East Hunsbury
R W Burnell - Labour - see response below:
If elected what would you do to speed up the process to ensure the Central Area Action Plan and Sixfields Area Action Plan are given some urgency / action ?
"I share the frustration of all Town supporters with the planning delays, especially highlighted by the building of a 30,000 seat stadium in Milton Keynes.
I am standing in the coming local election and am hoping to be able to help the situation. A complication is that the Development Corporation has its own agenda and timetable and , as an unelected body, is not subject to electoral pressure.
As a rookie I am not yet sure of how far an individual councillor's influence counts or what progress an individual can make. However I do commit myself to do all within my power to help accelerate the decision making on the area development to enable NTFC to assess the situation and plan accordingly."
Bob Burnell
C Collins - Liberal Democrat - see collective LimDem response:
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.”
S Fairbrace - 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 Larratt - Conservative - see response below:
If elected what would you do to speed up the process to ensure the Central Area Action Plan and Sixfields Area Action Plan are given some urgency / action ?
"I think my record with regard to the Sixfields scenario is clear. Working closely with Tony Clarke and David Cardoza when I was Leader of the Council, I tried to push the matter of development at Sixfields through Northampton Borough Council, and to cut a long story short, lost my position as Leader.
I recently wrote to the Chronicle & Echo and in my letter that was published, I reiterated my views. I confirmed that I am fully behind the development of a District Centre that leads to investment in Sixfields Stadium, enabling it to develop and expand, thereby becoming a modern day stadium, that is fit for purpose in the 21st century, providing excellent facilities for all and that sustains high quality league football in Northampton.
I want to see the Sixfields matter resolved positively at the earliest opportunity, and I will do all that I can to ensure that it is. I am working closely on this with Brian Binley M.P."
What do you feel a professional football / sports team brings to a town / community ?
"It is essential that a town like Northampton has a successful and vibrant professional football llub and I am committed to ensuring the success of Northampton Town F.C.
Whilst it is good for the community to have a successful football club in the town, it is also good for the economy of the town, and attracting inward investment to the area"
Councillor Phil Larratt
J A Lill - Conservative - Response awaited
J D Panebianco - 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.”
