22 May 2025

A man has been ordered to pay more than £6,000 in fines and costs after finding himself in court over waste related offences for the second time in less than two years. 

Umit Bilgin’s first appearance before Northampton Magistrates came on 6 June 2023, after waste belonging to him was dumped in Spectacle Lane, Moulton. 

Magistrates ordered him to pay £3,350 in fines and costs on that occasion. 

However, the day before that hearing, Neighbourhood Wardens from West Northamptonshire Council had found yet more rubbish belonging to Bilgin while patrolling Duke Street in Northampton. 

It resulted in the 45-year-old being issued with another summons to appear at court, where on Monday, 12 May 2025, he was convicted for a second time of failing in his duty of care to ensure his household waste was disposed of properly. 

This time Bilgin, of Patterdale Walk in Northampton, was ordered to pay a £2,000 fine, plus a victim surcharge of £800 and prosecution costs of £3,500. 

While demonstrating the Council’s commitment to dealing with fly-tipping, the case also highlights the difficulties officers sometimes face when prosecuting such offences. 

Bilgin refused to engage with the officers’ enquiries or the investigation process and had to be issued with an arrest warrant after failing to appear at the first scheduled court date on 16 January 2024.  

And when he failed to appear at the second scheduled court date of 7, May 2024, a further arrest warrant was issued. 

His first court appearance eventually came on 3 March this year, when he pleaded not guilty, leading to the trial on Monday, 12 May.  

“Listening to our residents on the doorstep, dealing with fly-tipping is clearly a top priority for them and we will be stepping up our efforts to tackle environmental crimes and hold offenders to account.

“We would urge people to continue supporting our work by reporting fly-tipping, littering and other environmental crimes on our website or via the West Northamptonshire Council app.” 

Cllr Nigel Stansfield, WNC’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Recycling and Waste

22 May 2025

In the image from left to right Mrs Haynes , Mr Charles Haynes Ziggurat XYZ, Mr. Jamie Dye, Dr Cristiana Pace Enovation Consulting Ltd and Mr. Barry Tong and Mrs Katy Tong Stephensons Online Ltd.

Three Northamptonshire businesses have been recognised with the prestigious King’s Awards for Enterprise, the UK’s highest honour for business success.

Enovation Consulting Ltd, Sol Retail, and Ziggurat XYZ Ltd have each received an award in the International Trade category, celebrating their outstanding achievements in overseas markets.

The King’s Awards for Enterprise highlight the innovation, growth, and impact of UK businesses across a range of sectors.

“Receiving a King’s Award for Enterprise is a monumental achievement, and I am thrilled to see three businesses from our region recognised for their incredible contributions to international trade and innovation. These companies are setting the standard for excellence and making a real impact on a global scale. Their success is a testament to the talent, determination, and entrepreneurial spirit that thrive here in Northamptonshire.”Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, James Saunders Watson

Enovation Consulting was founded in 2018 following Dr.  Cristiana Pace’s pioneering PhD investigating and implementing a more data-driven and robust approach to sustainability in motorsport organisations. While early applications included F1 teams, manufacturers, and motorsport federations, the business quickly evolved into an international ESG consultancy working to accelerate changes across the sport sector. Today, Enovation Consulting offers end-to-end creative, innovative, and data driven solutions for sports organisations, integrating sustainability best practices into business strategies and enabling clients to deliver on ESG goals.

“Sustainability in sports is all too often overlooked or just perceived as a communication exercise. We work with sports organisations to address sustainability in a robust, impactful, innovative and data-driven way that results in meaningful change. To achieve this, we have remained independent and agile, using what we call the ‘Formula One mindset’.

“Sport has the power to showcase real change, pioneer innovations, and inspire generations. Therefore, it is a fitting platform to drive change and cultural shifts to help tackle the climate crisis.”

Dr. Cristiana Pace, Founder and CEO of Enovation Consulting

Sol Retail, based in Northampton and founded by Barry and Katy Tong in 2012, has been recognised with a King's Award for Enterprise in International Trade. The business began with £10 selling ornaments and DVDs on eBay and is now ranked among the top 100 sellers on Amazon UK and the EU. Sol Retail supports health, beauty, and wellness brands, with sales nearing £20 million annually. It also donates to local charities, including over £500,000 in stock to the Lewis Foundation.

"This award is a landmark, not just for Sol Retail, but for the vision and perseverance that's brought us here. When we started the business in a flat with £10... we never imagined we'd be where we are today.

 "The King's Award for Enterprise recognises the passion, grit and innovative thinking that our team bring to the table every single day, and it marks just the beginning of our journey to £50 million and beyond."

Mr Tong, CEO of Sol Retail

Ziggurat XYZ Ltd, founded in 2016 by Charles Haynes is a Northampton-based talent and creative agency, has been honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade.  Specialising in factual entertainment, the agency supports a diverse range of clients, including blacksmiths, chefs, mathematicians, and gardeners, empowering them to expand their reach and impact. Over the past five years, Ziggurat has achieved an average annual growth rate of 40% and now operates in 12 countries, employing 19 staff members.

“Ziggurat is 8 years old now, and it often felt like we were hiding our success under a bushel. This award finally puts our expert staff in the spotlight they deserve. We are thrilled to be recognised for our contribution to international trade and are excited about the future.” Charles Haynes, Managing Director at Ziggurat XYZ Ltd

20 May 2025

The number of children needing care in Northamptonshire has reduced, following commitment and ambition of local leadership and the workforce to support children to remain living with their parents or within their family networks whenever it is safe to do so.

Northamptonshire Children’s Trust supports families to access the right support at the right time, focusing on prevention rather than late intervention meaning families can access timely, tailored support to build resilience, promote well-being, and overcome challenges.

Today, Ofsted have published their latest focussed visit inspection letter of the Children in Care service where they cited the reduction in the number of children coming into care and also noted the firm focus on continual improvement.

Inspectors found a number of key improvements, including increased workforce stability, enhanced quality of assessments for children in care, and significant progress in reducing the number of children living in unregistered children’s homes through a comprehensive sufficiency strategy.

Ofsted also noted the strong political and corporate support from the council’s contributing to addressing sufficiency needs by providing more homes for children in the county as well as investing in transformation such as circle to success which has had impact on improving outcomes for children and young people. 

“When children do enter care, social workers are increasingly prioritising the importance of achieving permanence without delay.

“Most children in care enjoy positive relationships with consistent social workers who know them well. Social workers speak about the children they support with pride and warmth.”

When children are unable to continue to live with their family, the Ofsted inspectors found that they are living in homes that meet their needs, where they have positive experiences and make progress in various aspects of their lives.

Inspectors

“It is pleasing that Ofsted have seen the decrease of the number of children coming into care, something that has been a key focus for us. Wherever possible we want children and young people to remain with their family or family network when it is safe to do so.

“Every child deserves to have a sense of belonging and opportunity to thrive and it is heartening to see that Ofsted recognised the commitment we have to ensuring all children and young people have this.

“We know that there are still improvements to be made as outlined by Ofsted and we are committed to progressing these.”

Julian Wooster, Chair of Northamptonshire Children’s Trust

"Ofsted has acknowledged the strong and steady focus on making things better — especially the progress we've made in creating more stability across the workforce. We're committed to keeping that momentum going. The council will continue working side-by-side with Northamptonshire Children’s Trust to keep raising the bar, so that every child gets the support, safety, and opportunities they truly deserve."Cllr Kathryn Shaw, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education at WNC

“Social workers expressed unanimous positivity about working for NCT, feeling valued and well-supported by managers and leaders at every level of the organisation. Staff cited this level of support, comprehensive training and development opportunities, and manageable caseloads as key reasons for their continued commitment to NCT, with some agency workers even converting to permanent positions as a result.”Ofsted

You can read the full report here: 50277483

Find out about NCT: Jobs and careers with Northamptonshire Children’s Trust

20 May 2025

This summer, West Northants is set to host six exhilarating Women’s Rugby World Cup fixtures at Franklin’s Gardens stadium. To mark this historic sporting moment, women from across the county are invited to take part in a one-of-a-kind Women’s Touch Rugby Festival, with matches taking place on the very pitch where the Red Roses will compete later this year. 

Whether you're a regular player or completely new to the game, this is a fantastic opportunity to experience the spirit of the Rugby World Cup, have fun, and get active alongside other women of all abilities. 

Festival details: 

• Saturday 7 June 2025 
• Main Pitch, cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens 
• Who can take part: Women aged 18+, all experience levels welcome 
• Team size: 7-a-side (up to 12 players per team) 

Entry includes: 

• Team registration for up to 12 players 
• T-shirt for every participant 
• One ticket per player to the opening home Loughborough Lightning fixture for the 2025/26 season 
• On-site parking 

Each team will be randomly assigned a Rugby World Cup nation to represent during the festival, adding an international flair to the day. Teams will be grouped based on experience level and RFU guidelines will apply. 

Important Info: 

• Team registration opens at 9.30am 
• Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis 
• Sign-ups close on Friday, 23 May  
• Festival schedules will be shared in the days leading up to the event 
• By entering, teams consent to photography and video footage being taken for promotional use 

Register your team and be part of this exciting celebration of women’s rugby by visiting the Northampton Saints events page. For any queries, please contact the team or call 01604 751543. 

15 May 2025

Northampton town centre’s ‘gold standard’ evening and night-time economy has been honoured with a top international award for the sixth year in a row. 

It was confirmed yesterday that Northampton has retained the prestigious Purple Flag award which celebrates places that create thriving, vibrant night-time economies that are safe for visitors, workers and residents. 

Across the globe only 90 locations – including world-renowned tourist destinations – have been awarded the Purple Flag which is similar to the Blue Flag scheme for beaches and aims to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of town and city centres between 5pm and 5am.  

In addition to Northampton, seven areas are celebrating receiving a Full Renewal accreditation, and four areas are celebrating receiving an Interim Renewal accreditation. 

Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) worked closely with multiple partners, including West Northamptonshire Council, West Northamptonshire Community Safety Partnership and the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner to successfully retain the Purple Flag status.  

“The Purple Flag award is only presented to towns and cities with gold standard evening and night-time economies. 

“To have received this accolade for six years in a row is an incredible achievement for Northampton and is fantastic recognition for our excellent night-time economy businesses and the multiple partners which have worked so hard to improve safety in the town centre. 

“This news comes at an exciting time for Northampton as in the next few weeks we’re due to see the completion of the £5 million Abington Street and Fish Street regeneration project which will make these key areas more attractive and accessible for both visitors and residents. 

“Looking further ahead we’re also thrilled that STACK is opening its first venue in the Midlands in the former Market Walk shopping centre which will feature independent street food outlets, bars, a space for interactive games and a main stage for live music and entertainment.”  

Mark Mullen, operations manager for Northampton Town Centre BID

The £12 million STACK scheme is being funded by an £8 million investment from STACK and a £4.2 million investment from West Northamptonshire Council. 

Receiving Purple Flag accreditation has been shown to boost local economies, increase tourism, and improve the overall quality of life for residents by providing more night-time entertainment and social opportunities.  

The award judges were impressed with the revamp of Northampton’s Market Square, which has enhanced the area with its alfresco dining, public art and water features. They also found that inclusive events like the town’s free Music Festival and lively Diwali celebrations had brought the community together.  

Other key successes in Northampton’s submission included its focus on night-time venue safety initiatives such as staff upskilling and awareness programs like Ask for Angela. The introduction of the Safer Routes Home initiative, which provides University of Northampton students with a designated and safer path home from the town centre to the Waterside Campus, was also singled out for praise. 

“It’s fantastic to see Northampton once again being awarded Purple Flag status. Since its first application in 2018, the town has continued to go from strength to strength. The passion and dedication shown by the partnership is a true reflection of what the Purple Flag stands for – vibrant, safe, and thriving town and city centres after dark.” Ojay McDonald, Chief Executive of the Association of Town & City Management

“Retaining the Purple Flag for the sixth consecutive year is a fantastic achievement and reflects the commitment of our partners and local businesses to ensuring Northampton is a safe, welcoming, and vibrant place to enjoy a night out.” Cllr Mark Arnull, from West Northamptonshire Council

For more details visit www.discovernorthampton.co.uk