At the request of local residents the Council are looking to put a recycling facility in Arthur St for people who live in the flats. This is good news, and I hope it will be used by people who live in the Webbs factory too. When the site has been agreed, the council will inform residents by leaflet.

Queens Park Post Office on Kingsley Rd is one of 8 Post Offices in Northampton set to close. Queens Park is used by many residents in Kingsthorpe, and is a result of Government policy to close thousands of post offices nationally. Lib Dem councillors will be campaigning strongly against these closures. Andrew is organising an online petition at www.andrew-simpson.org.uk

The pavement in Kingsley Rd is to be resurfaced on the odd numbered side from No. 33 to No. 125 (from Murray Avenue to the end). Work will start in the new year and is expected to take six weeks, depending on the weather. Cotact Stephen Cross at Atkins (the contractors) for any information before the work starts on 01604 883449 and Tony Gale on 01604 654644 for detailed information regarding progress on site or access when work has started.

It’s good news that at last some work is being done on the Kingsley Rd pavements, but there is much more to be done, and what a shame elderly people will no longer need it to get to the Queens Park post office once it has closed.

The County Council has decided to market the site of Raeburn Special School after the school has moved to its new site at Tiffield. Local residents are campaigning to keep the site for community use. There are no childrens play areas or community facilities in the area. The Focus team are supporting the campaign and Richard Church has spoken up at a recent County Council meeting in support of a petition presented by local community activist Karen Lennon.

The County Council are funding repairs to footpaths across the Racecourse. Work will start in the new year to improve the main footpaths used to cross the park. This follows on from the upgrade of lighting in the park 2 years ago. This is good news, and is another step towards making the park a safer and more inviting place for people of all ages.

The Healthy Living Hub project is a plan to create a future for the Racecourse as a community base for helthy living, including walking, cycling, sport a community cafe and green gym. Visit their website .

Andrew Simspn are invloved in the Friends of Northampton Racecourse community group which brings together local resdients and users of the Racecourse as well as the Racecourse Partnership, which brings together public bodies and voluntary groups with an interest in the future of the park.

Happy New Year

This seems like a suitable point to review 2007 - a successful year for Northampton Liberal Democrats - and look forward to some of the challenges that face us.

The 2007 local elections saw us achieve control of Northampton Borough Council for the first time – making gains from both Labour and Conservatives with 26 Councillors. A truly magnificent result.

But now we have to prove ourselves running the Council. A council that has many long-standing problems – that under both Labour and Conservatives had been rated one of the worst in the Country. It is a heavy responsibility for us Liberal Democrats to take this on – in many respects we hold the hopes of Northampton people in our hands – and a challenge to restore their faith in politics by proving that we are able to make a difference.

It will take time and involve us making unpopular but necessary decisions but in the longer term our town will be a better place to live in and Northampton should take its place rightfully as one of the Britain’s leading locations.

What we have done since May:

· Appointed a new Chief Executive

· Strengthened the Council’s Democracy with enhanced Scrutiny and increased accountability of the Cabinet

· Put the Finances onto a sounder footing whilst working within a restricted budget inherited from the Conservatives

· Kept open some public toilets previously planned for closure by the Conservatives

· Restored funding to provide some Christmas lights

· Cut Sunday car parking charges, introduced pay on foot in two car parks and free Sunday parking in two others

· Signed Heads of Agreement on the Grosvenor Centre/Greyfriars development

· Commenced work on plans for the Market Square and Abington Street.

2008 sees further challenges to improve the Council

· Agreeing the first Liberal Democrat Budget in February in a situation where Government funding has only increased by 1.2%

· Putting the Balloon Festival onto a sounder footing and agreeing long-term strategy

· Getting a further report from the Audit Commission in March 2008, which we expect, will show how things have improved.

· Improve the Council’s services across the board, making them more ‘customer focused’ and responsive to the needs of residents.

Turning round a poorly performing council will take time. We have made a start. However, it will take two or three years to put in place all of the changes and improvements that are necessary.

We have an excellent team in place to deliver the changes required and above all we will make sure the residents of Northampton are fully involved in that progress.

Have a happy 2008.

Cllr Tony Woods

Liberal Democrat Leader

Northampton Borough Council