West Hunsbury
J Barron - Labour
If elected what will you do to speed up the planning process to ensure the Central Area Action Plan and Sixfields Area Action plan are given some urgency / priority?
What do you feel a professional football / sports team brings to a town / community?
What will you do to enact NBC’s policy of maintaining and helping professional league football in Northampton?
It is Labour’s clear policy to give league football every chance of success in Northampton. In this election we are putting forward policies that will give us a more prosperous and successful town after the wasted and failed years of a Tory led Council. Any successful town needs a successful league football club which has a secure future.
If elected on May 3rd our first priority would be given to establishing a strong working partnership with Northampton Town Football Club and its supporters. We would work with Cobblers in an open and honest way. It is a disgrace that the Conservatives along with the Liberal Democrat opposition have been unwilling to do this as they have kept the decision-making and planning process away from those most affected. We will change this negative approach by forming a partnership that would benefit all.
We fully recognise that the planning and development process can be complex. However, by the Council not showing stronger leadership, and at every turn attempting to divert the blame away from themselves, the process has not moved forward as it should have.
Labour is committed to providing strong and decisive leadership to accelerate the process. This commitment was demonstrated recently when I submitted a motion to full Council, with the approval of an officer from GOEM. If the motion had been debated and passed the Central Area Action Plan and Sixfields Area Action Plan would have been given priority. The Conservatives along with the Liberal Democrats refused to debate let alone support our motion for reasons best know to themselves. If elected Labour will continue to pursue the terms of this motion.
For the Cobblers to have any chance of success then the local Council must give it every opportunity. The Labour Group on the Council have seen the Conservatives led by Tim Hadland hold the club back. When there did seem to be movement on this matter the Liberal Democrats decided at a critical time to call it in for further scrutiny. Indicating, in our view, a serious lack of commitment to the club and the citizens of Northampton.
Labour wants to see a successful league football club that can look forward and be confident that its future is secure. If Labour is elected we will work to achieve this.
M J Goldby - Conservative - see response below:
If elected what will you do to speed up the planning process to ensure the Central Area Action Plan and Sixfields Area Action Plan are given some urgency / priority ?
“I place a strong emphasis on the value of sport in society and Northampton Town Football Club is rightly at the heart of our town. We all strongly support the Cobblers and wish the team the very best. Maintaining professional league football in Northampton is a key priority for Conservatives.
I believe that the Central area Action Plan and Sixfields Area Action Plan are very important to the future of the town and to securing the long term future of the Sixfields site and , if elected, I will ensure that these progress, as scheduled, with as little delay as possible.”
Matthew Golby
R H Matthews - Liberal Democrat - see collective response below:
If elected what will you do to speed up the planning process to ensure the Central Area Action Plan and Sixfields Area Action Plan are given some urgency / priority ?
“If the Liberal Democrats take control of Northampton Borough Council at the elections on 3rd May we will be giving the regeneration of our town a much higher priority than it has received up to now.
We will look carefully to see if increasing the number of people working in the Planning Policy team would significantly improve the quality or speed of their work. However, much of the time taken in the overall process is for the government to check and validate NBCs’ plans, so increasing staff might have limited effect. We will have to ensure that the plans submitted are robust and high quality to ensure they are approved by government inspectors. Any rejection would add significant further delays and must be avoided.
Regardless of who is in control we will press for the Central and Sixfields Area Action Plans to be completed at the earliest possible opportunity and with no undue delay on the part of the Council.”
What do you feel a professional football / sports team brings to a town / community ?
“Professional sport is very important. It provides a focus for local pride, a sense of identity and of community. If one or more of our professional teams is doing well it lifts the spirit of the town. Clubs and their supporters are ambassadors for our town. Professional sport also attracts a significant number of visitors to our town with the consequential economic benefits.”
What will you do to enact NBCs’ policy of maintaining and helping professional league football in Northampton ?
“We will want to encourage any business that brings jobs, entertainment and other economic and social benefits to Northampton – including our professional sports clubs. We will work with the professional sports clubs to maximise the benefits of their community programmes and to realise the promotional benefits to the town and to the clubs of working together. We cannot and will not show favouritism to any club over other local businesses or landowners.”
B Oldham - Conservative - see esponse below:
If elected what will you do to speed up the planning process to ensure the Central Area Action Plan and Sixfields Area Action Plan are given some urgency / priority ?
“I place a strong emphasis on the value of sport in society and Northampton Town Football Club is rightly at the heart of our town. We all strongly support the Cobblers and wish the team the very best. Maintaining professional league football in Northampton is a key priority for Conservatives.
I believe that the Central area Action Plan and Sixfields Area Action Plan are very important to the future of the town and to securing the long term future of the Sixfields site and , if elected, I will ensure that these progress, as scheduled, with as little delay as possible.”
Brian Oldham
P D Varnsverry - Liberal Democrat - see collective response below:
If elected what will you do to speed up the planning process to ensure the Central Area Action Plan and Sixfields Area Action Plan are given some urgency / priority ?
“If the Liberal Democrats take control of Northampton Borough Council at the elections on 3rd May we will be giving the regeneration of our town a much higher priority than it has received up to now.
We will look carefully to see if increasing the number of people working in the Planning Policy team would significantly improve the quality or speed of their work. However, much of the time taken in the overall process is for the government to check and validate NBCs’ plans, so increasing staff might have limited effect. We will have to ensure that the plans submitted are robust and high quality to ensure they are approved by government inspectors. Any rejection would add significant further delays and must be avoided.
Regardless of who is in control we will press for the Central and Sixfields Area Action Plans to be completed at the earliest possible opportunity and with no undue delay on the part of the Council.”
What do you feel a professional football / sports team brings to a town / community ?
“Professional sport is very important. It provides a focus for local pride, a sense of identity and of community. If one or more of our professional teams is doing well it lifts the spirit of the town. Clubs and their supporters are ambassadors for our town. Professional sport also attracts a significant number of visitors to our town with the consequential economic benefits.”
What will you do to enact NBCs’ policy of maintaining and helping professional league football in Northampton ?
“We will want to encourage any business that brings jobs, entertainment and other economic and social benefits to Northampton – including our professional sports clubs. We will work with the professional sports clubs to maximise the benefits of their community programmes and to realise the promotional benefits to the town and to the clubs of working together. We cannot and will not show favouritism to any club over other local businesses or landowners.”
