NENE Herald
ReformTrounceLabour&Tories
TheReformUKpartycamefromnowheretotakecontrolofNorthNorthamptonshireCouncilwith39outof68 seats.
InWellingboroughandRushden,itwasawipe-outfortheusualParties.TheConservativeswerereducedto justonecouncillorinthetwoTowns.BarbaraJenney,inRushdenSouth,wasthesoleConservativesurvivor. InthetwoTowns,Labourwerereducedtojusttwocouncillors,KellyDuddridgeandDavidBakerinVictoria ward.
JustoutsidetheTowns,theConservativestooktwoseatsinIrchesterward(TomPartridge-Underwoodand Jon-PaulCarr),andtwomoreinEarlsBartonward(ScottBrownandVickiJessop).
ThecandidateselectedforNNCinourareaarelistedbelow:
TomPartridge-UnderwoodConservative John-PaulCarrConservative GordonDunsmuirReformUK
Pemberton
ToriesRetainRushden TownCouncil
TheConservativeshaveretainedcontrolof
RushdenTownCouncil,with19outof21seats. Reformtookthetworemainingseats.
TheCouncillorselectedwere:
DonneCloseWard
PaulHarleyConservative
PembertonWard
AshHallReformUK
CesareMarinaroConservative
ValenciaMcDonaldConservative
ChrisMcGiffenReformUK
GillMercerConservative
JanetPinnockConservative
KayeRawlinsConservative
ProspectAveWard
CarolChildsConservative
RushdenLakesWard
MelanieColemanConservative
AdrianHouseConservative
PhilHumphreyConservative
AndyMercerConservative
TonyMokogwuConservative
RogerPowellConservative
RushdenSouthWard
PhilBettlesConservative
DavidColemanConservative
BarbaraJenneyConservative
KingLawalConservative
SteveNorthConservative
BobTillyerConservative
Wellingborough TownCouncil
WellingboroughTownCouncilhasnooverall control.TheConservativesarethelargestParty with11seats,andLabourhave6.
Brickhill&QueenswayWard
MariaAlexandraConservative
ChrisAshtonLabour
PaulBellConservative
SylviaErskineLabour
ScottFitzsimmonsLabour
GrahamLawmanConservative
AllanShiphamIndependent
Croyland&SwanspoolWard
ValerieAnslowLabour
PaulBrookeReformUK
VictorJamesLabour
MarkJonesConservative
PaulMannionGreen
HattonParkWard
JonathanEkinsConservative
KenHarringtonReformUK
LaunaKoriyaConservative
RazKoriyaConservative
SimonMastersConservative
JudySamworthConservative
VinnieWhitrowReformUK
VictoriaWard
KellyDuddridgeLabour
FaithHewittConservative
RajMishraConservative
MarionTurner-HawesIndependent
ToriesRetain HighamTownCouncil
ChicheleWard
BertJacksonConservative
ChristopherO’RoukeConservative
VijayPaulConservative
PennyReadingConservative
GarySalmonConservative
PennyVanSpallIndependent
NicoSpringmanIndependent
StephenTuffnailIndependent
LancasterWard
JohnBaughConservative
JennieBoneConservative
NigelBrownConservative
GeraldKellyGreen
LouiseParkerConservative
BarryPrigmoreIndependent
AnthonyReadingConservative
ThereisonevacancyonLancasterWard.
HighamFerrers ElectionPostponed
Theelectionforcouncillorstorepresentthe HighamFerrerswardonNorthNorthamptonshire Council(NNC)waspostponed.
TheLiberalDemocratcandidateinthiselection passedawaythedaybeforepollingtookplace.
NNCissuedthefollowingpressrelease:
“TheelectionfortheHighamFerrerswardof NorthNorthamptonshireCouncilon1May2025 willberearrangedfollowingthesaddeathof candidateWilliamJohnJamesRatcliffealso knownasJohnRatcliffe.”
“Anelectionmusttakeplaceby23June2025 andfurtherdetailsaboutanewdateforthe electionwillbeannouncedinduecourse.New pollcardswillbesenttoallaffectedvoters oncethedateisset.”
TheMallardsRe-stocked
Yearsago,littlestonequarriesweredottedacrosstheWellingborougharea.Whenthesewereworkedout, mostwereleftun-restoredformanyyears.
Severalneglectedquarrieslaterbecameparks.Bythen, thedeeppitshadfilledwithwaterandevolvedintoa havenforwildlife.Onedeepquarry,tothewestof Rushden,waseventuallysurroundedbynewhousing.
Afterthehousingwasbuilt,theremainingarea,which includedthepits,waterandwildlife,wastransferredto RushdenTownCouncil.
RushdenTownCouncilopenedtheareaforpublic enjoymentandnamedit“TheMallards”.TheCouncil allowsfishinginthelakesatnocharge(providedthatthe anglershaveafishinglicenceandthatallfishare returnedtothelakes).
Lastyear’shotweatherreducedtheoxygeninthelakestolowlevelswhichreducedthenumberoffishand duringthewinter,theCouncil,withthehelpoftheEnvironmentAgency,re-stockedthelakesattheMallards, sothatlocalanglerscouldagainenjoythefacilityandpracticetheirsport.
Bulbplantingalsotookplacetoenhancetheareaforlocalresidents.
TheCaseForARushdenStation Part6
NeneHeraldischampioningacampaigntoestablishamainlinestationtoserveRushdenandHigham Ferrers.Asmentionedpreviously,RushdenisbyfarthelargesttowninEnglandwithoutitsownworking railwaystation.
TherearevillagesatenththesizeofRushdenthathaveastation;e.g.BrundallinNorfolk(population4,019) hastwo!ThisisdespiteBrundallbeingroughlythesamedistancefromNorwichstation,asRushdenisfrom Wellingboroughstation.
TheOriginoftheRushdenParkwayStation
Theideaofa“parkway”stationforRushdenatKnuston,isnotanewone.
Longago,theAssociationofTrainOperatingCompanies(ATOC)commissionedanewreport,called “ConnectingCommunities:ExpandingAccesstotheRailNetwork”.ItwaspublishedinJune2009.
TheReportadvocatedaseriesofimprovementstothenation’srailnetwork.Itlistedtheinvestmentsthat weredesirable,andnearthetopofthelistwasaParkwayStationforRushden!
AWikipediaentryexistsdescribingtheplan!
Inthe16yearssincetheReportwaspublished,thecaseforaparkwaystationontheMidlandmainlinehas justgotstronger.
Ifthegovernmentisseriousabouttheirplantopromoteeconomicgrowthandinvestment,thensurely,this longoverdueprojectshouldbeamongthefirstprojectsfundedbythegovernment.
FireandRescueConsultation
NorthamptonshireFire&RescueServiceareconductingapublicconsultationonitsCommunityRisk ManagementPlan(CRMP).
ThisisthestrategicplanforNFRSthatidentifieswhat therisksareinourcommunity,andhowtheyaligntheir resourcestoreducethoserisksandkeepresidentssafe acrossNorthamptonshire.
Theyarealsoconsultingabouttheirstandardsof response(i.e.howquicklytheyneedtogettoan incident).
ThedraftCRMPcanbereadontheirwebsiteat: https://www.research.net/r/VQBKPZ8
Theconsultationisopenuntil21May2025.
TheBattleForRushdenLakes Part7
Thisistheseventhinstalmentofthestory ofhowtheRushdenLakesschemecame tobeapprovedandthenbuilt.
ANewLocalLandmark
Integratingretail,wildlifeandleisure,a previouslybizarreconcept,wasanidea pushedhardbycouncillors,especially,Cllr. AndyMercer.
However,itwasn’ttheonlynewideathat camefromthelocalcouncillors.
Cllr.SarahPeacockarguedstronglyforabridgeovertheA45,toallowwalkersandcycliststousethenew site.Thedevelopers,LxB,wereunconvinced,butagreedtobuildthebridge.Theythoughtthatitwas unlikelytogetmuchfootfall.Theywerewrong.
Muchtoeveryone’ssurprise(andpleasure),thebridgecarriedalotoftraffic.Infact,ithadasignificant impactontheappealofRushdenLakes.
Further,theWhiteBridgehasrapidlybecomeanimportantlocallandmark.Lookingback,itseemshardto imaginehowitwasnotincludedintheoriginalplans.
LongbeforeRushdenLakeswasopened,thelocalcouncillorscorrectlyforecastthattheroundaboutonthe A45wouldbeoverloaded.Theywereincrediblyprescient.
Cllr.GillMercerhadnotedanold,disusedtrackthatranparalleltotheA45andalongsidetheroundabout. ShepersuadedLxBtoupgradeittohighwaystandard.
ThisroadnowdivertsRushden-Highamtrafficofftheroundabout,reducingcongestion,especiallyatrush hour.
Inthenextinstalment,we’lldescribehowtheplansevolved,withcouncillorsanddevelopersworking togethertocreatesomethingtrulyunique.
OUTANDABOUT
INWELLINGBOROUGH&RUSHDEN
ToysAtRushdenMuseum
Eachyear,RushdenMuseumcreatesaspecialthemefortheirdisplayofartefacts.For2025,thespecial themewillfeatureToys.ItisacelebrationofOsborne’sSports&Toys70yearsoftradinginRushdenHigh Street.
Osborne’sToysisathird-generationfamily-runbusiness boastingawiderangeoftraditionaltoysandexpert advice.Osborne’sreceivedspecialrecognitionin2018 whentheywerechosenbyLegoastheonlysiteinthe UKtofeatureaspecialdisplaymarkingthe60th AnniversaryofthepatentingofthefirstLegobrick. Osborne’swerethefirstshopintheUKtosignupasa Legostockist.
RushdenMuseum,basedintheOldStableBlockinHall Park,isopeneverySaturday/SundayfromMayuntil October,2pmto4pm.
Themuseumissmallbutitiswellworthavisit.Thestaff/ volunteersareveryknowledgeableandwelcoming.
WarwicksClosingDown
ThetowncentresofRushdenandWellingboroughareexceptionalinmanyways.Thirtyyearsago,theywere evenmorespecial.
Thetwotownswerememorableforhavingsomeexcellentlongstandingfamilybusinesses,i.e.onesthat werenowhereelse.Mostdepartmentstoresarenational(orinternational)chainsthesedays,butoverthe yearsRushdenandWellingboroughhadsomeuniquedepartmentstores:
·PeterCrisp
·CallandandHoltom
·Warwicks
·PWWills
·BonMarché
Almostallthesestoreshaveclosedinrecentdecades.(BonMarchédownsizedandmovedfromRushdento Wellingborough.)
Sadly,nowWarwicksareplanningtoclose.Itwillbeendofanera.Theyhavebeenaniconof Wellingboroughfor157years.NeilWarwick,thecurrentowner,hasdecidedtoretireandnobodyinthefamily wishestotakeoverthebusiness.TheclosureofthisfamilybusinesswillbeasadlossforWellingborough.
Thankfully,someotherlongstandingfamilybusinessescontinuetrading.
TheKing’sTrust
TheKing’sTrustwasoriginallyfoundedin1976.ItusedtobeknownasthePrince’sTrustbutwas renamedwhenKingCharlesIIIascendedtothethrone.
TheKing’sTrustprovidedaschemeofferingfree supporttoyoungpeopleenablingthemtodevelop theirskillsandself-confidencethrougha12-week team-buildingcourse.Oneoftheirrecentprojects waspaintingthefencingattheWellingborough Whitworthssport’sground.
Theyoungpeoplewhocompletedthelastcourse recentlyreceivedtheirawards.
Rushden’sTownMayor,Cllr.DavidColeman (picturedwithhischainofoffice)said,“Ryanand Michaelareinspiringtutorsandhearingthe presentationsfromallthestudentswastruly heartwarming.”
WellingboroughBusRally
Ontheweekendofthe12th/13thApril,the annualWellingboroughBusRallyandRunning Daytookplace.
Thiswasthe12thannualrally,whichis organisedbyNorthamptonTransportHeritage& 794PreservationGroupwiththevaluedsupport ofWellingboroughMuseum.
IttookplaceinthegroundsoftheCastleTheatre andMuseum.
GreenEvictsLabour
DuringtherecentlocalelectionsinWellingborough,therewasanextraordinaryfeudbetweenaLabour candidate,Ms.A,andherGreenopponent,Mr.B.Theybothstoodforelectioninoneofthe Wellingboroughwards.
Ms.AhadbeenrentingapropertyfromMr.Bforaround10years.HerecentlyservedaSection21notice onher.Thismeansthatshe,alongwithherfamily,aretobeevictedfromherhome.
Thisamazingsituationisespeciallyodd,becausetheLabourgovernmentisintheprocessofabolishing Section21(“nofault”)evictions,andtheGreenPartyissupportingtheirabolition.
HowMr.BsquareshisintentiontoevictMs.AviaSection21,withhissupportforabolishingSection21is amystery
GPSurgeryIssue
On26February2025,theBBCreportedthatanumberofGPsurgeriesacrossthecountrywerehaving problems,inpartdueto“constantlyunpaidservices.
OneofthesurgeriesthattheBBCnamedwasRushdenMedicalCentre(RMC)inAdnittRoad,Rushden.
TheBBCquotedaformeremployeeofRMCassayingthat “forseveralmonthslastSummer,nobutterflykitswereavailabletoperforminjections onchildrenorpeoplewithfragileveins,sopeoplewerebeingbruisedwithlargerneedles”.
In2022,theCareQualityCommissionperformedaFullInspectionofthepractice.OntheCQCwebsite, theystate :
“Wecarriedoutthisinspectiontofollowupontheconcernsreportedtousbypatients. Thiswasacomprehensiveinspectionandlookedat:
•Keyquestionsinspectedwere-areservicessafe,effective,caring,responsiveandwelllead.”
•ConcernsreportedtoCQC.”
On21November2022,theypublishedthereportoftheirOverallinspection.Itwas “Requiresimprovement”.
Recently,agroupofresidentsweresoconcernedaboutthesurgerythattheyheldaprotestoutsidethe RMC.Subsequently,arepresentativefromthesurgeryhasagreedtomeetthemmonthlytodiscussthe issues
DrivingMissDaisy
OnJune1,2025,anewservicecalled“Driving MissDaisy”willbelaunched.Itwillservethe townsacrosstheA6corridorinourarea,i.e. Rushden,HighamFerrers,Finedon,Raunds, Wymington,andIrchester.
ThisnewserviceisprovidedbyNeneValley CommunityServicesLtd,basedinProspect Avenue,Rushden.Theyofferafriendlychatover teaathome,areassuringpresenceduringan appointment,orhelpwithdailytaskslike shopping.
Theservicegoesbeyondjusttransport,providing one-on-onecompanionshipfortheelderly, disabledandthosewithlimitedmobility.When transportisneeded,theirwheelchair-accessible vehicle(WAV)ensuressafe,comfortabletrips, withdriverswhocarrybags,staythroughvisits, andbuildlastingtrust
CallingAllHorrorFans
RushdenHistoricalSocietywillbehosting“The ShedofHell”atRushdenStationonJuly5/6th. It willbeatreatforallhorrorfans.
Theorganisers, ScreamingSkull Enterprisesarebillingit as“Rushden’sBiggest EverHorror Convention”,so prepareyourselffora spine-tinglingweekend.
Ticketsareonsalenow andcost£20.
SupportforAuDHD QuizNights
AuDHDisacombinationofautism(ASD)and attentiondeficithyperactivitydisorder(ADHD).
Atonetime,ASDandADHDwerebelievedtobe mutuallyexclusive,becauseeachconditionhasits ownspecificsymptoms.
However,now,ASDandADHDareknowntooccur together.–“AuDHD”.
WellingboroughLibraryarehostingsupport sessionsfortheAuDHDcommunityinMay,June andJuly.
RushdenConservativeClubhostsaQuizNighton thesecondTuesdayandthelastTuesdayofevery month.TheQuizNightstartsat7:30pm.Charge£2 perplayer.
Newmembersarealwayswelcome.
