Latest news with #DavidHowes
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Reform UK formally votes in new council leader
Newly elected members at a Reform UK-led council have come together for the first time at the authority's annual meeting. North Northamptonshire Council's chamber in Corby saw 65 of its 66 elected councillors attend and formally approve the new leader of the unitary local authority, as well as appoint other positions and make committee arrangements. The Conservatives lost control of the council as Reform UK won 39 seats in the local elections earlier this month. Martin Griffiths said it was a "privilege to be chosen as leader of the council". The new political make-up of the 68-seat council is: 39 Reform UK councillors 13 Conservative 8 Green 4 Labour 1 Liberal Democrat 1 Independent There are currently two vacancies in the Higham Ferrers ward, where the election was postponed due to death of a Liberal Democrat candidate. The election for those seats will take place 12 June. The Tories had been in control of the council since the first elections for the authority in 2021, but lost 37 seats. It is now the largest opposition group and its deputy group leader David Howes said: "Hopefully we will all work together as much as we can." The Greens gained five councillors after the 1 May poll and group leader Emily Fedorowycz said: "We will not support leadership or action that is dictated by Westminster. "We don't want national figureheads or parties running this council. We want it to be run by local people and represented by us in this room." Labour lost eight seats in the elections and group leader Mark Pengelly told the meeting: "We will work with everybody on the council, but we will be holding you to account where we have to, and hopefully we can see four years of improvements for all of North Northamptonshire." A new group has been formed made up of the Independent and Liberal Democrat councillors called the Communities Alliance and it is led by long-serving independent councillor Jim Hakewill, who also stood for Parliament in Kettering in last year's general election, when Labour's Rosie Wrighting won the seat. Griffiths told the meeting: "The first residents survey for the council will take place in the first few months and we will also consult on our priorities we propose in our new corporate plan." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Councillor 'honoured' to lead local authority Reform seize control of two Northamptonshire councils Reform UK take control of two Northants councils North Northamptonshire Council
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
North Northamptonshire Council's first meeting since Reform UK win
Newly elected members at a Reform UK-led council have come together for the first time at the authority's annual Northamptonshire Council's chamber in Corby saw 65 of its 66 elected councillors attend and formally approve the new leader of the unitary local authority, as well as appoint other positions and make committee Conservatives lost control of the council as Reform UK won 39 seats in the local elections earlier this Griffiths said it was a "privilege to be chosen as leader of the council". The new political make-up of the 68-seat council is:39 Reform UK councillors13 Conservative8 Green4 Labour1 Liberal Democrat1 IndependentThere are currently two vacancies in the Higham Ferrers ward, where the election was postponed due to death of a Liberal Democrat election for those seats will take place 12 Tories had been in control of the council since the first elections for the authority in 2021, but lost 37 is now the largest opposition group and its deputy group leader David Howes said: "Hopefully we will all work together as much as we can."The Greens gained five councillors after the 1 May poll and group leader Emily Fedorowycz said: "We will not support leadership or action that is dictated by Westminster."We don't want national figureheads or parties running this council. We want it to be run by local people and represented by us in this room." Labour lost eight seats in the elections and group leader Mark Pengelly told the meeting: "We will work with everybody on the council, but we will be holding you to account where we have to, and hopefully we can see four years of improvements for all of North Northamptonshire."A new group has been formed made up of the Independent and Liberal Democrat councillors called the Communities Alliance and it is led by long-serving independent councillor Jim Hakewill, who also stood for Parliament in Kettering in last year's general election, when Labour's Rosie Wrighting won the told the meeting: "The first residents survey for the council will take place in the first few months and we will also consult on our priorities we propose in our new corporate plan." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Yahoo
Residents can report camps out-of-hours in new trial
Unauthorised encampments on council-owned or managed land can now be reported outside of normal working hours. North Northamptonshire Council is trialling an out-of-hours response service between 17:00 GMT and 20:00 on weekdays, and 08:40 to 17:00 on weekends and bank holidays. Unauthorised encampments are temporary settlements, such as caravans or tents, placed on land without the owner's consent. Councillor David Howes said: "This trial will, hopefully, allow the team to work quicker to resolve any issues that might come through out of hours and reduce problems typically associated with encampments." The trial is being run by the Northamptonshire Traveller Unit (NTU) alongside a contractor. After a report was made out-of-hours, a contractor would carry out a full assessment, including statutory health and welfare checks. This would enable the NTU to make a decision on how to manage the encampment the next working day and refer any occupants needing support to partner agencies more quickly. Jason Smithers, leader of the council, said: "As a council, we have a duty to consider the needs of all residents, both temporary and permanent. "The NTU must balance the needs of the occupants of the encampment with the impact on the surrounding area. "Removing an encampment is always seen as a necessary last resort." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Northamptonshire Traveller Unit
BBC News
25-02-2025
- General
- BBC News
Northamptonshire council trial out-of-hours camp reporting
Unauthorised encampments on council-owned or managed land can now be reported outside of normal working Northamptonshire Council is trialling an out-of-hours response service between 17:00 GMT and 20:00 on weekdays, and 08:40 to 17:00 on weekends and bank encampments are temporary settlements, such as caravans or tents, placed on land without the owner's David Howes said: "This trial will, hopefully, allow the team to work quicker to resolve any issues that might come through out of hours and reduce problems typically associated with encampments." The trial is being run by the Northamptonshire Traveller Unit (NTU) alongside a contractor. 'Needs of all residents' After a report was made out-of-hours, a contractor would carry out a full assessment, including statutory health and welfare checks. This would enable the NTU to make a decision on how to manage the encampment the next working day and refer any occupants needing support to partner agencies more Smithers, leader of the council, said: "As a council, we have a duty to consider the needs of all residents, both temporary and permanent. "The NTU must balance the needs of the occupants of the encampment with the impact on the surrounding area."Removing an encampment is always seen as a necessary last resort." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former shoe factory could become supermarket
A derelict former factory site in Northamptonshire could be sold to a national supermarket chain. The former Lawrence's factory in Gladstone Street, Desborough, looks likely to become a new Co-op store, according to ward councillor David Howes. He said the Co-op wants to develop the North Northamptonshire Council-owned site, which has been empty for nearly three decades. A council spokesperson said: "NNC has been considering the future of the site for many years and have explored all options for the site including housing and retail." The building has been subject to various redevelopment proposals since its closure as a shoe factory in the 1990s, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. These included interest from Tesco and Aldi, and more recently, the development of a council-led social housing project. In 2023, the building was marketed at £1.25m. On social media, Howes, a member of the council's Conservatives group, said the outcome was not what "he had hoped for". "We already have a Co-op offering in the town and we had hoped we could attract something different," he added. "What I am pleased about is that finally we look to be in the final stage of legal proceedings, and we will finally see the derelict site have a new facility and offering and be much more attractive." According to the council, the site was identified as being surplus to requirements last year and approved to be put on the open market. It said the sale is anticipated to be "be completed in the coming months". Co-op has been contacted for comment. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Tesco to be built in Desborough Two fight over growth town sites North Northamptonshire Council
