Oundle Town Council News

Oundle Speedwatch has been invited onto the 2018 Community Speedwatch programme. We will be receiving the Speedgun and equipment on 1st September 2018. We will be able to use it for 6 alternate weeks when we will share with Cotterstock’s Speedwatch team with the possibility of having the equipment a further 2 weeks which we are negotiating. It we would be great if we could field a big team in Oundle this year and that way get more coverage but with minimal disruption to each volunteer. To that end there are training dates coming up. To be able to use the equipment you need to attend the training:

A project to develop the old Deenethorpe Airfield site into a garden village has received a £275k funding boost from the Government. The site is located between Oundle and Corby near to Upper Benefield and aims to build 1,500 homes over a 10 to 15 year period.

This is the second year of capacity funding since Tresham (previously referred to as Deenethorpe Airfield Garden Village) was selected as one of 14 garden village projects that the Government is supporting through capacity funding and assistance from the Homes and Communities Agency. This support is helping East Northamptonshire Council and the North Northamptonshire Joint Planning and Delivery Unit to work with the landowner in preparing a detailed masterplan and delivery strategy.

Andrew Longley, Head of the North Northamptonshire Joint Planning and Delivery Unit, explains the benefit of the funding to the development of the project:

“This funding will pay for extra staff capacity, specialist advice including design and viability, community engagement, and various studies. It is allowing us to work with the landowner to prepare a masterplan which will give a broad overview of what will go where including housing, employment, schools, green space etc. as well as basic details on access and movement across the site, and how the site will connect with the wider area. The masterplan will go out for consultation early in the New Year so people can give their views on the proposals. If it is agreed by the Council, it will provide the basis for a planning application later in 2018.”

Steven North, Leader of East Northamptonshire Council, said:

“This funding is a strong endorsement of our work so far on Tresham. It will help us to ensure that the Garden Village proposal is of the highest possible standard of design and sustainability, with the mix of housing, employment and community facilities needed to develop a new high-quality community, not just new housing estates.”

Further plans and details can be found at: http://deenepark.com/planning/

Levels of homelessness are rising across the district and there have been some enquiries about what Town and Parish Councils should do if they are aware of homeless people in their areas. We would therefore like to outline what actions you can take to assist anyone homeless in East Northamptonshire.

If you are aware of anyone sleeping rough please contact the East Northamptonshire Council housing team. Either email us on [email protected] or telephone 01832 742078. We will need to know where the person is and when they were last seen there. We will ask our homelessness contractor, Homes Direct, to go out to make contact with the rough sleeper and to establish what help can be offered.

Homelessness is not always as visible as rough sleeping and anyone else you are aware of who may be homeless or threatened with homelessness should get in touch with Homes Direct so they can look into their circumstances and provide appropriate advice and assistance. Unless someone is homeless in an emergency, they will be offered an appointment to come into the Homes Direct offices to discuss their circumstances in confidence and make a homelessness application. Homes Direct are based at 50 High Street South, Rushden. Telephone 0345 600 5050 or email [email protected].

Please come along to the Oundle Town Meeting from 7.30pm on Thursday 23rd November at The Queen Victoria Hall to see information about the proposed Oundle Neighbourhood Plan and Northamptonshire County Council consultations on cuts to Library services, removal of funding for bus services and also cuts to Highway services.
 

Northamptonshire Highways have informed us that they are requiring to undertake footway works on a section of the Oundle slip road off the A605 near Barnwell. Due to the width of the road it will not be possible to undertake without closing the road and on that basis the section between the A605 and the Garden Centre will be closed from the 4th December for up to 8 weeks. During the closure HGV traffic will be escorted through the closure.

A plan showing the closure and diversion can be viewed here https://roadworks.org?tm=103696101

If you require more information please contact either Tom Stockley or Allan Rigby on 01604 883400

Can you spare a moment to help Oundle Cinema? They are asking for votes in a Aviva Community Fund bid before November 21st. This will help them to secure funding for new equipment and ensure the organisation run by 70 volunteers continue to operate.

Vote Here (there is a short registration process):
https://community-fund.aviva.co.uk/voting/project/view/17-1563

 

A Notice from Northamptonshire County Council

As a Council with responsibility for social care, we must make sure that people who are eligible for social care have their needs met, within the financial resources available. Equally, we must make sure that where customers meet the financial criteria to make a contribution towards their care, they do so in a way that meets current regulations and guidance. We do this in a way which is equitable and fair and is clearly explained in policy statements.

Home owners and tenants have until 13 February to save money on their energy bills with East Northamptonshire Council’s (ENC) collective switching scheme. ENC has once again teamed up with leading collective switching expert, iChoosr, to take part in the Big Community Switch to help you get a better deal on your gas and/or electricity. The free scheme, known as Switch Save Smile, invites you to join forces and pay less for your energy. The more people who register, the greater the chance of getting a competitive energy deal.

The editors at TravelMag.com recently undertook a survey of 100 travel professionals to discover the ten most charming towns in the East Midlands.

After counting the votes, Oundle came out as one of the top ten.

You can read all about it and view the full list here:
www.travelmag.com/articles/most-charming-towns-east-midlands/

Please spread the word that there will be additional Car Parks available for Saturday’s Christmas Market & Lights Switch On.

The original plan to use the Recreation Ground has been changed as it is too wet, however Oundle Town Council have arranged for free parking on the Laxton Junior School Car Park on East Road and also on The Old Primary School site at Milton Road as well as all the normal Car Parks.

Please can you let as many people know as possible. All car parks will be signposted.

For more info about this event on Saturday 5th December please visit:
www.oundle.info/event/christmas-market-lights-switch-on

Statement from the East Midlands Ambulance Service.
On Tuesday 1st December Junior Doctors in England will be taking industrial (strike) action over 24-hours (starting 8am Tuesday) to reinforce their objections to the government’s proposed new contract.

We do not have any junior doctors at EMAS, however the proposed strike dates in December (1, 8 and 16 December) have the potential to have an adverse impact on our ability to respond quickly to 999 calls. As reported at our November Trust Board meeting (24 November) we continue to experience hospital handover delays at busy Emergency Departments across the region and the strike could make matters worse.

If patients who are well enough to leave hospital are not discharged by a doctor, Emergency Departments will not be able to transfer patients onto wards. This will mean backlogs building up in the Emergency Department as they will have no spaces available to accept patients brought to hospital by ambulance.

If that happens, our ambulance crews will need to remain with the patient to ensure they remain safe and cared for. This means we could have a number of ambulances held up at the hospital and therefore not be able to get back out on the road to respond to other patients who require a response to their 999 call.
Patient safety is our priority during any NHS industrial action, and we are working closely with our colleagues in the hospitals and other health services to seek to minimise disruption to our emergency, urgent and patient transport services as possible.

NHS Employers Chief Executive Danny Mortimer continues to keep NHS organisations in the loop with regard to ongoing discussions with the British Medical Association, through the ACAS conciliation services. In his latest letter, Mr Mortimer remained hopeful that through their joint endeavours the dispute could end, and that the contracts could be modernised for doctors whilst also addressing their concerns.

Regular meetings will take place on the first Wednesday of each month with traders and businesses to talk about forthcoming Events in Oundle. Please come and see us so we can share information and hear your views.

The first meeting is on Wednesday 2nd December, 10 – 12 noon in the Upstairs Room, Queen Victoria Hall, Oundle. Please come and meet with us so we can confirm the plans for the Christmas Market and Light Switch-On being held on Saturday 5th December and Oundle Classic Sprints on the 28th December.

If you have any questions please contact Paula Prince, Oundle Town Council’s Events Officer on 01832 272055 [email protected]

Elections For Oundle Town Council take place In May. Would you like to become a Councillor? To find out more join us for 'Refreshments and Information' on Tuesday 17th March at the Courthouse 2-3pm and 6-7pm. Current Oundle Town Councillors will be there to answer your questions on becoming a Councillor. Come and find out what we do, how you can contribute by becoming a Councillor, what you have to do and when.

On Monday 9th March 2015 Oundle Town Council will take part in a historic flag raising event, to mark Commonwealth Day.

More than 730 Commonwealth Flags will be raised in various locations throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man. UK Overseas Territories, and Commonwealth Countries.

The flag will be raised at The Courthouse Mill Road at 10am by the Mayor Councillor Gwen Radcliffe who will read out the Commonwealth Affirmation and a special message of good wishes from Her Majesty The Queen.

More information see www.flyaflagforthecommonwealth.co.uk

The Guardian Newspaper recently gave Oundle some great coverage in Tom Dyckhoff’s regular ‘Let’s Move To…’ feature.

Looking at the attractions of a particular location for those on the move, the piece starts…

You could set a period drama in Oundle. Something starring Penelope Wilton or Mark Rylance. With bodices, doublets and candle-snuffers. Something for a Sunday night on the sofa, after a supper of buttery toasted muffins. That’s Oundle.

The article goes onto cover headings such as: What’s going for it? The case against. Well connected? Schools. Hang out at… Where to buy and Bargain of the week.

Visit The Guardian’s website to read the full article:
www.theguardian.com/money/2015/feb/20/lets-move-oundle-northamptonshire-tom-dyckhoff