05 November 2025

Completion of improvement work on the A45 Queen Eleanor Interchange is now expected in spring 2026.

The project, delivered in partnership with National Highways, aims to increase capacity, improve traffic flow, and reduce congestion at this key junction. It has progressed well and was scheduled to complete by Christmas.

However, new risks have been identified which require additional work to extend the subway, which is a key element of the project.

Issues uncovered as the work has progressed include previously uncharted utility services and unexpected areas of hard sandstone bedrock.

Cllr Richard Butler, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at West Northamptonshire Council, said: “While we appreciate this extension may be frustrating for road users, it’s essential that we take the time to deliver these improvements properly and safely.

“The challenges uncovered during construction are not uncommon in projects of this scale, and we’re working hard to resolve them efficiently.

“Once complete, this scheme will bring lasting benefits to the local road network, improving safety and reducing congestion for years to come.”

Updated Work Schedule

• Lane closures on the north bridge, Newport Pagnell Road, London Road, and Mere Way will continue until December 2025
• Subject to progress throughout November and December, the lane closure on Mere Way (toward London Road) will remain in place through the Christmas shutdown until work resumes in January 2026
• Planned night closures (8pm to 6am):
  • 24 November to 7 December 2025 (14 nights): East side (Hardingstone Lane/Newport Pagnell Road)
  • 8 December to 19 December 2025 (12 nights): West side (Mere Way/London Road)
  • Diversion routes will be clearly signposted, with advance warning signs on the National Highways A45 trunk road

All work is weather-dependent, and once complete the upgraded interchange will deliver significant benefits for all road users, including enhanced safety for drivers and pedestrians, increased lane capacity, and a fully reconstructed carriageway built to modern standards.

04 November 2025

West Northamptonshire Council is making strong progress on the demolition of the fire-damaged building on Sheep Street, Northampton, with the aim of reopening the road early in the new year at latest.

The building, formerly the Ex-Servicemen’s Club & Institute, was destroyed in a major fire on 30 March 2025, which is being treated as a suspected arson.

The blaze left the Grade II listed structure in a condemned state, spilling rubble into the street and forcing the closure of Sheep Street up to its junction with Church Lane.

Since then, we have worked closely with the charitable trust that owns the building to facilitate demolition. The process has involved careful coordination to address several challenges, including:

• Formal authorization and the timescale involved in getting the utilities disconnected safely
• Given the age of the building, licensed asbestos removal is being carried out in line with health and safety regulations
• Part of the collapsed structure fell onto a BT Openreach cabinet, severing internet and phone services to many nearby properties, and rubble has to be meticulously removed allowing engineers to safely access and repair the cabinet

Whilst we will cover the cost of the work, a charge on the land will enable us to recover costs associated with the demolition and clearance.

Cllr Richard Butler, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “We understand how disruptive the closure of Sheep Street has been for residents and businesses, and we’re doing everything we can to get it reopened as soon as possible.

“Our teams are working closely with the demolition crew to move swiftly and safely, and we’re optimistic that the road will be back in use not far into the new year.

“While unforeseen complications can always arise with a site like this, we’re committed to keeping the community informed and making steady progress.”

Efforts have also been made to preserve any historically significant elements of the building, though early assessments suggest little remains that can be salvaged.

We will continue to provide updates as the project advances.

04 November 2025

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is taking urgent action to tackle a major shortfall in its budget next year, with Cabinet members and senior officers already identifying £20 million in savings and efficiencies

At the start of the detailed budget setting round, the Council was forecasting a £50m gap in its revenue budget for 2026-27 – the money it spends on the day-to-day running of services. This is due to its level of funding not keeping  pace with its growing population and the continued rise in demand for services supporting the most vulnerable residents, such as children’s and adults social care, temporary housing for homelessness and SEND school transport.

To confront the challenge head-on and shape a balanced draft budget, the Council has held rigorous budget scrutiny sessions —known as Star Chambers — between Cabinet Members and senior managers. These sessions have intensely reviewed spending across all services, ensuring every opportunity to reduce costs is explored.

The sessions have so far identified around £16m of efficiencies and savings that can be made whilst continuing to protect frontline services as far as possible, plus an additional £4m of savings from the pension fund for 2026/27.

Councillor Mark Arnull, Leader of West Northamptonshire Council, said the sessions were a strong start to tackling the authority’s funding pressures next year, but difficult choices would still be needed in the months ahead.

Closing such a significant funding gap in next year’s budget is a huge task but we’re firmly focused on achieving this and have made an encouraging start.

The £20m of savings and efficiencies we have identified so far through the recent Star Chambers sessions reflects the close and effective working between our administration and senior officers in leaving no stone unturned to tackle our financial pressures.

All services across the Council have been set targets to reduce their spend for the year ahead and staff are rising to the challenge. Alongside our work with staff to identify savings and efficiencies we will also be looking at other things, such as how we can be more consistent in our approach to fees and charges for discretionary services.

Councillor Mark Arnull, Leader of West Northamptonshire Council

We know this is our Council’s most difficult budget yet and we need to be realistic that this work alone may not be enough to balance the books. We also face uncertainty as we continue to await the outcome of the Government’s Fair Funding consultation, which will give us more clarity on the future funding we will receive.

We are hopeful that the Fairer Funding will recognise that we have faced twice the national increase in population since 2014, when the grant formulas were last reviewed, even higher increases in the over 65s and pockets of high deprivation. There is a direct link between these statistics and our demand, and we hope that the final allocations reflect this."

In the meantime we will continue to drive forward our work within the Council to find whatever we can to bridge the funding gap whilst ensuring we keep essential services protected for our residents.

Cllr John Slope, Cabinet Member for Finance at West Northamptonshire Council

WNC will present its draft budget proposals for 2026-27 at its Cabinet meeting on Monday, 22 December, which will then be followed by a six-week public consultation. Feedback will then go into the final budget proposals presented to Cabinet in February followed by Full Council for final approval.

To find out more about the Council’s schedule of meetings, visit WNC website .