Focus on Kingsley

3 different names in five years, 3 different heads, governors appointed, sacked, new buildings, failed church academy plans… the New Malcolm Arnold School has had just about everything thrown at it in recent years. Let’s hope that now at last pupils can get some stability under the new leadership of academy sponsor David Ross.

Lib Dem councillors have not supported Conservative academy plans for the school. The last proposal involving the Peterborough Diocese collapsed as it failed to win the confidence of parents, pupils and staff. The school has suffered from others pointing the finger of blame and imposing solutions rather than working with a school community doing their best under difficult circumsances.

Despite all the change and disruption, now is the time to wish the ‘new’ school well. The new leadership have started with one good decision, renaming the school of the famous musician Malcolm Arnold. He was born just round the corner in St. Georges Avenue, and his family lived there until his father death in the 1980’s.

The extraordinary news though is that £4.2 million is to be spent on refurbishment of the school. Some of this will go on the ievitable, but sad, demolition of the old swimming pool. It seems there is no place for swimming pools in our new secondary schools. Much of it though will go on reurbishment of building which have been finished for barely two years- including the dining hall atrium. Something was seriously wrong with the building and design of a new building if it needs this kind of money spending on it so soon.

Work has started on the new dragon play mounds in the corner of the Racecourse near Leicester Terrace and Bailiff St. This work will see new playmounds in the shape of adragon, plus play equipment designed for younger children, and to complement the playbuilder scheme in the middle of the Racecourse designed for older children.

Young people and local residents have been involved in choosing the location and the design of the play area, and it is in a part of the racecourse with little play facilities. Funding has been found from a number of external sources, and is a tribute to the work of Friends of the Racecourse in their efforts to improve the racecourse for the benefit of the whole community.

Royal Mail is consulting local people on plans to build a Tesco supermarket on the old sorting office site on the Barrack Rd. The plans have already received strong local opposition, but also some support.

The Council is keen to protect local shops and the town centre from out of town supermarket competition. Let us know what you think about the proposal.

The new play area on the Racecourse is open, and being enjoyed by hundreds of young people. The cold and dry spring means that the grass has taken time to grow, but the the contractors will ensure that more seed is sown later in the year if neccessary. It is designed for children aged 8-13 and uses different levels to provide ‘play in the landscape’. The 6m high climbing frame is the largest of its kind in any park in the County.

Congratulations to Kingsley Councillor Marianne Taylor on becoming the new Mayor of Northampton. Marianne is only the 13th woman in over 800 years to be Mayor. Marianne’s husband, local artist Martin Taylor will be the Mayor’s consort.

Marianne’s charities while she is Mayor will be Crazy Hats breast cancer appeal and Home Start Northampton. If you would like to find out more about the Mayor or to invite her to a local event contact the Mayor’s office at the Guildhall on 01604 838730 or email jsargeant@northampton.gov.uk.

For the duration of the General Election please visit andrew-simpson.org.uk for updates on my general election campaign. This site is reserved for specific issues for Kingsley.

When the Lib Dems were elected to run Northampton Borough Council in 2007, we made the future of our town centre one of our top priorities.

For too long, Labour and Conservative Councillors, backed by their colleagues in Westminster, have neglected our town centre by allowing ever more out-of-town retail development, raising car parking charges and failing to invest in our town to attract the businesses, jobs and growth we need.

Since the Lib Dems’ Guildhall election win in 2007, we have frozen shoppers’ parking charges, reduced prices on Sundays, invested in the Market Square and signed an agreement for a massive expansion of the Grosvenor Centre.

Now our policies are coming under fire, with Conservative Councillors, supported by local MP, Brian Binley, opposing our firm stand against yet more out-of-town retail.

Conservatives say we should encourage supermarket developments outside our town centre that would destroy the town’s remaining small and medium-sized businesses and allow a handful of multi-nationals to take control of our shopping. In doing so, they are questioning our plans to redevelop the Grosvenor Centre and nearby Greyfriars Bus Station to provide a shopping centre fit for the 21st Century.

Lib Dems at the Guildhall have decided that it is time for a full and frank debate about the future of our town centre. We have invited Brian Binley MP to an open debate. He has accepted our invitation and will go head-to-head with Lib Dem Planning Spokesperson, Richard Church.

The debate will be completely free flowing. Anyone is welcome to attend and ask a question. With big differences between Liberal Democrat and Conservative plans for Northampton, this is sure to be a lively debate.

Places are limited so if you would like to attend, please email towncentredebate@northampton.gov.uk to reserve up to two tickets.

This is a vitally important moment for the future of our town. I hope you will be able to come along and join the debate.

There are signs of spring at last, but perhaps not too late for more grit bins that residents have requested. In the cold weather, a number of requests were made by residents for grit bins. One is being provided, in Rennishaw way, but in Masefield way, Arthur St. and Ainsdale close residents requests were rejected by the Tory County Council. Richard Church has offered to fund them with his ‘councillors empowerment’ budget, but this too was turned down as the County said they could not keep them filled up with grit and salt.

By next winter, the Conservative County Council plan to cut the standard of winter gritting. We can only hope it won’t be so cold!

Work is progressing well with new play facilities. The Planning Committee unanimously backed the planning application, which will allow for one particularly tall piece of play equipment, which will be set in the dip and close to the trees. It is expected that the play ground will be open in April to allow time for the grass to grow.