A by-election has been called for a vacant rural seat on Daventry District Council.

The election will be held in May following the resignation of Councillor Nick Bunting, who held one of the seats for the Brixworth ward.

A notice of vacancy for the Brixworth seat has been posted by DDC and the council has already received the required number of elector requests to hold an election.

A notice of election is expected to be issued on March 26 and potential candidates will have until April 5 to submit their nomination papers.

If the by-election is contested by more than one candidate then it would be held on May 2.

This is the same day the Northamptonshire County Council elections will be taking place across the district.

An Ofsted report has judged the child protection services at Northamptonshire 
County Council as 
‘inadequate’.

The highly critical reported was published yesterday. It said: “Children and young people in Northamptonshire are not effectively protected from harm.

“There are systematic weaknesses and inconsistent and ineffective practices that contribute to children and young people at risk of harm not consistently being recognised or helped.”

The council’s chief executive, Paul Blantern, said: “There are two major themes emerging from the inspection process. The first is that we and our partners need to improve the way we identify and assess children’s vulnerability so we can reduce the risk of children and young people suffering harm and abuse.

“The second is that we need to make sure we listen to and see things much more from the child’s perspective.”

The council has launched an immediate ‘recovery programme’.

Residents of the Daventry district are being asked to give their views on services managed by Enterprise.

The company are contracted by Daventry district council to provide waste and recycling collections, street cleaning and maintenance of parks and open spaces.

An online survey set up by a task panel of DDC councillors will help to review Enterprise performance since being contracted in June 2011.

Chairman of the task panel, Cllr Wendy Randall, said: “The scrutiny review is not just about the management and performance of EMS, it’s also about how satisfied local people are with the service.

“It’s really important we consider their views and I would encourage as many people as possible district-wide to complete the survey.

“It only takes a couple of minutes to complete.”

The survey must be completed by March 26 and can be found online at www.daventrydc.gov.uk

A former serviceman and Conservative Party activist is set to become the new High Sheriff of Northamptonshire.

James Shepherd-Cross will take on the role in memory of his late wife Fiona, who was herself due to become High Sheriff in the year after her death.

He will make his declaration as the new High Sheriff at Northampton Crown Court on April 5.

Mr Shepherd-Cross, aged 69, is a former chairman of South Northamptonshire Conservatives and Daventry Conservatives, and a former county councillor for Brackley East. After leaving school, Mr Shepherd-Cross served for five years in the Army, including in the UK, Germany and Cyprus, and a six-month attachment with the Italian Army.

Mr Shepherd-Cross remarried 14 years ago, and he and wife Sorrel, aged 60, live on their farm in Greens Norton.

A DANCE crew from Daventry achieved success at a national competition over the weekend.

Titanium, a dance street crew based at the Scorpion Academy in the town, competed at the UK Cheerleading Association’s Street Cheer Championships 2013 which took place at the Manchester Velodrome.

The team came second in their division and they fought off stiff competition from over 120 teams across the country.

The different teams varied from three-year-old teeny bops to 55-year-old dancing nuns but their hard work and effort paid off.

Scorpion Academy’s cheerleading coach, Erin Maylor, said: “The whole day was an amazing experience. We are all so excited for the next event.”

The team previously won Daventry’s Got Talent last year, held as part of Daventry Arts Festival, but have 
previously only competed 
in two competitions.

They will next compete at the Northamptonshire School Championships along with many other schools who will be judged by Got to Dance stars.

They will aso be appearing at the Winter Club Championships.

For anyone looking for more information about the Scorpion Academy, visit www.scorpionacademy.com, call 07512 076881 or email nfo@scorpionacademy.com

Major changes to social funding in Northamptonshire start in April.

As part of changes being introduced under the Welfare Reform Act 2012, the government is abolishing the discretionary social fund elements of community care grants and crisis loans

Instead, the government is providing money directly to local authorities.

From April 1, the council will be offering discretionary support in two ways: emergency and community help, and independent living support. The council will not be running a system of cash loans or grants.

Cabinet member, Cllr Heather Smith, said: “The emergency support is intended to help in times of particular need but is not a long term solution, we will not be offering cash or loans, we will help people in an emergency situation – for example through food banks. At the same time we will offer advice to try and prevent problems reoccurring.

“We are also using the money to help people who need support to return to or remain in the community and we are working with our partners on this.”

This year’s council tax bills have arrived on door mats across the Daventry district, with everyone seeing an increase in their annual charge.

Council tax bills are made up of precepts charged by Northamptonshire County Council, the district council, police, and in certain areas, charges from parishes and special charges – usually for services carried out by DDC but which would normally be a parish cost.

This year NCC and Northamptonshire Police said they would be freezing their council tax again.

However, Daventry District Council said it would put in place a two per cent rise in its part of the bill – equivalent to an extra £2.41 per year for the average Band D home.

Previously DDC leader, Chris Millar, said: “The Government has offered local authorities a grant if they freeze their tax next year. However, that amount does not cover the amount we would lose.

“Being so lean now there is little chance to make the necessary savings for another freeze without affecting front-line services.”

In total a Band D home in Daventry will pay £1,428.22. The highest bills will be in West Haddon – £1,451.17. The lowest bills are £1,344.29 in villages without a parish precept, including Althorp, Fawsley, and Canons Ashby.

The annual Easter egg hunt from Holbourn House will take place on Thursday in Dodford.

Around 130 people will meet at the village hall at 2.30pm for the fourth Easter egg hunt around the village. All money raised on the day will go to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Over 130 Daventry people have signed a petition to say why they think the council should prevent a local shopping emporium from closing.

The Pigeonhole in Daventry, which houses 60 small businesses, will cease trading on Thursday after as shop managers are unable to keep up with the high level of rent set by DDC.

Since the Daventry Express reported the imminent closure a social group, that use the cafe several times a week as a meeting space, have started a petition to shame the council and highlight how important the Pigeonhole is the town.

Deana Costello said: “We know the petition won’t make any difference to the council’s decision but we wanted to show them how many people like and use the Pigeonhole.

“It’s a beautiful building with a welcoming atmosphere and you don’t get that anywhere else in Daventry.”

The petition has gained over 130 signatures in one week and can be located in the shop and cafe in the Moot Hall, Daventry.

Marcel Van Cleemput, author of the book ‘Sheaf Street Will Live Again’, passed away peacefully on March 15 at Cynthia Spencer Hospice following a short illness.

Marcel was born in France and came to England in 1935 at the age of nine. He later served in the French Army. He and his wife Molly, happily married for 62 years, have lived in Great Brington for the past 24 years, but Marcel spent his teenage years living in Sheaf Street, Daventry.

He was deeply loved and will be sadly missed by his wife Molly, daughters Patrice and Ginette, granddaughters, Karen and Laura, and great grandchildren, Maddie, Charlie and Evelyn.

His funeral will take place at Saint Mary’s Church in Great Brington with arrangements to be announced later.

The trust board of the East Midlands Ambulance Service today agreed to proceed with final recommendations for the future of the service.

This means EMAS will continue to develop plans to create 9 hubs, 19 ambulance stations and 108 community ambulance stations as part of their Being the Best change programme.

For Daventry this means a community ambulance station will serve the town instead of the current ambulance station on Staverton Road. Daventry’s nearest ambulance hub, where vehicles can be cleaned, maintained and restocked, will be Northampton North and nearest ambulance station will be in Brackley.

East Midlands Ambulance Service Chief Executive, Phil Milligan said: “This programme sets out how we will improve response times across the East Midlands and ensure that we are providing the right care. The changes will be better for staff, with more support and time to care for patients – not vehicles.”

Cllr Wendy Randall, who fears the change will leave Daventry improperly served, said she was frustrated at today’s decision.

She said: “At the meeting today I wanted to know how EMAS were going to reassure me that response times would improve for our area but they didn’t answer my question.

“I feel Northamptonshire has come off worse from these plans and that we are always forgotten about but I will be speaking to the union and I won’t let this one drop.”

Final recommendations were created following three months of consultation and two and a half months of public meetings and engagements.

Mr Milligan said: “The way we operate now is simply not delivering the performance that local people deserve and national government expects.

“The aim of our programme has always been to improve response times to emergency 999 calls and to improve the working lives of our frontline staff.

“The changes we have approved at our Trust Board meeting today will improve performance on life-threatening calls by nearly four per cent. People suffering a serious illness or injury can also expect to receive a faster response. These changes are on top of our announcement last week of 140 more frontline posts and a £120,000 investment in community defibrillators. Far from cutting costs, as has been the claim by some, EMAS is investing in public safety and frontline crews.

“Moving to a hub-and spoke-model means that ambulances will be deployed more efficiently and will be nearer to patients.”

Mr Milligan added that this approach has been successful in the rural South-West and urban West Midlands.

He said ‘make ready teams’ based at each hub to clean and stock vehicles will allow crews to get on the road faster to respond to calls.

The next three to six months of the new financial year will be used to plan and implement the 108 community ambulance stations, twinning of the proposed existing ambulance stations and further development of the estate strategy.

Mr Milligan added: “We believe that these changes will improve response times and our aims of better patient care, faster responses and improved working lives for our staff will be achieved.”

A by-election for a seat on Daventry District Council is set to be held in May following the resignation of cllr Kay Driver.

A notice of vacancy for the Welford ward seat has been posted and the council has received the required number of elector request to hold an election.

A notice of election is expected to be issued on March 26 and potential candidates will have until April 5 to submite their nomination papers.

If the by-election is contested then it would be help on May 2, the same day that the Northamptonshire County Council elections will take place.

AN EXTENSION to a care home in a Daventry district village has been approved.

St Matthews Healthcare in Northampton has been given planning permission to extend Broomhill Country House in Holdenby Road, Spratton with 84 new homes and ancilliary accomodation.

The controversial plans were approved at a meeting on Wednesday last week of Daventry District Council’s planning committee.

It had come despite objections from Spratton Parish Council and 196 villagers who all objected to the proposal and concerns raised by Hollowell and Teeton Parish Council.

Among the objections to the planning application were those who said it would not benefit the village, there would be no sustainable transport to the care home apart from via private transport.

Other objections pointed out the proposal would cause damage to the environment including wildlife and trees and result in urbanisation of a rural location.

However committee members decided to follow the recommendations from planning officers and approved the application.

A campaign from Northamptonshire police to highlight how people can reduce the risk of becoming a victim of vehicle crime and burglary is well underway in crime hot spot areas across the county.

‘Don’t make it easy for thieves’ is the message police are sending to motorists and homeowners, along with advice to encourage people not to leave valuables on display and to lock windows and doors when parking their vehicle or leaving their home.

As part of Operation Guardian, Northamptonshire Police’s countywide operation to clamp down on burglary and vehicle crime, reminders have been displayed in areas across the county that have seen a high number of thefts from vehicles and house burglaries in the last 12 months.

Theft from vehicles accounted for just over three quarters of all vehicle crimes reported during the last year, and over half the items stolen could be seen easily from outside of the vehicle.

Vehicle crime lead for the Force Detective Inspector Ali Farr said: “These types of incidents could be dramatically reduced if people took the simple step of taking their belongings with them when leaving their vehicle unattended.”

Relevant messages have been displayed on items that are likely to attract the attention of motorists and passengers, such as fuel pump nozzles and the back of car park tickets. A mobile advertising van is also being used to drive around streets where valuables have been stolen after being left in a vehicle.

Operation Guardian lead Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Blatchly said: “During the first week of December, this type of crime was at its highest, with 118 offences being reported to police. We are pleased to have seen this figure reduce, with 57 incidents of this nature being reported to police last week, but this is still too high.

“We need your help to make life harder for thieves.”

Letters have also been distributed to residents in areas that have seen a high number of burglaries as a result of offenders gaining entry to the property through an open window or unlocked door. Again, this type of crime is preventable.

The Force is also spreading its message about preventing these types of crime through its social media channels. Operation Guardian now has a dedicated twitter account and the Force’s facebook profile has over 27,000 followers.

For more information about Operation Guardian visit www.northants.police.uk.

Police in Daventry are appealing for witnesses to an incident of criminal damage on Tuesday March 12.

A man at the Ladbrokes store in High Street smashed up a gaming machine after becoming agitated, he caused substantial damage.

The incident happened some time between 9.30am and 10am.

The offender was a man aged between 40 and 50, with olive coloured skin, of stocky build, between 5ft8” and 5ft9” tall, with medium length dark coloured hair and a moustache.

Officers would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed this man in the shop.

A 34-year-old man has been arrested by officers investigating this incident and has been released on bail, pending further enquiries.

Witnesses to this incident, or anyone with information, should call Northamptonshire Police on 101 - alternatively, information can be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

An organisation which represents businesses in Daventry has appointed a new high profile new chief executive.

SEMLEP (The South East Midlands Enterprise Partnership) has named Daniel Mouawad as the new chief which will see him move from his current post as CEO of pro.manchester, a private sector business development company.

Mr Mouawad, who is described as “a senior British commercial diplomat” and chairman of the UK Institute of Economic Development, said: “SEMLEP’s ambition, which I am wholly subscribed to, is to be one of the most innovative, successful and high performing local enterprise partnerships in England.

“The Government’s response to Lord Heseltine’s review now sets the framework for semlep to develop a strategic plan to bid for a local growth fund covering transport, housing and skills. I very much look forward to working closely with businesses and our wider stakeholders to unlock the barriers and accelerate economic growth.”

Dr Ann Limb, chairman of SEMLEP, said: “Daniel’s impressive track record, along with his successful career in the private sector and his understanding for the public sector and for government funding made our decision so much easier.

“We used a national headhunting agency to ensure we interviewed the best possible candidates and we are delighted to announce this appointment. This is a new and exciting development for SEMLEP.”

Councillor David Mackintosh, leader of Northampton Borough Caouncil and a SEMLEP board member, said: “This appointment reflects the partnership’s commitment to combining private and public sector expertise to deliver sustainable growth in the south east Midlands. We look forward to working with Daniel to achieve our full economic potential.”

A mysterious and mythical exhibition from a Daventry artist is being shown at the Castle Gallery in Wellingborough.

The exhibition entitled ‘The Other World’ looks at fairies, elves, leprechauns and fantasy in a mischievous and artful way. The exhibition is a mixture of painting, sculptures and rag rugs together to represent a different world.

Artist Linda McDonald said the exhibition has had a really good response so far and that she is pleased. Her work will continue to be shown at the Castle Gallery until April 2 when it will then move to Rugby.

The exhibition has been described as ‘that special moment with a collection of paintings, textiles and mixed media draw upon the images, colours and textures of that special otherworld’. For more information visit www.thecastle.org.uk/linda-mcdonald.

THE Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards have been launched.

It is the fifth year of the scheme, designed to find the very best food and drink in the county.

People can nominate finalists in some categories and one man, who’s pub won two awards last year, said it can be of major benefit.

Duncan Evans from The Saracen’s Head at Little Brington said: “In the week after the results were announced in November, we were getting seven times as many daily hits to our website as we had previously and that raised profile was demonstrated by the increase in the number of people coming through our doors.

“Even today we’re trading around 20 per cent up on last year so winning the awards has made a really positive impact on our business and I would strongly urge anyone to take part.”

Nominations are invited for the categories of Community Pub of the Year, Local Food Hero of the Year and Independent Cafe/Tea Room of the Year. Visit www.northamptonshirefoodanddrink.co.uk or contact Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email rachel@rachelmallows.com for more details and nomination for the above awards.

The leader of Daventry Town Council has quit the role following a meeting which would have seen the position abolished in May.

A motion was submitted by Cllr Glenda Simmonds and seconded by Cllr Mark Wesley to scrap the leader’s role after the town council’s annual meeting. The motion at Monday night’s meeting succeeded, leading to Cllr Steve Tubb resigning from the post.

He said: “In view of the things happening at the town council, I am resigning from the position of leader with immediate effect from today (Thursday).

“In my humble opinion, I am seriously considering my position as a town councillor.”

He also criticised his fellow councillors for not voting to suspend standing orders and allow a member of public to speak about the issue of retaining the wardens and a heated debate about the leader position ensued.

Cllr Simmonds said at the meeting: “This is not a personal issue. I feel the leader role creates confusion as we have a mayor, deputy mayor and a clerk. There is no need for it.”

Responding, Cllr Tubb said: “This has come around for the third time in 12 months and I feel this is a personal attack.”

After the meeting a council spokesman said: “The council has not formally been advised of Cllr Tubb’s resignation from the role of leader, until we receive formal notification, Cllr Tubb’s appointment as leader is still valid.”

A woman was cut free from a car last night following an accident on Welton Road in Daventry.

The fire service were called to a two car collision near the Welton Road cross road at 6.55pm where a woman was trapped inside her car.

Two Daventry crews were able to release the woman using hydraulic tools. She was then taken to hospital.

Crews left the scene at 8.09pm.