St David
B Eldred - Conservative - Response awaited
J Hollis - Liberal Democrat - Response awaited
C Russell - 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.
V Subbarayan - 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.
P Taylor - Conservative - (Handwritten reply rec'd, a summary of which is shown 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?
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?
Places strong emphasis on value of Sport in HIS home town and sees the football club at the 'very heart of that'.
Recognising the urgent need to develop both Central and Sixfields Area Action Plans as quickly as possible.
Would push for policy guidelines for Sixfields AAP early 2008 to allow planning changes to include retail development in the area by late Spring 2008 "provided all interested developers and landowners can agree"
T Woods - Liberal Democrat
I am sure that it will come as no surprise that I am going to hold the linethat I have set out over the last 18 months at least - we want the Cobblers to succeed but we must act in a fair and impartial manner in judging the planning issues. In response to your three questions:-
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 NorthamptonBorough Council at the elections on 3 May we will be giving the regenerationof our town a much higher priority than it has received up to now. Ourplans are detailed in our manifesto. This can be found on our web sitehttp://www.northamptonlibdems.org.uk/ www.northamptonlibdems.org.uk We will look carefully to see if increasing the number of people working inthe Planning Policy team would significantly improve the quality or speed oftheir work. However, much of the time taken in the overall process is for the government to check and validate NBC's 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 wouldadd 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.
We will not sign up to any empty or undeliverable promises that are designed
to mislead or placate the Club or the fans and shall try to ensure that the
Club and the fans are kept as fully informed as possible each and every step
of the way.
What do you feel a professional football / sports team brings to a town / community?
Professional sport is very important. It provides afocus 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. The reputation of
Northampton is affected positively or negatively by their actions, particularly at away games.
Professional sport also attracts a significant number of visitors to our
town with the consequential economic benefits.
What will you do to enact NBC’s 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. Finally, if we do take control of the Council I hope to have the opportunity
to talk with the Club and the Trust at a reasonably early date.
