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21 February 2024
Nearly 600 motorists will be warned about flouting road restrictions at a congested Northampton junction since recently introducing enforcement measures to help keep traffic moving there.
West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is in the process of issuing 597 warning notices to drivers who have blocked the hatched yellow box at the junction of St John’s Street and Victoria Gardens since enforcement cameras went live at the start of this month (1 February).
The measures have been put in place to help reduce town centre traffic congestion after the Department for Transport (DfT) changed legislation to enable local authorities to apply for powers to enforce against moving traffic contraventions.
During the first six months of this site going live, a warning notice will be issued for first offences to any vehicle, and from 1 August onwards, all motorists who breach the rules at this site will receive a Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) of £70.00, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days. No PCNs have yet been issued. Any money from future PCNs is ring fenced and will be put back in to funding highways services and projects under the legislation.
Figures show that despite town centre diversions potentially causing additional traffic along St John’s Street, the majority of those drivers facing warning notices for blocking the yellow box were travelling away from the town centre on the Victoria Gardens gyratory system.
On 16 February, WNC also introduced enforcement at two other sites with the following number of warnings currently being issued:
- Right turns are not allowed from Fishponds Road into Great Billing Way – 187 warning notices
- Hermitage Way is a bus only route which is routinely used by other motorists – 36 warning notices
Councillor Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways and Waste, said:
“Contrary to recent reports and speculation, these new measures aren’t about ‘punishing’ drivers at all but helping them by trying to ease congestion and keep the traffic flowing in our town.We know some people have expressed unhappiness 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.”
With its highways partner Kier and the police, WNC has identified the first five spots which would benefit from this kind of enforcement. Alongside the cameras put in place this month, two further locations already agreed are set to be added at a later stage:
Entry into the specified stretch of Deanshanger Road is prohibited except for buses. At the Horse Market junction with Gold St and Marefair, several right and left turns are banned, and drivers should also ensure they follow the blue directional arrow signs. Motorists should avoid stopping in the box junction at the eastern end of Gold Street. Further sites for enforcement are under consideration, especially those that residents suggested during the consultation process.
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21 February 2024
West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) contractor for the Market Square project has been adding social value to the area by encouraging the aspirations of local people.
As part of an ongoing commitment to ‘Level Up’ West Northants, WNC ensures that the contractors for our regeneration projects add social value to the community they are working in. This social value requirement means that investment from the Towns Fund not only enables us to deliver great projects such as the Market Square redevelopment, but some of this investment directly benefits communities across West Northants.
Delivering on these social value requirements has included partnering with schools to deliver engaging workshops, providing employment and placement opportunities as well as supporting local businesses to grow the local economy.
Over the past year Stepnell have visited many local schools to spark an interest in construction and science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) related fields through creative and interactive workshops with students of all ages.
Representatives from Stepnell have worked with seven schools, committing over 70 hours to engage with young people who have an interest in construction and STEM. They ran fun, interactive workshops with children of all ages to teach them a range of skills including team working and critical thinking as well as introducing them to basic concepts in design, engineering, physics and material chemistry.
These workshops taught students about biodiversity in construction by building ‘bug hotels’ for the school grounds. They learnt about how different insects and bugs are attracted to different materials.
Zip wire construction provided insights into momentum and scientific experiment design by enabling children to investigate and experiment how different materials and angles used affects the ability of a zip wire to transport a toy from one side of the classroom to another.
It is excellent to see Stepnell provide our school children with these creative and informative sessions where they were able to take part in fun challenges whilst learning key concepts in STEM and construction.Cllr Fiona Baker, Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Families at WNCI hope that these sessions provided insight into the construction world and sparked an interest in STEM subjects and the wider redevelopment of West Northamptonshire.
In addition to working with schools to provide these workshops, Stepnell further facilitated the encouragement of our young people’s aspirations by offering work experience to college and university students with an interest in civil engineering. The development created apprenticeship opportunities meanwhile Stepnell employed five local employees on training programmes.
I am delighted to witness the wider social value that the redevelopment of the Market Square has added to our communities across West Northamptonshire over the past year.Cllr Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth at WNCOur project to redevelop the Market Square sits at the heart of a broader strategy for the economic regeneration of Northampton Town Centre, it is great to see that our partners are also working to add social value to this project.
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21 February 2024
West Northamptonshire Council is developing a new Tree Strategy that will provide a clear vision and action plan for maximising the benefits of trees across West Northamptonshire into the future.
Residents, businesses and community groups are being invited to help shape the tree strategy and join one of the upcoming in person events and online drop in which are taking place this March.
People can sign up for the online sessions on Friday 15 March by visiting the Eventbrite link.
Alternatively, we’d love to speak to people in person and you can turn up to one of the following session:
- Monday 18 March 10:30-16:30 at The Guildhall, Northampton
- Tuesday 19 March 10:30-16:30 at Daventry Library, The Abbey Centre
- Wednesday 20 March 10:30-16:30 at The Forum, Towcester
The engagement sessions follow on from the public consultation which was carried out in November 2023.
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19 February 2024
People across West Northamptonshire are being invited to have their say on proposals to address air quality concerns and improve standards across the area.
Reducing air pollution is vitally important to the local health and environment. All councils have a duty to monitor local air quality to make sure it meets certain standards. West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) monitor air quality in several locations across the area.
WNC is in the process of developing Air Quality Action Plan or AQAP which outlines the steps it will take to work towards improving air quality and reducing air pollution.
Residents and businesses across the area are now invited to view the proposals and share their views. People can have their say from Monday 19 February to Sunday 17 March by visiting the WNC website.
The draft AQAP replaces existing plans from former sovereign councils which have produced positive improvements in air quality and builds on them further. Some of the actions producing positive effects include:
- controls around planning to make sure air quality is considered
- introducing a Low Emission Strategy in Northampton
- reducing vehicle emissions through improved ways and routes of travel
- delivering electric vehicle infrastructure
Given our bold Net Zero commitments, the Air Quality Action Plan is the first crucial step towards putting measures in place to improve air quality in Northampton, and wider West Northamptonshire.Cllr Jonathan Nunn, Leader of West Northamptonshire CouncilAs part of the development of the plan, we will be looking at how we can improve air quality as a local authority and how we can support residents in making changes to help achieve these aims.
The feedback from the consultation will inform the final draft which will be submitted to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), who oversees air quality plans. DEFRA will make a decision on the AQAPs suitability before notifying the council if it can be applied or not. Once in place, the AQAP will be annually reviewed when WNC publishes the Annual Status Report.
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19 February 2024
West Northamptonshire Council has launched a new £770k grants scheme to support Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisation initiatives providing debt and money advice and immigration support services in West Northants.
The grant funding will be available from 1 April 2024 to 30 March 2026 for eligible projects or services. These can be new initiatives, existing projects or services, or expansions of existing projects or services that:
- help to prevent people from experiencing debt and financial crisis by providing early intervention and support around issues such as bankruptcy, foreclosure and eviction
- provide debt management and money advice services to enable people to contain and manage their debt obligations. This can be by creating manageable repayment plans, advocating services, negotiating with creditors and landlords, or other forms of support to avoid people falling deeper into debt
- provide tailored welfare and benefit advice enabling people to maximise their entitlement to welfare support and reduce and contain their debt obligations
- promote financial stability and security by helping people to build a foundation that reduces future financial stress and uncertainty
- improve financial literacy by providing support, education and resources, particularly in the areas of how to budget and manage debt effectively
- empower residents to take control of their financial lives and equip them with the knowledge, skills and resources to overcome financial obstacles, achieve goals, and work towards a brighter financial future
- reduce socioeconomic inequality by providing communities who may be disproportionately affected by financial challenges with access to quality debt and money advice
- improve overall economic impact by reducing personal debt levels and contributing to economic growth and stability at both the individual and societal levels
In addition, grant funding is available for existing projects or services that provide immigration support, including those that:
- provide individuals with legal guidance to understand their rights, options, and obligations under immigration law. This also includes the navigation of the immigration processes, which can be complex and daunting, especially for individuals who may not be familiar with the legal system or who face language barriers
- protect Human Rights and ensure that individuals fleeing persecution, violence, or other forms of harm have the opportunity to seek protection and immigration in accordance with international Human Rights standards. These services should also safeguard the rights and dignity of vulnerable immigrants
- empower individuals to make informed decisions about their migration journey and reduce their vulnerability to exploitation and abuse by unscrupulous individuals or organisations
- help individuals to understand their eligibility for various services and benefits such as healthcare and education and support with applications and documentation to ensure that migrants can access the resources they need to rebuild their lives in a new country
- support family reunification, promote integration and enable social cohesion and contributions to society
Cllr David Smith, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Engagement, and Regulatory Services at West Northamptonshire Council, said: “This grant funding will not only help to improve the lives of local people by supporting them to become debt free and avoid financial crisis, it will also help those on their migration journey who might be at risk of abuse and exploitation.
“We are extremely grateful to all of our fantastic VCSE partners who continue to deliver this vital work and support our residents and communities, and I encourage all those who are eligible for this funding to apply.”
Further information and the full criteria for applications can be found on the WNC website and in the Council’s Community Funding Grants Framework.
If you would like an application form or wish to speak to the Community Funding Grants Team about your project or your eligibility to apply for this grant, email: [email protected] including your contact telephone number.
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