- Details
13 March 2025
Families across West Northamptonshire are invited to visit the first one stop shop for family support as the hub opens at the forum in Towcester on Saturday, 29 March.
West Northamptonshire Council is holding a ‘come and see’ event between 10am and 3pm giving residents the opportunity to meet the team and the partners that will be delivering services at the new location. There will be activities for all ages, allowing families to get a taste of what the Hub offers.
Towcester Family Hub will be offering a programme and timetable of activities from Monday 31 March.
Family Hubs provide a place to go for face-to-face support, making it easier for families to access information, advice and guidance they may need at various times throughout their child’s life. As well as a hub, Family hubs have an online offer where families can access a range of resources.
Children, young people and their parents can access the hub from pre-birth to 19 years and up to 25 if they have additional needs.
Towcester Family Hub will offer a range of bookable and drop-in sessions for families. Strong Start, a well-established early years provision will be joining the Family Hubs team, and a new youth space will offer young people a place to socialise, unwind and access support.
Cllr Fiona Baker, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education at West Northamptonshire Council, said: "We are thrilled to open the doors of the Towcester Family Hub, our first one-stop shop for family support in West Northamptonshire. This hub represents our commitment to providing accessible, comprehensive services to families in our community. We invite everyone to join us on 29 March to explore the wide range of activities and resources available. Our goal is to create a welcoming space where children, young people, and their parents can find the support they need at every stage of their lives. We look forward to seeing you there and working together to build a stronger, more connected community."
Please look out as there will be other Family hubs opening in Northampton and Daventry as well as s number of spoke sites across West Northamptonshire.
For more information, please email [email protected]
Follow the Family Hubs team on Instagram and Facebook for updates.
Want the latest Council news delivered straight to your inbox?
- Details
13 March 2025
Innovative office hub Vulcan Works is celebrating two years of supporting businesses in West Northamptonshire.
The purpose-built serviced workspace, which is in the heart of the Northampton’s Cultural Quarter, has firmly established itself as a vital part of the local community and economy, and is renowned for its dedicated business support for customers including grant and tender opportunities, networking and topical masterclasses.
Vulcan Works drives growth in the local economy by boosting the West Northamptonshire eco system for businesses, by creating a collaborative and inclusive community, supporting and signposting business owners with a network of industry experts and mentors as well as growth programmes, events and workshops, and investors and funding streams.
Since it launched in April 2023, the hub has supported hundreds of local businesses. In the last year alone, 43 local companies have called Vulcan Works home, including 14 new customers. These businesses range from creative industries such as architects, artists, and graphic designers to cutting edge technology including artificial intelligence and cyber security. The small units have provided a flexible option for new businesses to be created, and have facilitated their expansion and growth.
In 24 months, more than 200 entrepreneurs have used the space for coworking, and the venue has hosted more than 100 business events annually, both internally and through organised groups such as The Marketing Meetup, Entrepreneurs Circle, Digital Northants, Coworking Club and NN1 Dev Club.
A total of 486 meetings have also been held in the dedicated meeting rooms.
Vulcan Works, which has been recognised with prestigious awards for its innovation and positive impact across the county, also offers access to a trio of specialists onsite – the centre’s own business growth manager Darren Smith, Barclays Eagle Labs’ Eco System Manager, Owen Moran, and experts from South East Midlands Growth Hub.
Every customer who moves into Vulcan Works is offered 1-2-1 business support with Darren. So far, 145 internal customers have engaged with Darren, whether that be to discuss grant applications or ask his opinion on contracts. Darren has also established 64 new stakeholder relationships in 2024/25, adding to the 189 stakeholders engaged with in the centre’s inaugural year.
Vulcan Works has delivered 12 business support clinics in the last 12 months, with external experts talking about a wide range of topical issues including finance, sustainability, IP, HR and accounting.
In November, the Vulcan Creatives incubation initiative welcomed its second cohort of 10 entrepreneurs. The six-month program run Darren and funded by West Northamptonshire Council utilising £40,000 of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), supports ambitious local people hoping to kick start a new business or grow an existing idea with specialist support.
Vulcan Creatives has already supported 21 entrepreneurs to become enterprise-ready and plans to contribute to the creation of at least 75 new start businesses by 2028. The incubator programme also aligns with Vulcan Works’ objectives of retaining local talent in Northamptonshire.
Cllr Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Culture and Leisure at WNC, added: “It is great to see the tangible impact that Vulcan Works has had on our county in the short time that it has been open.
“We have seen numerous businesses thrive under the centre’s roof, as they choose this innovative community as a base in West Northamptonshire. No doubt there will be plenty more success stories to come from inside as the community grows and flourishes, especially with the continuation of the Vulcan Creatives incubation programme and the calibre of the support on offer.”
Vulcan Works centre manager Garrick Hurter said: “We are immensely proud of what has been built so far here at Vulcan Works and the contribution we have made to support our customers in their growth. I am in the wonderful position to be able to see, daily, the difference that our centre makes, not just to the local economy but to aspiring entrepreneurs who simply need a little guidance in their quest for success.
“I would like to thank the whole Vulcan Works team for their dedication and hard work and also our stakeholders and customers for trusting and believing in us. Together we have created something very special in Northamptonshire.”
To find out more about Vulcan Works or request a show around, email [email protected].
Want the latest Council news delivered straight to your inbox?
- Details
Plans have been announced to build a new £17 million fire station at Moulton that will deliver first-class facilities for firefighters and the local community.
At the same time, a new site will be found for a visible, accessible police station in the busy Eastern District of Northampton, eventually replacing the current, out-dated Weston Favell building.
The new fire station will be built on the site of the current Moulton fire station and the adjacent former office complex, which has been vacant for several years.
The new building at Moulton will be a stand-alone fire station. Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone has reversed a previous decision to make the building a joint Fire and Police hub, so that a visible, accessible police station can be maintained in the heart of the busy Eastern District of Northampton.
The existing Weston Favell police station building will be closed as it is no longer fit for modern policing purposes and a new location will be found for a police station in the area – either from the existing police estate or by buying or leasing a suitable building. The existing police station will remain open until a replacement is ready.
Subject to planning permission, the new fire station at Moulton will offer flexible working spaces for firefighters and fire staff, a community room for use by local groups and residents, and a building more suited to modern operational firefighting than can be delivered at the current station, which opened in 1977.
New facilities will include a larger bay with more space for fire engines – which will comfortably house the 42-metre-high aerial turntable that was purchased in 2023 – as well as enhanced welfare facilities for crews such as toilets, showers and changing rooms.
There will be eight individual dormitories which will offer greater dignity and privacy for a diverse workforce compared to the current shared accommodation.
The station layout has been designed so that firefighters can remove uniform and store equipment that has been exposed to contaminants in a safe environment and meets best practice guidelines from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
A planning application for the project, which will cost £17 million to deliver, will be submitted to West Northamptonshire Council shortly.
When work on the new building gets underway, the wholetime and on call fire crews will be relocated, but Chief Fire Officer Nikki Watson said that arrangements will be put in place to ensure that crews are based in the heart of Moulton to serve residents and the business community at the busiest times.
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone said: “This is an exciting new chapter for Northamptonshire and our Fire and Rescue Service, and an absolute commitment to keep a police station in the heart of one of Northampton’s busiest communities.
“The fire station at Moulton will deliver real benefits to the local community and ensure firefighters and fire staff are easily accessible at the heart of their patch. Importantly, it will also give crews the facilities they need to support the vital work they do to keep people safe.
“I want both services to work together and share buildings where it makes sense to do so, but I want the Eastern District to retain a visible policing presence – that’s central to my public safety plan. We are working at speed to review the wider estate to make sure it is fit for purpose and to find a way to close Weston Favell as quickly as possible.”
Chief Fire Officer Nikki Watson said: “This marks an incredible opportunity to give our crews modern, safe working conditions that they both need and deserve.
“Firefighting continues to evolve, and the design of this new station will allow us to strengthen our current levels of service and meet any future needs we identify. The addition of space for use by residents and groups means we can foster even better relationships with our local community and further enhance our prevention work.”
Weston Favell police station no longer meets the operational needs of Northamptonshire Police. It is now old and expensive to run and cannot be reconfigured to provide police officers and staff with the best environment to do their job.
Ivan Balhatchet, Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police, added: “We will keep a police station in Weston Favell. I want us to increase our presence in the communities we serve and as we strengthen Neighbourhood Policing across the county, which means having buildings and officers that are visible and accessible to the public.
“It is important that, right across the county, we ensure our officers and staff are based in the right locations so we can focus on tackling crime and anti-social behaviour and keeping people safe.
“The Commissioner and I both agree that this is so important in helping to regain the public’s trust and confidence.
“We will find a new site in the Weston Favell area to replace the existing police station, which will stay open until then. Our policing teams will remain where they need to be – in the heart of neighbourhoods tackling crime and keeping people safe.”
- Details
Women across Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS), Northamptonshire Police and the Office of the Police Fire and Crime Commissioner (OPFCC) Danielle Stone came together in Northampton’s Guildhall this week for International Women’s Day with a special event to celebrate women in the emergency services.
The room heard personal stories about their journeys from Deputy Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Marianne Kimani, NFRS Area Manager Lisa Jackson and Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Emma James.
Guest speakers Tracy Whittaker-Smith MBE and Maisie Summers-Newton MBE also joined the event, who have both excelled in their areas of sport and shared stories of their professional and personal growth.
The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day was Accelerate Action for gender equality, and many of the speakers spoke of how far we have come in creating more inclusive and equal places of work, but also how there is a still long way to go and how we can all work to achieve more for our future generations.
Deputy Police Fire and Crime Commissioner Marianne Kimani gave the opening speech, in which she shared her own personal journey to the role she is in now, and the importance of mentorship.
Marianne said, “I am so proud of how far we have come, even myself being in this position shows how much has changed, but we still have a long way to go.
“Our job as women now, is to inspire those younger than us, to be mentors, to offer our support to ensure that the future generation can be the absolute best version of themselves they can be.”
Marianne also spoke of the importance of workplace policies that favour, and benefit women.
“To keep making meaningful changes within our places of work we must look internally at our policies and how we can make sure they support our women in the workplace. There is so many hidden figures that are vital to our organisations, and we must do more to acknowledge their contributions.”
NFRS Area Manager Lisa Jackson, who is also chair of the NFRS Women’s Staff Network, shared her journey of 35 years in fire and rescue, and how she would have given up if not for the support of other women in the Fire Service. Lisa spoke of how she has learnt to just be herself after years of fighting to prove herself to be equal as her male colleagues, and how we need to continue having the audacity to just be who we are in our places of work.
Lisa also echoed the importance of workplace policies that support women. She shared that when she was pregnant as a firefighter, she fought for meaningful training to accommodate her while she was off operational duties, which had not previously been in place, paving the way for other women who came after her.
Highest ranking female police officer in Northamptonshire ACC Emma James was frank and honest about the journey she has been on to reach where she is today, including tales of misogyny and homophobia that could have set her back, but didn’t.
Emma spoke of how she worked her way through the ranks, and the difficulties that came with being good at her job, fitting in, and just being herself. She shared how much she has grown in confidence over her 25 years of service, and that she has achieved a balance of being both brilliant at work and at home, a challenge many working women face.
Olympic gymnastics coach Tracy Whittaker- Smith MBE, and Paralympian Maisie Summers-Newton MBE were also in attendance, who shared with the room their inspiring journeys and stories of how hard they have worked to achieve what they have.
Both women spoke of the importance of the visibility of those who have inspired them, and how those people have shaped their journeys.
OPFCC Danielle Stone wanted the event to take place so that women from across all three organisations could come together and celebrate each other. Danielle and Chief Fire Officer Nikki Watson could not attend in person due to a National Fire and Rescue meeting they both were at.
Both leaders joined the event through a video link. They spoke about how we should be celebrating ourselves and all women every day, but especially on International Women’s Day.
Danielle commented on how women are helping to reshape our organisations for the better by continuing to break barriers and leave it in a better place.
The day ended with the three leaders, Northamptonshire Police Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet, Chief Executive Officer for the OPFCC Jonny Bugg and Assistant Chief Officer and Head of Enabling Services for all three organisations Paul Bullen, giving their commitments of what they were all going to do to make the three organisations better for women.
- Details
12 March 2025
Works are set to start on the long-awaited scheme to improve the Queen Eleanor Interchange in Northampton later this month.
West Northamptonshire’s Highways partner Kier Transportation will be starting the works, that will reduce congestion in the area, week commencing 31 March.
The Queen Eleanor interchange is a busy roundabout that joins the A45 trunk road with the A508 London Road, B526 Newport Pagnell Road and Hardingstone Lane. As traffic has increased over the years, the junction has struggled to keep up, and improvements are needed to make it more efficient.
The Council has worked closely with National Highway to develop a scheme to improve the junction to benefit residents and motorists for now and the future.
Temporary traffic management measures will be in place from the week of 31 March to ensure that carriageway widening, new traffic signs and signals, drainage works, and resurfacing can be carried out in a timely manner, with the scheme expected to be complete by the end of the year.
There will be lane closures on the Queen Eleanor roundabout, as well as on the road heading into Wootton Hall Park, with a full closure on the dedicated left-hand turn. A one-way system will be in place to minimise the impacts and motorist are advised to follow the signage.
Full roundabout closures will be necessary at times, these will occur at nighttime whilst it is less busy, and dates will be communicated prior to any closure across our channels. A full closure will be in place on the cul-de-sac on London Road.
The Council is engaging with local residents and businesses that may be impacted by the scheme works, access will be maintained at all times to properties and for emergency services, and during full closures, diversion routes will be in place.
“We are committed to improving road infrastructure to better serve people who live, work and visit West Northants. The Queen Eleanor Interchange is a busy junction that is no longer fit for purpose, and this scheme is crucial to reduce congestion and keep traffic moving.Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at WNC"We know that as works progress, there will be significant delays for motorist and inconvenience to those who live in the area. We appreciate the community’s patience and cooperation during this period of improvement.”
“We look forward to starting these works, which will bring long-term road improvements to the region, enhancing connectivity and easing congestion for road users. We would like to thank motorists for their patience as we carry out these improvements and will do all we can to minimise disruption throughout the project.”Peter Ingram, contracts director at Kier Transportation
To keep up to date as this scheme progresses, please visit: Major highways projects | West Northamptonshire Council
Want the latest Council news delivered straight to your inbox?
