection to the Vivienne Westwood brand.
“It offers the people of Northamptonshire and beyond a chance to see some truly unique pieces of fashion and history in a striking environment.”
The exhibition opens in the Temporary Gallery at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery on Saturday 16 March and will run until Sunday 9 June with free entry.
Disclaimer: The Vivienne Westwood group and brand was not involved in the curation or organisation of this exhibition. It is not an institutional partnership with Vivienne Westwood Limited.
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