Richard Church

Plans have been announced to turn Unity College into a Church of England academy school. Consultation is underway on these proposals, and they can be viewed at www.pcaaun.org . A campaign opposing the plan has been established, and their website is http://www.saveunitycollege.org.

There is a public meeting on the proposal on 7th January 6pm-7.30pm at the school.

I have written to the County Council to object. The proposal is that 50% of places at the school will be reserved to children whose parents express a preference for a church of England education. I believe this is divisive and discriminatory against those of other faiths and none. Only 600 places will remain for the whole of central area of Northampton for those who want to send their children to a local mixed sex sxhool and who do not express a wish for a specifically Church of England based education.

Kingsley needs a good local secondary school which treats everyone fairly, regardless of their religious faith. We need a school which serves its local community, that children can access without having to be driven miles across Northampton.

You can take part in the consultation on thse plans whether you are a parent at the school or not.

Council owned homes in Kingsley are to be a part of the £3 million pound plan to improve the standard of housing. 450 homes in Kingsley and Kingsthorpe will be brought up to the decent homes standard during 2009/10..

The Kingsley housing estate was built in the 1920’s and 1930’s with some improvements in the 1960’s. There are problems with damp and condensation which will be dealt with during the refurbishment, together with some environmental works such as walls and fences.

Tenants will have received a letter from the Director of Housing and will be fully consulted on the plans for their homes in the new year.

The Council have published plans to extend the existing Kingsley Conservation Area to include the whole of the Racecourse. The plans are available on the council’s website www.northampton.gov.uk/consultation and the consultation period ends on the 30th January 2009.

The plans include an appraisal of the area which include a fascinating history of the Racecourse and the area around it. Just three snippets:-

‘Kingsley’ derives from Kingeshala ‘Kings Nook’ and outlying corner of Kingsthorpe Manor.

Racing started at Harlestone Firs but was transferred to Freeman’s Common (now the Racecourse) assigned to the freemen under the 1778 Act of Enclosure.

The Kingsley Park Hotel was a residential hotel for Racegoers, but after racing stopped in 1904 it laid empty for 18 years, hence it was nicknamed the ‘White Elephant’.

A new planning application has been submitted for three houses at the end of Sunningdale Close, backing onto properties at the end of Masefield Way. The application number is N/2008/1203 and the plans can be viewed on the council’s website www.northampton.gov.uk.
Let me know if you have any views.

The arrow sculpture on the Racecourse was formally ‘launched’ today at a little cremony in the park. The university students who designed it, together with members of Friends of the Racecourse and the Healthy Living Hub came together at the arrow to talk about the project and what it has acheived.

It has been controversial, but it is now good to see students using it as a seat and children playing on it. The sphere make useful information points about the park and what it has to offer. The Healthy Living Hub project now continues with the appointment of a part time project worker on a short term contract to take the masterplan forward and seek funding to implement key elements of the plan which have popular support. We hope to have more information about this soon.

I have requested that funds given to County Councillors to support local projects be spent on replacing roadside trees in Kingsley. The full list of sites where new trees are planted to be planted this winter is as follows:-
Hazeldene Rd. No’s. 144 & 148
Collingwood Rd. No 69
The Drive No’s 14, 20/22, 16
The Crescent No 8
St Matthews Parade Opposite No 30, 79/81
East Park Parade Opposite lamp column No.22
Kenmuir Avenue No.42
Kingsley Rd No. 19A
Milton St. North green space (3 trees)
Kettering Rd. corner of Raeburn Rd (3 trees)
Kenmuir Crescent traffic island
Kenmuir Avenue/Wallace Rd junction (2 trees)
Park Avenue North No’s 2, 30, 82, 90, 120, 162

There are many more sites which have been suggested, but either underground cables prevent new trees being planted or existing tree stumps need to be removed and the site left to rest before a new tree can be planted. We hope to return to some of those sites in future years.

Appropriate species for each site have been carefully selected depending on the nature of the site. Strong trees will be planted with good protection against vandalism.

Let us know if you would like more information.

We get many complaints, particularly from elderly people, about cycling on pavements. Many cyclists don’t know it is an offence to cycle on pavements and it is a serious danger for both cyclists and pedestrians.

Over the next few weeks, the police are running a campaign along the length of the Kettering Road, and you will soon see signs going up to warn cyclists. Offenders face a £30 fixed penalty charge for cycling on the pavement.

Police officers in Kingsley are to have a hand held speed gun. Complaints of speeding in residential streets continue to rise, so I have allocated a small portion of my County Council funds to buy a hend held speed gun that can be used to target motorists in residential streets who are a danger and a nuisance on the roads.

When the purchase is complete, the speed gun will be operated by the Kingsley and Parklands Police safer communities team. Let us know of a particular street where you think speeding is a problem.

Following complaints by residents and local Lib Dem councillors, the council have insisted that a caravan permanently parked on Romany Road has been removed. As well as causing a eyesore in the street, an electric cable was lying across the pavement, causing a potential hazard to pedestrians.

Following discussions between Trinity Avenue residents and the University the plans have been ammended. Wednesday’s planning committee broadly supported the new plans, but a further period of consultation is needed before the new plans can be determined.