The council that awarded a serial domestic abuser ‘Male Role Model of the Year’ is undertaking a review into their involvement with him, following NN Journal’s investigation.

Chief executive of West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) Martin Henry has called our investigation into Quinton Green ‘ highly concerning’ and claims the council was not aware of ‘the new allegations’.

We revealed on Wednesday that knife crime campaigner Quinton Green, has an extremely violent past, with a catalogue of abuse perpetrated against several different women. He has also threatened women he has worked with when they have mentioned his domestic abuse past.

Green told NN Journal and said in a (now deleted) social media post that he was deeply ashamed of his past, although once again did not spell out that his previous convictions relate to domestic abuse. Many people have offered him support including the Mayor of Wellingborough Sylvia Erskine and WNC councillor Jon East.

WNC says it is now in close contact with Northamptonshire Police which has set up an incident number for any potential victims to come forward.

Chief executive Martin Henry said in a statement:

“Our council is unequivocal in its condemnation of all forms of violence, abuse, harassment and coercive behaviour. Violence against women and girls, domestic abuse, sexual violence, stalking, so-called honour-based abuse and all forms of gender-based and any other violence have no place in our communities and should not be tolerated.

“The new allegations set out in the press are highly concerning and the council was not aware of them until they were published this week. The individual and their organisations have, in the past, been involved in a number of events and activities organised by the council however no further activities are currently planned.

“Based on our current information, at no time during these activities was the individual unsupervised with children and young people. Most of the community and civic events they attended, including the Male Role Model Awards, were open to all members of the public. The individual received the West Northants Male Role Model Award in 2024 from a community judging panel, which includes community and Council representatives, having been nominated by members of the public.

“As soon as these allegations were brought to our attention we embarked on a review of the Council’s involvement with the individual and his connected organisations, which is ongoing.

“We encourage anyone who is experiencing abuse, or anyone who is worried about a friend, family member, neighbour or colleague, to seek support and report concerns. In an emergency, always contact the police. For non-emergency situations, a range of confidential support services are available locally and nationally to provide advice and assistance.

“We are in close contact with colleagues at Northamptonshire Police who have advised that anyone who believes they may have been affected by these allegations or has information can contact them on 101, quoting Incident 123 of 18 August. Alternatively they can make anonymous reports to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

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Following our investigation the Northants Women’s Empowerment Group wrote to the WNC’s leader Mark Arnull and chief executive and Northants chief constable Ivan Balhatchet asking a series of questions concerning what the organisations may have known about his past and what checks had been done regarding safeguarding.

They requested the council:

Confirms immediately whether all engagement with Mr Green and his organisations has been paused;

• Appoints a suitably independent person to review the Council’s knowledge, decisions and safeguarding processes;

• Preserves all relevant records, correspondence, nomination documents and safeguarding assessments;

• Engages appropriately with domestic-abuse specialists and affected women; and

• Publishes the review’s findings and resulting action plan, subject to lawful confidentiality requirements.

Hannah Martin from the Northants Women’s Empowerment Group told NN Journal today that more is needed from the council.

She said:

“It is not clear that they are not going to work with him from this day forward.”

People who work with young people should disclose a DBS certificate, which is an official government document that shows a person’s criminal history. There are questions around which organisations that worked with Green had asked for a DBS certificate.

The disclosure barring service, which carries out the checks is run by the government, with local police forces getting involved when an enhanced DBS check is requested by an organisation. The police force can then share with the disclosure barring service whether it holds other information on the person. The reason for a DBS is to ensure that employers can make safe recruiting choices and it can give people who work with contractors, assurance of their criminal history.

NN Journal has asked Northants Police how many requests it had regarding Green for an enhanced DBS check and await a response.

We also asked WNC on Wednesday whether it had obtained a DBS check for Quinton Green for any projects it had worked with him on and we have been told to submit a freedom of information request because the information is not held in a central location.

Besides winning the male role model award, Green has attended many council events and has performed poetry in the council chamber on a few occasions.

He has been involved this summer with sports events part funded by the council and was also the first person interviewed in a new podcast series run by the WNC youth council, which is made up of young people aged 11-18. He also attended the outgoing chair of the council’s garden party.

Former WNC councillor James Hill, who has worked with Quinton Green says the council needs an internal review of their internal processes, regarding the people it works with.

He said:

“I have worked with Quinton Green for a number of years in our shared efforts to tackle knife crime in Northampton. He has worked tirelessly over that time to address this huge and deeply damaging issue in our town, and I have been a consistent supporter and advocate of the positive work he has done in that space.

“While I was aware that Quinton had a past, I was not aware of the full extent or nature of the matters now detailed in the NN Journal article until it was published. In light of these horrific allegations, and the sheer number of convictions of which I was previously unaware, I can no longer work with him or offer any support.

“I have always taken a clear and consistent stance on violence against women. Although I am a firm believer in the possibility of rehabilitation, the number of incidents and the violent nature of them completely changes the situation. I am also deeply concerned by the more recent allegations, which must be fully and properly investigated.

“West Northamptonshire Council and Northamptonshire Police must now carefully review their own internal processes regarding those who work with or for them. Above all, the priority must be the victims. Their needs, safety and wellbeing should be the most important consideration in everything that follows.”

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If you are suffering from domestic abuse there are a number of local charities in the county you can contact, such as Northamptonshire Domestic Abuse Service and Eve

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Other news

Plans have been approved for an extension to a warehouse facility owned by a long-standing Thrapston business, despite concerns that the area is being overrun by an “unstoppable tsunami of warehouse developments”.

Saica Pack Thrapston, which produces corrugated packaging from its current warehouse on the Haldens Parkway Industrial estate, asked North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) for permission to erect a large storage
warehouse next to its existing building so it can consolidate its operations in one place.

Planning papers state that this would prevent the need for trips between the application site and the business’ transit storage sites, which are currently based in Corby and Sywell, and means that all finished goods could be stored on the larger site.

The proposed building would provide an additional 14,000sqm of storage space and would be physically linked to the existing warehouse via an underground tunnel to transport goods across.

However, concerns were raised around potential harm the extension could cause to the surrounding area, with 40 objections from members of the public submitted.

A spokesperson for Staunch, a campaign group looking to protect the landscape adjacent to Titchmarsh and Thrapston from inappropriate industrial development, argued that the Habitat Regulation Assessment (HRA) submitted by the council was incorrect and rebutted ecological claims in the report, asking councillors to defer the application.

“Rushing to meet an administrative deadline does not exempt you from environmental law,” they said, “It guarantees an immediate and robust challenge from Staunch via another judicial review in the High Court.”

Thrapston councillor Joseph Garner also raised concerns about the cumulative impact of the facility with other similar nearby approvals creating “an unstoppable tsunami of warehouse developments” which could engulf Thrapston and Titchmarsh.

Allan Foakes, regional director at Saica Pack, told the planning committee that the company began its operations in Thrapston in 1996 and that their “absolute desire” is to remain and grow in the area.

He said bringing the warehouse “under one roof” would eliminate the need for their external sites, significantly reduce external vehicle movements, and free them of logistical inefficiencies with their current supply chain.

He added:

“Over the past 22 years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside multiple generations of local families. The proposal before you might well ensure you can continue to provide skilled labour employment for the community for many years to come.”

The proposals were approved by the committee in line with planning officers’ recommendations, subject to conditions.

By Nadia Lincoln, local democracy reporter

A fundraiser for the talented basketball playing daughter of Kim Thompson has raised more than £4,500.

Athena Thompson, is part of the Great Britain under 18s squad and is on a college basketball scholarship in America.

Her mother, who was a basketball coach, was murdered by her husband last August and he was sentenced after a trial earlier this year.

Athena needs the financial support to continue her career as a rising sports star and Northampton Basketball Club is running a Go Fund me Page, where people can donate.

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has said it must undertake further engagement work to find a new transport provider to fill gaps in rural areas which were hit by the closure of a community bus company.

The Ability Bus service ceased operations in April 2026 in light of funding challenges, leaving many elderly and vulnerable residents who relied on it for public transport with few other travel options.

Shortly after, the council, which said it was only given 37 days’ notice of the service closure, announced a new £172,000 funding pot for community transport grants. It said at the time that ‘confidence was growing’ that a new provider could be found to cover the areas affected by Ability’s closure and that there had been “significant interest” from potential providers.

However, in the five months following the closure announcement, no alternative service for the area has come forward.

In an open letter addressed to council bosses last week, South Northants MP Sarah Bool claimed her office had spoken with providers who had received no indication of whether they had been successful in the recent round of bids (which closed on April 24, 2026), placing them in an “impossible position”.

WNC told the LDRS that it recognised the frustration and uncertainty caused by the time this process has taken, but said that all applicants were contacted and advised whether they were successful. It explained that it had not yet received an appropriate replacement service proposal and highlighted the importance of using the grant funding “where it can achieve the greatest benefit for residents”.

In the letter, Ms Bool said:

“Multiple community transport providers will have to cease operations in the coming months if West Northamptonshire Council does not announce details of any grants and provide them with certainty.

“Others have explained that they are already reducing services, operating waiting lists or relying on reserves which cannot be sustained indefinitely.

“These organisations provide an essential public service. They cannot responsibly and in good faith continue making those commitments without knowing whether they will have the resources to operate.”

She urged the council to notify all applicants on the outcomes of the grant, warning that failure to do so could risk significant reduction in community transport provision, as well as serious consequences for rural isolation and access to healthcare for vulnerable residents.

In response to her concerns, WNC has clarified that it launched its Community Transport Grant Programme in March as a “rapid response” to the Ability closure and anticipated that multiple organisations, in partnership, might come forward to deliver services capable of replacing a ‘substantial’ proportion of the former provision.

According to Northamptonshire ACRE’s 2026 Community Transport Directory, Ability provided a community bus scheme across a wide range of villages covering the breadth of West Northamptonshire, around the larger towns of Brackley, Towcester, Daventry and Northampton.

However, WNC has said this bid did not materialise and that no provider had presented a “fully developed and financially robust” proposal capable of replacing services on the same scale.

It added that a funding grants panel did agree to award £72,000 to voluntary car schemes and other community transport organisations already providing services, but that £101,000 was retained alongside the former Ability minibuses to award to an appropriate replacement service.

In comparison, the Ability Bus service was awarded £477k in funding across the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years, due to the council allocating a large grant from central government via the Rural England Prosperity Fund and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Local community transport provider CommMiniBus has told the LDRS that it undertook an extensive planning exercise and submitted its own proposal for a rural bus network after the closure of Ability.

Spokesperson Chris Wong said they hoped the grant would be able to part-fund a basic rural bus network serving as many affected communities as possible, “providing a basic but dependable level of service”. However, he said they were told that the council was not able to decide which replacement proposals should be supported and therefore did not allocate funding.

Concerns were raised about the effect that the delayed replacement service decision will have on organisations who are waiting on the outcome – and the impact it will have on recruiting staff, securing vehicles, and sustaining current transport routes for local communities.

Mr Wong has encouraged the council to progress funding for established services independently of decisions on replacement bus services.

West Northants Council concluded that it would not be appropriate to allocate all available funding “without a clearer understanding of present and future demand”. Parish councils previously served by Ability CIC are currently being surveyed to assess transport requirements before further engagement takes place with community transport providers.

However, no indication has been given on when this work might be completed – with WNC stating that it would not be serving communities well by “rushing funding and assets to providers before they are in a position to deliver a sustainable service”.

A council spokesperson added:

“All applicants were contacted directly in July and advised whether they were successful or not in securing a grant and of the current position. They were also invited to participate in the forthcoming engagement exercise. The overwhelming majority confirmed that they wished to remain involved in shaping future provision.

“Whilst the council acknowledges the concerns that have been raised by some providers regarding financial sustainability, it is important to recognise that these challenges are not unique to community transport organisations and reflect wider pressures across the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector.

“The council remains committed to supporting community transport wherever possible and to ensuring that available funding is used effectively, transparently and in a manner that best meets the needs of local communities.

“It is precisely because of the importance of these services that we have taken the decision to gather further evidence before allocating the remaining funding, rather than risk investing significant public funds in arrangements that may not be sustainable or capable of meeting demand.”

By Nadia Lincoln, local democracy reporter

Plans for a six-bed HMO in Northampton have been refused by the council, after receiving more than 80 letters of objection from local residents.

Plans were submitted to add a two-storey side extension and a single-storey rear extension to convert a two-storey home on 29 Broadway into a house in multiple occupancy (HMO).

Northampton is covered by an Article 4 direction, which means that landlords must get approved planning permission to convert residential dwellings, despite current permitted development rights which allow small HMOs up to six people without an application.

According to blueprints, the home would’ve provided three en-suite bedrooms and a kitchen space downstairs, and a further three en-suite rooms on the first floor.

The proposals came up against 85 objections from neighbours and nearby residents, two of whom spoke against the change of use at West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) planning meeting on Thursday, August 20.

Ruby, a local resident, told the committee that her strongest concern was the removal of an existing off-road parking space and garage next to the home to make way for the extension, and the impact extra cars would have on already constrained on-street parking.

Peter White, a neighbour of the proposed HMO, expanded on traffic concerns, saying the existing parking on both sides of the road makes it “effectively a single-track road, meaning there are frequent traffic jams of cars blocking the road” which becomes worse when buses use the route.

The applicant, Mr E Galvamauskas, did not speak at the meeting however a planning statement previously submitted to the council claimed that the conversion would “not result in significant harm to neighbouring living conditions”.

Ward councillors Bob Purser and Zoe Smith, who called the application into the committee hearing, said the plans would involve building a significant extension and result in an “excessive occupation” of the property, which they asserted would change the character of the home and impact on neighbours.

The council’s planning officer had recommended the application for approval, stating the development is considered to provide a sufficient standard of residential amenity, protect neighbour amenity, and not have an unacceptable impact on highway safety.

However, the committee voted to refuse the application, based on the overdevelopment of the plot, the constraints with on-street parking, and a lack of amenity.

By Nadia Lincoln, local democracy reporter

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Our coverage next week may be sporadic due to holidays, but normal service will resume in September.

• West Northants Male role model of the year 2024, was sentenced to twenty weeks in prison for a vicious assault on the mother of his child

• A series of women he has been romantically involved with say he violently beat them, including one incident with a hammer. At least two women have also needed restraining orders against him

• Green, who was given a court sentence for an attack on a minor, has been working with children in libraries this summer

• We have also spoken with women who have worked with him professionally and been threatened by him

• Green says he has deep regret over his actions and is a changed person.

A knife crime campaigner, awarded ‘Male Role Model of the Year’, is a serial domestic abuser, say several women who had long relationships with him.

Quinton Green, the youth worker, musician and campaigner, who works with a number of public organisations in Northants, has been to prison for his assaults on women and his convictions include an attack on a 14 year old girl, whose mum was in a relationship with him.

Our exclusive investigation has found that Green, 48 is a serial abuser, who has committed a series of violent assaults on his partners for more than two decades, including an attack with a hammer in the early 2000s.

One young woman was so scared of him, she handed out flyers with his face on at her London university so that fellow students could warn her if they saw him in the area.

Today, a number of his victims have bravely decided to share their stories, in order to expose the man, who in 2024 won West Northamptonshire Council’s ‘Male Role Model of the Year’ and last year was given a prestigious award for community work by the High Sheriff - the King’s representative in Northants.

These women - some of whom’s identity is being protected - say he is a fraud and a ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ who should not be working with vulnerable people, receiving public funds or being applauded by local dignitaries.

They have been living in fear of him for many years, but as his profile continues to rise, they say the Northamptonshire public, local schools, businesses, councils and the charity projects that fund him, need to know who Quinton Green really is.

Serial domestic abuser

Emma Cherry* (her identity is being protected) first met Quinton in a bar in the late 1990s. He was then in his early 20s and she was a few years older and had a young child. They were together for three years, but their relationship ended after he attacked her in her home with a hammer.

Emma recalls:

“The abuse started in the first year, a slap and then physical punching. He beat me up a couple of times and the worst one was when he attacked me with a hammer. He tried to kill me.”

She says they had been out at a bar with friends and then had gone back to her home to continue the party. Green took offence to something Emma said and he punched her. She tried to escape upstairs to her bedroom but he followed her and picked up a hammer that had been in the room as they had just built a new bedframe. He rained down blows on her, but luckily friends intervened and protected her.

She said:

“If the people were not there, I would not be here today, because it took three guys to pull him off me.

“The police came, I went off in an ambulance, they took statements, but they could not find him and it just got dropped and I was so disappointed in that, because he should have gone to prison for what he did to me.”

Tanya Evans* (her identity is being protected) was just 20 when she met Quinton in 2010. Green, who then was rapping under the moniker Champagne Bubblee caught her as she stumbled down the stairs of a Milton Keynes nightclub and after chatting that night, they went on to have a year long relationship.

Tanya says she did not see a violent side to Green - he once made a comment that he did not have a temper around her - but that all changed one night as their relationship was starting to fizzle out. He rang her and asked her to meet him outside a bar in St Giles Street, Northampton, where he was drinking with friends. When she arrived in her car he came outside and told her to park some spaces back and returned to the bar, telling her he would be back shortly.

After 40 minutes he had not come outside, so Tanya pulled the car forward. When he came out he saw Tanya’s car had moved and started shaking his head. He then got in her car.

She says:

“He said ‘come here’ and I thought he was going to give me a hug, so I turned round to give him a hug and then, I don’t know whether he punched or slapped me, I just saw a massive flash. I was confused for a second and I said ‘Did you just hit me?’

“He just shouted ‘Drive the car, drive the car now.’ It was this weird fight of flight moment and I thought to myself ‘get out the car’ but then he started banging on the dashboard and it just scared me so I started driving. And whilst I was driving he started pulling my hair and then he was pulling my handbrake up, so I was skidding everywhere.

“I drove out of St Giles Street and then I can’t remember what the road is called, but left would have been the police station and I kind of hesitated and thought ‘shall I go there?’ , he looked and was pulling my hair and so I drove forward.

“And he was just shouting loads of random things like, he was saying stuff like he was going to get my dad, put him in the back of a van and stab him in the heart. He said ‘You moved your car - why would you do that? So everyone can see you?’ And I was just crying. I was scared. I am holding my handbrake down while I am driving because he kept trying to pull it up.

“He told me to pull into this really dark alley near the boy’s school. I thought ‘if you go in there I don’ t think I am going to come out’ so I just put my foot down and drove really fast. I just headed towards his brother’s house and he told me to pull up at the bus stop.

“I just sat there and then he stroked my face. I was just shaking. I thought is he going to rape me? He then stroked my chest. He pulled my head round and told me to give him a kiss. He kissed my lips and then he said ‘Sorry’ and he said ‘Don’t be scared - I’m the same old Bubblee. I will call you later’.

“I just locked my doors and drove round and drove to my best friend’s house. I was in a state.”

Her friend called her family and the police. That night Green was arrested for common assault and was put in prison as he was serving a suspended sentence for an assault on a previous partner.

Tanya says while he was inside she received pressure from his family to drop the charges - he even wrote her a letter from prison, which she read in his mum’s house - but she decided to continue.

She gave evidence against him during the hearing at Corby magistrates court, but he was found not guilty after the magistrates had deliberated.

Tanya says:

“In the court he was saying that he did not do anything to me and making out I was obsessed with him and I am a fan, who made it up.”

By the time she went to court, she had moved to a London university to study, but she was so anxious that Green would pursue her, that she printed off flyers of his face and handed them out to other students in case he turned up.

Michelle Mackenzie began a relationship with Green in 2016 after knowing him socially for many years. Throughout their on-off relationship he was regularly violent, including when she was pregnant. Tragically their baby daughter Nia died after being born prematurely in April 2017 and the couple had a son together, in 2018, who Green has no contact with.

Michelle went to hospital on two occasions after he had attacked her. She describes Green as a ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’.

One night he told her he had cheated with an ex and she remembers:

“He threw a phone at me, that burst a vessel in my boob, because he had thrown it that hard. I was in agony. He came into my bedroom and started hitting me with bottles, a chair that was in my room, coat hangers, whatever he could put his hands on he just threw at me.”

At the hospital she told staff she had fallen down the stairs.

On another occasion after they had been to a music event in Somerset where he had been MCing, he assaulted her in the hotel.

Michelle says:

“He threw cans of beer at me. I had to go for a head scan, where he bust my head open. He beat me so badly. I had his footprint on my face. He took a run at me. I hit the wall and split my head open. I thought he’d broken my arm.”

She had to drive herself to hospital and when she was receiving treatment he called her from outside the hospital telling her to hurry up.

After that occasion she went to the police and made a statement.

In April 2019 he was sentenced to 40 weeks in prison after a trial at Northampton Magistrates Court for actual bodily harm and disclosing private sexual photos of Michelle to others (commonly referred to as revenge porn). He also received a community order and was ordered to pay compensation for a different assault on Michelle, her daughter Paris and a male friend, one winter evening.

After drinking downstairs he then went up to the room where Michelle was and hit her in the mouth with a phone charger when she was on the phone to a work client. He then attacked her then 14 year old daughter Paris and beat her friend up outside in the snow.

Paris, now 22, said:

“I remember just hearing shouting and crying and I came out of my room and I remember seeing my mum outside her bedroom covered in blood.

“I’m pretty sure she was on the phone to the police and wanted him to get out of the house.

“I took her downstairs and she was sat in the living room and on the phone. He was stood in the hallway and I was stood in front of him trying to make sure he did not get into the living room to my mum.

“He barged past me and got to my mum - I ran after her and managed to grab the phone, as she was on the phone to the police and he wanted her off the phone.

“I took the phone because I thought if I had the phone he is not going to do anything to me, so I ran to the kitchen with it. He came after me - I remember him grabbing me up. My T-shirt was all ripped afterwards and I had marks on my shoulders and near my neck. He grabbed me and pulled me to the floor and was wrestling me to get the phone off me and hurting me at the time.

“I have seen him angry before and I had mainly heard incidents. But it was like him seeing red. It was like he did not care about what he was doing or who he was hurting. He was just full of rage. I just remember being really scared and I was not sure what he would do, or how far he would take it.”

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Rise of a knife crime campaigner

Green, 48, is well known in Northampton, having made a bit of a name for himself in the UK garage scene in the 2000s. He has performed at venues across the country and at party nightspots across Europe, working with (according to his own claims) big names such as Stormzy and grime artist Wiley.

Then he was known as Champagne Bubblee and had his own Facebook TV channel, where he would share his performances. A poet and lyricist he today performs under the name Mr Milise and has written the acclaimed poem Knife Sentence, which has been used in a number of schools and education initiatives to highlight youth violence.

After his prison sentence for assault and revenge porn against Michelle Mackenzie in 2019, he established himself as a knife crime campaigner, setting up Knife Crime Victim Support that year. According to a conversation he had on a podcast he says he was inspired to do so by a dream in which actor Idris Elba told him if he set up a knife crime charity, he would help him promote it (Last year he met Elba, appearing at a knife crime event with him where he performed his Knife Sentence poem).

After having what he describes as a ‘dysfunctional childhood’ the story he promotes is that he is a survivor of serious youth violence as aged 17 was stabbed in the back, stomach and multiple times in the arm after an argument.

Using his personal experience and following a number of tragic fatal stabbings of teenagers across the county Green has become a prominent figure in the Northants community work scene, often working with bereaved families to raise awareness about the dangers of carrying knives.

Knife Crime Victim Support and its later spin off MMAP CIC [Music, Mentoring, Arts & Poetry] also has a national profile, with 49,000 followers and Green often asked to perform at local municipal events.

He says a book about his life is also in the pipeline.

Threats to women he has worked with since becoming a campaigner

Green has also threatened and intimidated women he has not been romantically involved with. NN Journal has spoken to women who have known Green in a professional capacity in recent years, who say he has been menacing. He threatened to dig up dirt on one woman who challenged him in 2022 and posted lies online about her. She reported the incident to the police and her work put in place safeguarding measures for her. He also allegedly threatened the family of another co-worker.

‘Male role model of the year’

In 2024 Green was named West Northamptonshire Council’s ‘Male Role Model of the Year.’

The council said in the promotion of the honours that: “These awards are set out to raise awareness around men’s wellbeing and to shine a spotlight on acts of kindness, those that inspire others and have a positive impact on the lives of people in their communities or workplace.”

Green beat 46 other nominees to win the accolade and a social media post by the council from the evening says: “Nominated for his exceptional role as a youth mentor and his invaluable support to numerous victims of knife crime and serious violence. Quinton’s dedication and impact are truly inspiring!”

Green references the award frequently in his promotional material and it is the header in his Linked in profile.

2024 was the same year then leader Jonathan Nunn had to stand down after NN Journal, the BBC and Private Eye exposed his own past as a serial domestic abuser.

In September last year Green was one of four people in the county to receive the prestigious Northamptonshire High Sheriff Award at an event hosted at Rushton Hall. He was honoured by the King’s representative for his work with MMAP.

This summer he has been delivering holiday workshops for children in venues across the county.

He has also performed at the West Northants Liberal Democrat Summer Celebration and at at Northampton Carnival, been invited to many public events such as the mayor making in Northampton at which Mayor Mike Hallam called him ‘legendary’ and a Garden party at Delapre Abbey hosted by the outgoing chair of West Northants council Alison Eastwood.

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Speaking out to protect others

The organising by Green of a community support event at a Northampton community centre in July following two knife related deaths in the town, was the catalyst for victims to come forward. The event was attended by many local councillors, and upon seeing posts on social media, one woman who had been on the receiving end of his threats was so incensed she contacted a person who had attended to ask whether they knew about Green’s history.

The person put the woman in touch with NN Journal and from there the personal stories of abuse have unravelled. Each woman we spoke to knew of another woman who had experienced violence from or been threatened by Green. Over the course of the past few weeks we have spoken to several women, plus friends and neighbours who have corroborated their accounts, and heard of the violence that Green had inflicted upon his victims or the fear he had put them in. Not all of their stories have been told in this article.

Angela, who after her experience with Green, now works as a volunteer at a domestic abuse charity, said:

“Since he has been out in the public I wanted to do something, and I am so glad this is coming out now, because he should not be looked at as this amazing guy. Because he’s not.”

Paris says:

“In reality, he should not be able to be around the public.

“I find it mind blowing. I don’t know how someone can be such a hypocrite. Or even to be in the public eye like that. He assaulted me at 14 - how is he even allowed to work in schools?

“I don’t know how he can act like the good guy and people look up to him. If people knew what he was truly like he would not have that platform or any followers.”

Tanya said:

“I just saw his violence that one day, and that was at the end, but before that I just thought he was so nice. People would think ‘No, he would not do anything like that’. “Because he is very manipulative, the way he comes across. You’d think, ‘he’s harmless, he’s so nice’. But no.

“I feel like I was one of the lucky ones, which is mad, because it was the worst thing that has happened in my life.”

Kerry Incles* (not her real name) who was also in an abusive relationship with Green, said:

“I’ve had to stay silent for years, just to protect myself and it makes me so angry, because I feel like I am watching other people get hurt. But on my own I had no power.

“I have been waiting a long time for something like this [article] to happen. And I had started to give up hope to be honest.”

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Fearful in their home town

While Green may have been convicted for some of his crimes, his victims say they still live in fear of bumping into him around town. They try to avoid music events where he may be, but have come into contact with him by chance and many say he has continued to intimidate.

Paris was working in a Northampton bar collecting glasses, when he came over and handed her a glass. She felt so anxious she had to go home. Her mum Michelle saw him at a funeral wake and despite there being hundreds of people in the large venue he came and stood close by her. She decided to leave after becoming very uncomfortable.

After the attack with the hammer, the first time Emma saw Green afterwards he threatened her. Emma said:

“He said ‘If you cause anything else I will finish what I started with you’. I was petrified to see him.

“The police did not do anything, and I have to live here. I wanted peace, so I had to come to terms with it and let it go.”

More recently she came across him after she had commented on a social media post and he started shouting at her in the street.

Tanya says since he attacked her in her car more than 15 years ago, she has not gone into town alone in case she bumps into him.

Quinton Green’s response

Ahead of publication we spoke to Quinton Green yesterday, and asked him why he had not been open about his past domestic abuse convictions. He said:

“I have been ashamed, I have deep regret for what I have done.

“Police have not been called to my house [during recent relationship] and people can change.

“Everyday I say to myself I don’t want to be the person I once was.”

He asked us not to publish this article and said he did not want to respond through NN Journal. In the past hour he has published this statement on Facebook.

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Northamptonshire Police

After learning of our investigation Northamptonshire Police has provided support and safeguarding to the women who have come forward. The force has set up an incident number for any victims or people with information to come forward to them on 101 and quote Incident 123 of the 18^th August. People can also come forward anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Or if you don’t want to contact the police, but want to share further information, you can contact Sarah Ward on WhatsApp at 447887500545 or email sarahward@nnjournal.co.uk

Why we have decided to run this investigation

The reason we have decided to publish this article is because Quinton Green is in the public eye and has not been honest about his past, instead leading people to assume his past violence is related to knife crime. Many are unaware of his domestic abuse convictions and the continued threats against women he has worked with professionally indicate he still has the capacity to frighten and intimidate women.

Today women are afraid in their home town and try to avoid social media posts where he regularly self promotes and is lauded by those in positions of power and influence. Many thanks to them for sharing their personal stories.

We think it is important the public and any organisations and schools who work with him, know about his past.

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Things may be a little haphazard for the rest of this month, due to the summer holidays but we will be back on our usual timetable in September.

Inspectors have found a Northamptonshire prison which had “concerning” outcomes has “made real progress” since its last inspection two years ago.

The report into Wellingborough’s HMP Five Wells was carried out by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMIP) in May 2026, with a report into the findings published today (Monday, August 17). This is the prison’s second full inspection since it opened in February 2022 on the site of the former HMP Wellingborough.

It found that outcomes for prisoners had improved in three out of four areas, with the day-to-day stability and staff-prisoner relationships progressing well, but noted “serious concerns” such as high self-harm rate, unacceptable wait times for healthcare still persisted and insufficient work to prepare men for release..

A prison spokesperson said they were proud the inspectorate had described it as “calm and well ordered” and that it was working on areas highlighted for improvement.

The category C adult male resettlement prison held 1,742 prisoners at the time of the inspection, with approximately 57 per cent serving a sentence for sexual offences.

HMIP said more prisoners were now engaged in purposeful activity, and leaders had taken steps to improve the oversight of education, skills and work. The rate of violence between prisoners in the last year had halved compared to the year before and the rate of positive random mandatory drug tests dropped from an average of 30 per cent at the last inspection to 17 per cent.

However, inspectors said more work was needed to tackle high self-harm rates, with too little being done to understand the causes and no psychology support or counselling for those experiencing emotional distress. It explained that the rate of self-harm was reducing, but remained high compared to similar prisons with 931 self-harm incidents per 1,000 prisoners recorded in the 12 months to March 2026.

Prisoners still also faced unacceptable waits to see a GP or dentist and issues around insufficient education, skills and work spaces for the population difficulty completing sentence plan targets were raised.

Concerns were also raised around overcrowding beginning in the prison, with some cells designed for one prisoner now holding two – described as “very cramped”. The overall prison capacity has increased by 82 spaces since the 2024 inspection and around 193 new prisoners a month arrived and an average of 150 a month were released into the community.

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, wrote:

“Five Wells has come some way since its turbulent early period. The experienced director and his team have succeeded in stabilising the prison and creating a more positive and ordered environment.

“They now need a sharper focus on reducing self-harm, improving access to health care, and, crucially, strengthening the systems that support progression and resettlement.”

A HMP Five Wells spokesperson said:

“We are proud of our staff and prisoners who have established a prison that the inspectorate describes as calm and well ordered – and where interactions between the two groups were observed as excellent.

“We are also working on the areas that were highlighted for improvement. For example, to further reduce self-harm incidents we will continue to develop both our active listener and peer-to-peer support schemes, and make better use of data to identify root causes.”

By Nadia Lincoln, local democracy reporter

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A man in his 30s, was stabbed in the early hours of Sunday morning on a Northampton road.

The attack happened in Wellingborough Road at around 3.50am, in the area of of Bar Serengeti, Portland Place and King Kebab.

Northants Police say they would like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time and may have footage on dashcam.

The man’s injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

Anyone with information can call Northants Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

The North unitary council was ordered by the government watchdog to pay out more than £30,000 last year to compensate residents who complained about service failures to the local government watchdog.

The number of complaints about North Northamptonshire Council services made to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) rose again in 2025/26, with education and children’s services grievances remaining at the top of the list.

The ombudsman is a national body that investigates complaints made against councils when they are escalated beyond the authority’s internal complaints handling. It covers a range of areas, including adult social care, housing and planning decisions.

In total, the council received 150 complaints in 2025/26, compared to 119 the previous year. Of these, 25 (16 per cent) were upheld by the LGSCO, which is in line with levels in previous years.

The council report shows that the majority of cases decided in the last financial year originated from complaints first raised in 2023 and 2024, with some dating back to 2021. In most cases investigated that are upheld, recommendations will also be issued which may include a financial remedy.

In total, NNC was ordered to pay out £34,405 to complainants to remedy its faults, which is around £10k less than that paid out in 2024/25.

More than half of complaints upheld by the ombudsman were in education and children’s services, mainly relating to faults in special educational needs provision. The rest were made up of adult care services, benefits and tax, environmental services, planning and housing.

The largest single payment made in the year was £9,250, over a failure to provide a child alternative provision for almost two years.

Though NNC reported complying with all recommendations made by the watchdog, timeliness on compliancy remains a concern with just 11 out of 17 outcomes completed on time.

A report on the council’s overall ombudsman performance will go to the authority’s audit and governance committee tonight.

By Nadia Lincoln

West Northamptonshire Council has officially appointed a new chief finance officer to replace Martin Henry, who has taken on the chief executive job.

Both James Smith and Martin Henry were confirmed in their new roles at the full counci meeting on Thursday evening. Mr Smith has been deputy finance officer since 2021 and before that worked at the former county council.

The North unitary Reform administration has announced that it will look into alternative options for the future of the Corby crèche, after backing plans to bring its leisure services back in-house and setting out plans to close the service as a result.

At a meeting on Tuesday (August 11), the North Northamptonshire Council’s executive unanimously backed plans to bring leisure services back under direct council management, giving the authority greater control over facilities, investment and services for residents across the area.

The decision will see outsourced leisure facilities across the area transferred to the council as existing contracts come to an end, beginning from April 2027. The move will see all facilities come under NNLeisure, which currently operates solely in Corby, and the introduction of a fixed-price membership fee, new concessions, and universal access to any centre.

However, concerns were raised during the meeting about the proposed closure of the Corby crèche, which was highlighted as a ‘consequence’ of bringing the additional facilities in-house within existing budgets, and the impact it could have on families.

Councillors and members of the public asked NNC to delay the decision on its closure and look into alternatives and ways the service could stay in place. Executive members said at the time that they would be “receptive” to listening to ideas for the service and that a staff consultation still has to take place around its closure.

Now, a Reform group spokesman has moved to clarify concerns raised about the future of the facility at Corby Pool and said that there will be an opportunity to consider how the space could be used in future; including whether there is potential for an alternative provider to operate a crèche from the facility.

It was explained during the meeting that the crèche is currently under-utilised, leading to a challenging financial position with the council subsidising £49,000 each year to cover the cost of the provision.

The council said it had previously sought to increase awareness and usage of the crèche, but that demand for the service continues to fall. The Reform group therefore said that any future arrangements will need to be “realistic about both demand and financial sustainability”.

In a statement to the press, executive member for housing, health and leisure, Cllr Brian Benneyworth said:

“Today’s decision is fundamentally about creating a better and more consistent leisure service for the whole of North Northamptonshire and bringing that service back under the direct control of the council.

“We completely understand why people care passionately about facilities they use and value, and we listened carefully to the representations made at executive.

“But it is equally important that people understand what has and has not been decided. There is considerable work to do before these changes take effect in 2027. And where there are realistic and financially sustainable alternatives for services such as the Corby Pool crèche, of course we should be prepared to explore them.

“Bringing these facilities back in-house actually gives the Council greater control over these decisions and greater flexibility to shape services around the needs of our residents.”

He also clarified that no decision had been taken on the future of Corn Market Hall and that options including community use, council use, or commercial letting will be taken separately in the future.

By Nadia Lincoln

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A councillor has raised concerns over a new late-night alcohol licence being approved for a rooftop bar in Northampton, after the council confirmed that her objection was “missed”.

Dallington Spencer councillor Sally Keeble called on West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) to undertake an “urgent inquiry” into the granting of a licence to Kaja Lounge (also called Kaya Lounge) in Harlestone Road.

WNC’s licensing panel met in July to discuss the application, and granted permission to the venue to sell alcohol from midday until 2am every day, alongside live and recorded music, late-night refreshments, and opening hours until 2.30am.

Cllr Keeble asked WNC for a full investigation after she found that an objection she submitted to the application – which raised concerns about the adequacy of fire escapes, the appropriateness of late-night hours in a residential area, and existing drug-related activity in the area – was lost and did not form part of the committee’s consideration.

A council spokesperson said that an objection relating to the application was missed due to an IT error, which was believed to be an isolated incident following an investigation. It added that it received a number of other objections with similar points which were “fully explored”.

Cllr Keeble told the LDRS:

“I think that this is a seriously problematic premises and I think there will be issues around it.

“My biggest concern is that this is obviously a venue with difficulties because it’s a rooftop bar for 250 people with quite narrow entrances and exits in a very difficult area of the Dallington Spencer ward. I don’t think all of those factors have been taken into consideration.

“I think the procedure needs to be investigated and the application could merit with being reviewed. If this kind of incompetence passes for the norm, there is no chance of the proper discharge by the council of its quasi-judicial duties.”

According to the licensing report, three objections were received from members of the public which highlighted issues around potential public nuisance and noise disruption, a risk of overcrowding within the venue, concerns with the exits, and an increase in crime and disorder.

A representative for the rooftop bar previously told the licensing hearing that the venue would have robust operating controls, a noise management plan, and would look to work directly with councils’ environmental protection teams before any external late-night entertainment is put on past 11pm.

In response, a spokesperson for West Northamptonshire Council said:

“An objection relating to this licensing application was regrettably missed due to an IT system error and we have apologised to the councillor and explained what happened.

“Following an investigation, we believe this was an isolated incident and would like to reassure local residents they can continue to view licence applications via the Licensing Public Register on our website and continue to raise representations via email to licensing@westnorthants.gov.uk

“The licensing application received a number of other objections with similar points to those made in the councillor’s objection and the committee fully explored and considered all these issues.

“There were no objections from the fire service, and the council’s environmental health officers set out a series of conditions that needed to be met and approved for the licence.”

By Nadia Lincoln

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A new town centre masterplan for Wellingborough has been approved by North Northants Council (NNC), after councillors trumpeted it as a “turning point” for the area.

NNC’s Reform administration was asked to greenlight the plan outlining a long-term vision to bring life back to the town centre at an executive meeting on Tuesday (August 11). It followed a six-week public consultation on the masterplan document throughout May and June, which found that more than 80 per cent of respondents agreed with the authority’s overall regeneration plans.

Croyland and Swanspool councillor Chris Munday (Reform UK) spoke in favour of the document at the meeting, accepting the challenges identified in the report of empty and underused buildings, poor connections between the railway station and the town centre, and public spaces which haven’t reached their potential.

He added:

“This is Wellingborough’s opportunity to turn years of what people view as stagnation into a new chapter of investment and regeneration”.

Cllr David Baker (Labour), who represents the Victoria ward in the town, also gave his support, but challenged the council to deliver on the proposals given the “expectation that this will result in positive change”.

“You will be rightly held to account so that this isn’t just another plan that sits on the shelf and gathers dust,” he said.

NNC has confirmed that the masterplan is currently unfunded, and that it will need to pursue external funding opportunities and partnership working to support the delivery of projects.

Executive member for planning and economic growth, Cllr Jan O’Hara, told the chamber that the masterplan consisted of a regeneration framework for the next ten years and beyond, but was not “a promise that every project will immediately be built”.

NNC leader, and Croyland and Swanspool ward member, Cllr Martin Griffiths said the report sets out clear next steps, including the development of delivery plans and feasibility studies, “to turn ambition into action”.

“Town centres across the country have faced significant challenges in recent years,” he said, “Wellingborough is no exception. But, this masterplan is looking forward, not looking back.

“More than 270 [consultation] responses were received and the message was clear – residents want a town centre that is attractive, safe, accessible and full of life, and why wouldn’t they?

“Wellingborough has enormous potential; this masterplan provides the foundation to unlock that potential.”

What does the masterplan set out?

According to the masterplan, its fundamental purpose is to act as a catalyst for delivering change in Wellingborough town centre, after a review of North Northamptonshire’s four main town centres identified it as the ‘most critical’ site for intervention.

The plan includes four main objectives of creating a ‘civic heart’ in the town centre, improving accessibility through walking and rail gateway routes, repurposing assets to create a ‘21st century town centre offer’, and supporting businesses and the local economy.

It also splits the centre into five ‘strategic intervention areas’, consisting of the town centre core (with a civic and cultural focus), a commercial hub and area to support economic activity (called ‘the engine room’), opportunity sites for new town centre neighbourhood development, green and public realm connections, and eastern gateway locations.

Key objectives include refurbishing the Wellingborough library, delivering a new civic public space in an enhanced Market Place, and transforming the Swansgate Centre into a mixed-use offer with flexible hubs to work, shop and live.

Other plans identify opportunities to reduce car dominance and make certain town centre streets more pedestrian-friendly, as well as general shopfront improvements, and a street greening strategy to connect and enhance green networks with the town’s cultural hubs and gateways.

Proposals to create a new town centre residential-led neighbourhood are also included. It suggests considering the partial development of Jackson’s Lane car park, which it says is currently underused and therefore creates “an expansive unobserved hard landscape which is unpleasant to visit and often can feel unsafe”.

However, the masterplan also sets out the need to keep some car parking for general use, and to dedicate a small proportion of the development for other town centre uses. Any proposals will have to get planning approval.

Following the approval of the town centre masterplan, NNC has set out key next steps to embed the masterplan in decision-making in planning, begin stakeholder engagement with landowners, developers and businesses, and create a funding and investment strategy.

It added that priority projects include public realm improvements, connectivity enhancements, and key redevelopment opportunities of Market Place and Swansgate.

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Northampton’s community radio station NLive Radio has split from its long term academic funder and will become independent.

After being funded by the University of Northampton for the past decade, the station, which covers all aspects of the town’s life, will now go it alone.

It comes as the university battles to cut costs amid a national downturn in overseas students coupled with an economic hangover of the new £330m Waterside campus which opened in 2018. Recently it announced another wave or redundancies, following on from two voluntary redundancy rounds last year.

A statement issued by the station said:

“The challenging and changing times in the Higher Education sector has meant that the University has regularly been reviewing all its financial expenditure and whilst it recognised the civic value of NLive Radio, it has chosen to prioritise spending on educational delivery and the student experience.

“The University has welcomed plans for NLive Radio to continue independently and remain on air for the community and have agreed to support this transition.”

To support the transition, NLive Radio has today launched a major fundraising campaign and is appealing for support from listeners, local businesses and community organisations.

The fundraising campaign aims to raise the money needed to establish the station in its new structure, including securing new studio premises, moving equipment, maintaining broadcasting licences, upgrading ageing technology and covering essential operating costs.

Alongside one-off donations, NLive Radio is encouraging supporters to consider making small monthly contributions to help create a sustainable future for the station.

The station, currently based at the university’s St John Hall’s of Residence in Swan Street, is on air seven days a week and has a number of much loved regular programmes covering topics such as culture, business and politics, all DJed by volunteers.

Rebecca Steers, station manager of NLive Radio, said:

“It’s been a pleasure to lead NLive Radio for the past seven years, helping to grow as a station and across the area, winning awards and supporting Northampton.

“We’ve been at the heart of local communities. Not only promoting local charities, celebrating local achievements, supporting community events and playing local musicians; but we’ve also given hundreds of people the opportunity to get involved in broadcasting and journalism.”

“Now we need Northampton’s help. We’re asking listeners, businesses and organisations across the town to stand with us and help secure the future of truly local radio. Whether it’s a donation, an advertising campaign, volunteering your time or simply spreading the word, every bit of support matters.”

“NLive Radio loves Northampton. We’re now asking Northampton to love NLive Radio and help us continue serving the town for many years to come.”

Rebecca will lead the transition after many years as the full time station manager, during which time the station has grown to more than 17,000 regular listeners. However the station says Rebecca will have to leave her role in the coming months without a successful fundraising appeal.

As part of the appeal, the station, which first broadcast in 2016, is asking local businesses to consider advertising on NLive Radio. To mark the launch of the campaign, the station is introducing a special offer giving businesses the opportunity to secure a 12-month advertising campaign for half price.

All NLive Radio presenters are volunteers, and the station hopes to become a fully volunteer-run organisation in the future. To help this the station is also recruiting new volunteers to help behind the scenes, support fundraising and operations, produce content, and present programmes.

The station was recently given a five-year licence extension meaning it can broadcast until 2031.

Anyone wishing to support the fundraising appeal should visit for more details www.nliveradio.com/loveus or contact the studio station via WhatsApp on 07955 311069 or call 01604 452511.

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Earlier articles from NN Journal

A Scottish man has been arrested on suspicion of killing a teenager from Motherwell at a house in Northampton.

Khadeem Paris, 16 died after being stabbed at a property in Adnitt Road, on July 7. Fuad Mohamud, 21, was charged with his murder and appeared in court last month and this afternoon Northants Police have said a second man, 20, from the same town as Khadeem, has also been arrested on suspicion of murder.

He remains in custody and as is usual practice, he is not being named.

A 19-year-old man, a 56-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender remain on police bail, pending further inquiries.

It is not clear whether Khadeem had been living in Northampton or visiting at the time of his killing. His family released a tribute after his death which said:

“Khadeem was such a funny, smiling boy. He was always singing, he loved a joke, and he was such a kind son – he had a kindness inside of him.

“He had such strength too. He had coped with such a lot in his young life and he was making plans and so looking forward to the future. He was ready and excited to be starting college in August to study to be a plumber and electrician, and really wanted to make the most of the opportunities open to him.

“He loved computer games and his Play Station, and football was another passion, both playing and supporting his favourite team.

“Khadeem was an amazing brother to his older brother and younger sister, enjoying play fights and spending time playing computer games together. They had fun together and a special handshake marked their friendship and closeness.

“Words can’t explain how we feel at this time. We cannot understand it and we are utterly heartbroken at his loss.”

West Northants Council’s plans to introduce costlier premium parking zones in Northampton have been blasted as ‘ridiculous’.

The changes, which will come into effect in less than two weeks, on August 17, follow a review of on-street parking which found that some streets experience particularly high demand for parking while others are used less often, according to WNC.

The premium zones will include on-street parking on Abington Street, Mercers Row, George Row and St Giles Street. The new charges will see the cost of 30 minutes of parking rise from 80p to £1, and leaving your car for up to 60 minutes will incur a charge of £2, up from £1.60.

The council has said it hopes the measures will improve the availability of spaces, reduce congestion caused by drivers searching for parking, and encourage a better spread of parking demand across the town centre. It added that this follows similar approaches used in other towns and cities across the UK.

But following an increase in the town earlier this year to parking charges, the plans have been criticised.

Steve Partington, owner of Dychurch Lifestyle, said increasing the cost further to £2 an hour – which is a 40 per cent increase on the cost in 2025/26 – would be crossing a line.

“It’s a ridiculous thing to do, I didn’t think our council would do anything as stupid as that,” he said.

“I’ve been observing parking on this street for 15 years and I listen to what visitors and customers say. If you have a town centre that isn’t doing brilliantly and you charge too much for the parking a chunk of people will definitely not come.

“With this Reform council, I really thought they’d have their ear to the ground with the town centre. If a businessman bought Northampton town centre the first thing he would do is not charge for parking – it really should be free for two hours.

“They need to get the money from elsewhere.”

Kathryn Ozlati, owner of the long-standing Saint Gyles Jewellers which has been on St Giles’ Street for 44 years, branded the ‘premium zone’ charges as “short-sighted” and a “quick fix” to plug budget gaps.

Managing director of Montague Jeffrey, Jonathan Williams, said he was “flabbergasted” at the council’s announcement.

He said:

“I’m at my wit’s end, the footfall in the town centre is dreadful. St Giles Street is one of the only shopping streets in the town that has reasonable shops that actually attract people into the town and we’re the ones being penalised.

“Short stay parking for customers and shoppers should be free for two hours maximum. It shouldn’t be ‘premium’ parking. All it’s going to do is bring on the demise of the town centre further.”

Annette King, a retail assistant at Abraxas Cookshop, said she had noticed some of the parking machines had been painted red in the last week, but knew nothing about the reason behind the changes.

“A lot of people come into town just for this street and don’t want to park in the Grosvenor or St Johns. It’s a really really bad move because this is the nicest street in the town and it will discourage people from supporting independent traders,” she said.

She also questioned the timing of the decision, with the recent closure of multiple off-street car parks in the town centre. Over 1,000 spaces in the multi-storey are currently inaccessible due to crumbling concrete and potential health and safety risks, and approximately 160 spaces in Upper Mounts will be taken out of use to allow site investigations to take place for the Greyfriars regeneration scheme.

Leader of the Labour Group on WNC Sally Keeble said:

“Reform seems to have a grudge against Northampton. First there was its botched efforts to increase charges at our parking garages, and now this increase in onstreet parking charges in key areas.“

Cllr Richard Butler, cabinet member for highways and transport, said:

“We know how important convenient parking is for local shops, businesses, residents and visitors. That’s why we’re looking at ways to make better use of the spaces available across the town centre.

“Some areas are in very high demand and can become full quickly, while there is often capacity in nearby locations. By encouraging drivers to use a wider range of parking options, we can help make spaces easier to find and reduce congestion caused by people driving around looking for parking.

“Our goal is simple: to create a parking system that works more efficiently and makes visiting Northampton town centre a better experience for everyone.”

By Nadia Lincoln, local democracy reporter

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A teenager from Rushden has been issued with a court order banning him from being in contact with anyone under the age of 18, after police gathered intelligence he was recruiting younger boys to commit crime.

Ethan Hadley, was given an interim Slavery and Trafficking Risk Order at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on July 14, after an application by Northamptonshire Police’s Anti-Social Behaviour Team. It will be in place until January 14 next year, when all parties will return to the court for a full hearing regarding the Slavery and Trafficking Risk Order.

Hadley is also not allowed to enter a designated area of Wymington, be in the company of any child in a private vehicle unless their parent/guardian is present, or possess/use multiple mobile phones, SIM cards, or encrypted communication accounts.

Breaching the conditions of the order is a criminal offence and could result in a prison sentence of up to five years.

Anti-Social Behaviour and Civil Orders officer, PC Lydia Chamberlain, said:

“We take any form of child exploitation very seriously in Northamptonshire and will use our policing powers to tackle this growing issue.

“This order helps us protect children from being exploited and drawn into crime. It also allows us to act against those who pose a risk to our communities before further harm can be caused to some of our most vulnerable members of society.”

If anyone is worried that a child is being exploited, please report your concerns. For more information visit Child criminal exploitation | Child abuse | Northamptonshire Police.

NN Journal is paid for by readers. We don’t have advertisers, so we can remain fully independent. If you enjoy reading our news, please subscribe.

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Just three months into the financial year and North Northamptonshire Council is predicting a £15m overspend on its annual budget.

The overspend on this year’s £432m budget allocation is down to the long standing issues of adult social care, home to school transport and children’s social care costs.

Leader Martin Griffiths said:

“North Northamptonshire Council is taking responsibility for the challenges in front of us and we’re acting now to address them. But it is equally important to recognise that councils across the country are facing the same pressures.

“Demand for social care, children’s services and specialist transport has risen dramatically in recent years. Local government funding needs to reflect that reality. We want to work with Government on a sustainable long-term solution in these demand-led service areas that gives councils the certainty they need to protect services and support residents.”

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The West unitary has paused construction works on a new active travel route in Northampton, after members of the community came together to protest against the loss of a mature tree.

In June, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) started the second phase of a £4.7m project improving walking, cycling and wheeling routes in Abington, along Park Avenue South and Bridgewater Drive.

But this week, a group of local residents, who live primarily in the surrounding streets to Bridgewater Drive, called for an immediate pause in works so they can review the safeguarding of the mature trees in the neighbourhood, which they say form an important community asset.

WNC has confirmed that during the construction of the new Abington Active Travel route’s second phase, unintended damage occurred to the root system of a silver birch tree near the new cycling and walking path. Expert assessment has confirmed that the tree now needs to be removed, as it could otherwise become a safety risk to residents. A local resident has told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) the tree was removed on Thursday (August 6).

West Northamptonshire Council has told the LDRS that it has decided to pause the next section of planned work on Bridgewater Drive between MacLean Close and Trinity Road and review the scheme to ensure no additional trees are damaged.

Work currently underway between Abington Park Crescent and MacLean Close will continue until this section of the scheme is completed. The wider site will be shut down while the review takes place.

Local resident David Gardner said

“It never occurred to [me] that they would be knocking trees down or killing trees”.

“One of the factors in me buying my house was looking out the window and the overlook on those trees,” he added.

Cllr Richard Butler, cabinet member for highways and transport, said:

“Our priority is to deliver improvements for walking, cycling and public transport, in line with the strong support these measures received through our 2023 consultation.

“That said, it’s vital that we protect and even enhance the environment while we carry out this work, to try and make the scheme benefit everyone.

“We will provide further updates as the review progresses and before any additional work resumes on Bridgewater Drive.”

By Nadia Lincoln

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Two Northamptonshire hotels did not challenge a police officer posing as an adult looking to share a room with a young person, in an undercover operation.

Northamptonshire Police took part in the national safeguarding test Operation Makesafe last month, which aims to help hotels spot signs of child sexual and criminal exploitation.

Northants Police said that three hotels in the county were tested and only one questioned what was happening when a young person (who had volunteered to be part of the test) booked into a room and then shortly after the under cover officer attempted to share the room.

Police officers gave feedback to the establishments tested, as well as guidance and access to additional training and support.

Detective Inspector Wayne Preece from the Child Exploitation Hub said:

“Child exploitation doesn’t always happen behind closed doors. Sometimes it happens in plain sight, in places we use every day.

“By working together with businesses, communities and our partners, we can identify exploitation earlier, protect vulnerable children and help prevent harm before it happens.”

⚔️A tour of the famous Naseby battlefield is happening tomorrow (August 8). Tickets cost £25 and for times and bookings email enquiries@naseby.com

📖Northampton crime writer Michael Davies is giving a talk about his cosy crime club series at an event on Wednesday (August 12) from 1pm to 2pm at 10 Castilian Terrace, Northampton. Entry is free.

A ten year plan to reverse the failing fortunes of Wellingborough Town Centre has been unveiled by the unitary authority.

In what could become the biggest reorganisation of the town since the 1970s, North Northamptonshire Council has published its regeneration masterplan for the historic market town, which political leaders are set to sign off next week.

Plans include a revamp along the lines of what is currently happening in Northampton, with a renovated market square, a repurposing of the 1970s built Swansgate Shopping Centre, a new neighbourhood quarter (on the controversial Jacksons Lane site) and a restaurant quarter in the Cambridge Street area.

There are also plans to rebuild the library with an extension, hopes to reopen historic inns on London Road and Sheep Street; turn the Hind Hotel into a boutique hotel, refurbish Beeswing House on Sheep Street into mixed retail use and demolish some buildings in Market Street close to the Swansgate.

The scheme is devised along five new geographic areas which are being called the Civic Heartbeat, the Engine Room, the Green Network and Cultural Edge, the Eastern Gateway and the New Town Centre Neighbourhood.

In the plan - which can be viewed here - almost none of the historic centre is left untouched, however there are no allocated pots of cash to do the work.

Instead the council is hoping to implement a ‘layered funding’ approach applying for large grants, government cash and trying to attract private investment.

Council leader Martin Griffiths (Reform UK) who represents the Croyland and Swanspool ward, which covers the town centre area said in a media release this week:

“The Wellingborough town centre masterplan is an exciting piece of work aimed at improving the area for residents and visitors to Wellingborough.

“It has been very well received by locals and businesses who are keen to see things progress - subject to funding being available. In the meantime, there have been a lot of ideas from residents which can be implemented much quicker.

“What we learn in Wellingborough will be used to improve our other town centres who face similar challenges as shopping habits continue to change.”

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The council has been looking at the revamp of the town centre since Reform UK came into power last May. In October it commissioned Urban Foresight to undertake a strategic review of the north of the county’s four growth towns (Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and Rushden) and recommend which town should be regenerated first.

Wellingborough, which behind Northampton is the second largest town in Northants, was chosen and the council commissioned urban design firm The Urbanists (which is involved in the regeneration of Bristol’s Temple area) to come up with a plan for the town centre.

A controversial element could be the plans for the Jackson’s Lane site off High Street. The authority is proposing to site a new neighbourhood quarter with housing. The plan announced earlier this year to sell off the popular car park led to protests.

Wellingborough town councillor Chris Ashton (Labour) is supportive but wants the authority to ensure the plan is feasible.

He said:

“I would support any proposal that brings life back to the town centre. But there is the issue of how they are going to fund it. We have seen external investors come into Northampton but it is whether they will be able to find something similar for Wellingborough.”

Cllr Ashton also thinks the proposals for building on Jackson’s Lane car park will remove the only late night parking in the town, which could impact on the hopes to bring more people into the town in the evening. And he thinks public transport into the town and onto the train station needs to improve, saying that currently there is not a link between the Queensway estate and the rail station.

There is no doubt the regeneration of the historic market town is needed, as its decline has hastened in speed since the opening of the nearby shopping complex at Rushden Lakes.

The documents say that since 2011 the retail element of the town’s centre has decreased from 33 per cent to 18 per cent and the vacancy rate in the town is the highest in the area at 19.4 per cent (above the national average of 13.8 per cent).

The authority carried out a six week consultation earlier this summer and found strong support for the scheme, with the five proposed development areas receiving between 92 and 73 per cent positive responses (with the neighbourhood centre receiving the lower ratings).

If the masterplan is approved next Tuesday (August 11) by the cabinet, the consultation will carry on throughout next year and the plan will be examined in 2028. It is expected to be adopted in 2029. Kettering is the next town due for a masterplan.

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An undeveloped parcel of land on a Wellingborough industrial estate is being lined up for a new NHS community diagnostic centre and orthopaedic hub.

North Northamptonshire Council is planning to sell the land at Booth Drive at Park Farm to Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust for an undisclosed sum.

Council papers published today reveal the hospital trust had approached both North and West unitary councils for a site and are favourable to the Park Farm site due to its central location between the county’s two acute hospitals.

It will include four endoscopy suites, two Magnetic Resonance Imaging scanners, two Computed Tomography scanners, separate rooms for X-Ray and ultrasound and additional consulting rooms for specialist tests.

University Hospitals Northamptonshire - which is the collaborative group for the general hospitals at Kettering and Northampton - also intends to build an elective orthopaedic hub on site that will be open six days a week and should deliver at least 2,000 operations a year for routine procedures such as hop and knee replacements.

The CDC, would be the third in the county following on from the new centres at to the Willowbrook health estate in Corby and Kings Heath in Northampton which opened last year. It will be larger than the first two and have capacity for 50,000 diagnostic tests a year and open seven days a week and twelve hours a day.

The report says the growth of the county has necessitated the new CDC, which is planned to open in 2028, after planning applications have been granted.

It says:

“Northamptonshire is experiencing growing demand for diagnostic tests. Without additional capacity, waiting times will continue to rise and pressure will increase on our already busy hospital sites. Rising levels of chronic disease—such as cancer, heart disease, and respiratory illness—mean that patients require more frequent and earlier testing.

“The Government is investing heavily in Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) to deliver faster diagnosis, shorter waiting times and treatments, and more convenient local access for patients.”

It says NHS funding for the CDC is time limited, although does not say how much the trust has received for the centre and orthopaedic hub. The county was allocated £17m in 2022 for the first two CDCs.

The council is not making public the sale price, but it will be more than £1m which will go into the capital funding pot for other projects. The authority’s Asset Management Review Group - made up of council officers and chaired by the assistant director of assets and environment Jonathan Waterworth- declared the site surplus in May this year.

The land, which is close to the Bannantyne Health Centre off Park Farm Way, was acquired by the former Wellingborough Borough Council in the 1970s as part of a 370 acre deal and developed into the industrial estate. It has to be cleared of fly tipping and vegetation before it is sold.

The council’s executive will make a decision at its meeting on Tuesday, August 11.

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Four teenage boys from Northampton, including a 14-year-old, have been charged in connection with the murder of a man in a town skatepark earlier this year.

Northants Police has said this morning that two 15-year-olds, a 14-year-old, a 17-year-old, have been charged with perverting the course of justice and possession of an offensive weapon.

The force said the four were originally arrested in February and following the charges, will appear at Wellingborough Youth Court on August 18.

Mason Miller, 20, died following the violent incident in Briar Hill Skate Park on Wednesday, February 18. A provisional inquest in March found he had died from a stab wound to his chest.

A 17-year-old boy received life-threatening injuries in the same incident.

Three other boys, two aged 16 and a 17 year old, have been charged with murder in connection with the incident with two of those also charged with attempted murder. They appeared in court earlier this summer.

Northants Police says detectives investigating Mr Miller’s death say they still want to hear from anyone who has information about the incident that happened on Wednesday, February 18.

People can call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting incident number 26000098294.

Information can also be submitted online at www.northants.police.uk/RO

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Plans to build up to 80 new homes next to a Northampton village have been recommended for approval, despite the scheme receiving 100 letters of objection from local residents.

Kislingbury Farm LLP submitted plans for the residential site on land off Upton Valley Way North, next to Pineham Village, which is a housing estate of around 559 homes to the west of Hunsbury.

The proposals will go to a meeting of West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) non-strategic planning committee next Thursday (August 6), where it is recommended that councillors rubber-stamp the 80 homes.

Documents state the homes will include a range of 2-bed and 5-bed properties across both houses and apartments, as well as the provision of 18 (22.5 per cent) affordable homes. The exact layout would be submitted during the reserved matters stage.

The application has proven controversial, with Hunsbury Meadow Parish Council objecting to the development and raising concerns about potential flooding in the area, traffic and congestion on local roads, and the strain on limited infrastructure in the area.

The site is separated from Pineham Village by a narrow green corridor of hedges and trees directly next to the properties in the Pineham development. Local residents have also objected to the scheme in numbers, as well as attaching photos they have taken of flooding incidents at the proposed housing site.

One person wrote:

“As a resident of Pineham, it concerns me greatly that it is impacting the flood defences and putting our homes and school at risk.

“Furthermore, I know many residents enjoy this walk through the country park and adding additional housing will ruin the wonderful views which many of us considered when we bought our homes here.”

Another said:

“The land in question has ALWAYS been known as a flood plain area. We are already at risk of flooding with the new industrial units being built along with the new houses that have gone up alongside us, all this water will flow directly towards our properties.

“The current proposal has nothing in place to support our local infrastructure. The local hospital is already at breaking point and our local doctors are unable to take on new patients.

“These fields are an integral part of the landscape providing glorious views and natural landscape stretching over Upton Valley Country Park. If this development was to go ahead, this would cause irreversible damage to them, the environment and the area.”

Comments from WNC’s planning policy team state that design of the housing project “must consider the nearby floodplain; mitigation is required”. However, the council’s Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) has stated that documents submitted are “satisfactory” and that it has no objections to the scheme, subject to relevant conditions on drainage and surface water discharge being met.

An earlier application in 2020 for 80 homes on the same site was also submitted by the same developer, however never made it to committee stage after it was met with concern from local residents. In 2023, when the current scheme was submitted, the applicant said that the issues of flooding had been addressed.

A report to the planning committee said benefits of the scheme include the delivery of market and affordable housing, improved walking and cycling links and contribution to the economy through investment in construction.

It concluded:

“It is considered that the benefits of the current scheme would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the identified adverse impacts when assessed against the policies.

“It is therefore the view of officers that the application should be approved subject to: the Completion of a 106-agreement securing the obligations set out above and to the conditions set out below with delegated authority to the Assistant Director – Planning and Development to make any necessary amendments to conditions as deemed necessary.”

The planning meeting will take place at 4pm on August 6 at the council chamber in the Towcester Forum, and the scheme will be heard alongside a number of other planning applications.

By Nadia Lincoln, local democracy reporter

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A pensioner who verbally abused his neighbours for four years has been fined after breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order.

Kevin Lowe, of Byfield Road, Woodford Halse, was fined £307 at Northampton magistrates court on July 9 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £123 and another 85 in court costs after he breached the order which he had been given at the end of June.

Lowe had been verbally abusive and intimidating to his neighbours over several years and on July 4 and July 6 breached the conditions of the order which had banned him from contacting or communicating with them.

PC Tom Wills, from Northamptonshire Police’s Anti-Social Behaviour and Civil Orders Team, said:

“Everyone has the right to a peaceful home life and to enjoy where they live, but Kevin Lowe’s behaviour has left his neighbours often feeling too scared to leave their own homes or take part in community events.

“I am pleased that he has pleaded guilty to the breaches, but I also hope he understands the seriousness of the CBO, the strict conditions he must abide by, and the negative impact his anti-social behaviour has on others.”

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More than 6,000 people have responded to the council’s draft Local Plan, which sets out where thousands of homes, new employment areas and supporting infrastructure will likely be built over the next 20 years.

The latest consultation on the important planning document took place between January 29 and March 27, 2026. West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) said it had been publicised through a variety of channels including online social media posts, public posters and banners, and in-person exhibitions.

A report updating members on the responses received will go to the council’s planning policy committee next Tuesday, August 4.

In total, 6,184 respondents made submissions to the consultation – the majority of which came from members of the general public. These were handed in alongside 100 nominations for new areas to be designated as specially protected Local Green Spaces and 140 new calls for sites.

All representations received during the consultation will be considered by the authority to help shape the next stage of the plan before it goes to the government for final approval.

The current draft outlines plans for up to 47,300 new homes to be built across Northampton, Daventry, Brackley, Towcester and surrounding villages up to 2043. It also includes policies on protecting the environment, supporting the local economy, and shaping the places where we live, work, and spend time.

The record-breaking public response trumps the number of people who were reached in WNC’s previous Local Plan consultation in Spring 2024, which was not taken forward any further due to the government’s changes to national planning policy and housing targets. According to reports at the time, the 2024 consultation received just 712 responses.

The officer’s report going to committee next week highlights a number of specific housing projects across West Northamptonshire that individually received the most public feedback.

According to WNC, a policy allocating 100 homes to be built at Harlestone Firs received 3,638 individual responses that were delivered by hand by the parish council, in addition to the general consultation responses.

Other controversial projects that received a higher number of objections – and have in the past been the subject of public outrage and local campaigns – include plans for up to 300 homes at Collingtree Golf Course, 1,000 homes in Long Buckby, up to 1,000 homes on land to the north of Newport Pagnell Road, Northampton, and residential allocations to rural villages.

Cllr Thomas Manning, cabinet member for planning, previously said that the feedback will “will help us ensure that future growth is well-planned, sustainable, and reflects what matters most to local people”.

An opportunity to make representations on the next version (the Regulation 19 Plan) will be available in the autumn, subject to approval of next stages by committee. Submission of the final plan to the Secretary of State for examination is expected by December 2026.

By Nadia Lincoln

Recommendation

Northants journalist Dave Phillips has a Substack newsletter and this week he published this lovely article about his introduction to fishing and gaining his first job at the Angling Times in the 1970s. You can read it here.

Country Matters with Dave Phillips

1966 And All That

Saturday July 30 1966 was – and remains – the most significant day of my life. I was ten years old and in my favourite place in the world, Hampshire’s New Forest. Every summer my parents and I would stay there for a week with my grandad. The leafy forest was a stark contrast to my home in the flat and treeless fens of West Norfolk and, best of all, Dad …

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22 days ago · 1 like · Dave Phillips

For lovers of the Nene, Dave has also written a brilliant book about the river called Valley of Dreams: The River Nene from source to sea, which follows the river as it makes its way through the county’s villages and towns. The book is packed with stories about river, has beautiful photography and can be purchased here.

NN Events

☀️The Sunflower Festival is happening at Poplar Lodge Farm, Finedon tomorrow (August 1) from 3pm -11pm. There will be music, food and hopefully sunshine.

🎼The Overstone Arms in Pytchley, is hosting its Battle of the Bands tomorrow from 3pm.

🎭 The Jungle Book is being staged outdoors at Canons Ashby tomorrow starting at 5.30pm. More info and ticket prices here.

A residential area of Northampton dubbed the town’s ‘rubbish tip’ has seen a significant increase in fly tipping, the local council has admitted.

West Northamptonshire councillor Farzana Aldridge (Lib Dem) spoke out about the illegal waste dumping issue in the Semilong ward she represents earlier this week, requesting urgent action from the council. She said rather than local residents being responsible for the situation she said the fly tipping was down to ‘planned criminal activity’ and that the situation was reaching crisis point.

Criticising the council, which uses a private contractor to clean the streets, she said:

“Rotten food is attracting flies and vermin and pedestrians are faced with walking on roads rather than walking on pavements.

“Access for people with disabilities, mobility issues or those with prams is blocked.

“This is worse than I’ve ever seen it. I’m horrified because we have come to a point where we’re genuinely at crisis.

“This level of fly-tipping is not about a very few local residents putting their rubbish out when they should not and a small number of anti-social and selfish tenants and landlords.

“There’s no way in which ten mattresses dumped across two roads are actually from local residents. This is planned criminal activity and needs to be dealt with firmly.”

In a statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) , the authority said fly-tipping in the area has increased significantly and that its contractor, Veolia, regularly attends Semilong to clear reported incidents.

The spokesperson added:

“There is a cleansing crew in the area at least once a week and often more frequently. The location on Baker Street was last cleared on Friday and is scheduled to be attended again.

“Neighbourhood wardens regularly patrol the area and we use reports from residents, councillors and partner organisations to identify locations that require additional attention.

“We use a range of methods to investigate and tackle fly-tipping and will take enforcement action where there is sufficient evidence. This can include surveillance measures where appropriate. CCTV can be considered in areas affected by persistent fly-tipping, but we do not discuss specific locations as this could affect ongoing investigations. We also encourage residents to share any doorbell camera, CCTV or dashcam footage that may help identify offenders.

“We would also ask residents to dispose of waste responsibly. Excess waste can be taken to a household waste recycling centre or collected through the council’s bulky waste service. Anyone paying a company to remove waste should check that it has a valid waste carrier’s licence.”

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Currently, the authority has enforcement power to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £1,000 to perpetrators of fly-tipping, and to seize vehicles which have been used in the act.

New government legislation announced in July 2026 has now increased the maximum on-the-spot fine for fly-tipping waste by fivefold to £5,000, however local authorities will retain full control over the level of fine issued in their area.

WNC has said it is currently reviewing the very recently announced changes before deciding whether it will look to will alter to existing fine levels.

Cllr Andrew Last, cabinet member for HR, corporate services and regulatory services, added:

“We would urge everyone to take some pride in their community and it is important that people only put out their rubbish on the morning it is due for collection.

“This kind of fly-tipping is absolutely unacceptable and we will be working to identify the offenders and taking action where we can.”

The issue of fly-tipping in the area is not a new phenomenon and has been plaguing residents in the area for years. In 2024, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by the LDRS found that Semilong Road was the worst street for fly-tipping in the town, receiving 672 fly-tipping reports from residents over a 12 month period – meaning an illegal waste dumping incident was reported more than once a day on average.

Cllr Aldridge told the LDRS that residents are “angry and distraught” at their environment and the constant rubbish piles.

“They’ve either given up, or they’ve got real issues around their mental health and wellbeing. A couple of residents have said they just don’t want to live here anymore and that’s tragic because they are people who care about their environment.

“We want CCTV and we need high visibility wardens walking about and also looking for evidence of the culprits.

“This matter is now urgent. It is simply not acceptable that any resident in West Northamptonshire should be experiencing such degradation and neglect.”

In January this year, WNC announced that it would be trialling the use of an AI CCTV camera tower throughout 2026, with it moving across various hotspot locations in West Northants.

Last month, Crimestoppers launched a new campaign in Semilong to raise awareness of its anonymous reporting service and to encourage residents to speak up about crime affecting their community, including drug-related activity and environmental crime.

People can report litter, street cleaning and grounds maintenance issues on the council’s website here and can apply to WNC’s bulky waste collection service to get rid of large household items.

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The North unitary’s scrutiny committee has recommended plans to sell Kettering’s Corn Market Hall are put on hold until all council leisure services are brought back in-house, but has agreed with the proposed closure of Corby pool’s crèche.

A proposal to take on the management of all council-owned leisure facilities under the authority’s own NNLeisure service went to North Northamptonshire Council’s (NNC) place and environment scrutiny committee last night (July 28), with Green Party leader Cllr Fedorowycz successfully arguing that plans to sell off the market hall are premature.

In 2021, when NNC was first established, the new authority took on a mixed estate of leisure facilities, some of which were contracted to several external leisure operators and some already run in-house.

After two years of research into how NNC’s leisure services can provide consistency and quality for residents while ensuring affordability, a single in-house service across all the council’s leisure buildings has been recommended for when the current contracts end. Currently only the services in Corby are run in house and analysis of the performance found the in house services were far out performing the others run by private contractors.

Facilities that would return in-house under the transformation are Kettering Swimming Pool and the Corn Market Hall, Desborough Leisure Centre, Nene Leisure Centre in Thrapston, Rushden’s Pemberton Leisure Centre and Splash Leisure Pool, and Redwell Leisure Centre and Waendal Leisure Centre in Wellingborough. These are currently managed under contracts by Freedom Leisure and Places Leisure.

The Corby East Midlands International Pool, Lodge Park Sports Centre, Priors Hall Golf Course and West Glebe Sports Pavilion are currently managed by NNC, due to legacy Corby Borough Council arrangements.

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The report noted that the in-house services are already seen as ‘exemplary’ and offer more than most contractors do.

However, it also highlighted “consequences” of bringing the additional eight facilities in-house without any increase in costs within existing budgets.

Despite the Corby services currently exceeding most industry benchmarks for financial and quality performance, the proposed changes include the closure of crèche at Corby Pool, a reduction in the leisure staff working at the Corby facilities by 15 per cent, and an increase in membership prices by £2 at Corby Pool & Lodge Park Sports Centre from April 2027.

Lyn Buckingham, a former Corby councillor who spoke at the meeting, pointed out the council were praising the benefits of Corby’s business model, but also choosing to cut its services, staff, and finances “in one breath”.

Assistant director of communities and leisure, Kerry Purnell, told the chamber that the council found Corby facilities were overstaffed in comparison to others, but added there would be vacancies and opportunities for redeployment with the other facilities being brought in house in the coming year.

She also said that the crèche at the pool was costing the council tens of thousands of pounds per year, but only saw an average of six children per day using it.

“It just doesn’t stack up, unfortunately,” Ms Purnell said, “If it was much more used we’d be in a different situation, but it isn’t well-used currently.

“It’s about realigning and aligning to make sure we’re having the optimum use of the staff that we’ve got.”

Concerns were raised by Kettering Green councillor Emily Fedorowycz over plans for Corn Market Hall. The report also flagged the potential sale or commercial let of the property as a ‘consequence’ of the in-house transition due to the small number of fitness classes that take place there.

Cllr Fedorowycz said she could not support the option to sell the building as part of the report “when that hasn’t been consulted on with local people and there’s such a strong feeling that that is a bad move for this council”.

Ms Purnell said its inclusion in the report was about recognising that the hall is not currently being used as a leisure asset and is more of a community venue, and that a decision would have to be taken in the future about its purpose.

However, she clarified the in-house transition is not reliant on any projected income that would be generated from the sale and that there were no immediate plans to sell the hall. She added it would continue to be run as normal until the contract with Freedom Leisure ends in October 2027 and then be re-evaluated.

The scrutiny committee decided to recommend the Reform UK cabinet agrees a phased transition of services into council management. The cabinet will make its decision in the coming months.

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Our archive has more than 1000 articles dating back to 2021. Visit the archive here. Here’s one of our most read

Four councillors from the ruling party on North Northamptonshire Council have come out against a major warehouse and energy park plans, which are due to be decided in the coming months.

Councillors Leon Gibbs and Councillor Maurice Eglin (both Barton Seagrave and Burton Latimer), Councillor Andy Sims (Finedon) and Councillor Brendon Lovell-Moore (Geddington and Stanion) have issued a media release today to say the scale and nature of the Kettering Energy Park would cause lasting harm to the countryside and local communities.

First Renewables wants to build a solar farm plus 13 warehouse units at the site next to the existing Burton Wold Wind Farm near Burton Latimer.

An application was lodged with the council last year and since then there have been hundreds of objections from locals as well as objections from the neighbouring parish councils. An information event held earlier this week by campaigners against the proposal saw St Andrew’s Church in Kettering packed out with people.

The proposal is to create a major energy park including solar panels, battery storage, potential hydrogen infrastructure, employment land for uses such as data centres, together with new roads and electricity infrastructure. The plans also include a new access from the A510 and a connection to the national electricity grid.

Councillor Leon Gibbs said:

“This is not a small energy project. It is a large industrial development in open countryside that will permanently change the character of the landscape between Burton Latimer, Finedon and the surrounding villages. Many residents have raised concerns about the visual impact, the loss of farmland and the pressure on local roads. I cannot support the application in its current form.”

Councillor Maurice Eglin said:

“I remain concerned about the long-term impact Kettering Energy Park could have on our local communities. Before any further progress is made, there must be clear evidence that the benefits genuinely outweigh the costs to residents, our countryside and local infrastructure.”

Councillor Andy Sims said:

“Finedon and the surrounding area already face significant traffic and infrastructure pressures. Adding a development of this size without clear evidence of end users or proven benefits for local people is not acceptable. The proposals remain too speculative and the environmental costs too high.”

Councillor Brendon Lovell-Moore said:

“Although Policy 26 [of the National Planning Policy Framework] identifies the broad location, the application fails to meet the policy’s requirements and conflicts with wider local plan policies. The scheme as submitted fails to meet the policy’s requirements and conflicts with wider local plan policies designed to protect the countryside and the character of our rural communities. It is simply the wrong development in the wrong place.”

The councillor group claim that changes to the planning system since the Labour government came in in 2024 have strengthened the presumption in favour of development and placed greater weight on economic growth and infrastructure projects. They say that as a result, the balance has shifted further towards developers, making it significantly harder for local communities and elected members to successfully challenge large-scale schemes of this nature.

“In the councillors view the cards are increasingly stacked against communities,” the four councillors said in a joint statement.

“National policy now makes it much more difficult to refuse developments even where there is clear local harm. That does not mean we should simply accept every proposal. We will continue to fight for the interests of the people we represent.”

The local green party is also against the scheme.

A spokesperson said:

“This is a critical issue for North Northamptonshire. Kettering Energy Park is not just another development proposal; it reflects a broader pattern of proposals that are neither driven by local need nor public interest. It contradicts our local plan and even planning officers agree that the proposal is poor, yet by law it still has to be considered.”

Residents have until tomorrow to comment on the application and can do so on the council’s planning portal or by emailing planning@northnorthants.gov.uk.

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Northants Police has launched a Women’s Network to celebrate and connect female officers and staff across the force.

The network is going to be led by an executive committee of 15 women from across the organisation from different levels of rank and different sections of the force.

The launch event was held at Delapre Abbey in Northampton recently.

Assistant Chief Constable Emma James, Network Lead, said:

“It was an inspiring day that gave us the opportunity to come together, build new connections and play a part in shaping the future of the Network. Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the discussions. I am excited to see what we can achieve through collaborative working and by supporting one another.

“Our staff support networks play a vital role in supporting colleagues, acting as a critical friend to the organisation and helping us strengthen our relationships with the communities we serve.

“Each network makes an important contribution, and we hope the Women’s Network will help us continue to create positive change, champion equity and ensure we are providing the very best support for both our colleagues and our communities.”

Independent reviews have found entrenched sexism within the country’s police forces including in the Met police where Louise Casey found there were discriminatory behaviours.

The Met has recently insisted that all officers must declare if they are members of male only Freemasons secret organisations.

Northamptonshire Police has reviewed its policy and NN Journal understands there will be a decision shortly.

A book telling the history of a beloved Corby charity has been published.

NN Journal’s Sarah Ward has written the story behind the Lakelands Day Care Hospice, which this year marks its silver anniversary.

The charity began as an idea in the late 1980s by breast cancer survivor Jean Clark, who then mobilised the town, the villages beyond and local newspaper The Northants Telegraph to raise hundreds of thousands to open the independent charity. The book tells the many struggles Jean and her supporters had to go through to realise her dream.

Sarah said:

“Researching the history of the Lakelands has been a real pleasure and at times emotional.

“What I discovered was an incredible woman in Jean Clark, who used every ounce of her determination and fight to ensure that people who were going through their toughest times had somewhere to turn to for support.

“She and her team were determined to have an independent hospice, that was outside of NHS control, to ensure its longevity and the fact it is still thriving and helping so many people today is testament to the foundations they built.

“Along the way I have spoken to the many people involved in the effort to build the lakelands, who have shared their memories and in this book, there are many elements that are being shared for the first time.”

Jean died in 2016 and fellow founders Vic Hardy and Ray Burke. They will be remembered at the Birthday Bazaar taking place at the hospice on Sunday, July 26 from 11am to 4pm.

The book has been produced by local publisher Hickathrift Press and can be bought here. Profits go to the charity.

Northampton North MP Lucy Rigby has been given her old job back in the treasury. The MP lost out on her cabinet attending role as chief secretary to the treasury when new PM Andy Burnham was appointed this week, but has now been appointed as economic secretary to the treasury, a post she held from last September to this May.

The West unitary’s cabinet has agreed plans to sell off public space in a Northampton park and swap a prominent town centre building in return for important land in a future regeneration scheme, among other disposals.

A report went to West Northamptonshire Council’s cabinet last Thursday (July 16), asking for authorisation to sell a small area of land at Ladybridge Park as well as Albion House, on Victoria Promenade.

The proposed sales were included in a long list of other disposals of council property, which included commercial sales as well as transferring community spaces into the hands of local town and parish councils.

According to the report, Bellway Homes Limited approached the council to seek a freehold transfer of part of Ladybridge Park, as it is the only viable access route into an allocated 224-home residential site they hold to the south.

The potential housing site, which would still need planning permission, is ‘landlocked’ with no means of access to Ladybridge Drive without the use of the council land.

WNC has agreed to sell the developer the minimum amount of space needed for the access road for a minimum value of £1.5 million. Any land that is not required for the access route would then be sold back to the council for a nominal sum.

It is expected that the developer will come forward with a planning application for the site this summer. The cabinet agreed to the sale in principle, however the land would only be transferred if Bellway can build out the development and planning permission is approved.

The council was also given permission to pursue the sale of Albion House, which sits next to the St John’s multi-storey car park.

Instead of a straight sale, the report proposes swapping the multi-storey former office property for a parcel of land on the northern edge of the town centre known as East Island, which forms part of the council’s Greyfriars regeneration masterplan.

The owner of East Island is a developer of purpose-built student accommodation, Zone Developments. It previously transformed the East Island site into a new car park, however it voluntarily closed in early 2024 after it was found to be operating without planning permission.

The council report wrote:

“The development proposed on Albion House would regenerate the area and would likely see the demolition of the property and the erection of a new facility in keeping with the local area.

“It is therefore proposed to dispose of Albion House and acquire the East Island, with the difference in value between the sites being made to the council.”

It added that if the swap was not approved, it would increase the risk of WNC not being able to secure the East Island site as part of its wider regeneration works.

Cllr Keith Holland-Delamere questioned if the council was “100 per cent sure” the sale of Albion Place “will not come back to bite us”, given the site was initially bought by the borough council under the premise it could be used to extend the nearby multi-storey car park.

Executive director of place and economy, Stuart Timmiss, said it had been investigated, but that there was no way to extend the car park onto the adjacent site.

The report also stated that the council had considered other options to refurbish the building for commercial letting, or redevelop it into social housing, however both schemes were deemed unviable.

Mr Timmiss added:

“It is a prominent site on a major gateway and we are working with the developers and the university to look at the brief for that and make sure that it is something that we would be proud of.”

The LDRS contacted Zone Developments to ask what its plans are for the Albion House site if the asset swap goes ahead, but did not receive a response.

By Nadia Lincoln, local democracy reporter

The boss of the county’s two acute hospitals has moved on after less than two years in post. As reported by the Northants Telegraph Laura Churchward has moved on to a delivery role at a Cambridgeshire NHS trust. She had been the boss at both Kettering General Hospital and Northampton General Hospital since October 2024.

A Care Quality Commission inspection about Northampton General Hospital which was published last month, criticised the leadership.

Carolyn Jenkinson, CQC deputy director of hospitals in the central region, said:

“ . . . we found leaders needed to do more to lead by example and build a positive culture across their workforce to help staff provide care and support. While there were some areas of good practice, the leadership team needs to make further improvements.

“At the time of our assessment, the trust was going through a significant transformation programme to align roles, working patterns and processes across the group. As a result, staff were confused about structures, including who their chief executive and chief nursing officer were.”

Richard Mitchell is the chief executive of the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group as well as the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and has overall responsibility.

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🪅 A free family festival is being held at Glamis Hall in Wellingborough tomorrow from 10am -3pm.

🥙 The Great British Food Festival takes over Holdenby House tomorrow and Sunday.

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The running of council owned leisure services across North Northants is set to be bought back in house.

After almost two years of assessment, surveys with users and financial mapping, North Northamptonshire Council is proposing to take control of all of its leisure assets across its major towns and end the contracts with private providers.

The authority has been running leisure services in Corby since it began in 2021, as this was a legacy arrangement inherited from the former Corby Borough Council. The three other councils that were shut down to create the new unitary, in Wellingborough, East Northants, had outsourced their services to national companies including Freedom Leisure and Places Leisure.

The venues proposed to come back into local authority control are: Corn Market Hall in Kettering and the town’s swimming pool; Desborough Leisure Centre, Nene Leisure centre in Thrapston, the Pemberton Leisure Centre and Splash Leisure Pool in Rushden, Redwell Leisure Centre and Waendal Leisure Centre in Wellingborough.

The council’s investigations have found the in-house services being run in Corby are ‘exemplary’, perform better than the outsourced facilities and also offer a comprehensive active wellbeing service, which is not being offered in other facilities.

The council’s in house services currently provide a wide range of health programmes including helping people with cancer and cardiac rehabilitation and falls prevention. It has gained national recognition for a number of innovations including aquatic rehabilitation initiatives.

However despite performing the best, the report says the leisure staff working at the Corby facilities will be reduced by fifteen percent this financial year ( due to staff to income ratio modelling ), and the creche at Corby swimming pool is due to be closed. Leisure membership in Corby is also set to increase by £2 a month from April.

The matter will be discussed by the council’s place and environment scrutiny meeting on Tuesday (July 28) and officers are advising the scrutiny committee recommends to the Reform UK run cabinet that it approves the proposals.

The plan is to transfer all services back under council control over a twelve month period starting in April. By then all existing contracts will have run out.

The report, written by the council’s head of leisure services Julie Cardwell and director of communities and leisure Kerry Purnell, says that in March more than 1350 responses were received to a visioning survey, which asked residents what mattered to them.

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The report says:

“Overall, the preference was for a balanced service offer, including broad access to facilities and services; outreach and family activities across North Northamptonshire; targeted offers for inclusion groups such as disabled residents, vulnerable young people and older people; health prevention and rehabilitation services, alongside modern facilities and strong digital systems to support residents’ health and wellbeing.”

The authority had considered a hybrid approach, in which some services were brought in house and others remained with private providers, but decided it is not viable.

The report says:

“The hybrid mode, whereby Active Communities, Leisure Management functions and leisure capital programmes remain in-house, but leisure facilities in more deprived or targeted areas are in-house and the rest are outsourced through a single external contractor, was considered but has been discounted.

“This is partly due to the complexity of financial modelling required and higher risks around delivery and performance management; but primarily due to the fact that it would result in the continuation of inconsistent service, pricing and access and therefore a postcode lottery for residents. The visioning survey made it really clear that a universal and consistent offer is what our residents want to see.”

The report says the leisure service cost £3.575m to run last year and generated an income of £10m, with 40 per cent of the income coming from swimming lessons.

Residents will be able to access any centre under a membership contract and there will be one fixed price for membership introduced in April 2028. Care leavers, foster carers and their young people and serving armed forces personnel, veterans and high level sports performers will get free provision under a new concessions arrangement.

As part of the plans the Corn Market Hall in London Road, Kettering could be sold off or used for let for commercial use.

Read the report in full here.

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The interim boss at West Northants Council is set to take on the role permanently after winning over councillors on the senior appointments committee.

Martin Henry, who is the council’s finance boss and deputy chief executive, has been acting as the interim chief executive since October last year after long standing boss Anna Earnshaw departed shortly after Reform UK took control of the authority.

Henry, who was the finance boss at the former South Northamptonshire Council, became head of finance at WNC when it was formed in 2021.

He will be formally appointed to the role when the full council next meets on August 13.

An announcement by the authority this afternoon said:

“Having joined WNC from the beginning as finance executive director and ehief financial officer, Martin has played an integral role in shaping the young unitary council, driving forward service improvements and efficiencies and navigating the authority’s significant financial challenges.

“With extensive leadership experience in local government spanning more than 30 years, Martin has previously held roles at every type of local authority and at several authorities across Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Bedfordshire. Martin also worked previously at the Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner’s office, and in the private sector as director at Capita.

“Martin takes the reins as the council heads into its next chapter, with a focus on key priorities including accelerating place-shaping and regeneration to drive economic growth and investment, major service transformation including the in-house transition of housing and waste services and maintaining financial sustainability in the challenging public sector environment.”

Mr Henry was been selected for the role by the council’s senior appointments committee, which met last Friday. A first round of recruitment last December, which drew in 106 applicants, was abandoned after the committee could not decide on a candidate. A FOI by the local democracy reporting service, discovered the recruitment round cost the authority £32,000. The council says the second round of recruitment involved a ‘refocused’ approach and took place across June and July.

Council leader Mark Arnull said:

“I am delighted that Martin has been selected as our new chief executive. His leadership over the past eight months has already ensured stability and significant improvements across the organisation

“We received a real breadth of strong and high quality applications during this second round of recruitment and were pleased to see Martin’s application among them. Having carefully interviewed and considered a strong field of candidates, the committee was clear in its decision that Martin was the ideal choice to lead the council into its next chapter.”

“Moving forward our focus is firmly on place leadership – working with communities, partners and businesses to shape a stronger future for the area. With a proven track record, deep understanding of the organisation and a passion for West Northamptonshire, Martin is ideally placed to lead us on this journey.”

Martin Henry said:

“I am extremely proud and honoured to be selected as chief executive for a council and a place that I care so deeply and passionately about. West Northamptonshire is where I went to school, is my home and my community and I will be tireless in my work and commitment to improving outcomes wherever possible for everyone living and working here.

“There are exciting and ambitious times ahead for West Northamptonshire and, working with our partners and communities I will hit the ground running as we move into this next crucial chapter for our council.”

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Northampton North MP Lucy Rigby has lost her government cabinet position.

Labour MP Lucy Rigby, who was appointed by former PM Keir Starmer to the chief secretary to the treasury in May, followed big Labour names such as former chancellor Rachel Reeves, housing secretary Steve Reed and justice secretary David Lammy, on returning to the back benches.

New PM Andy Burnham, who was appointed Prime Minister yesterday after Keir Starmer stepped down after losing the support of his party, installed a new government that did not include Lucy Rigby.

She was one of five novice Labour MP’s elected in Northants in July 2024, and had the fastest ascent of them all, first becoming solicitor general (which involved being given a Kings Counsel title) in December 2024 and then becoming economic secretary to the treasury in September last year before the recent promotion to the role she departed yesterday.

Lucy Rigby has been replaced by Emma Reynolds. On X the Northampton North MP said she was delighted for her friend.

John Healy has been appointed as chancellor with Ed Miliband appointed as foreign secretary. A number of high profile women from the north of England, including former deputy leader Angela Rayner have been appointed to the new PM’s cabinet.

Andy Burnham, who was the mayor of Manchester until recently, has promised to shake up the government, and says there will be a new ten year plan, which will involve more council house building and a pledge to end rough sleeping. He said he would ‘put the care of people’ at the heart of everything he does.

The party is hoping the Burnham leadership will impact the prospects of Reform UK, who have been surging in the polls for many months, although have taken a dip recently after revelations about leader Nigel Farage’s £5m gift from a Thai based crypto billionaire.

Northants has two Reform UK run councils, which have been in power for a year. However, as NN Journal has reported the councils have not had been able to settle the finances, with both councils posting the biggest ever overspends since the unitaries were created in 2021.

There has also been some turbulence in the party with both West and North losing councillors to other political parties.

Yesterday the North Reform UK group announced Thrapston councillor Joseph Garner had quit to become independent. Former Reform UK councillor turned independent Joanne Blythe announced last week that she was joining Restore UK along with Cameron Emery who had previously been Reform.

* The day after this article was published Lucy Rigby was given back her old job and is now economic secretary to the treasury.

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A 21 year old has been arrested on suspicion of killing a teenager in Northampton.

Police said this afternoon that the man remains in custody after being arrested on suspicion of murder last night. Three other people, two men aged 56 and 19 and a woman, 51, have also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

The teenager died at an address in Adnitt Road, in the Abington area of Northampton on Tuesday evening after being stabbed. The emergency services attended and members of the public tried to help but the boy, who has not been named, sadly died at the scene.

Police have said a post mortem has concluded the boy died of a stab wound.

Detective Chief Inspector Ryan Catling, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said:

“As people would expect, we have been working around the clock since Tuesday evening to establish what happened in Adnitt Road and who was responsible.

“This is a complex investigation which has seen us conduct warrants at a number of addresses in Northampton, including in Salcey Street and Thorn Hill Walk, while also speaking to witnesses, interrogate CCTV footage and search locations of interest.

“A post-mortem examination has taken place and concluded the 16-year-old boy died as a result of a stab wound.”

Members of the public who may have any information about the incident and who haven’t already done so are being encouraged to contact the police.

DCI Catling added:

“I understand this is a concerning time for residents, and I want to reassure you that we are doing all we can to find those responsible and bring them to justice.

“Our investigation is progressing, but we would still like to hear from anyone who was in the area near Adnitt Road between 6.30pm and 7pm on Tuesday, July 7, and saw anyone acting suspiciously.

“Please don’t assume someone else has told us what you know, we would rather receive the same information multiple times than not at all.

“We would also like anyone who was driving in the area at the time and has dash cam footage to please share it with us.”

Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to contact Northamptonshire Police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

This is the second murder in the town in a week.

Paul Hughes, 59 died after being seriously assaulted at town centre pub The Old Bank in the early hours of Sunday.

Louie Oliver, 22, of Holdout Lane, Sywell, has been charged with his murder and appeared at the town’s magistrates court on Wednesday.

Paul’s adult sons Ieuan and Iestyn and their mother, Samantha, who was with him when he died in hospital, said:

“He was everything you’d want a dad to be. He adored us and always actively supported and enabled us in whatever we did. He loved us wholly, with all his heart, and we felt it. Whether it was the early Sunday morning drives to sports team training or spoiling us on birthdays or taking us on adventures, he was always our biggest supporter.

“Our dad had a massive heart. His love and care knew no limits, and he was fiercely loyal to those he called friends or family. He was selfless and generous, and even after his death, he continued giving by donating his kidneys and liver to change the lives of people he would never get to meet.

“Dad was very active his entire life. He made lifelong friends at Dallington Country Club and played many rugby games for Northampton Casuals and Mens Own, earning himself quite a reputation and the nickname ‘Spit’.

“We want to thank everyone who has reached out offering support, condolences, or sharing memories of Dad with us since his death. They have been a great source of comfort and seeing how loved he is by so many people is in equal parts heart-warming and heart-breaking.”

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Corby is in the running to become the UK’s first Town of Culture.

The former steel town will now, along with the other 14 shortlisted finalists, receive £60,000 to work up a full bid. 400 towns entered the competition, with Northampton also putting in a bid but failing to get through to the next stage.

Corby is in the small town’s category along with Stockton, Strabane, Isle of Bute, Lerwick, Sandown and Ilfracombe.

There are also medium and large town categories, with a finalist selected from each and an overall winner announced next year.

The vice chancellor of Northampton’s financially under pressure university has penned an open letter to MPs and council leaders to highlight the benefit of international students.

Anne-Marie Kilday, who has been in charge since August 2022, has appealed to the politicians to engage with her organisation about policies which could affect student numbers.

She said analysis had indicated that international students contribute a net economic benefit of around £149m due to spending locally.

The number of international students coming to the UK has dropped significantly in recent years due to restrictive government immigration policies, which is leading to many universities suffering financially, having to cut back courses and lay off staff.

The University of Northampton is currently consulting on redundancy for an undisclosed number of staff.

Ms Kilday said:

“At a time when economic growth and strong public finances are national priorities, it is important that policy decisions affecting international students are informed by evidence demonstrating that they are net contributors to the UK economy, supporting employment, local businesses and world-class universities across the country.

“I therefore encourage all Members of Parliament and Council Leaders to continue engaging with universities, businesses and sector stakeholders to ensure that future immigration and higher education policies recognise and support the economic and social contribution made by international students.

“Northamptonshire benefits from being part of a globally connected higher education sector. By continuing to welcome talented students from around the world, we can strengthen economic growth, develop future skills, support local employers and reinforce the UK’s reputation as a leading destination for education, research and innovation. I hope that we can work together to ensure these opportunities continue to benefit our County and our country in the years ahead.

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Anglian Water has today announced a temporary hosepipe ban.

The water company says it is in response to a lack of rain and the reservoirs being at low levels. The ban applies to domestic use of hosepipes for activities such as filling pools and hot tubs, washing cars, windows and watering the garden.

A man who helped expose Northamptonshire chief constable’s CV lies, has died.
Simon Tilley, 45, who was convicted last month on a child sex offence charge, was found dead at a Corby hotel on Friday, July 3.
He was convicted at Stafford Crown Court and had always protested his innocence.

In 2021 he had shared an image with a boy who the trial was told he believed was 13, but who was an undercover officer.

Northants Police then say he began a stalking and harassment campaign against a number of officers to try and ‘derail’ the criminal prosecution. Tilley was also found guilty of stalking and perverting the course of justice.

He had been due to be sentenced in September.

His family paid tribute to him on social media and said they were struggling to come to terms with losing someone who meant so much to them.

The sale of the Northampton Guildhall extension to the town council is still under discussion.

Last summer, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) advertised the modern Guildhall extension for sale and told Northampton Town Council (NTC) it must move out of its civic home. In November NTC agreed in principle to purchase a long-term headlease of the extension, subject to further work on feasibility and costings.

A confidential report, which went to the town council’s policy and finance committee on Wednesday set out the draft Heads of Terms for the lease of part of the historic Guildhall, where the town council currently operates from in the lower west wing and the upstairs court room, and the entire Guildhall extension.

According to the discussion, the town council has been offered a 250-year lease on the historic Guildhall space at a peppercorn rent, but would have to pay a service charge and contribute to a sink fund alongside WNC to cover the costs of any major external building repairs. A break clause for NTC on the historic building is also included.

The modern extension has also been offered to the town council on a 250-year headlease. The exact cost of this purchase was not revealed at the meeting, but the town clerk said that NTC would be “paying premium” for complete control over the use of the three-storey building, central courtyard and underground car parking.

Previous town council reports stated that the likely purchase figure for the extension was reported as £1.2 million.

It was suggested that the ground floor of the extension would be used as a community hub and town council space, supplemented by offering commercial and office space for local businesses and groups upstairs.

Town councillor Andy Kilbride told the meeting that he had “big concerns” about NTC taking over the Guildhall in its entirety.

He added:

“Morally, I find it wrong that the people of Northampton paid for the Guildhall, then it was gifted to West Northants Council for us to then pay a substantial amount for the lease for 250 years.”

Cllr Taylor Cowley-Coulton also said residents should be consulted on the plans: “After this stage, when we’ve got full costings, we need to go to residents and say do you want this or not, because at the end of the day, potentially there’s a chance that we could take on significant debt because of this.”

The town council agreed to continue with the purchase of the Guildhall space, with the town clerk saying it would “kick start” further work of creating a business plan and procuring condition surveys of the buildings.

It was stressed that it is not a binding decision and that the town council will reconvene to fully approve the leases and enter into agreements with WNC once full costings are known.

A financial update report, written by WNC cabinet member Cllr John Slope, going to full council on Monday also references the sale of the Guildhall extension.

Though it states that the Heads of Terms are being actively negotiated with NTC, it also offers a backup option that “should this not progress, there are commercial parties with good interest”, or an option to use the building for commissioned service delivery.

Previous listings for the building when it was being marketed for sale said it had a “diverse range” of potential uses, such as a boutique hotel operator, an events venue, residential, restaurant, or office accommodation.

By Nadia Lincoln, local democracy reporter

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Plans to build a large solar site on farmland just outside Northampton are set for approval.

The 78-acre site, which is set in a large field, is located near the village of Preston Deanery and around 200 metres south of the Brackmills Industrial estate. If approved, the solar farm would contain 48,802 panels, 10 power stations, and a grid connection point.

According to the plans, this would generate approximately 26.597 megawatts of electricity.

The proposals will go before West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) strategic planning committee at a meeting on Tuesday, July 14. Though planning officers have recommended that the committee grant permission, it will be down to councillors to weigh up the benefits and harms of the scheme and decide whether it should be allowed.

Just one objection from a member of the public has been submitted to the scheme, questioning whether a badger survey had been undertaken on the fields.

The applicant, Grange Farm Partnership, said:

“The proposal would provide a clean, renewable and sustainable form of electricity. This is a public benefit which should be afforded significant weight in the planning balance.

“Gain would be provided through the generation of local electricity that would be connected directly to the local grid, with the proposals reducing reliance upon overseas energy sources in line with government directives.”

It also said the development would provide employment and opportunities for local businesses contracted to build out the site during construction.

Officers said the site would deliver a significant renewable energy scheme which would make a meaningful contribution towards national and local objectives, improve energy security and support the transition to a low-carbon economy.

“Whilst the proposal would result in localised landscape and visual harm and the temporary loss of agricultural land from crop production, these impacts are not considered to be unacceptable and can be appropriately mitigated,” the report added.

“When weighed against the substantial public benefits arising from the generation of renewable energy, biodiversity enhancements and the contribution towards achieving national net zero objectives, officers conclude that the benefits of the proposal decisively outweigh the identified harms.”

The report also highlights a time-limit condition on the use of the field, stating that permission for the site to be used as a solar farm will expire 40 years after electricity is first exported to the grid.

WNC’s strategic planning committee will meet at 2pm on July 14 at the Towcester Forum to determine the application.

By Nadia Lincoln

NN Events

🍎 The Northamptonshire Biodiversity & Regenerative Food Festival is taking place for the first time at Beckets Park, Northampton tomorrow (July 11) from 10.30am to 4pm. The free event will feature produce from organic bakers and makers.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 The annual Corby Highland Gathering is being held this weekend in Corby’s old village. Entry is £5.

🪏Volunteers can help test Corby’s soil and water tomorrow (July 11) as charity Earthwatch Europe is hosting another citizen science event to test for heavy metals. Anyone interested should attend Weldon Village Hall for 10.30am and can register here.

NN Journal is taking a week break for a short holiday. We will be back the week after, with some extra stories to make up for the downtime.

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Former bailiff Michael Thompson has today been convicted of killing his wife Kim.

He raped and then suffocated his wife of 19 years at their Northampton home before staging the murder scene to make it appear that Kim had taken her own life.

What NN Journal can now report is there is suspicion that Thompson may also have killed his first partner Rhonda Anderson 25 years earlier. However despite opening a murder investigation into Rhonda’s 2000 death at the end of last year Northants Police did not charge Thompson for her killing due to ‘insufficient evidence’.

Rhonda, known to friends as Roni, was the mother of Thompson’s two elder children Sasha and Sebastian, and died after she was electrocuted in a bath at her home in Hembury Place in the Briar Hill area of Northampton on July 8 2000. The children were just six and eight at the time of their mother’s death. Rhonda was found after friends and relatives broke into the home after trying to call her on the phone.

A former shop worker, an inquest carried out into her death by Northants coroner Anne Pember in October 2000 ruled her death was accidental, with reports from the time saying the coroner stated Rhonda had been ‘extremely foolish in the extreme’ to take an electric radio into the bath with her.

But after Kim’s death and suspected murder, Northants Police decided to reinvestigate Rhonda’s death and launched a murder inquiry.

The Crown Prosecution Service had wanted to tell the jury about the circumstances of Rhonda’s death, but after legal arguments before the start of the trial, Judge Shant ruled against it.

Thompson’s barrister Jonas Hankins KC argued it would be difficult to contrive a more prejudicial piece of information to put before jurors and said the notion the jury would not speculate if told about Rhonda’s death was ‘fanciful’.

So a reporting restriction was put in place which prevented the media from reporting the circumstances of Rhonda’s death.

On his conviction today, the restriction has been lifted and we are now able to report the details.

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‘Kimberley told me that he killed his first wife.’

During the trial a number of friends of Kim, who gave evidence under oath, told the jury about what they knew of the Thompson’s marriage. They said Kim was scared of her husband, who beat and raped her and had considering leaving, but did not do so as he threatened to kill her and hurt her family.

What they were not allowed to say, and what they were actively steered away from, was the things Kim had said about her husband’s previous relationship with Rhonda.

In legal submissions that were ruled inadmissible, but can now be reported, Kim’s friend from secondary school Annette Collins said in her police interview that Kim had confided in her about the abuse she suffered at the hands of Thompson.

She said:

“This was the first time that Kim told me the extent of what was happening. Kim told me that he said to her that if she ever left that Thompson would kill her.

“Kimberley told me that he killed his first wife. Kim told me Michael told her he did it.

“All I can say is what Kim told me.”

On the witness stand, a visibly upset Mrs Collins told the jury:

“He had threatened to kill her so many times, it just became normal. It just became a normal part of the conversation [between her and Kim].”

She told the court that Kim had told her that her husband had warned her that if she went to the police or went to friends for help he would kill her. She said after a time when Kim said she had been raped by Thompson, she begged her to go to the police, but Kim was too scared to.

She told her friend Thompson would not go to prison if he killed her because ‘he is not going to do it in a way he will get caught. It will be an accident or something like that.’

According to Mrs Collins, Thompson had told his wife he had looked after his children on his own before and even if he did not manage to kill her she would be ‘eating through a straw’ for the rest of her life.

Another friend from Kim’s teenage years, Danielle Harrison said similar things in her police interview, said the crown prosecutor in their legal submissions.

She said:

“Kim would tell me that people were telling her that Thompson had killed his first wife because she had tried to leave him.

She said her friend did not believe it because Thompson had an alibi - he had taken the children swimming on the day of Rhonda’s death. In her interview she said sometime between 2012 and 2014 Kim had told her that ‘that if anything was ever to happen to her, it was Thompson.

“If I ever leave him he will kill me and get away with it as he did before.”

Work colleague Hyancith Francis told police in her interview that Thompson had said he would ‘do time’ and kill her. She said Thompson had been questioned over his first wife’s death (Thompson and Rhonda were not married) and said there was a ‘question mark hanging over whether he had killed her or not.’

Police statement

The media had been briefed by Northants Police back in December about the investigation into Rhonda’s death, but had been prevented from reporting any details in case it prejudiced the Kim Thompson murder trial.

DCI Torie Harrison for Northamptonshire Police said today in a released statement:

“Early in our investigation into Kim’s death we were told of the death of Michael Thompson’s former partner Rhonda Anderson, 29, who died in July 2000.

“Rhonda’s death had been investigated at the time, and an inquest ruled it was accidental. However, after concerns were raised about the circumstances of Rhonda’s death and in light of what happened to Kim, we launched a fresh murder investigation.

“As part of our enquiries we arrested Michael Thompson, 56, on suspicion of murder.

“We also revisited reports from 25 years ago and issued a fresh appeal for anyone who may have known Rhonda at the time to contact us.

“This work has now concluded, and it has been determined there is insufficient evidence to take the investigation further, with no further action being taken against Michael Thompson.”

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Our story from earlier has been updated with police released audio of Thompson’s call to the emergency services after he killed his wife

Michael Thompson has been convicted of killing his wife Kimberley at their Northampton home.

Just before 11am the jury at Nottingham Crown Court delivered its verdict ruling that the former bouncer had raped and killed his younger wife at their Pinewood Avenue home and then tried to pervert the course of justice by covering up her death by staging a fake suicide.

During six weeks of evidence, the murder trial revealed the controlling and coercive marriage that civil servant Kim Thompson, 43, was trapped within for almost two decades.

After hoping for years to escape her marriage - she referred herself to a domestic abuse centre in Northampton more than a decade ago but then retracted her statement - in the summer of last year it appeared that civil servant Kim, who worked at the courts centre in Northampton, was on the cusp of getting away from her domestic tormentor.

But after finding out about her new partner and hearing she wanted a bigger financial settlement in their divorce, Thompson, 56, who had two children with Kim as well as two children by an earlier relationship, on the hot summer night of August 9, decided to kill his wife.

Sometime after midnight he went downstairs to their daughter’s room where Kim was sleeping on a makeshift mattress and after raping her he then suffocated her.

He then went around the house gathering family photographs - including a montage of her dead sister and their wedding photograph - and propped them around the bed. He took pills for the medicine box and put them by her bedside as well as two alcohol bottles. He messaged his daughter from his wife’s phone and gained access to his wife’s social media account, changing her relationship status to married and writing a fake status post from Kim saying that she had drunk too much.

He then callously called the emergency services saying he had found his wife when he went downstairs in the early hours and she was not breathing. He claimed they had had sex a couple of hours earlier after Kim had messaged him asking for sex.

According to the prosecution, the police who attended the home in the early morning hours swallowed his story and Thompson was left to clean up the murder scene. It was only after concerned friends and family rang the alarm bell that he was taken in by police for questioning and several weeks after his wife’s death he was charged with her rape and murder.

During the trial Thompson, who did not give evidence, attempted to smear the memory of his wife. In police evidence he called her a pathological liar and said she was obsessed with getting attention from other men. He said she had gaslit him and told friends untrue stories about what he did to her.

But he had been recording her in the years before her death, hiding hidden cameras around the home to spy on her.

Throughout the trial many friends and family of Kim’s had given evidence on the stand about the Thompson’s marriage and how former Michael Thompson had controlled and coerced his hardworking wife. They said she was happy and outgoing before she met him but soon became anxious and thin, losing her athletic figure.

Thompson, who was working in a warehouse at the time of his arrest, will be sentenced next week. He was found guilty of murder, rape and two counts of perverting the course of justice. The jury deliberated for 11 and a half hours before coming to its verdict.

Detective Chief Inspector Torie Harrison, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, led the investigation into Kim’s murder.

She said today after the verdict:

“I hope today provides Kim’s family and friends with some comfort.

“It became clear throughout our investigation that Kim had been subjected to domestic abuse for much of her relationship with Thompson, with manipulation, coercive control, and physical violence the norm.

“Over the years Thompson stripped Kim’s confidence away but in the time since their separation, friends and family began to see the old Kim re-emerging with a renewed enthusiasm for life.”

In addition to being found guilty of the rape and murder of Kim, Thompson was also found guilty of two counts of perverting the course of justice, one for covering up the rape, the other for covering up her murder.

DCI Harrison added:

“Not only did Thompson brutally rape and murder Kim, he took the time to stage her death in order to make people believe she had committed suicide before calling for help.

“I have no doubt these actions caused further upset to Kim’s loved ones, who have shown an enormous amount of grace and dignity throughout our investigation and during the trial.”

DCI Harrison said:

“The level of abuse Kim was subjected to over the last two decades was horrific, and I want to take this opportunity to say to anyone who may be living a similar life that help is available.

“We have specialist police officers who work with survivors of domestic abuse, including coercive control and physical abuse, and there are other organisations that also offer support and practical help if you don’t want to speak to the police.

“My plea to anyone who finds themself in this situation is to please ask for help, no one will judge you, but we can help you take that first step to becoming safe.”

If you need our help, please ring 101 or in an emergency – 999. If you would prefer to report online, you can visit www.northants.police.uk/ro.

If you have been a victim of rape or sexual abuse, but are not yet ready to speak to the police, please visit www.nhft.nhs.uk/serenity or call Serenity on 01604 601713. Serenity provides free, confidential 24/7 support.

If you have been a victim of a domestic abuse but are not yet ready to speak to the police, please visit www.voicenorthants.org or call Voice on 0300 303 1965.

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Listen to the call Thompson made to the emergency services after he killed his wife

Previous coverage of the trial

Northampton murder trial” ‘I can’t wake my wife up’

Northampton mum murdered in home by husband who then tried to fake her suicide, court hears

‘If anything happens to me, please know it was him’

Northampton murder trial: Kim Thompson’s colleague tells jury accused husband strangled her

Murder accused threatened to tamper with estranged wife’s car brakes, court hears

Pathologist tells jury he believes Kimberley Thompson died by suffocation

Unhappy domestic life of Thompsons revealed in texts and messages

By Sarah Ward

Northamptonshire’s children’s services have been rated as good by government inspectors.

In a report published this morning, Ofsted, has rated the service as having outstanding leadership and good in how it protects and cares for children.

Inspectors found the service, which is run by an independent trust outside of local authority management, had ‘significantly improved’ since the last inspection four years ago.

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The report said:

“Senior leaders across North Northamptonshire Council and NCT [Northamptonshire Children’s Trust] have committed financial investment and driven and embedded substantial improvements in services for children and families.

“Outstanding leadership has had a transformational impact on workforce stability and has developed a relational culture that has resulted in significantly improved circumstances for children and families.

“Mature and highly effective relationships across both councils, NCT and safeguarding partners are keeping children safer and helping them make positive progress.”

The new family hubs which operate in a number of towns across the county were praised and it said that the multi agency safeguarding hub (MASH) which receives initial concerns about children, timely and effective responses were made. This is in stark contrast to previous times, when the MASH had come under severe criticism.

The out of hours emergency duty team was judged to be effective and social work assessments were praised for clearly outlining children’s needs.

It said most children under child protection plans benefit from multidiciplinary interventions, which were ‘purposeful’.

It said since the last inspection there had been significant improvement in the response to children who go missing from care, with a new team set up and a child exploitation hub, praised.

Inspectors found unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are well supported by knowledgeable social workers.

Areas highlighted for improvement include better support plans for children in need and disabled children and better communication of the local offer for care leavers.

Colin Foster, chief executive of Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, said:

“This is a fantastic achievement and recognition of the enormous progress made by colleagues and partners over recent years.

“To achieve a Good judgement, with Outstanding leadership, reflects the dedication and commitment of everyone working to improve the lives of children and families across Northamptonshire. We are particularly pleased that Ofsted recognised the strength of relationships between our workforce and the children they support.

“Our practitioners work hard to build trusted, enduring relationships through consistency, honesty and compassion, and it is encouraging that children themselves spoke positively about the support they receive and the ambition workers have for their futures. While we are proud of this outcome, we remain committed to continuous improvement and will continue working with our partners to ensure every child and young person has the opportunity to thrive.”

The leadership was rated as outstanding, with praise given to how it works with the political leadership and it praised ‘seamless’ working between Reform UK run West and North authorities.

The North unitary has this week appointed acting director of children services Cornelia Andrecut on a permanent basis and Ofsted inspectors praised her appointment as a ‘catalyst for improvement’.

Children’s services were put into a trust back in 2021, on government orders after the collapse of the former county council. At one stage there was a children’s commissioner appointed to oversee improvements, as the service had serious failings and two children Dylan Tiffin Brown and Eve Rose Muggleton, who were known to social services died at the hands of their parental carer.

The improvements cited by Ofsted have come at a cost. Since its inception the trust has over run financially every year, with the two unitary authorities, which fund it, having to find millions extra each year to fund it.

As reported by the local Democracy Reporting Service, children’s services in Northants now costs almost double what they did three years ago, with an annual spend of £213m.

This year the overspend was around £30m.

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Earlier articles from us on this issue

The long running attempt to restore and develop the grounds of a Northants Grade II listed hall have moved forward with part of the plans approved this week.

Fairline Homes went to West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) yesterday (July 2) to seek approval to restore part of Overstone Hall, which has twice been subjected to arsons since the millennium.

The current proposals are three linked applications which set out how the remaining facades of the hall could be repaired and retained, alongside a conversion of part of the main building into 19 apartments, and permission to build a further 77 homes on the hall’s associated gardens to help fund the project.

WNC’s planning officers recommended that the strategic planning committee, made up of elected councillors, refuse all applications due to the works being seen as causing a high level of further harm to and resulting in loss of significance of the hall. However after a vote the first application (for the 19 apartments) was approved.

The first application sought part restoration of the hall to create 19 apartments, accommodated within the ground, first and second floor. Part of the fire-ravaged structure would also be demolished, with the applicant saying the remainder of the east elevation, service wing, the 1930s refectory extension, and south wing would be lost.

Another application to build 57 apartments across four blocks and a further 20 houses on land next to the hall, was also discussed during the almost four hours of debate on the series of proposals.

Objections from heritage experts raised concerns that the scheme would cause unnecessary damage to one of Northamptonshire’s most significant historic buildings. Questions over whether there was enough documentation to justify the demolition of certain aspects of the building, such as the south wing, were also mentioned in the report.

The historic buildings & places team also accused the enabling development, consisting of four apartment blocks, of having “a lack of ambition in the design” and therefore looking like “an airport hotel, rather than a structure that would be appropriate in a country house setting”.

Both reports said each application had also received 95 objections from members of the public.

At the meeting, the case officer for the project told members that planning staff were not convinced that the proposal would sustain or reinforce sufficient heritage value.

However, councillors questioned if there were any other realistic prospects for salvaging the hall, given its current condition after being badly damaged by fire in 2001 and its state of disrepair being accelerated by recent vandalism and another blaze in 2023.

Previous applications to restore the hall in 2018 and provide 16 residential units in the property were also partially approved, but works never started, as a secondary application requesting permission to build 60 extra homes on the rest of the site to fund the restoration works were refused.

Speaking on behalf of Fairline Homes, agent Peter Frampton told the committee that their proposal was “the only show in town” to secure the restoration of the building. He also said that suggestions that it could be saved in any other way than enabling development were “simply unrealistic” and “wishful thinking”.

“We do not accept that the consequence of these works to the significance of the hall as a ruin today is that its significance will be vitiated,” he added.

“After a quarter of a century of dereliction and decay and the hall being subject to a major arson attack, regular break-ins – some 67 this year, with police no longer willing to attend – it’s time for positive conservation to take place.”

Cllr Adrian Little (Reform UK) said:

“We’re in a position now where if we don’t do anything, it may get to the stage where the fabric of the building is so deteriorated that there’s no chance of salvaging it.”

Councillors were reminded by officers that even if they were minded to accept the scheme so the building could benefit from some form of restoration, there were still outstanding issues relating to a lack of information on access, highways and ecological matters that had to be assessed.

A motion to defer the application to resolve the outstanding issues before granting permission for the restoration of the main hall fell. The committee ultimately approved the first application – which included the 19 flats – in full, alongside the necessary Listed Building Consent.

However, the same outstanding matters and concerns from the WNC highways team were all at play once again in the enabling application for the 77 homes.

Cllr Sally Keeble raised concerns about road safety at the junction leading down to the hall.

She said:

“This isn’t about having a nice little lane down to a rural area, this is a public highway traffic junction which has got bad sightlines and which is hemmed in on either side by buildings – and it’s one that leads into a road which has already got pretty nightmarish traffic.

“I put the safety of the people and the kids using that main road above the interests of a building, however valuable.”

Officers again recommended that, if the committee were leaning towards approval, a ‘positive deferral’ of the project be made so that further considerations around highways, ecology, flood risk and alternative designs for the apartment blocks could be considered.

Ten councillors voted to defer the second part of the project, with one abstention. It will now have to return to the planning committee with further requested details before full permission can be granted.

By Nadia Lincoln, local democracy reporter

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Other news

The jury in the Kimberley Thompson murder trial was sent out to consider its verdict this morning.
Kimberley’s husband Michael Thompson, 56, of Pinewood Road, Northampton is accused of killing and raping his wife at the family home on August 9 this year. He is also charged with two counts of perverting the course of justice by attempting to conceal his crimes. He denies all charges.
The six-week trial has been held at Nottingham Crown Court.

Thousands of people have been issued refunds totalling more than £50,000 after residents were wrongly charged for parking after a procedural error made by West Northamptonshire Council.

WNC said it would refund anyone who parked in one of its off-street car parks in Northampton town centre during a period in April, when it incorrectly raised fees, removed a period of free parking at weekends, and charged blue badge holders without carrying out a statutory public consultation.

At the time, the council said that most refunds would be made automatically for card and app payments, but drivers who paid in cash and blue badge holders needed to complete a short online refund form. Any Penalty Charge Notices issued in the affected car parks were also cancelled, with paid notices refunded automatically.

According to a freedom of information request submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the council issued £50,928 in refunds from over 42,000 transactions over the period. That’s an average of £.120 returned to every motorist who made a claim or was automatically repaid for their parking.

The administrative blunder cost the council £5,100 to issue refunds through the payment service providers.

Further research by the LDRS also found that the council lost out on an estimated £37k in income in the aftermath of the parking charges mistake. This was as a result of the council blocking off payment machines in its car parks for five full days (between April 26 and 30) whilst it stopped charging for parking after realising its error.

The council then reverted to charging pre-April fees in order to carry out the statutory consultation and ensure it was following proper process. This has been in place since May 1.

WNC confirmed yesterday (July 1) that it will not reintroduce parking charges for Blue Badge holders and for visitors to Northampton’s country parks following undertaking the necessary Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) consultation and saying it had listened to “further public feedback”.

However, revised parking charges at Albion Place, Campbell Square, Midsummer Meadow, The Ridings, St John’s Multi-Storey, Upper Mounts, Wellington Street, Claret car park and Sixfields Reservoir will still stand, the council has said. Weekend and bank holiday charges will also be re-introduced, with the changes taking effect from 1 August 2026.

Full information will be available shortly on the WNC website car parking pages.

The LDRS contacted the council for comment on the cost of the refund process.

We also asked West Northants if the nearly £90k in lost revenue and £5k processing refund fee will impact council budgets for 2026/27, given that it had set a balanced budget based on the increased income generation, and what its plans were to rectify this to stay on budget.

A WNC spokesman said that as the council had to revert back to the previous charging scheme “there will clearly be an impact on the finances”.

“This will be picked up and reported on as part of our normal in-year budget monitoring processes,” they added.

By Nadia Lincoln, local democracy reporter

A 21-year-old drug dealer has been convicted of trying to murder a teenager in a Corby woodland.

Matas Sukatis, who ran a drug line in the town, was found guilty on Thursday in a majority verdict (10-2) of attempting to kill the 17- year-old on April 11 last year. The trial at Northampton crown court had lasted a month.

Sukatis shot the boy in the back and then tried to end his life by attempting to fire twice at his head as the teenager lay injured in the Corby woodland close to the town’s swimming pool.

Sukatis, of Chaucer Close, Corby, who will be sentenced in September, stabbed the boy in the leg after inflicting the serious damage which required the boy to have a bullet removed from a vertebra.

He handed himself into police three days after the attack, but attempted to escape the country and was detained by police at a London airport.

Speaking after the verdict, Detective Sergeant Megan Scotney, who led the North CID Team investigation said:

“Matas Sukaitis showed no regard for others around him, causing utmost fear by discharging a firearm in such a popular public place during a sunny afternoon.

“I have no doubt that Sukaitis’ intention was to kill his teenage victim, and it was extremely fortunate that the firearm jammed as he attempted to shoot the boy at point blank range. If it hadn’t, he would have been facing a murder charge.

“Fortunately, the use of firearms remains rare within our communities but tackling serious violence remains a priority for Northamptonshire Police and I am grateful to the jury for returning a guilty verdict and ensuring justice has been served.”

Sukaitis, formerly of Chaucer Close in Corby, will be sentenced at Northampton Crown Court on September 18.

A Northants based NHS mental health trust will take over the care of patients at St Andrew’s Healthcare.

NHFT, which is led by Angela Hillery, will step into the breach, following a series of scandals and poor care at the Northampton based hospital complex.

NHS bosses ordered the removal of all patients earlier this year, although there has been criticism of the progress and now a number of patients will remain, under the care of NHFT.

The agreement includes medium and low secure care, the national D/deaf service and acquired brain injury services, alongside care for a number of other patients where this is needed to support safe continuity of care. Patients will remain on the Northampton site, with services expected to be delivered from William Wake House and Fitzroy House in the longer term.

NHFT will lease the buildings.

The future of the charity appears uncertain. The Charity Commission has opened a statutory enquiry into governance.

St Andrew’s Healthcare’s boss Trevor Torrington, who took over after the scandals had broken, said ‘patient care and patient safety’ is the top priority.

He said:

“We have been working hard with colleagues from NHFT and NHS England to ensure this achieves the best outcomes for our patients. The change will also mean that a large number of specialist healthcare roles are expected to remain in Northampton, as key St Andrew’s employees are transferred to the Trust.”

A Northamptonshire disability campaigner has said he is “relieved” that the council has listened to residents and decided not to reintroduce parking charges for Blue Badge owners in its town centre car parks.

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) confirmed on Wednesday (July 1) that it would not reintroduce charges for people with Blue Badges, and for visitors to Northampton’s country parks, after listening to “further public feedback” from a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) consultation.

Nick Wilson, known online as The Disabled Adventurer, said:

“We need to be removing barriers to people getting outdoors and accessing the high street, not putting more up.

“Those who pushed back on this decision – disabled residents, carers, families – should feel proud right now. They made the noise and this win belongs to the whole community.

“But Blue Badge parking doesn’t solely impact our residents, it also influences accessible tourism, which can benefit our local economy. When a destination makes itself genuinely welcoming – and free blue badge parking is a very visible signal of that – people come back, they bring others, and they tell their community.

“Keeping free blue badge parking sends exactly the right message – Northants is a place that welcomes disabled people and their families, not just tolerates them.”

Leader of the Conservative opposition, Cllr Daniel Lister, called the move “another Reform u-turn”.

“This is a welcome decision, although these proposals should never have been put forward in the first place. Charging blue badge holders would have punished people for a need they cannot avoid.”

However, he warned that WNC’s decision to go ahead with the increased parking charges in Northampton car parks and remove the weekend free parking period would be “the real blow for our high street”.

Cllr Sally Keeble, leader of the Labour group, added:

“It’s a u-turn over the Blue Badges, however the council is still keeping Northampton shoppers as a cash cow.

“It’s still penalising people who shop in Northampton and I still think it’s unfair, but at least it’s something better for disabled people.”

West Northants Liberal Democrat leader Jonathan Harris said:

“We’re obviously pleased with the shift in position, but it’s much wider than just car parking.

“This links to our motion that we’ve got coming up at full council to try and make sure the council looks through the lens of disabled people before we end up here, because we shouldn’t have ended up in this position.”

Leader of WNC, Cllr Mark Arnull, said:

“The opposition just simply don’t get it! Yet again we see synthetic rage and more gaslighting of the electorate. After decades of Conservative financial mismanagement in Northamptonshire, which sent the former County Council bust, residents will be paying the interest bill for years to come.

“My administration is all about listening to residents and informing them of the difficult choices we face, and the reasons why. We’ll always look at all of the options on the table.

“Whilst our opposition still fail to understand why they are where they are, Reform UK are turning West Northants Council around and getting things done. We will continue to be transparent on the difficult decisions that lie ahead.”

By Nadia Lincoln

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Corby MP Lee Barron has spoken out in parliament about the lack of information being given to the family of Harshita Brella.

Indian-born Harshita was murdered in Corby in November 2024, after suffering domestic abuse. Her husband Pankaj Lamba is wanted in connection with her murder but remains free, after fleeing the UK.

Harshita’s family travelled to Corby recently to raise awareness and meet police. But Lee Barron says the family needs monthly updates from police and feels isolated.

The leader of the house of commons, Alan Campbell, said he would receive a letter from the Home Office shortly.

Plans to build nine warehouses and a new country park on green space near a West Northamptonshire village have been rejected after a gruelling four-hour planning meeting.

The 40-hectare site is located above the A5 between Old Stratford and Cosgrove, stretching across four large fields which include the former Furtho Pit gravel works.

Protestors gathered outside the West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) planning meeting, held at the Towcester Forum, raising concerns about the increased traffic, height, and visual impact of the units, and the loss of green space and damage to habitats, culminating four years of opposition to the warehouse plans.

Proposals for the large employment site, which the applicant Frontier Estates branded as Frontier Park, consisted of almost 70,000sqm of floorspace, with the largest industrial shed coming in at 36,287sqm and a height of 18.9m.

WNC said that the plans received nearly 3,500 objections from members of the public. However, councillors were recommended by planning officers to approve the warehouse site, giving significant weight to the ‘substantial’ economic benefits, the creation of 955 jobs and the allocation of the site for employment use in previous years.

Dominic Woodfield, a professional ecologist speaking in objection to the plans, told the committee that the area is a designated local wildlife site which would be “completely destroyed” by the sheds.

“You have clear and abundant reasons for refusal,” he said, “A scheme that is non-compliant with an outdated allocation cannot outweigh or justify the destruction of a rare habitat of at least county and arguably regional importance.”

Ward councillor for the area on WNC, Ian McCord, claimed the officer’s recommendation of approval was “tunnel vision” and failed to consider all factors together. He said this included the lack of a roundabout which was requested in the employment allocation, the loss of the wildlife site, and the lack of mixed-use employment.

He concluded: “Alone, none of these issues may be fatal. But, add them up, and you’re miles away from what the policy requires.”

South Northants MP Sarah Bool also spoke against the application, raising concerns that it is a known flood zone and the effect of the industrial sheds on heritage features.

“As should just be clear from the over 3,400 objections, this application fails to meet the requirements of the local and national planning policy and therefore should be rejected,” she said.

Planning agent Peter Frampton, representing the developers, told members that the application should not be determined on the number of objections it had received, but whether they have “substance”.

He added:

“This site is allocated for employment development in an adopted development plan. The framework would require significant weight to be given to developments supporting economic growth, the scheme will provide almost 1,000 jobs when fully occupied.

“There are no sound or clear cut objections overriding these benefits. The economic benefits are massive and should be encouraged at a time when economic growth in this country is urgently needed.”

The meeting also heard that the applicant had received interest from an organisation wishing to occupy the largest unit, which they said would fund the complete build out of the entire warehouse park in one phase, lasting around 15 months.

After adjourning the meeting for a short while to come up with the exact wording for their reasons for refusal, councillors overwhelmingly voted to reject the application – with eight in favour of turning down the scheme and one against.

The reasons given were the loss of the ecologically diverse wildlife on the site – and concerns about the proposed mitigation to move it to the country park – and the impact of the large warehouse units on nearby homes on Stratford Road.

Developers have a right to appeal the decision to the planning inspectorate if they choose.

Local campaign group, ‘Stop 3,000 Trucks’ said the result shows what “people power” looks like.

“This is a huge moment for our communities and a powerful reminder that when local people come together, their voices really can make a difference. This campaign was built on the passion, determination and generosity of ordinary people who care deeply about where they live,” they added.

By Nadia Lincoln

Westminster Watch

Kettering MP Rosie Wrighting has featured in Private Eye in connection with hospitality she received from video sharing platform YouTube.

The magazine drew attention to the fact the Labour MP had been a guest of the Google owned company at this year’s Brit Awards. As noted on her register of interests, she had complimentary tickets to the music event (at a cost of £1,900) and then YouTube picked up the £550 cost of the MP’s travel and hospitality.

Private Eye stated the Kettering MP had posted on X the day before the government’s social media ban for under 16s was announced that she had ‘turned to educational content on YouTube’ when she was younger and on the day of the ban on June 15 she said in the House of Commons that while she understood the concerns about social media, she also is aware of its positives, citing how it may help teenage boys without a father, who may use the platform to learn how to shave.

NN Journal has contacted the MP for comment, which has not been received at the time of publication.

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