Kettering Town Football Club: Some Answers

There's poppies fans living on Avondale Grange and also poppies vans who vote. I was contacted recently by PATGOD Online, asking what my position was on a new ground for the poppies. I have not responded directly, but its now in the public domain:

I am on the council’s planning committee and to say whether or not I support a new ground or not means I could fetter my discretion in planning terms if KTFC did present proposals.

I’m not so sure the council is being obstructive- they have a duty to listen to all proposals at pre-planning stage and give an early opinion. Given the fact that the poppies must really have something sorted by 2012 it doesn’t leave much time. It needs our political masters (Hakewill and his Cabinet) to make a political decision on backing a new ground/communal sports venue through the Council’s community plan and other various means to put it at the top of the council’s agenda.

The advice I can offer at this stage is for the fans to come together through their supporters club or other official means and seek a meeting with the Council’s cabinet of executive councillors in whose hands at least the first steps to getting a new ground on the political agenda could happen.

With the poppies triumph yesterday in the 1st Round proper of the FA Cup, it is obvious to everyone their potential and the steps they could take if they had a new ground.

It now looks that the political lines are being drawn up. Indeed the owner of Independant candidates for Kettering on facebook is imploring candidates to stand from the ranks of KTFC supporters. Seems they think the elections are due in 2010. That's news to me, as my term of office is up in 2011. Urm????

Buccleuch Academy Consultation

Some early results are emerging from the consultation show that 65.95% (91) of respondents want the Enhanced option of a single campus Academy. 25.08% (36) preferred the baseline option. 5.07% (7) said they had no preference either way.

The results come from Building Communities who did door-knocking sessions in the ward and held two open mornings at the Weekley Pavillion.

It looks at the moment that planning will be submitted for a one-campus academy. More to follow.

Judith Road Bollards - Update

I can confirm that the Council are organising the installation of the bollards in Judith Road. The hold up is that they are waiting on the return of the utility plans: to ensure there are no pipes, cables etc in the area where the bollards are to be installed.

Safer Communities Team Priorities - What happens when your local councillors aren't invited

Kettering North East SCT met at the end of September. The team did not notify Linda Adams or myself of the meeting, so hence, again, these priorities are Pipers-Hill/Ise centric:

1) Anti-Social behaviour in French Drive, Ise Lodge ( This has been carried over from the last priorities)
2) Anti-Social behaviour in Naseby Road
3) Criminal damage on Pipers Hill, Wicksteed and Avondale Grange- This is to reduce reported incidents

Clearly, none of these priorities tackle what Linda and I are both hearing from across the ward: lack of high-visibility patrols, anti social behaviour at the shops, flytipping and something I believe is required: disruption to drug dealing and supply.