Friday brief: Cobblers land deal back on the agenda
Friday brief: Cobblers land deal back on the agenda
Plus anger over speakers at NNC, some news from Westminster, activities for the weekend and our independent business of the week
The leader of West Northamptonshire Council, Jonathan Nunn will meet with the Cobblers supporter’s trust this evening with an update on the Sixfields land deal.
There appeared to be progress on the long-running saga last November but planned meetings had to be cancelled as a new valuation was needed on the land.
Northampton Town Football Club wants to develop the area but because the council owns the freehold the two parties need to reach an agreement before any progress can be made.
The authority has always insisted that a condition of the deal is that the club must complete work on the East Stand which was at the centre of the missing £10.25m loan scandal.
Last summer the club said they were confident enough in the progress the deal was making to commission conceptual images to show supporters, the council and others what they wanted to achieve with the developments.
However, the supporters trust has been vocal in its concerns over the deal and has met with both the council and the owners of the club to seek reassurances. They are now waiting to hear more about the final details from Cllr Nunn tonight.
Papers relating to the proposed deal are due to be published this afternoon and a special full council meeting has been scheduled for February 21 before the matter goes to a special cabinet meeting the week after.
News in brief
A bid to increase the controversially low number of speakers at North Northamptonshire Council’s planning meetings was defeated this week.
Three Conservatives on the council’s democracy and standards committee, Cllr Kevin Watt, Cllr Gill Mercer and Cllr Macaulay Nichol voted against the proposal from the Kettering Green Alliance Leader Cllr Emily Fedorowycz to allow two speakers both for and against applications.
It comes after more than 100 protestors gathered outside the council’s offices last summer when only one member of the public was allowed to speak against an unpopular warehouse application.
Talking to NN Journal after the meeting, Cllr Fedorowycz said: “We are bowled over that this was refused. We are not going to let it drop.”
A woman remains in a serious condition after suffering head injuries following an attack in Wellingborough in the early hours of Sunday morning. A man, 38 has been arrested and is still being questioned by police.
Yesterday the force put out an image of a man who they think may hold vital information as he was seen in the Great Park Street area and may have seen the woman after the assault. Anyone with information can call police on 101 and the incident number is 22000073377
Westminster Watch
Two of Northamptonshire’s Conservative MPs have been called up to the cabinet table in Boris Johnson’s reshuffle.
Northampton South MP Michael Ellis has been made Minister for the cabinet officer alongside his role as pay master general and Daventry MP Chris Heaton-Harris has been made chief whip.
There is speculation over how long their roles may last as it is still not apparent whether Boris Johnson will remain as PM for long as there remains unrest in the Conservative Party following his involvement in parties at No 10 during lockdown. A number of MPs have put in a letter to the Tory party’s 1922 committee asking for a vote of no confidence in the PM and if that number reaches 54 then the no confidence vote will happen.
A face familiar to Corby residents is also taking on an important role in government.
MP for Arundel Andrew Griffith, who was the Corby Conservative candidate in the early 2000s, has been made head of No 10 policy. The post became vacant after the PMs long-time adviser Munira Mirza resigned after Johnson refused to apologise for the Jimmy Saville accusation made against leader of the opposition Keir Starmer.
The former Sky executive, is a personal friend of Johnson, who has used Griffith’s Westminster townhouse when devising his leadership election campaign.
NN Culture
🎥 Documentary about the Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road is showing at the Northampton Filmhouse tonight at 8.30pm. Tickets are available here: https://www.northamptonfilmhouse.com/films/brian-wilson-long-promised-road/
🎤 A ‘musical rollercoaster’ tells the story of the band Madness at the Castle Theatre in Wellingborough tomorrow night. More details here: https://www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/castle-theatre/show/90f33437-ebbf-ea11-a9e6-83595f9ca36b/complete-madness
🍅The Oundle farmer’s market is on Saturday 8am -1pm in the Market Place
Independent of the week
Queen Aesthetics in Wellingborough has been shortlisted by the prestigious Hair and Beauty Awards in the ‘best aesthetics’ category. Launched in 2021 by local woman Jade Jones, the business offers a range of beauty treatments. Find out more here: https://www.instagram.com/queenaestheticsby_jade/
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