Yesterday evening the Secretary of State for housing, communities and local government, Sajid Javid, announced he had appointed inspector Max Caller CBE to complete a report.

The move came after concerns were raised by Conservative MPs in the county after Northampton North MP Michael Ellis spoke out for the first time about the financial situation at County Hall back in October last year.

Speaking on yesterday's announcement, Mr Ellis said: "I have been warning about this crisis of confidence in the financial management and governance of Northamptonshire County Council for some time.

"This appointment of a commissioned investigator is confirmation that this Government clearly shares the concerns I have previously expressed on behalf of my constituents.

"I remain deeply concerned about the ongoing viability of the council.

"The Secretary of State for housing, communities and local government has done the right thing by making this investigation and I will await the result of the report."

The findings of the report are due by March 16, 2018.

Kettering MP Philip Hollobone addressed Mr Javid directly in the Commons last month when he asked the Secretary of State whether consideration would be given to restructuring local government.

In response to the inspection announcement, Mr Hollobone said: "I welcome the Government’s inspection. This is a direct result of all seven MPs in the county going to see the Secretary of State for local government at the end of October.

"The county council is clearly in serious financial trouble and the inspection will enable the Government to drill down into the detail of how this has come about and the effectiveness or otherwise of the county council’s plans for dealing with it."

Former Labour candidate for the Northampton South constituency, Kevin McKeever, also shares the concerns of the Conservative MPs.

"We have had concerns for some time about financial management at Northamptonshire County Council," he said.

"The council has been criticised by both peer review and the external auditors, KPMG. It’s clear too for the public to see examples of waste and mismanagement across Northamptonshire.

"Whilst the arrival of a government inspector is welcome, it does signal a collapse in confidence in the county’s management and political leadership.

"Mismanagement and waste of public funds in this era of austerity is unforgivable. Those responsible must be held to account.”

Daventry MP Chris Heaton-Harris said he and his county colleagues have in the past fought for fairer funding in the county, but after a peer review into the council last year, it became apparent that there were ongoing financial issues.

"As you would expect, like every other MP in the county, I've been campaigning for fairer funding for Northamptonshire County Council since I was elected to Parliament," said Mr Heaton-Harris.

"However, the LGA Peer Review - published last year - highlighted serious deficiencies in the leadership of the council in how it plans and runs its finances.

"And so I am pleased and not surprised the Government has commenced a Best Value Inspection which will investigate these issues further.

"I look forward to seeing the results of the inspection."

Mr Javid called the investigation under powers granted to him under the Local Government Act 1999 which give him the right to commission an independent inspection to better understand whether a council is complying with its ‘best value’ duty – a legal requirement to ensure good governance and effective management of resources.

Mr Caller CBE has a legal right to inspect and take away documents, and to access any council properties.

Sywell’s Blades Aerobatic Team has appointed a new pilot to take on the mantle of Blade 1.

Andy Evans, one of the original co-founding members of The Blades in 2006, will lead the Blades Aerobatic Team for the first time, having displayed in every other position.

Being one of the most experienced display pilots in the world with almost 2,700 hours in the Extra 300 alone, Andy has accumulated almost 8,500 flying hours.

Alongside this experience, Andy is also a qualified flying instructor and is well-positioned to be mentoring and commanding the team in 2018, as well as managing the team’s flying itinerary.

He said: “I’m proud to take over from Ben Murphy as Blade 1, and look forward to working with Ben, Kirsty and the new team members by continuing to produce dynamic, exhilarating and cutting-edge manoeuvres for the 2018 display season.

“Winter training is well under way, with maintenance being undertaken on each aircraft.

“Over the summer, we hope to meet as many of you as possible and look forward to seeing your pictures of our displays on social media.”

Andy began his flying career in 1984 when he was awarded a RAF flying scholarship.

He joined the RAF in 1985 as a member of Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron and following completion of officer training at Cranwell.

Andy was selected to conduct his flying training in ENJJPT in Texas, being awarded his wings in 1989.

A former front-line Jaguar pilot, Andy flew on operations over the Balkans and spent three years as the air show advisor to the Royal Saudi Air Force National Aerobatic Team.

Andy is also a former Red Arrow pilot, flying with the team between 1997 and 2000 in positions Red 2, 4 and then 8.

After his third year, he subsequently became the first Red Arrows pilot to stay at Scampton and work with the team as the manager, flying as Red 10.

The purpose of the audit committee is to provide independent assurance and to support strong financial management and good governance.

Appointment of the independent chair will be on a fixed term basis until the council’s annual meeting in May 2019.

Responsibilities will include establishing procedures to govern the committee's work and ensure the committee's full discharge of its duties and fostering good working relationships and communication among all committee members.

The independent chair will be expected to attend approximately eight meetings a year at the Guildhall, as well as any additional meetings scheduled as required.

The allowance for the independent chair of the audit committee is £4306.94 per annum.

How to apply:

Applications should be sent to the Monitoring Officer, Northampton Borough Council, the Guildhall, St Giles Square, Northampton, NN1 1DE or emailed to monitoringofficer@northampton.gov.uk by 5pm on 28 February 2018.

If you would like to talk to someone further about this role please contact Jo Bonham on 01604 837668 or Tracy Tiff on 01604 837408.

Taishon Whittaker, from Ecton, denies taking part in a "gang-related" attack outside the McDonald's in The Drapery in July 2017.

But at the second day of his trial at Northampton Crown Court yesterday (January 10), a jury heard how Whittaker had looked up ammonia products on his phone 10 separate times.

Police also found two large bottles of ammonia cleaning products in an attic above his room just two days after the attack.

In a police interview, Whittaker said he had not been in the attic since he was seven years old and denied putting the bottles there.

The bottles could not be tested for fingerprints as they leaked while in care of the police and could not be handled "for health and safety reasons", the court heard.

Police also could not clarify to the court if the bottles were open or full when found. They also did not check the attic entrance for fingerprints.

At around 4.30am on July 23, members of the public were splashed with ammonia in what police believe was incident between two county gangs.

The court heard on Monday (January 8) how two police officers were also splashed in the face, who described the events as "chaos", the BBC reported.

A Lucozade bottle found in the street after the attack containing ammonia could not be tested for fingerprints by police.

In his police interview, read out in court by prosecutor James Keely, Whittaker claims he pulled up to McDonald's in his car and went in to buy food for his girlfriend when he was attacked.

Whittaker said: "There was a lot of shouting and stuff. Next thing I knew there's spray water in my face. I thought it was water.

"Then, my nose was burning, my face was burning, my eyes were burning.

"I went into McDonald's to get some water, and the police and the bouncer were helping me get water. The staff gave me a crate of water and told me to use it all."

The trial continues.

Business partners, Terry Steers and Adam Case launched their life-long dream micro-pub - the St Giles Ale House in St Giles Street, Northampton - back in 2016 and have worked vigorously to help patrons remember the art of conversation.

In August 2017, the pair were handed the keys to their second venture - The Bakers Arms in Bugbrooke - and, almost single-handedly, renovated the building from scratch, with only a little help from local tradesmen who completed the finishing touches.

The pub, which opened in December, is both family and dog friendly and focuses on pub grub and real ale, which owners say will constantly change.

When asked what made the duo take on a second business, Adam Case who lives in Bugbrooke, said: "It was always the plan. We started with the ale house, it was a showcase - we showed what we could do. The plan was always to create a pub and grow with it."

The labour of love, which cost the pair £75,000, also boasts a beer garden and is set to host it's first beer festival between Friday, March 30 and Monday, April 2, offering drinkers over 30 real ales, a hog roast and BBQ.

Talking about the pubs initial success, Terry said: "The biggest thing for us is pushing real ales. We had to dive into the ale house and get more beer because it was so popular.

“It has surpassed all expectations so far."

Food is served: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 12 noon until 2.30pm, reopening again at 6pm until 9pm, Saturday from 12 noon until 9pm, and Sunday from 12 noon until 5pm.

Six of the longest-running Women’s Institute groups celebrate their 100th anniversaries this year, as the county branch reveals grand plans for its own centenary celebrations.

The Northamptonshire Federation of the WI is planning to mark its 100th anniversary in style with a special picnic at Althorp, which the federation hopes will attract hundreds of members.

Three years after the very first WI was set up in 1915 in Wales, 13 WIs were formed in Northamptonshire.

Of those, six remain in Brigstock, Brackley, Wootton, Badby and Fawsley, Clipston and Hargrave – making them some of the oldest groups in the country.

Sue Kendall is the federation chairman for Northamptonshire and she said it was a triumph for women that the WI continues to exist.

She said: “To make it to 100 years is an unbelievable achievement.

“It’s an amazing feat for a women’s organisation to have got so far and it coincides with 100 years of women getting the vote.

“The WI was set up in Canada by a woman whose young son died from drinking contaminated milk.

“She was wanted to educate women on agriculture issues and it just grew from there. The mission of the WI is all about educating women.”

Northamptonshire has more than 120 groups with about 3,700 members.

The county has got behind national resolutions the WI has campaigned for, including allowing parents to stay with children in hospital, Keep Britain Tidy and the price paid to farmers for milk.

In more recent years, it has taken part in the WI’s focus on tackling loneliness and the bid to reduce plastic polluting the world’s oceans.

Mrs Kendall said: “We’ve had our ups and downs through the years and we’re trying to move away from the jam and Jerusalem idea.

“We have more modern WIs as well as the more traditional ones.

“If the movement is going to carry on, we have to get people coming in behind us.

“I think the biggest change we seen is the development of computers because it’s allowed for instant communication and to spread the word straightaway.

“Things are more flexible now because people have the means and the transport to get about.

“It also means people can get to other WI groups – I always say to people looking to join, if the first group you go to isn’t for you, try another one because each group is so different.”

The celebrations will also include trustees of the county federation visiting each of the six WIs marking their centenaries.

The federation’s all-day AGM at Kettering’s Lighthouse Theatre in November is also set to be a grand celebration, with talks by cookery author William Sitwell and television presenter Kate Humble.

Throughout the year, there will be a number of centenary items on sale along with the reproduction of a 1933 WI cookbook.

Ward sister, Sarah Dainty, and her team on Spencer Ward brought Christmas forward to make sure her patient, who was receiving end-of-life care, could spend one last Christmas Day with her family.

The team used one of the rooms on the ward to create their winter wonderland complete with Christmas trees, fairy lights, and then helped the patient’s children to prepare and beautifully wrap presents ready for their Christmas Eve to begin.

The children stayed overnight to get into the festive spirit and spend precious time as a family.

When morning came, they had bacon sandwiches from the catering team, enjoyed a whole host of festivities and visits from loved ones.

Sarah described how this gesture represents the true pride of NGH, she said: “Our story is not unique as this happens on different scales across NGH by teams and individuals and we should all be very proud to be part of something this special and take a moment to reflect, share and feel proud

"In our job we face hard challenges every day but this will stay with me for the rest of my career.

"I didn’t do it for the recognition, but our hearts were touched by this family at such a sad time, and we all wanted them to have happy memories despite the sad circumstances they were facing.”

A "remorseful" 19-year-old man has been jailed after £1,300 of crack, heroin and cannabis was found in his Northampton flat.

Lamar Aransibia, from Bedford, was sentenced at Northampton Crown Court yesterday (January 10) for drug-dealing.

After pleading guilty, the court heard how the youth had fallen from a steady job with a supportive family into street-level drug dealing out of "foolishness" and some "very poor decisions".

And, in a letter to the judge expressing his shame over the charges, Lamar has vowed to reform and "help others avoid making the same mistakes".

Her Honour Judge Adrienne Lucking said: "It's very sad to see a young man in the dock who's got himself involved in offending when he has a good job, a supportive family and clearly the ability to provide for himself.

"You say you have recognised that you have been a great disappointment to your family."

In October 2017, police raided Lamar's flat, in Harding Terrace, Semilong, where they found dozens of wraps of cannabis, crack cocaine and heroin.

The stash, which was found in part down the sides of the flat's sofa and in Aransibia's trousers, was worth over £1,300.

Two mobiles phones seized at the flat had messages from customers looking to buy drugs.

His defence barrister told the court that the 19-year-old "only had himself to blame" and had "foolishly accepted an offer" after he struggled to earn money in his job.

Judge Lucking said: "I'm satisfied that you are extremely remorseful. You have been influenced by others.

"You have expressed a wish to help others avoid the mistakes you have made. I don't want to crush your positive frame of mind."

Aransibia was sentenced to 30 months detention in a young offending institute.

Northampton Borough Council's cabinet is to consider whether planning permission should be required for developing family homes into Houses in Multiple Occupation in three areas of the town.

If agreed to during the January 17 meeting, a Non-Immediate Article 4 Direction will come into effect in areas of Far Cotton, Delapre and Cliftonville from September 29, 2018.

This will mean that planning permission will be required by anyone who wishes to develop a family home into a HIMO within the specified area.

Although planning permission may still be granted, the introduction of the Non-Immediate Article 4 Direction will ensure that the local amenity of residents and adjoining occupiers, and the character of the area will be considered as part of the application process.

Councillor Tim Hadland, cabinet member for regeneration, enterprise and planning, said: “We must be mindful of balancing increased demand for accommodation with current pressures on existing services and amenities.

“The additional planning measures which are being recommended, paired with those that were introduced in areas most at risk of increased HMO development last April, will help to give us the opportunity we need to consider these issues as part of the planning process.”

Anyone currently in the process of buying a house in this area with the intention of converting it into a HIMO is advised to contact Northampton Borough Council’s planning team directly.

Northampton Borough Council has a dedicated helpline for anyone concerned about a privately rented HIMO near them and for landlords who might want advice – the number to call is 0300 330 7002.

A map detailing the areas to be covered by the proposed Non-Immediate Article 4 Direction can be viewed here.

Parklands Primary School in Spinney Hill Road has been criticised in a recent Ofsted report, published yesterday, after inspectors found that 'teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low'.

The school, which has slipped from 'good' to 'inadequate' following a two-day inspection between October 31 and November 1, also raised concerns over the governors ability to 'rigorously' challenge school leaders, whether learning is 'stimulating' enough for early years pupils and says the school should not take on newly qualified teachers.

However the school, which praised the pupils’ positive attitude to learning and the school’s commitment to their personal development and wellbeing, is assuring parents that improvements are already being made.

Headteacher Sally Gedney said: “We are pleased that the inspectors recognised our work to support and develop our children and they saw how good pupils’ behaviour is and how keen they are to learn.”

“We are disappointed by Ofsted’s overall assessment of our school and we don’t believe it fully reflects the gains in knowledge, skill or understanding that pupils are making as they move throughout our school, nor of the life skills which pupils leave us with as they transfer to secondary school.

“The Ofsted inspection took place last autumn and since then we have already made significant changes in order to improve outcomes at the end of each Key Stage.

“We are also working hard to improve our provision and to develop our hard-working teaching staff to be the very best they can be.

“We are determined to get back to a ‘good’ Ofsted rating and accelerate the rate of improvement, and we are confident that by working with staff, governors, parents and the school improvement team, we will quickly be able to achieve this.”

The inspection team also recognised its ability to keep children safe and highlighted the breadth of the learning curriculum and the many opportunities the school provides for the children particularly in music and sport.

Parklands Primary School is now working with the school improvement team at Northamptonshire County Council to address the recommendations in the Ofsted report, with many changes already being made.

Rosemary Harries, aged 69 from Bugbrooke in Northamptonshire, was diagnosed with ocular melanoma in 2008 following a routine eye examination at Tompkins, Knight & Son Optometrists in Kingsley Road, Northampton.

The check-up, carried out using a state-of-the-art Optomap ultra wide field laser scanner, highlighted an unusual vein movement. Rosemary was referred to her doctors and, ultimately, hospital. Within three weeks she was undergoing surgery to save her sight.

She said: “As I was laying in my hospital bed I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to see my granddaughter grow up. I now realise that having that eye examination, and in particular the Optomap scan, was the most important thing I’ve ever done.”

The specialist treatment at St Paul’s Ocular Oncology Unit at the Royal Liverpool Hospital saw a temporary plaque fitted, which ‘zapped’ the potentially cancerous cells at the back of Rosemary’s eye, saving her sight, and arguably her life.

“It was a scary experience but I’m so glad it was picked up when it was,” said Rosemary. “It could have been so much worse, it doesn’t bear thinking about. The lady in the bed next to mine had to have her eye removed.

“I have been fortunate to see my granddaughter Olivia grow up into a lovely young girl. She’s nine now and I have a five-year-old grandson, Henry, too. I wouldn’t want to have missed out on seeing them.

“I would urge everyone to get their eyes checked regularly. I have an annual examination at TK&S and six-monthly check-ups at Northampton General Hospital. A full exam can highlight any number of health issues and if people put off a check-up thinking they don’t need it they are making a big mistake. A 30 minute appointment could save your life.”

The high-tech Optomap scanner used in the original examination allows for a wider image of the eye to be taken, giving significantly more detail and allowing problems to be picked up which would otherwise have gone undetected.

TK&S owner Brian Tompkins said: “It’s essentially the difference between opening the door and looking into the whole eye or peering through the keyhole. Being able to have that wider field of vision makes a huge difference and in Rosemary’s case it has allowed doctors to prevent the cancer cells from spreading, potentially saving her life.

“Regular eye examinations are vital. Your eyes are a window to your wider health and simple checks can ensure there is nothing untoward.”

For more information on Tompkins, Knight & Son Optometrists call 01604 714413 or visit www.tks-optometrists.co.uk

The Dementia Friendly Business Award is open now to any Northamptonshire organisation, public or private, who want to improve the experiences of people with dementia and their carers.

The winning organisation will receive the services of a full-time intern for a 10 week period, for free, to help develop their vision to become ‘dementia friendly’.

Jacqueline Parkes, professor in applied mental health at the University of Northampton, said: “As the number of people diagnosed with dementia increases, it’s in the best interests of local business and community services to meet their requirements.

"Our Dementia Friendly Organisation Awards are a great chance for forward thinking local organisations to place themselves ahead of the competition in recognising customer needs.”

The intern’s placement is co-funded by the University of Northampton’s ‘Changemaker’ initiative and sponsor Santander Bank. Changemaker projects focus on finding solutions to environmental or social problems to improve people’s lives.

In the UK there are more than 850,000 people diagnosed with dementia. In Northamptonshire alone it is expected that 12,000 people will be living with a diagnosis of dementia by 2025.

In a dementia-friendly community, people living with dementia feel supported by community members, whether at the post office, retail outlets, using transportation or enjoying hobbies out in the community.

Community members can help people living with dementia and their carers by reducing anxiety, stigma or frustration.

Dr Steve O’Brien, dean of the faculty of health and society at the University of Northampton, added: “We are delighted to support this important initiative, which is high on the agenda for the university’s social impact work and forms part of a number of initiatives with the health and social care community.”

Applicants for the competition need to complete an application form explaining how your vision can improve the experiences of people with dementia by the hosting organisation and provide supporting information about their plan to achieve this.

The deadline for applications is 5pm 28 February. Application forms can be requested from: ruth.hughes-rowlands2@northampton.ac.uk

The brochure for the awards with further information can be found online.

Alarming statistics show the average Brit sits down for 8.9 hours every day and one in four of us do fewer than 30 minutes of physical activity a week – contributing to around 131 million working days lost to sickness in England each year.

Workplace Challenge, in collaboration with Northamptonshire Sport, is tackling the issue with the launch of its latest campaign designed to break down the culture of a desk-bound lunch.

It aims to help address and break down the barriers we face in fitting physical activity into busy work/life schedules.

Northamptonshire Sport's Jackie Browne said: “It’s all too easy to stay at the desk over lunch or to work late in the office to meet a deadline, but this is contributing to a worrying trend of inactivity amongst the working population.

"Too many of us aren’t getting the recommended 150 minutes of exercise in a week – and it’s having a serious impact on our mental and physical health, not to mention the productivity of workers.

“The 2018 Active Workplace Challenge is about giving people the support and inspiration to get up on their feet and bring physical activity into and around their working day.

"Northamptonshire Sport will be offering a series of events and inter-workplace competitions including bowls, squash, archery, canoe slalom etc and more, together with the Workplace Challenge online activity tracking resource, it couldn’t be easier to get involved."

The 2018 Active Workplace Challenge will include a series of initiatives, events, inspiration and advice provided for local people by Northamptonshire Sport over an eight-week period, which began on January 8.

When you sign up to the campaign you can track your physical activity online, easily comparing activity levels to other participating individuals and organisations.

The focus this year will on bitesize chunks of activity, encouraging workers to step away from their desks and out of the office during the lightest and brightest part of the day.

Northamptonshire Sport has set a target for everyone to walk, jog, run or cycle one mile each day during the eight week period.

There are also a series of workplace offers from National Governing Bodies of sport, available on the Workplace Challenge website to support physical activity in and around the working day.

Find out how you and your workplace can get involved in the 2018 Active Workplace Challenge here.

The westbound carriageway is partially blocked resulting in slow-moving traffic at the Barnes Meadow roundabout.

The car's occupants were able to get out and did not suffer any injuries.

Two lanes were closed because of the fire but one has since reopened.

Highways England expects normal traffic conditions to resume before 10am.

Three fire crews attended the scene with one remaining by the roadside until 7.45am after extinguishing the blaze.

Police were also in attendance but have handed over the incident to the Highways Agency who will work on recovering the vehicle.

This was the dramatic scene in a village near Corby this morning (Thursday) after a gas lorry caught fire.

Fire crews from Corby, Market Harborough and Oakham attended the A6003 Main Street in Caldecott, just over the border in Rutland, at about 7.30am.

A lorry believed to be carrying gas and asphalt caught fire and the road was cordoned off.

A Leicestershire Fire Service spokesman said the Environment Agency had also been called due to a leak.

One person who captured pictures of the blaze said the explosion shook houses in the village.

Medals from the Second World War were among items stolen in a burglary in Tennyson Road, Wellingborough.

The incident happened between 7.30pm and 10pm on Tuesday, December 12, when the offender/s forced entry into the property by smashing the rear patio door.

Items stolen include the Second World War medals (pictured) and jewellery.

Witnesses, or anyone with information about the burglary, can call Northamptonshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

A car key was stolen during a burglary in St Anne’s Road, Kettering.

The incident happened between 4pm and 6.30pm yesterday (Wednesday) when the unknown offender/s gained entry via the front door and stole a car key.

A police spokesman said the car, a Ford Focus, was not taken.

Witnesses, or anyone with information about the burglary, can call Northamptonshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

A 20-year-old man has been sentenced to four years in prison for historic rape offences.

Matthew Barfoot, previously of Ironwood Avenue in Desborough was convicted of raping a seven-year-old girl on a number of occasions when he was 12-years-old.

Barfoot, who was sentenced at Northampton Crown Court on January 4, was found guilty of seven out of 11 counts.

He was sentenced to four years in prison, was barred from working with children for life and will remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.

DC Brian Gape, who led the investigation, said: “It took tremendous bravery for this girl to come forward after over five years to tell us what had happened to her when she was seven-years-old.

“I hope that Barfoot’s conviction will go some way in making her feel like her voice was heard and that we were committed every step of the way in getting her justice.

“No matter how historic the original offences are, Northamptonshire Police will always take them extremely seriously and investigate them fully.”

If you want to report a rape or sexual offence, no matter how historic, Northamptonshire Police encourages you to call 101 or in an emergency, 999, or you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Police are appealing for information after a burglary at an Irthlingborough farm.

The property, which is situated off the A6, was broken into sometime between Sunday, December 31, and Saturday (January 6).

The offenders stole various items including copper piping, a sink, a boiler unit and butchers’ knives, including a large meat cleaver.

A silver Ford Fiesta was seen leaving the property at about 3.15pm on Saturday, January 6.

The driver is described as male, with dark curly hair and wearing a dark jacket.

A male passenger had short shaven hair and was wearing a grey hoodie.

Officers are appealing for information and are asking anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area between the times stated to contact them.

Witnesses, or anyone with information, are asked to call Northamptonshire Police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Since the second half of 2014, overseas sales have been on a downward trend in Northamptonshire with interest in the county's services and goods rarely improving.

But nearly half of the county's manufacturers have now reported an improvement in the latest Quarterly Economic Survey by Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce.

However, sales in the UK remain "uncertain" and businesses are under pressure to raise their prices, the report says. Manufacturers are also less confident they will increase how much money they will bring over the next year.

The report was made up of responses by nearly 50 firms employing 2,220 staff in Northamptonshire.

Northamptonshire Chamber chief executive Paul Griffiths said: “The improved performance of the services sector in overseas sales perhaps gives cause for optimism against a backdrop of political uncertainty in trade negotiations. Perhaps, in the services sector at least, we are seeing the beginnings of the predicted rebalance away from domestic demand towards international trade in response to strengthening global growth and the weak pound.

“There was also a slight increase in the number of businesses that expected to grow their workforces over the next 12 months.

“However, the survey also highlighted a reduction in domestic sales for manufacturers and reports from 65 per cent of manufacturers and 33 per cent of service sector firms that their prices will have to increase.

“In addition, only 18 per cent of manufacturers predict their turnover will improve in the next 12 months which is the lowest figure reported since the financial crash.”

Northamptonshire Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey is part of the largest and most representative survey of its kind in the UK and provides central and local policymakers with feedback of the performance, concerns and views of businesses across Northamptonshire.