Abington
J Higgs - Green Party - Response awaited
B Hoare - Liberal Democrat - Response awaited
R M Kelly - Conservative - Response awaited
I P Markham - Liberal Democrat
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 3 May The regeneration of our town will have a much higher priority than it has had until now. Our plans are detailed in our manifesto.
If we are not in control Lib Dem Councillors will continue to press for the Central and Sixfields Area Action Plans to be completed as quickly as possible whilst ensuring that the interests of the whole town are taken into account. This is not however down to NBC alone and at the end of the day the Action Plans and Local Development Framework will have to meet Government Requirements and be acceptable not only to NBC but to WNDC, South Northants and Daventry Councils. Previous attempts to take short cuts have only caused delay.
What do you feel a professional football / sports team brings to a town / community?
The council should be honest and straightforward and must not make empty promises which are beyond its powers to deliver. It must however make sure that the Club and the fans are kept fully informed every step of the way.
Professional sport is very important. If our local teams are doing well we all feel better about ourselves and about the town. All our local professional clubs, through their community programmes, working with the education authorities and the police provide important activities for young people which help social cohesion and reduce crime as well as promoting healthy lifestyles.
What will you do to enact NBC’s policy of maintaining and helping professional league football in Northampton?
Clubs such as the Cobblers and the Saints also bring people into the town and this helps local shops, pubs and other businesses. The Council can and should work better with all our local businesses but it would be wrong for the council to show favouritism to one particular club or any other business.
S O'Connor - 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?
You may have already received the letter Les Marriott - St James Ward( Deputy Leader of the Labour Group, NBC) . He states the official position as set out in our Manifesto, which, as an official candidate, I am committed to. I would, however, like to express my personal feelings regarding the whole Sixfields-saga. Quite frankly, it has been a disgrace and shames our Town.
A thriving football team undoubtedly plays a major role in creating a community spirit in any town and as a Socialist creating strong communities is why I am involved in politics. I would also like to say, off the record, that if elected I will work with any other councillors to achieve as speedy a resolution as is possible to help the Cobblers expand their stadium. In particular, I am in favour of setting a definite deadline to finalise all of the planning arrangements. To attain such a deadline will however depend on having enough like-minded individuals willing to agree and crucially, willing to impose sanctions if it is not met,
I hope that I have managed to convey my solidarity for your campaign and I wish you well in all of your endeavours to deliver this town a stadium that our Town and our football team and their supporters can all be proud of. More power to your elbow!
T W Owen - 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 C Rock - Green Party - Response awaited
B W Sargeant - Conservative - Response awaited
