Northampton Borough Council has announced today (May 16) it has secured a grant to cover half the costs of restoring the 13th-century monument in London Road.

It comes after history groups pleaded with the council last week to "save" the Cross after pictures were shared on Twitter of fresh cracks and fallen chips of stone at the base of the 700-year-old pillar.

It will also be added to Historic England's Heritage at Risk register.

Councillor Tim Hadland, borough council cabinet member for regeneration, said: “This is excellent news. Our aspiration is to get this work uunderway as soon as feasibly possible.

“Whatever we do has to be appropriate for the monument in the long term. I can sympathize with those who feel we are not moving quickly enough on this, all I can do is reassure them that we know how critical it is that we get this right.”

The Cross, situated at the southern end of London Road close to Delapré Wood, was commissioned by Edward I between 1291 and 1294. Only three of 12 original monuments remain.

Historians fear that the Cross cannot survive another winter without immediate repairs and

Northampton North MP Michael Ellis, who is also the minister for heritage, supported the borough council in its application to Heritage England. He said: "This is very good news.

"The Eleanor Cross is an ancient monument of huge importance and I am very pleased that the borough and Historic England will be working together to conserve it for the future."

It is not known how much the conservation work on the Cross will cost.

A Northampton-based business has unveiled new artwork in its headquarters created in collaboration with two of the town's schools.

The collaborative project was led by Opus Energy’s early careers team, calling upon students and pupils from the tattoo and illustration courses at Moulton College and Northampton College to brighten the walls of their headquarters, which are in the former council offices formerly known as John Dryden House in The Lakes.

A team of employees also helped create the mural, and as a thank you for their involvement, Opus Energy donated £1,000 to each school, as well as a charity chosen by the firm's staff who participated.

Liz Etherington, art and design teacher at Northampton College said: "Our students had a big canvas to unleash their creativity, and it's fantastic that the result will be a lasting visual asset that links the college to one of the area's leading employers."

The new headquarters brought all 700 Northampton team members under one roof, with capacity for 1,500 employees, signalling the company’s ambitious growth plans.

Victoria Robson, head of art from Moulton College said: "It’s been fantastic for our sixth formers to get the chance to work on a project of this scale, which will add colour to Opus Energy’s new headquarters.

"Sixth form is an important time in a young adult’s life as their futures can be forged depending on what choices they make, so having mentors such as Opus Energy engaging them around their future career opportunities now is fantastic to see, as not all employers take such an active interest at this stage.”

Opus Energy COO Nikki Flanders unveiled the artwork alongside representatives, students and parents from the schools.

She said: "Investing in the local community is incredibly important to us, and the chance to work with young artists from the area has been great.

"Engaging schools about Opus Energy, our early careers programme and our apprenticeship scheme gives us the opportunity to inform future talent about our business.

"Northampton has been such a core part of Opus Energy’s history and success, so we want to reinvest in the area and give back where we can.”

The late founder, Dr Dick Coles, a consultant dermatologist at Northampton General Hospital, was keen for the charity to not only bring together those with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis but also to raise significant funds for research.

And by 1999, the Psoriasis Association had donated a grand total of £1.5million, and in 2014 were able to fund seven PhD studentships.

As part of their 50th-anniversary celebrations, the Psoriasis Association are asking 50 people to share their own personal stories of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Additionally, the Psoriasis Association’s partnership with the Mental Health Foundation called ‘See Psoriasis: Look Deeper’ demonstrates their commitment to raise awareness of the impact psoriasis can have on a person’s mental and emotional wellbeing.

Helen McAteer, CEO of the Psoriasis Association, said: “I am delighted that the Psoriasis Association is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

"I am very proud of the work we do supporting people with psoriasis with engaging and supportive campaigns, as well as our huge contribution towards research and I hope the Psoriasis Association continues to improve the lives of those with psoriasis for another 50 years and beyond.”

A recent survey from the Psoriasis Association discovered 94 per cent of young people with psoriasis reveal they are affected by anxiety and depression, and 67 per cent claim that they feel isolated from others.

As a result, the Psoriasis Association have this year launched a WhatsApp support service for young people to help them get personalised advice and support.

“More than a billion people now use WhatsApp every day and we hope that this new confidential service will remove some of the isolation that young people feel through offering them a social platform where they can discuss their feelings and seek help and support,” Helen added.

The number for the confidential and anonymous free messaging service is 07387 716 439.

A heroic security guard at North Gate bus station has been commended for saving the lives of 20 passengers who were waiting for the last bus home in Northampton.

Ian Fox, 56, was on shift back in April last year when Gavin Massey started shouting racial abuse at people before he brandished a meat cleaver from his bag.

But rather than taking cover, Mr Fox bravely tried to grab the knife from his hands and ushered him away from members of the public who were waiting at bay 13 for the last bus of the day.

While outside, at 10.50pm, the offender continued to wave the knife around and shouted: ‘I’m going to slash them’.

In Mr Fox’s witness statement to Northamptonshire Police he said: “I ran after him and stopped him from gaining access [to the bus station].

“He then ran towards the entrance on Sheep Street.

“Concerned for everyone’s safety I contacted control to inform the police.”

A specialist firearms car quickly apprehended the offender on the Market Square, and Massey was later sentenced to 20 months in prison.

At a ceremony at Northampton Crown Court on Thursday, Mr Fox received a £500 award after he was recommended by a criminal judge for going the extra mile.

The gong was presented to Mr Fox by the high sheriff of Northamptonshire, James Saunders Watson DL, for helping to apprehend Massey.

Mr Fox said: “It was nice to be recognised and get an award but as far as I was concerned – I was just doing my job.

“My concern was for the safety of the public.

“It did not really dawn on me until he got taken away by the police.”

His Honour Judge Mayo, of Northampton Crown Court, recommended Mr Fox for the award in recognition of his ‘extraordinary courage’.

He said: “He deserves this award from the high sheriff just as much as a combined honours degree in modesty and understatement.

“It took a little while for a specialist firearms car to arrive: the police took a snap decision that full protection should be afforded to the public and their officers.

“On that day, Mr Fox had nothing other than his hands and voice.”

Some grieving families in Northampton are facing a long wait to bury their loved ones in Northampton as part of a cemeteries maintenance handover.

The current holders of Northampton Borough Council's environmental services contract, Amey, will come to the end of their tenure for maintaining the town's green areas on June 4.

But a number of families have been in touch with the Chronicle and Echo to say they cannot book funerals for their departed loved ones at borough council-owned cemeteries until mid-June.

After enquiries were made by the Chron to Northampton Borough Council, the authority has revealed that its cemeteries are booked up until May 29.

They include burial sites at Dallington, Duston, Kingsthorpe and Towcester Road.

Then, because of the handover period between Amey and Veolia, there will be a further break of a week where bookings cannot be made.

A spokeswoman for the authority said: "Burial slots are now fully booked until the 29 May, but we do have availability in all borough council managed cemeteries on the 29, 30 and 31 May and from the 6 June onwards.

“We are unable to take any bookings on the 1, 4 and 5 June due to contract changes and training, and we understand people’s frustrations if they wanted a funeral on these dates. As always, we try to be as accommodating as possible with people’s requests.”

Two people who contacted the Chron were initially told they could not book a funeral until June 13.

A funeral home we spoke to said an email went out yesterday to say Amey had changed the handover completion date to June 6, meaning a number of families had to be contacted to rearrange funeral dates.

One woman, who did not wish to be named, said the delay had caused her family distress.

She said: "What concerns me is that from now until then there will be other people passing away.

"The funeral homes will be full up.

"It's going to be one big vicious circle."

Over 200 people turned out to remember a former Northampton pub landlord at his funeral service this week.

Dave De Clerk, 75, who set up and ran three pubs across Northamptonshire in a career lasting more than 40 years, died on April 29 from health complications.

At his funeral on Monday (May 14), hundreds of friends, family and customers paid tribute to "the man who can" at his former pub and local The Compass Inn in Milton Malsor.

His partner of 22 years Linda Pitman said: "We'll all miss him so much. He was a lovely man who would go out of his way to do a favour for anybody who asked.

"Everyone knew him as a 'man who can'. He could get his hands on anything or knew someone who could."

Dave was born in Derbyshire in 1943 and worked as a doorman in London in his youth, including time at one of the Kray Twins' establishments.

When he came to Northampton in the 1980s, he began a long career as a pub landlord by renovating the Red Lion in Harpole and turning it into a truck stop.

"He made that pub what it is today," said Linda. "He was almost famous for offering truckers beds and showers. he was up at 5am to do them breakfasts."

Over the next 30 years, Dave would also use his magic on The Pomfret Arms in Far Cotton and the Compass Inn in Milton Malsor. AT one point, he was Northampton's longest serving landlord with a record of 32 years.

In later life, he made deliveries for both Mercedes and Land Rover, which led to Mercedes providing procession cars for his funeral this week.

He leaves behind three children, five grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Linda said: "He was such a character. He could never be called boring and was always doing something. We will all miss him.

"Thank you to everyone who helped provide for his funeral. you've been so generous."

Pam Woods of Spinney Hill and Jayde Pearson of Kingsthorpe are celebrating this week after opening Barkleys Doggy Daycare centre in Kingsfield Way, Kings Heath.

The firm, which officially opened on Monday following a delay in the planning application process, plays calming music and films to the dogs and can host up to 40 animals at once.

The dog-loving duo invested £8,000 of their own funds into the firm and were both thrilled to finally open their doors Monday, after equipping the building with a special ventilation system to clean the air and help the dogs respiratory systems.

Jayde, who is one of the five members of staff trained in first aid at Barkleys, said: "Dogs are part of the family now, where before they were just a dog.

"Some people treat them like their children so I thought why not do a doggy daycare?

"I was a student nurse at uni before I was a receptionist and decided I needed to do something different. Dogs are very therapeutic and they help people mentally."

Pet owners can either drop their dogs off for a full day, five hours or two hours with prices ranging between £6 and £20.

Owners say that their service helps dogs exercise to maintain a healthy weight, relieve boredom, separation anxiety, and destructive behaviour at home.

Pam Woods, who helps to assess all dogs upon their arrival, said: "We have a member of staff with the dogs at all times to interact and help them socialise with other dogs."

Puppies are also welcome at the firm and have their own quieter area away from larger dogs.

The business can be contacted on 07432220195 or at barkleydogs@gmail.com

A hoarding support group is raising awareness of the compulsive disorder as part of National Hoarding Awareness Week (14-18 May).

CLICK THE LINK ABOVE OR THE GALLERY ICON TO SEE THE OCD CLUTTER SCALE AND FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE A HOARDING PROBLEM

A person is considered to have a problem with hoarding when their home becomes excessively cluttered, when they have problems discarding things, and when it interferes with everyday living – for example preventing safe cooking, going to bed or accessing rooms.

Hoarding UK has created a series of pictures of rooms in various stages of clutter – from completely clutter-free to very severely cluttered.

People can just pick out the picture in each sequence comes closest to the clutter in their own living room, kitchen, and bedroom.

A spokesman said: “This requires some degree of judgement because no two homes look exactly alike, and clutter can be higher in some parts of the room than others.

“Still, this rating works pretty well as a measure of clutter.

“In general, clutter that reaches the level of picture # 4 or higher impinges enough on people’s lives that we would encourage them to get help for their hoarding problem.”

A support group was started by Karen Lock, a marketing and domestic safety officer at Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, with Elaine Hassall, a Strategy and Partnerships Officer at Aylesbury Vale District Council in Bucks, and Miami Holt, a Neighbourhood Manager at the Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust.

This vital service to the community was launched in order to bring hoarders and their families and friends together in a safe, caring and supportive environment to share their experiences.

They meet on a monthly basis and currently have between 12 and 15 people regularly attending.

Karen said: “The main issues are isolation and shame – often people who hoard are reluctant to let others into their home.”

Karen, who also volunteers as a bereavement councillor, advocates improving co-operation between organisations to support those with hoarding problems.

It is estimated that more than a million people across the UK have a hoarding disorder which can seriously affect health and well-being, as well as posing a significant risk of fire and infestation.

High levels of clutter in the home make it much easier for a fire to spread and impedes escape routes.

The reasons why someone becomes a hoarder are still not fully understood but people can be more at risk if there is a family history of hoarding or if they are lonely or alcohol dependent.

Contrary to popular belief, hoarders often have stable jobs and are well educated.

Karen confirmed: “We get people of all ages and all types of backgrounds come to see us.”

In May 2013, Hoarding Disorder was officially recognised in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

According to mental health charity MIND, the main treatment for hoarding is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which seeks to change the way a person

thinks by encouraging them to talk about their thoughts and feelings.

Karen says she has observed as much during her meetings, saying “support from just being there can be empowering”.

She added: “There is help out there.

“My hope is that for the future it will get better.”

What is Hoarding?

‘MIND’, the mental health charity defines hoarding as follows:

Hoarding is considered to be a problem when:

> The amount of clutter in the person’s home is increasing

> They bring in more things each day and discard very little

> The amount of clutter interferes with everyday living – for example, they are unable to use the kitchen or bathroom and cannot access rooms

Today the Chron reveals the most expensive houses on the market in and around Northampton.

Click here to see the 16 most expensive houses on the Northampton property market right now.

Most people who have ever bought or sold property know about things like the ‘Waitrose effect’.

Which is to say that if there is a store nearby, it is one of the first things estate agents mention.

Of course, there are plenty of factors which add value to a property.

Some are plain common sense, others are downright bonkers.

Here are nine key factors that boost house values:

SCHOOLS

Live near a high-performing school and you are ahead of the game when it comes to selling your house.

GARDEN

It may sound a bit obvious but houses with well-maintained gardens sell for more than ones where the garden looks like a jungle in Borneo and one where rats raise families in the shrubbery. A tidy garden could add to a property. So stop making excuses and mow your lawn now.

MARKET TOWN?

This no longer applies to the growing metropolis that is Northampton but if you are lucky enough to live in a market town, you are laughing all the way to the bank. According to research properties in market towns were typically worth £25,000 more than similar properties in other towns in the area.

FOOD AND DRINK

Having a top restaurant or array of bars and eateries can work wonders for the reputation of an area and the price of a house.

KING OF THE HILL

You might not like slogging up the hill after a hard day at work, but if you live on a hill your property will probably be worth more — a lot more, if you heed research carried out by Zoopla. The average price of properties with a ‘hill’ in the address was more than double that of properties on bog-standard ‘streets’.

CRESCENT CASH

Buying a house on a crescent is also a sound investment. Research claims properties on crescents typically commanded a premium of 40 per cent. Houses in squares or in a mews also scored well, while those with ‘road’, ‘grove’ or ‘court’ in the address were seen as less desirable.

MONEY GROWS ON TREES

Another pretty obvious one but houses with trees between the pavement and the road outside tend to fetch more.

IT’S ALL IN THE NAME

Research has found that one in 14 people pay a premium for a property with a name rather than a number. A house name can add between 0.5-5 per cent in value, according to estimates.

HOW ODD

Perhaps the oddest value booster of all is that 1 Sandy Lane trumps 22 Sandy Lane. A study by Zoopla found that average odd-numbered houses fetched £538 more than their even-numbered equivalents.

Click here to see the 16 most expensive houses on the Northampton property market right now.

All house prices and details were correct at the time of going to press.

The worker, who has asked not to be named, injured her back in a horse riding accident 25 years ago and had to undergo a workplace assessment to avoid risk of injury while she was sat at her desk.

It was then agreed that the claimant would go to a showroom to try and pick out a suitable chair to help with her back pain after she reported that her desk was on a sloping floor.

Legal documents claim that ten minutes upon her return to work in April 2015 the hospital issued her with a suspension notice.

She claims management already knew they were going to suspend her from the hospital before she went out to trial more suitable chairs.

The worker felt the experience was humiliating and claims the workplace harassment was down to her disability.

She said: “After my back had become so painful I was sent to an inappropriate manager to discuss.

"I was then suspended for making malicious allegations.”

Following her suspension meeting, the medical secretary said she ‘was met with hysterical laughter’.

As the claimant was walking out of the building - an IT worker was installing a new computer for her, which she had been requesting for months.

Other incidents included the claimant being escorted off the premises ‘down two flights of stairs in an intimidating manner’ after she refused to speak about her medical issues in front of a manager, who she said she was ‘categorical’ should not have access to her records.

On one occasion she claims to have had a holiday approved, "then declined" shortly before she was meant to take it.

And at a different time, the former secretary says she was harassed by a manager after being accused of being rude to a payroll employee.

Then, the chosen "independent" investigator was the mother of a hospital manager she knew, court papers claim.

A ruling by the Information Commissioner also found the hospital breached her data protection rights by accidentally sending the results of a medical report to a person with the same name.

Papers seen by the Chron, show Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust has now agreed a settlement with the claimant.

A spokeswoman for the trust said they had no comment to make.

The RAC is reporting that the accident happened near to the Great Doddington turn off. There are no details about the seriousness of the accident but emergency service are at the scene.

The RAC's last update at 6.30am said: "Road blocked and stationary traffic due to accident, lorry and car involved

"A45 Westbound blocked, stationary traffic due to accident, lorry and car involved at B573 Earls Barton Road (Great Doddington / Earls Barton Turn Off)."

Gareth Eales hands over his chains to Councillor Tony Ansell tonight (May 16) to mark the end of his term as the 777th Mayor of Northampton.

On his last day in the role, he says he has come to see that Northampton is "blessed" with volunteer groups and charities working to build communities in the town.

Gareth told the Chronicle: "I've lived in Northampton all my life and I thought I knew the place. Turns out I didn't and I've really had my eyes opened.

"It's easy to focus on negatives. But when you get out there and see just how many great charity groups and volunteers are doing great work for Northampton you see we really are blessed as a town."

Gareth, a Labour borough councillor for Spencer, is Northampton's second youngest recorded mayor after taking office at 39.

In a year in office that also took in his 40th birthday, Gareth was mayor as Northampton saw a general election, three chief executives at the borough council, the centenary commemorations for the First World War and an attempt to make the town its own unitary authority.

"It's been an unprecedented year," said Gareth. "All I wanted was to get to the end of my year and have people say 'I met him, he's alright'. I've just tried to be myself. I think it's important that the first citizen is someone residents can relate to."

Gareth chose Northampton-based Alfie Bear's Journey as the charity for his Mayor's Fund. Over the year, he commissioned a new beer named Mayor's Mash from Phipps Brewery and held the three-day "Mayor-Fest" charity concert at The Picturedrome bar in Kettering Road. He has raised approximately £25,000 for the fund for a rare form of brain cancer.

He said: "A highlight of the year for me was the St James zeppelin raid commemorations. The memorial to the three lives lost to bombs in 1917 will be there forever now.

"There's too many people to thank individually, but I want to shout out to my wife and mayoress Terrie and all the groups and communities that have work so hard in the town.

"The year has flown by. I would never do the role a disservice and say it's hard work. It's a pleasure."

Police are appealing for witnesses after a fatal crash in Little Harrowden.

An 18-year-old man was riding a black Yamaha motorcycle in Hardwick Road, Little Harrowden, at about 7.15pm, last night (Wednesday) when for reasons yet unknown he was in collision with a lamp post.

A spokesman for Northants Police said: “Sadly the motorcyclist died a short time later.

“Officers investigating the collision would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the collision or who may have any information regarding it.”

Witnesses or anyone with information about the collision can call the Drivewatch Hotline on 0800 174615.

An Anglian Water spokeswoman said the team has now isolated the mains pipe in Spinney Hill Road to stop further water flowing.

But before the team can repair the leak they need to wait for the existing water in the pipe to drain naturally and for the water to depressurise - to allow the teams to work safely.

The spokeswoman for Anglian Water today said: “This particular pipe is taking longer than normal to drain because the hole in the main is very small, and the volume of water is significant.

"The water we are allowing to drain will eventually find its way back into the watercourse, following the natural water cycle.

“The walkway near the burst pipe has been narrowed but is still passable, we’re sorry for any disruption caused.”

He sustained injuries to his wrist, ribs, neck and throat and while he did not suffer any broken bones, as first feared, he had swelling around his carotid artery causing breathing difficulties.

At around 8pm on Tuesday, May 15, the boy was walking in the park accompanied by an adult when he was set upon by what has been described as a gang of 20 youths.

In the attack, which was filmed on a mobile phone, the boy was punched to the ground and repeatedly kicked.

Doctors have likened his injuries to those of a car crash victim. He required overnight admission to Northampton General Hospital.

Daventry Police are aware of the names of some of the group and patrols in the area of the country park and around the town will increase as enquiries continue.

They are appealing for witnesses and information, which can be reported to Crimestoppers or the police (incident 517 of 15/05/2018) - officer in the case is PC Stuart Rands.

A senior vet is urging pet owners across Northamptonshire to be on their guard as adders emerge from hibernation and pose risks to animals.

Iain Fletcher, clinical director at Spinney Lodge Vets, in Kettering Road, has issued the warning after a number of snake attacks on dogs have been reported across the country.

Adders, which are a protected species and the UK’s only native poisonous snake, hibernate over the winter and emerge during the spring. After unseasonably cold temperatures throughout much of April, the snakes are now beginning to make an appearance as the warmer weather moves in.

As a result, Spinney Lodge, which also has practices in Wootton Fields and East Hunsbury, is encouraging dog owners to be aware of the potential dangers and what they should do if their pet has been bitten.

Iain said: “There have been several reported adder bites on dogs in other areas over the past couple of weeks. Adders generally hibernate from October to late-April, waking up when the weather warms up and they can bask in the sun.

“They only tend to bite in self-defence, for instance when they are stepped on accidentally or disturbed by an inquisitive dog but when they do, bites can be dangerous as they can induce lameness, vomiting and changes to the heart beat, blood pressure and breathing rate.

“Visually, bites typically result in swelling which is dark in colour and which can quickly become severe. If your dog has been bitten by an adder you should seek veterinary attention as soon as possible. We will treat the dog for shock and swelling, as well as administering anti-venom where appropriate.”

Statistics show most adder bite cases survive, with one study suggesting less than one in 20 treated dogs died as a result of a bite.

Matthew McPherson, AKA Steffan Craig, was knocked to the floor by a passing fire truck on its way to a call out as he crossed Towcester Road, in Delapre, on December 20, 2017.

An inquest into his death held yesterday (May 17) heard how Matthew "just stepped" out into the road and seemingly did not realise the fire engine was approaching despite driving with blue lights and sirens on.

The driver swerved to avoid Matthew but he was tragically struck. Officers immediately began CPR and Matthew was rushed to hospital, but he died the next day.

Senior coroner Anne Pembar told the inquest: "There was nothing the driver could have done to avoid this tragic accident.

"He walked into the road without checking it was safe as a fire engine was approaching with blue lights and sirens in operation."

The inquest heard how Matthew was profoundly deaf and was looking at his phone as he stepped out into the road. He was also three times over the legal limit for alcohol at the time.

Chief Fire Officer Darren Dovey said: “We would like the family of Matthew McPherson to know our thoughts are very much with them at this traumatic time.

"Crew members worked hard to deliver CPR to Mr McPherson at the scene but sadly his life could not be saved, despite our efforts.

“This collision was a tragic accident that will never be forgotten by those involved within Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service. Our deepest sympathies go out to Mr McPherson’s family.”

Coroner Anne Pember recorded a verdict of accidental death. No charges have been brought against the driver.

Kind-hearted Northampton neighbours - residents of Squires Walk - have joined together to tidy their streets, verges and footpaths as part of a ‘Great Plastic Pick Up’.

The pickers collected discarded items around Spinney Hill picking and sorting rubbish ready for recycling or proper disposal.

Organiser, Nick Phillips said: “We tackled an area from Morrisons on Kettering Road to Tesco on Coppice Drive.

“A number of people stopped us throughout the clean-up congratulating us on our efforts helping to keep a small part of Northampton litter free.

“Now our main concern is how long will it take for litter bugs to discard this quantity of rubbish again.

After three hours, the volunteers collected 19 sacks of litter from a half mile stretch of pavements.

Nick added: “Local shops were the main source of the litter - discarded packaging - so it’s important for people to take it home.”

Volunteers were helped by Friends of Eastfield Park and Kevin Smith-Whelan of Enterprise Managed Services.

Northamptonshire County Council has teamed up with neighbouring councils for a new video campaign to encourage more people to become foster carers.

The short film, called There Was A Boy, is being promoted by 16 local authorities across the East and West Midlands throughout Foster Care Fortnight, which runs from May 14 to 29.

The campaign tells the fictional story of how a teenage boy’s life is turned around thanks to the positive impact made by his foster carers.

The short film can be viewed by visiting www.fosterme.co.uk.

In Northamptonshire, there are currently 1,082 children in care and the county council is looking to recruit new foster carers in order to provide some of these vulnerable children and young people a loving and stable home.

There is a particular need to recruit foster carers for older children, with 59 per cent of the county’s looked after children being over the age of 10.

County council cabinet member for children’s services Councillor Victoria Perry said: “As this moving film shows, fostering a child or young person can make a massive difference to their life.

"Children and young people who come into care can be vulnerable and, as we’ve seen so many times, the right placement can turn their life around.

“We have a particular need to find more foster carers for older children and teenagers, so I’d encourage anyone who may been considering becoming a foster carer to contact us to find out more.”

There is no upper age limit for foster carers, providing they have the physical and mental fitness, the time and the living situation to look after a child or young person.

There are many different types of fostering, including short-term, permanent, emergency foster care, remand foster care, providing homes for siblings or even short breaks for parents of children with disabilities.

Northamptonshire County Council offers a full training and support package for its foster carers, and carers receive a competitive weekly payment which is higher than the government recommended rates.

To find out more, come along to an information event at One Angel Square in Angel Street, Northampton, on Wednesday 23rd May between 6.30pm and 8.30pm.

Further information is also available at www.fosterme.co.uk or by calling 0300 126 1009.

The two commissioners parachuted in to oversee the running of  Northamptonshire County Council had their first day at county hall yesterday (May 16).

One of the first moves of Tony McCardle and Brian Roberts was to meet the authority’s Conservative cabinet and discuss the actions taken so far to try and to put the authority on a better financial footing.

The two local government experts, who have many years’ experience of running local councils, have been appointed by Secretary of State James Brokenshire after severe financial failings which saw the council only just manage to balance its books this year.

The authority is still under severe financial pressure and needs to find a way to  pay back the £12.7m it borrowed from general reserves.

The two commissioners, who will run large parts of the council, are both being paid hundreds of pounds per day and will regularly update the Secretary of State on progress.

Speaking at a full council meeting  at county hall today leader Matt Golby said: “Without doubt, county councils face a tough challenge from a financial point of view. In Mr McArdle and Mr Roberts we have two people who understand what it is like, and I have given them my assurance that we will work with the commissioners and support them during their time with us.

“We will draw from their experience and listen to what they have to say. We will work in collaborative partnership with them and help them to understand our challenges, the things we are proud of and work under their direction to rebuild trust in the county council and with our district and borough partners to design a new model for local government that delivers best value for our hardworking residents and businesses who have the right to expect more from us all.”

Price Waterhouse Cooper is currently putting together an options report on behalf of the county’s eight councils which have been tasked by central government of putting together a joint bid for two unitary authorities. This will see the abolition of the county council and all of the district and borough councils. The new unitaries are expected to be in place for May 2020. A shadow unitary will be created next year made up of representatives from across the councils.

Hopes of a single unitary authority for Northampton came to an end this week after the borough councillors voted against the idea, a move heavily criticised by the Labour opposition.