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24 February 2025
A private hire driver has had his licence revoked and been ordered to pay costs of £1,640 after being described as not a fit and proper person to hold a licence.
On 14 February 2025, Northampton Crown Court upheld the West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) Licensing Sub-Committee’s decision to revoke the driver’s private hire licence, following the driver misleading the Council in relation to proceedings being taken against him in a neighbouring authority.
Mohammed Badrul Alam of Tomlinson Avenue, Luton, failed to declare his prosecution and subsequent conviction for plying for hire (accepting passengers without a pre-booking) and driving without insurance . In addition, Mr Alam had a history of licensing and driving complaints on his record, including a complaint from a passenger who was so frightened by Mr Alam driving at 100mph that they phoned their relatives from the taxi to say they loved them.
Northamptonshire’s Magistrates’ Court initially upheld the Council’s decision to revoke his licence which was then further appealed by Mr Alam to the Crown Court, where Her Honour Judge Lucking said that Mr Alam was not found to be an honest witness and his explanation that he was planning to tell the council about his convictions once his penalty points were added to his licence was highly implausible He was ordered to pay £1,500 in costs, which is in addition to £140.00 from the Magistrates’ Court appeal. Susan Desfontaines appeared for WNC in the Magistrates Court, and Nicki Agalamanyi represented WNC in the Crown Court, both are advocates from the in-house Legal Services Team.
“The safety of residents and passengers who use private-hire and taxi services is paramount to us, and the majority of drivers conduct themselves to the highest standards. Our officers work hard to ensure that these standards are met, and we are pleased that the Crown Court has upheld our decision.”Cllr Matt Golby, WNC’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Public Health and Regulatory Services
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24 February 2025
Young people in West Northamptonshire are invited to apply to become a member of a new Youth Parliament coordinated by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) in partnership with Clubs for Young People Northamptonshire.
This initiative provides a unique opportunity for two young people to represent their peers both locally and nationally and attend Westminster when the Youth Parliament is in session, influencing policies that affect young people across the UK.
This significant milestone marks the first time since 2006 that Northamptonshire will have a voice in the Youth Parliament. The elected representatives (MYPs) will serve a one-year term during this cycle of the rolling programme, with future terms lasting for two years.
Young people who are interested in applying are asked to complete a Manifesto detailing three key issues they are passionate about changing;
- one that relates specifically to West Northamptonshire
- a second that has national interest, and
- a third which has global interest
Manifestos must be submitted to [email protected] by Wednesday 19 March 2025. To be eligible, candidates must be aged 11–18 years and reside primarily in West Northamptonshire. All submitted Manifestos will be published anonymously on the Youth Forum webpage and young voters will then have the chance to read each candidate’s document and select the Manifesto which appeals most to them. Once voting is complete, the two individuals with the most votes across West Northamptonshire will be taken on as the MYP’s for the West Northants Youth Parliament.
“It is incredibly exciting to be part of this programme, which empowers young people and gives them a platform to make a real difference.Cllr David Smith, Cabinet Member for Planning and Communities“The opportunity to engage in democracy, influence policy, and represent their peers is truly invaluable. I look forward to seeing passionate young individuals step forward and take on this important role, helping shape the future of communities in West Northants and beyond.”
For more information about the MYP elections and how to apply, please email: [email protected] or visit the Community Forums webpage.
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More than 5,400 home fire safety visits have been conducted in 2024 by Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service to help protect the most vulnerable people across Northamptonshire.
Data from January to December 2024 shows that over 3,900 visits have been carried out by crews with an additional 1,550 visits being carried out by Home Fire Safety Advisors.
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service’s specialist Prevention Team and their Home Fire Safety Advisors focus on people who are most vulnerable to fire due to frailty and complex needs, with enhanced visits. These enhanced visits to high-risk people look at all the factors that affect the likelihood of a fire taking place and consider how easily they can seek help and escape in an emergency.
Advice and support is provided to reduce the risk wherever possible with the addition of working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Where needed, visits can take place with carers and other agencies to ensure a joint approach to keeping someone safe. The Home Fire Safety Advisors can refer someone to other services if they identify the need for other kinds of care and support to reduce risks. Team members also conduct visits alongside the Arson Task Force for people whose property is at risk of arson.
Head of Prevention at Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service Lisa Bryan said: “Our Home Fire Safety Visits are all about keeping the most vulnerable people of Northamptonshire safe and I am delighted that the continued hard work of firefighters and fire staff has seen more people protected. We know through the customer feedback we receive that these visits make a positive difference, helping to change behaviours and making people feel safer.”
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone said: “Communities and prevention are at the core of my public safety plan, so I am pleased to see so many vulnerable people across Northamptonshire are being kept safe.”
If you would like to refer yourself, a friend or a family member for a Home Fire Safety Visit, this can be done by visiting www.northantsfire.gov.uk/home-safety-checks/
Or you can complete your own fire safety check online, which can be found at the link above.
Alternatively, you can also phone 01604 797 000.
What happens during a Home Fire Safety Visit? After showing their ID at the front door, firefighters will come into your house and discuss a variety of safety measures that can keep you safe at home.
They will ask questions about your lifestyle and quickly identify any potential fire hazards in your home. These include things like electrical safety, how to stay safe when cooking and the use of candles.
Once any hazards have been identified, crews will talk to you about whether further referrals to other agencies might help to keep you safe or refer you to our Home Fire Safety Advisors for an enhanced visit.
Firefighters won’t leave until they have checked that you have suitable and working smoke alarms – and they will fit new ones if needed.
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21 February 2025
West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has continued to protect essential services and tackle significant challenges whilst setting a balanced budget for the year ahead.
At their meeting last night (Thursday, 20 February) councillors agreed the authority’s final budgets and Housing Revenue Account whilst also setting Council Tax for 2025/26.
WNC, along with councils across the country, continues to face severe financial pressures caused by increasing cost and demand for both children’s services and adult social care. Despite this, the Council has managed to set a balanced revenue budget for 2025/2026 of £959.6 million (£431.8 million excluding the Dedicated Schools Grant).
WNC started its budgetary process this year with an anticipated shortfall of £53m for 2025/26 and embarked quickly on an early review of its finances, reducing the overspend to £39m by July, followed by a further major drive over the autumn to close the gap.
Key to helping the Council protect essential services whilst balancing the books in its fifth year as a unitary authority is the income it receives from Council Tax. The budget includes a Council Tax rise of 4.99%, in line with the Government’s threshold and representing an average increase on a Band D property of £1.71 a week, or £88.73 a year. This generates extra funding of around £19.2m – with 2% of the increase going towards funding adult social care.
The Council also continued to review, restructure and transform services within the organisation to find better, more efficient ways of working without adversely impacting the services it delivers to residents, generating efficiencies of around £25m for 2025/26.
The agreed budget also considered people’s feedback in the recent budget public consultation, which attracted nearly 400 responses from residents, businesses, partners and other stakeholders. It has also been subject to continuous review and scrutiny, including consideration by the cross-party group of members of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
“Setting our budget has once again been complex and challenging given the ongoing pressures on public sector finances and the increasing demand for children’s and adults services, which account for 58p in every pound of our budget in the year ahead.Cllr Malcolm Longley, Cabinet Member for Finance at West Northamptonshire Council“Having identified a shortfall earlier this year we took a planned and prudent approach to reduce this, whilst always ensuring the needs of our communities remained at the forefront of all decisions and actions we made.”
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21 February 2025
A joint bid for a Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) for Northamptonshire has been approved by VisitEngland, paving the way for a far more co-ordinated and strategic approach to promoting the tourism sector.
Local Visitor Economy Partnerships have been introduced as part of the Government’s response to an independent review of how the nation’s visitor economy is co-ordinated and promoted and will have the potential to draw in additional support and funding from Westminster. This new national portfolio of LVEPs will work in collaboration locally, regionally and nationally on shared priorities and targets to support and grow the visitor economy.
As well as achieving a nationally recognised official status, LVEPs will provide strong leadership and management of their destinations. Working collaboratively with the public and private sector, they will help to shape and deliver national strategy and activities to promote sustainable growth.
The new partnership for Northamptonshire, which has been approved by a panel involving VisitEngland and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will ensure that the greatest benefits are achieved for Northamptonshire’s visitor economy.
As an LVEP, the Discover Northamptonshire partnership will have access to resources and guidance from VisitEngland on product distribution, business support and the opportunity to bid for funding and marketing. As part of the LVEP’s marketing, local activity is already being aligned with Visit Britain’s national ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ campaign alongside the opportunity to tap into wider campaigns across the country in the future.
An important strand of support will be highlighting available Government funding streams as well as developing and providing a ‘toolkit’ to help the LVEP with bids to those streams.
“We are so excited to have achieved our LVEP accreditation - this is a massive milestone and opens up so many doors to boosting tourism in Northamptonshire.Cllr Helen Howell, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Sport, Leisure, Culture and Tourism“The co-ordinated approach over the past 3 years, involving both councils and partners from across the tourism sector in Northamptonshire, will help us to realise the full potential of the visitor economy.
“Our amazing range of independent and small businesses within the tourism and hospitality sector provide unique experiences for visitors, along with a huge range of flexible and interesting careers for people working in the industry.
“Now its time to harness the unique nature of Northamptonshire and as the accountable body, we’ll be working closely with West Northamptonshire Council and the LVEP Board to develop a Growth Plan for the area to help deliver our ambitious plans. We are in a really strong position given the recent adoption of the Northamptonshire Tourism Strategy, we have a team in place and are already hitting the ground running with our partners, we are also excited to be showcasing Northamptonshire as a must see destination for group travel, just one of the target markets, at the British Tourism and Travel Show on 19 and 20 March. We are also developing a business support package, with events and activities planned for English Tourism Week again in March.
“I am delighted that the collaboration between North and West Northamptonshire Councils along with our sector partners has achieved this accreditation, huge thanks to both sets of officers for their support and hard work, we have a long way to go but with everyone pushing in the same direction we can put Northamptonshire firmly on the map.”
“Securing the LVEP accreditation is a game-changer for Northamptonshire's tourism sector. This recognition will not only enhance our strategic approach to promoting the area but also unlock new opportunities for funding and support from the Government.Cllr Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Culture, and Leisure at West Northamptonshire Council“With tourism contributing over £1 billion annually and supporting more than 30,000 jobs, this partnership allows us to harness the full potential of our vibrant visitor economy and put Northamptonshire on the map as a must visit destination. We look forward to collaborating with local businesses and stakeholders to showcase Northamptonshire’s unique attractions and drive sustainable growth in the sector.”
"Northamptonshire has a unique opportunity to elevate its visitor economy, attracting new investment, creating jobs, and showcasing the rich experiences our county has to offer. There is no better year to achieve this status than the year in which the Northamptonshire hosts the Women’s Rugby World Cup, celebrates 75 years of Formula 1 all alongside a cultural programme remembering the anniversary of the Great Fire of Northampton.Richard Clinton, Chair of Discover Northamptonshire Local Visitor Economy Partnership“Securing LVEP accreditation is a significant achievement, made possible by the dedication and collaboration of North Northamptonshire Council, West Northamptonshire Council and all our partners across the public and private sectors. While challenges remain, this partnership brings a coordinated, strategic approach that will unlock new funding and support, allowing us to compete on a national stage. By working together, we can ensure Northamptonshire is firmly on the map as a must-visit destination."
“The Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEP) programme is transforming the visitor economy landscape in England, supporting its growth in a more inclusive, accessible and sustainable way and I am delighted to welcome Discover NorthamptonshireVisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes“Working together, the LVEPs are simplifying our tourism landscape, ensuring England continues to be a compelling destination for both domestic and international visitors. As Discover Northamptonshire is established as an LVEP, VisitEngland will provide ongoing support including a dedicated regional lead.”
Local Visitor Economy Partnerships involve both the private and public sectors and will need to follow a new national process to be eligible for support and potential funding from the Government.
The development of a new Strategy for Northamptonshire has formed the foundations for the bid, with the first new LVEP Board having recently convened on 30 January to start shaping the key priorities for the county.
Businesses keen to get involved can email the Discover Northamptonshire team at [email protected] to express interest.
To find out what’s on and where to visit in Northamptonshire, visit the Discover Northamptonshire website and follow Discover Northamptonshire on Facebook, X and LinkedIn.
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