NENE Herald
Rushden’sComicCom
The2ndRushdenComicConwasheldonSaturday7thMarch2026.Itwasanoutstanding achievementbythestaffofthelibrary,giventhattheyhadabreak-inonlyafewweeksearlier (on12thFebruary).
UnliketheoriginalComicCon,therewasnoscramblefortickets,becauseitwasfreetoenter withfreeparkingnearby.
Overall,theeventwasanotherstunningsuccess.Accordingtothestaff,over1,000visitors cametoenjoythestallsanddisplays.
Onceagain,theeventattractedmultipleDoctorWhos,plusahalf-sizeTardisandafull-size K9.
AmongtheDoctorWhofansattheevent,therewasalivelydebateabouttheinvolvementof theDisneyCorporationinrunning/fundingthefranchise.Noconsensusemerged(andit’s nowmoot,asDisneyhavedroppedout.)
TherewasatemporarystagewithperformancesfromDogman,Pokemon,StrangerThings, PercyJackson,TheAddamsFamily&Beetlejuice
*Songs(byCastleArts)fromDogman,Pokemon,StrangerThings,PercyJackson,The AdammsFamily,Beetlejuice.
*Gamescompetitions
*Quizzes
*Cosplaycompetitions
*KosMusicalperformedexcerptsfromDisney’s“LittleMermaid”
TheRushdenLibraryisahistoricbuilding.ItwasoriginallybuiltwithfundingfromAndrew Carnegie,theAmericanphilanthropist.(Ifitisn’tlisted,itshouldbe.)
MrCarnegiewouldhavebeenpleasedtoseethathislibraryforRushdeninstillinactiveuse after121years.
NailBarRefurbished
OnThursday18thFebruary2026,theTownMayorofRushdenopenedabeautifullyrefurbishednail barintheTown’sHighStreet.
Thefamily-runbusiness,“NailPlus”,havebeenat61HighStreet,Rushden,forovertenyears.Ithas beentransformedwithamodernmakeover.
Alongsidetherefurbishment,NailPlushasintroducedabrand-newHeadSpatreatmentdesignedto promotescalphealth,relaxationandoverallwellbeing.Asanintroductoryoffer,NailPlusisoffering 30%offitsHeadSpatreatmentuntil16March.
NailPlus’sowner,LanhThiVu(Anna),andhersonBen(GiaBaoTruong)presidedattheopening. Annasaid:
“Thisbusinessmeanssomuchtousasafamily.Wearesincerelygratefultoeveryonewhojoinedus forourGrandOpening,andespeciallyhonouredthattheMayorsupportedusonsuchanimportant day.”
Cllr.GillMercer,standingonaredcarpet,cuttheribbonanddeclaredtheenhancedfacility‘open’. Cllr.Mercersaid:
“It’slovelytoseesomeoneinvestingintheregenerationoftheHighStreet.Thisfacilityhasbeenhere forovertenyears.Nowitlooksfitforatleastanothertenyears.”
AppointmentscanbebookedviatheNailPlusFacebookpageorbycalling07453274479.
WinslowFordin Administration
Rotaryfindsnewwayto raisefundsforCharity
On23February2026,Rotaryaroundtheworld wascelebratingWorldRotaryDay.Thismarks thedate121yearsagothatPaulHarris foundedthefirstRotaryClubinChicago.Over thetimethatfollowed,Rotaryhasunited millionsofpeoplewhohaveworkedtobuild oneofthemostpowerfulforcesfordoinggood intheworld.RotaryClubslocally,likeRotary ClubofRushden(foundedin1935),are continuingtoattractnewmembersandwork hardtosupportthelocalcommunityand providehelpwhereneededoverseas.
RotaryClubofRushdenhasrecentlylinked withRushdenLakestoofferinkcartridge recycling.Anyusedcartridgescanberecycled bypoppingintoCustomerServices(nearM&S) atRushdenLakes.
Foreachcartridgerecycled,TheRotaryClubof Rushdenwillreceiveupto£2tosupportlocal andinternationalcauses.
NorthNorthantsCouncil’s Budget
NNC’sannualbudgetfor2026/2027was approvedatFullCouncilonThursday19th February2026.Amongthehighlightsare:
·Theannualchargeforgardenwastecollection risesto£62peryear(anincreaseof24%)
·CouncilTaxwillincreaseby4.99%.ForBand Dproperties,NNC’sCouncilTaxwithinNorth Northamptonshirerisesto£1,918.23.
·Secondpropertiesandpropertiesthathave beenemptyformorethanayearwillnowbe subjecttoCouncilTax.
·Councilhouserentswillincreaseby4.8%
ThisisthefirstannualBudgetproducedbythe Reform-ledCouncil.
Everycouncilmust,byLaw,haveanannualaudit. Thisisaprocesswherebysomeindependent accountants(called“auditors”)examinethe Council’sfinancesandverifythattheyarecorrect. Theprimaryreasonforthisprocessistoprevent fraud.
Reform-ledNorthNorthantsCouncil(NNC)is havingproblemswithitslatestaudit.Thiswas highlightedatameetingofNNC’sAuditand GovernanceCommitteeonMonday23rdFebruary 2026.
AmongtheproblemsfoundbyauditorsGrant Thorntonwere:
*a6.64milliondifferencebetweenthebank statementsandtheamountreportedinNNC’s generalledger
*aCorbybankaccountworth£4.3mthat couldnotbereconciled
*£74millionofSection106fundingpaidby developerscouldnotbeproperlyaccountedfor, forboththisyearandlastyear
*Anaccumulateddeficitof£40millioninthe DedicatedSchoolsGrant
JacksonsLaneCarPark
OnTuesday17thFebruary2026,Reform-ledNorthNorthamptonshireCouncil’sExecutive CommitteedeclaredJackson’sLaneCarParksurplustorequirementsanddelegatedauthoritytoan officertoarrangeitssale.
OnSaturday28thFebruary,aprotestmeetingopposingthisdecisionwasheldinthecarpark.
OnTuesday3rdMarch,aproposalwasputtoWellingboroughTownCouncilthatitshouldopposethe saleoftheentirecarpark.Asacompromise,WTCvotedtosupportsellingthesouthernextensionof thecarparkatDerekHootonWay.
ItnowappearsthatNNCmayacceptWTC’sproposedcompromise.
Therehasbeenstronglocaloppositiontothesaleofthecarpark.Lastmonth,NeneHerald conductedasurveytodiscoverthelevelofsupportforthesaleoftheJacksonsLanecarpark.Of thosewhoresponded,90%opposedthesale,withjust3%supportingit.
‘’AirAda‘’
“DunnoabairtEastagal!Isezta‘im Iduntwan’ennyEastareggs,omfat enuffwithairtchoclat,butIdoluv um,duntyoo?‘’ Tadaah!‘Aveagoodun.“
RushdenTownBandWin
OnSaturday7thMarch,RushdenTownBand hadabigwin.TheywontheMidlandsArea BrassBandChampionshipsfirstSection.
TheirconductorisAdeleSellersHudson.Sheis atalentedconductorandmusicteacher.She alsoconductstheOundleSchoolJazz Orchestra.
RushdenTownBandwillnowcompeteinthe NationalChampionshipsinSeptemberatYork Barbican.
TheBandgiveregularperformancesin Rushden,suchastheannual“Promsinthe Park”intheWalledGardeninRushden’sHall Park.
AMagicMushroom
StanwickLakeshasyetanotherattractionforvisitors:amagicmushroom.
Thephrase“magicmushroom”usuallyimpliesafungusfruitingbodythatcontainspsychedelicdrugs. TheybecamefamousintheHippiecultureofthe 1960s.
Thismagicmushroomissomethingdifferent.Tom Haddon,41,astudentattheUniversityof NorthamptonspottedoneattheLakeslastOctober.
The'wrinkledpeach'mushroomisfoundaroundthe world,buthereintheUK,itisrare,withjust1,624 recordedsightingsintheentirecountry.
ThewrinkledpeachmushroomisflaggedintheRed ListofThreatenedSpeciesas“vulnerable”dueto "fungalpathogenskillingitsprimaryhost[trees]elm andash".
Cllr.AndyMercerwastheLeaderofEastNorthamptonshireCouncilatthetimeStanwickLakeswas created.HehelpedguidetheconversionofStanwickLakesfromahugeeyesoretoabrillianttourist attractionandwildliferefuge.
“Ihadavisionofamixtureoflakes,playareas,walks,andwildlife.Iexpectedwaterfowl,mammals, andamphibianstoappear,butthisonewasasurprisetome.”
“ThediscoveryofthisraremushroomshowshowimportantStanwickLakesisasarefugefor threatenedwildlife.”
Zane’sLawRebuffed
Zane’sLawisaproposednewLaw(TheCleanLand(HumanRights)Bill)torequirepublicauthorities topromotecleanairandland.ItwouldalsorequirecouncilsandtheEnvironmentAgencytokeep registersofcontaminatedland.
ThecommonnamefortheproposedLaw,comesfromthenameofaseven-year-oldboy,Zane Gbangbola,whowaskilledbypoisongasemergingfromalandfillsiteinChertseyinSurrey.
ItisparticularlyrelevanttoNorthNorthamptonshire,becauseKingsCliffeisthesiteofamajortoxic wastedump.ToxicwasteisbroughttoNorthNorthamptonshirefromalloverthecountry.
TheKingsCliffesiteevenhandleslow-levelnuclearwaste.EastNorthamptonshireCounciland NorthamptonshireCountyCouncilbothopposedgivingplanningconsentforthedumpingofsuch wasteintheCounty,butthecentralgovernmentoverruledbothCouncils.
Inotherpartsoftheworld,itisunthinkablethatradioactivewastecouldbedumpedintoclaypits,Itis assumedthatsuchwastewouldalwaysbestoredinrockformations,ideallyonesthatarefarfrom geologicallyactiveareas(i.e.farfromearthquakezonesorvolcanoes.)
ThereareanumberofsitesintheNeneHeraldareawhereunexpectedcontaminationhasbeen foundduringdevelopmentprojects.Sometimes,thecontaminationisonlydiscoveredwhenatest boreholeisdrilled.
Ononeoccasion,thecontaminationwassorecentthatthedrillbroughtupfragmentsofanewspaper anditwasstillreadable.
FurtherNorth,therearemultiplesites(somelost)wheretoxicwastefromtheCorbysteelworkshas beenburied.TheCourtshaveruledthatthiswastehascausedbirthdefects.
TherehasevenbeenaTVdramaminiseries,“ToxicTown”abouttheCorbytoxicwastecase.The four-partserieswasreleasedworldwideonNetflixonthe27thofFebruary2025.ItstarredJodie Whittaker,AimeeLouWood,RobertCarlyle,RoryKinnear,TobyEden,andBrendanCoyle.
Giventhishistory,itwasexpectedthatmostCouncilswouldsupportthecampaignforZane’sLane, especiallythoseinNorthNorthamptonshire.Surprisingly,thishasnotproventobethecase.
OnThursday5thMarch2026,Reform-controlledNorthNorthantsCouncildeclinedtosupportthe campaignfor“Zane’sLaw”,
Pinder’sCircusBackinRushden
Pinder’sCircusisreturningtoRushden.This hasnowbecomeatraditionwithinRushden addingtothetown’stapestryofevents.
ThecircuswillbelocatedinSpencerParkfrom 2ndApriluntil6thofApril.
Showsstartat:
Thursday6.00pm Friday4.30pmand7pm
Saturday2.00pmand5pm
Sunday2.00pmand5pm
Monday2.00pmonly
CouncilMergers
Eversincetheearly1970s,thegovernmenthasbeendeterminedtomergemanyofEngland’s councilsandtocuttheirnumber.Themotivationforthisprocessissupposedlytoincreaseefficiency, butthereisnegligibleevidencetosupportthisargument.
Experienceinindustryhasstronglysuggestedthatasorganisationsgetbigger,theygetlessefficient, notmore.Thisisbecausethelargertheorganisation,themoreremotethefront-lineworkersarefrom thedirectors.This,inturn,reducescommunicationbetweentheshop-floorandtheboardroom,which inevitablyleadstoreducedefficiency.
Thefirststageofthemergerswasin1972-1974,whencouncilssuchasRushdenUrbanDistrict Councilwereabolished.(TheaccompanyingphotoshowstheelegantbuildingthatRUDCoriginally occupied.)
RUDCandotherlocalcouncilsweremergedintoEastNorthamptonshireDistrictCouncil(later renamedEastNorthamptonshireCouncil).
Morerecently,in2021,East NorthamptonshireCouncilwas itselfabolishedandmergedinto NorthNorthamptonshire Council.
Everyroundofmergers reducesthenumberof councillors.Thisforceseach councillortorepresentmore residents.Sincecouncillors don’thavecase-workers(unlike MPs!),itincreasestheworkload oftheindividualcouncillors.
Councillorsdonotreceivea salaryandmustdotheir constituencycaseworkintheir sparetime.Astheworkload increases,itisinevitablethat thecouncillorswillhaveless timepercase.Eventually,this willreducetheservicethatthey delivertothepublic.
Nowthegovernmentistryingto forcethroughafurtherroundof mergers.Inourarea,theyaretryingtoforceBedfordBorough,CentralBedfordshire,Lutonand MiltonKeynestomergeunderasingle,directlyelectedMayor.
ItisinterestingthattheoriginalproposalsincludedbothWestNorthamptonshireandNorth Northamptonshire,buttheywereexcludedfromthisSouthMidlandsAuthority.
However,on18thMarch,NNCheldaspecialmeetingwhichagreedtoprogressestablishinga NorthantsFoundationStrategicAuthoritywithWestNorthantsCouncil.WestNorthantsCouncilmade asimilardecisionon13thMarch.
SoitseemswemaybegoingbacktohavingaNorthamptonshirewidecouncilonceagainafter havingabolishedtheCountyCouncilonly5yearsago.Arewegoingroundincircles?
Conservative WinsRushdenSouth
OnThursday18thMarch2026,therewasabyelectiontofillavacancyonRushdenTown Council.(Thevacancywascausedbythetragic deathofCllr.BobTillyer.)
Thecampaignwasfoughtonanumberofissues, buteventuallyapledgetofighttoretainFree Parkingemergedasthedominantissue.
Reform-ledNorthNorthantsCouncilhasmadeit clearthattheyareconsideringchargingfor parkinginRushden’spubliccarparks.The Conservativeswanttoretainfreeparkinginthe Town.Theyarguedthatchargingforparking woulddamagethevitalityoftheTown’sHigh Street.
TheCounttookplaceonFriday20thMarch2026,andtheresultwas: TrisAnleyReformUK592
CameronClarkeConservative701(elected)
CarolineWhileyGreenParty463
Theturnoutwas22.9%,whichwasaboveaverageforatowncouncilby-election.(Onthesame day,theKingswoodby-electioninCorbyhadaturnoutof14.2%)
NeitherLabournortheLibDemsstoodintheRushdenSouthelection.Thiswassurprising,asLabour wonaby-electionfortheDonneCloseWardonRushdenTownCouncil,justafewmonthsago.
CameronhaslivedlocallyallhislifeandisagraduateofNorthamptonUniversity.
HeservedonRushdenTownCouncilfrom2021-2025,beforelosinghisseattoaReformcouncillor. HehasnowreturnedtoRTC.
Whentheresultwasdisclosed,Cameronwassomovedthathewasneartotears.Youcanseeinthe accompanyingphotohowdeeplyaffectedhewas.
Cameronsaid:“ThisvictorybelongstoRushdenanditspeople,andI’mgladtobereturningtothe bestjobintheworld.”
WheatsheafPub
TheformerWheatsheafpubsitsatagatewaysiteinRushden,nextdoortoSt.Mary’sChurch.
ThelocationisoneofthefewremainingexamplesofRushden’shistoric“highpavements”.(Seethe photograph.)
Thepubhasbeenclosedforanumberofyears.Atonepoint,anillegalcannabisfarmwas discoveredinit.
Theownerisnowseekingtoconvertitintoa “House-of-Multiple-Occupation”,withfifteen bedrooms.Itgainedplanningconsentforan HMOwith13bedroomsinNovember2025.The newapplicationisseekingtoremovesomeof theamenityspacetomakethe2extra bedrooms.
Thisnewapplicationwasconsideredbythe PlanningConsultativeCommitteeofRushden TownCouncilonTuesday3rdMarch(postponed from24thFebruary).
ThemembersoftheCommitteevotedtooppose theApplication.Itwillnowbeconsideredby NorthNorthantsCouncilwhowillmakethefinal decision.
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