Whitehills and Spring Park Residents Association are holding an open event at the Pastures Community Centre on Saturday 28th January from 1.40-5.30pm. The open day will include a letter writing advice centre to help people put on paper their concerns about plans to build 1,250 homes at Buckton Fields. There will also be refreshments, a supervised play area and some fun activities.

The address to send views on the planning application is Ken Thursfield, Development Control Manager, Planning Services, Daventry District Council, Lodge Rd, Daventry, Northamptonshire NN11 4FP. Quote reference no. DA/2007/1400.

Residents in Boughton Green, St Davids and Kingsthorpe are being asked for their ideas and suggestions to help shape the future of where they live.

The first ever open public meeting of the area’s new Neighbourhood Partnership will give local people the chance to come along and discuss issues affecting their local communities and have their say on how to make change.

This is a chance to find out more about Neighbourhood Management and meet Northampton Borough Council’s new Neighbourhood Coordinator for the area Jeanette Pidgen. Ward councillors, Northamptonshire Police, neighbourhood wardens, representatives from local schools and members of the residents associations will also be at the meeting.

Neighbourhood Coordinator, Jeanette Pidgeon added: “This is our first public meeting where residents can come along and have a real input into what issues we will be tackling in the first year. We need residents there so we can look at the issues that can have a long-term benefit to the area. We don’t have a magic wand and we don’t have all the answers, however, usually it’s something very simple that needs to be addressed which can make all the difference.”

The meeting will take place on Wednesday 9 January at Kingsthorpe Community Centre, Mill Lane from 7.00pm till 9.00pm. Light refreshments will be available.

Happy New Year

This seems like a suitable point to review 2007 - a successful year for Northampton Liberal Democrats - and look forward to some of the challenges that face us.

The 2007 local elections saw us achieve control of Northampton Borough Council for the first time – making gains from both Labour and Conservatives with 26 Councillors. A truly magnificent result.

But now we have to prove ourselves running the Council. A council that has many long-standing problems – that under both Labour and Conservatives had been rated one of the worst in the Country. It is a heavy responsibility for us Liberal Democrats to take this on – in many respects we hold the hopes of Northampton people in our hands – and a challenge to restore their faith in politics by proving that we are able to make a difference.

It will take time and involve us making unpopular but necessary decisions but in the longer term our town will be a better place to live in and Northampton should take its place rightfully as one of the Britain’s leading locations.

What we have done since May:

· Appointed a new Chief Executive

· Strengthened the Council’s Democracy with enhanced Scrutiny and increased accountability of the Cabinet

· Put the Finances onto a sounder footing whilst working within a restricted budget inherited from the Conservatives

· Kept open some public toilets previously planned for closure by the Conservatives

· Restored funding to provide some Christmas lights

· Cut Sunday car parking charges, introduced pay on foot in two car parks and free Sunday parking in two others

· Signed Heads of Agreement on the Grosvenor Centre/Greyfriars development

· Commenced work on plans for the Market Square and Abington Street.

2008 sees further challenges to improve the Council

· Agreeing the first Liberal Democrat Budget in February in a situation where Government funding has only increased by 1.2%

· Putting the Balloon Festival onto a sounder footing and agreeing long-term strategy

· Getting a further report from the Audit Commission in March 2008, which we expect, will show how things have improved.

· Improve the Council’s services across the board, making them more ‘customer focused’ and responsive to the needs of residents.

Turning round a poorly performing council will take time. We have made a start. However, it will take two or three years to put in place all of the changes and improvements that are necessary.

We have an excellent team in place to deliver the changes required and above all we will make sure the residents of Northampton are fully involved in that progress.

Have a happy 2008.

Cllr Tony Woods

Liberal Democrat Leader

Northampton Borough Council

The County Council have announced that they will resurface the footpaths in Thornby Drive and Welford Rd Service Rd. The Focus team have been pressing for this work to be done for several years, particularly since work was done in Kingsway and neighbouring roads last year.

Footways, kerbs and vehicle crossings will be reconstructed, and work is due to start early in the new year, depending on the weather. Any queries before work starts should be made to Mr Stephen Cross on 01604 883449. Detailed information when work has started on phasing, access and progress on site should be made to Mr. Tony Gale on 01604 654644.

Queens Park Post Office on Kingsley Rd is one of 8 Post Offices in Northampton set to close. Queens Park is used by many residents in Kingsthorpe, and is a result of Government policy to close thousands of post offices nationally. Lib Dem councillors are campaigning strongly against these closures. Sign our online petition on Andrew Simpson’s website here.

County Tories are raiding the coffers of Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School. £15,060 is being raided from the schools reserves, money that could be used to replace rotting roof timbers and window frames on this grade 2 listed building. For more information see the Northampton Lib Dem website

WEEKLY LIST OF PLANNING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED WEEK ENDING 19/10/2007

APPLICATION NO: N/2007/1319 Date Valid 15/10/2007
Proposal Replacement of existing public telephone kiosk with kiosk combining public payphone service and ATM service
Location Telephone Box Kingsthorpe Shopping Centre Harborough Road Northampton.
Applicant BT Payphones - G. McDonough Delta Point (PP05A23) 35 Wellesley Road Croydon Surrey CR9

Case Officer Parish Ward: Conservation Area Listed Building Grade
Ben Clarke N/A Kingsthorpe N/A N/A

APPLICATION NO: N/2007/1320 Date Valid 15/10/2007
Proposal First floor extension
Location 54 Fylingdale Northampton.
Applicant Mr. & Mrs. Michael Cox 54 Fylingdale Northampton NN2 8UR.
Agent Myles & Sims Architects 3 Kennel Terrace Brixworth Northampton NN6 9DL.
Case Officer Parish Ward: Conservation Area Listed Building Grade
Geoff Wyatt N/A Kingsthorpe N/A N/A

APPLICATION NO: N/2007/1332 Date Valid 17/10/2007
Proposal Single storey rear extension
Location 35 Thornby Drive Northampton.
Applicant Mr. & Mrs. Thomson 35 Thornby Drive Northampton NN2 8HA.
Agent T R Dobraszczyk Cotherstone Lodge Althorp Northampton NN7 4HH.
Case Officer Parish Ward: Conservation Area Listed Building Grade
Amy Mottram N/A Kingsthorpe N/A N/A

APPLICATION NO: N/2007/1336 Date Valid 17/10/2007
Proposal Installation of a double mobile classroom (NCC consultation)
Location Northgate School Kingsthorpe Road Northampton.
Applicant NCC Childrens &Young Peoples Service P.O. Box 216 John Dryden House 8-10 The Lakes Northampton

Case Officer Parish Ward: Conservation Area Listed Building Grade
Geoff Wyatt N/A Kingsthorpe N/A N/A

Only one new planning application this week. It is within Kingsthorpe Conservation Area, so the Conservation Area committee will be consulted. Applications can be viewed at Cliftonville House on the Bedford Rd, the Guildhall or on the councils website:

APPLICATION NO:     N/2007/1300                               Date Valid       09/10/2007 

 Proposal                Construction of new residential dwelling.

Location                 33A Manor Road Northampton.

Applicant                Halcrow Property Management  46 Roseholme Road Abington Northampton NN1 4TQ

Welcome to the FOCUS on Kingsthorpe website. I intend to use it to support FOCUS community newsletters in Kingsthorpe. Focus stories will be published here, together with notices of planning applications and local news of interest to residents. Tell me of any news you have about Kingsthorpe that you would like to add to this site.

I will be adding more community information in due course, links to websites of interest, and comment on relevant news from the council.

Richard Church