Latest news with #WestNorthamptonshire
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Brackley school and Daventry industrial development up for sale
A former school and an industrial development are to be sold to generate income for a council. West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) hopes the sales of the now closed Southfield Primary School, in Brackley, and the industrial site in Heartlands, Daventry, could generate income of about £500,000. Two public open spaces are due to be transferred to Crick Parish Council for £1 each, as it is felt they can be better managed by the community. It is also aiming to formalise its ownership of two pieces of land in Green Lane and Off the old A45, both in Northampton. Members of WNC approved the plans at a meeting on Wednesday. The change comes after the authority agreed to put the modern extension of Northampton's Guildhall up for sale. Southfield Primary School, which closed in July 2024 due to a shortfall in pupils, could be demolished and the land used for housing. Its existing theatre block will be kept, along with 50 car parking spaces for the community, to be used as a family hub, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. WNC said "extensive checks" were made to see if there was a viable educational use for the site, but none came forward. 'Delighted' Brackley Conservative councillor Fiona Baker said the closure of the school had been "pretty devastating". "The space can provide a permanent home for a 'spoke' of the family hub service, the much-loved youth club, a community larder, a stem school for Send students, along with other early health groups that currently lack a dedicated venue."Now is the time to invest in infrastructure for Brackley that supports the expanding community."Regarding the sale of the open spaces, Liberal Democrat councillor Rosie Humphreys said: "Cracks Hill is known and loved by everyone in Crick. "It's widely used by the villages and outdoor amenity for ramblers, dog walkers and families."The parish council has long wished to have ownership of this local landmark and will be delighted if the transfer process is approved."WNS said solidifying its title on the Northampton land would enable it to be better managed. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Reform council agrees plan to share data with savings unit
A Reform UK-controlled council in England is the first to approve a proposal to share sensitive financial information with the party's cost-cutting Northamptonshire Council is exploring options to share data requested by Reform UK's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).Doge has asked the council to provide records of spending on IT systems, social care services and hotels housing asylum team of unelected volunteers - led by former Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf - is aiming to enter into similar data-sharing agreements with all the councils controlled by the party. The BBC has been told Doge has submitted requests to access sensitive information to other councils, including those in Kent and far, Doge has focused on drawing attention to publicly available information about council spending, such as money spent on net-zero initiatives and asylum party insists it needs access to council records that are not public to make sure taxpayers are getting value for money."It's not a very well kept secret at council level that a lot of money is wasted on procurement," a party source opposition councillors have questioned the need for a team of outside auditors and have expressed concerns about how sensitive data would be handled by Harris, the Liberal Democrat group leader on West Northamptonshire Council, said he was sceptical of Doge's claims and argued it should be up to elected councillors to identify opportunities for saving money."They've said they're going to get fantastic data engineers in and use AI," Harris said. "That appears to be all smoke and mirrors."Harris said he had "lots of uncomfortable concerns about it because it's a PR exercise"."It's a promotional tool for Reform," he added. The council has not shared any data with Doge so the council said arrangements signed off by the cabinet on Wednesday establish "the framework under which information may possibly be shared in the future, including strict legal protections and confidentiality safeguards".Mark Arnull, the Reform UK leader of the council, said the proposed data-sharing arrangement would comply with the said: "I am confident the team will be able to support the council in identifying further efficiencies and potential future savings whilst continuing to protect and deliver services for residents across West Northamptonshire."The council said that since its creation in 2021, it had already saved around £115m by working more the finances of this council and others across the country are under massive strain, with many facing budget shortfalls because of rising costs and increasing demand for services. Doge was launched in June this year after Reform UK took control of 10 local authorities in May's local UK said a team of software engineers, data analysts and forensic auditors would "visit and analyse" local authorities to find "waste and inefficiencies" in unit is made up of about 15 volunteers and is run by Yusuf, who quit as party chairman in June, before returning to Reform to head up Doge days party has not revealed the names of any of the volunteers working with Yusuf on is modelled on the cost-cutting department set up by US President Donald Trump and previously led by billionaire Elon in the US has been hampered by legal challenges to its efforts to access the personal financial data of UK said Kent County Council - which it controls - would be the first local authority to be audited by its Doge - effectively civil servants - at the council are deciding how to respond to Doge's request for information.A Kent County Council (KCC) spokesperson said: "Officers at KCC are working closely and positively with the new administration to ensure that they achieve their policy aims, whilst doing so within the appropriate legal and governance frameworks."This collaboration with our newly elected members will ensure that any decisions taken are lawful, reasonable and proportionate, and we will be heading towards key decisions in due course through the governance process."When asked if there had been resistance to Doge's requests for information, a Reform UK source "I don't think there's been pushback as such"."It's more being wary and making sure that everything is legal," the source said.
Telegraph
16-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Reform council scraps net zero target
A Reform-run council has become the first in the country to scrap net zero targets and will abandon plans to replace its fleet of cars with electric vehicles. West Northamptonshire council agreed on Wednesday to refocus its sustainability work to 'ensure its efforts deliver the greatest value to local residents and businesses'. It means the council will no longer be tied to a target to reach net zero by 2030, nor to encourage residents and businesses to do the same by 2045. The Telegraph understands that existing plans to replace the council's fleet of cars with electric vehicles has been scrapped, and work to install charging infrastructure to power the cars will no longer take place. But some green initiatives that could save residents money will continue, including a home insulation grant scheme and a plan to save water in public buildings. Mark Arnull, the council's leader, said it 'simply cannot afford net zero' and that the decision would deliver better value for money for voters. 'Every year our council faces financial challenges to deliver the statutory services we have to provide by law,' he said. 'The previous administration set no budget to fund net zero and instead set undeliverable targets that, if attempted, would likely send the council bust.' 'The Reform UK administration is fully committed to creating a more sustainable West Northamptonshire and being responsible custodians of our local environment. 'We want to further prioritise our focus on delivering practical, high-impact projects that make a real difference to people's lives.' 'Reduce energy bills' Reform's rejection of net zero policies was followed by the Conservatives earlier this year, when Kemi Badenoch announced that reaching the target by 2050 across the UK was no longer achievable. A national, legally-binding target was first introduced by Theresa May's government in 2019, shortly before she left office. Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, has begun an 'an exercise in radical truth-telling' to politicians who are sceptical of net zero, and says that extreme weather changes are threatening the 'British way of life'. Richard Tice, Reform's deputy leader, said: 'I am proud that a Reform UK council will be the first council in the country to scrap its net zero goals in order to prioritise practical, realistic projects that improve lives, reduce energy bills, and support local businesses. 'Reform UK is the only party that is committed to scrapping net zero in its entirety to save jobs and put more money in people's pockets.'
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
West Northants Council considers removing net zero targets
A Reform UK council has announced it is considering plans to remove net zero Northamptonshire Council is looking at a "refocus and revision" of the authority's climate change targets in favour, the authority says, of focusing limited public resources on initiatives with tangible is noted in the report due before Cabinet next week that "the government's target remains for the wider area to be net zero by 2050".Council leader Mark Arnull said the authority wanted to "further prioritise our focus on delivering practical, high-impact projects that make a real difference to people's lives". In 2022, the then Conservative-controlled council signed up to the UK100 Net Zero pledge, putting in place the targets for the authority, residents and the climate impact section of the cabinet paper, it states that "the withdrawal of local net zero targets may have some adverse impact on progress in this area, but as long as the Council continues to take positive local environmental action tangible improvements can be achieved".Nigel Stansfield, the cabinet member for environment, recycling and waste, said: "This refocus also reflects the limited ability we have locally to materially affect global warming, given the many factors outside our control."Dan Lister, leader of the Conservative Group on West Northamptonshire Council, said the previous Conservative administration backed several environmental schemes including electric buses and EV charging points - and drove investment to create high quality green approved, the council's existing strategies will be updated and reports will refer to "environmental impact" instead of "climate impact". Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
09-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Community Engagement Hub Programme in Northampton closes
A community support programme set up during the Covid-19 pandemic has closed after running out of Community Engagement Hub Programme, operated by Community Spaces Northampton, had continued for more than 18 months using the charity's own limited resources after core support from West Northamptonshire Council programme ran from community centres in Semilong, Bellinge and Briar Hill, providing food parcels, hot meals, clothing, toys, advice sessions and a safe space for residents.A spokesperson for the Board of Trustees said: "Sadly [the] funds have now been exhausted. As a result, and in order to safeguard the future of the wider charity, the trustees have made the incredibly difficult decision to close the hub programme." 'Disappointing news' The scheme was originally launched with grant funding to help tackle isolation following lockdowns, but quickly expanded its support for struggling charity said it was looking at potential new partnerships to relaunch a version of the service in other bookings and services at the centres will continue as usual."We know this will be disappointing news for many in our communities and we want to reassure you that this decision was not taken lightly", the spokesperson Northamptonshire Council has been contacted for comment. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
