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Refugee week
West Northants will celebrate Refugee Week from Monday with a number of events to raise awareness of issues affecting asylum seekers and the local support available to them.
Throughout the week of 20 to 26 June, events will take place at the University of Northampton, Delapre Abbey and online, with a full programme of speakers and presentations also planned at the Guildhall on Thursday, 23 June.
The activities will showcase all the support available to refugees in West Northamptonshire, whose communities have welcomed hundreds of individuals and families fleeing persecution from places including the Ukraine, Afghanistan and Syria. More »
Recent resettlement schemes have included supporting the arrival and community care needs of nearly 400 Afghan nationals and more than 290 local people coming forward as sponsors for Ukrainian families as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
West Northamptonshire Council's (WNC) Diverse Communities Forum will be hosting the event in the Guildhall alongside Town of Sanctuary, from 4pm to 6pm, with stalls from organisations including Red Cross, DWP and Quakers.
There will also be a short film and a photo exhibition from L2L during the event and presentations and stories from refugees that have settled in Northants.
Cllr David Smith, WNC Cabinet Member for community safety and engagement and regulatory Services, said: "West Northants is an incredibly welcoming place and we're always astounded by people's community spirit and their willingness to help others – something which has been particularly evident during the recent Afghan and Ukrainian resettlement Programmes.
"Refugee Week provides an opportunity for us all to reflect upon the courage of refugees across the world who have been forced from their homes and countries to escape conflict, and to extend the hand of friendship to anyone in need.
"I hope that people will join us for this important programme of events and take the opportunity to learn about the stories of refugees who have joined our communities."
Refugee Week is a UK-wide festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary. Founded in 1998 and held every year around World Refugee Day on the 20 June, Refugee Week is also a growing global movement.
Through a programme of arts, cultural, sports and educational events alongside media and creative campaigns, Refugee Week enables people from different backgrounds to connect beyond labels, as well as encouraging understanding of why people are displaced, and the challenges they face when seeking safety.
This Refugee Week explores the theme of 'Healing' and celebrates community, mutual care, and the human ability to start again through creativity and conversations. » Less
Posted: Mon, 20 Jun 2022 10:40 by Web Team
Public asked to have their say on modifications to Northampton’s Local Plan
Examination of the Northampton Local Plan Part 2 continues as West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) prepares for a six-week public consultation on proposed modifications.
The Local Plan Part 2 is a major planning policy document that will help guide planning decisions throughout Northampton up to 2029.
Following public hearings in November 2021, the Government appointed Planning Inspectors have recommended some modifications, before the Plan can be adopted by WNC. More »
A consultation on those modifications will start next month if Planning Policy Committee (28 June 2022) approves this next step.
Only comments on the modifications to the Local Plan Part 2 and the associated Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessments can be considered. The modifications comprise:
- Main modifications – These are required to make the plan 'sound'. They involve changes or insertions to policies and text that are essential to enable the plan to be adopted. Any comments on these will be considered by the Planning Inspectors.
- Additional Modifications – these are spelling, grammar, presentational changes and comments which will be considered by WNC. These do not affect the soundness of the plan.
- Changes to the maps – alterations including boundary changes and deallocations which will also be considered by WNC. These do not affect the soundness of the plan
The Local Plan Part 2 is a major piece of work which started in May 2016 and is now nearing its final stages.
For more information on the examination process, visit - https://www.northampton.gov.uk/info/200205/planning-for-the-future/2553/northampton-local-plan-part-2-submission. » Less
Posted: Mon, 20 Jun 2022 09:02 by Web Team
Council publishes 'specification' for new special needs school in West Northamptonshire
Proposals for a 250-place special needs school took a step forward this week after West Northants Council (WNC) published more details for academies who might bid to run it.
The new school will be an 'all-through SEND' school, meaning it will cater for children of all ages with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Specifically, it will cater for pupils with autistic spectrum condition (ASC), speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), and severe learning difficulties (SLD). More »
The old St John's site in Tiffield has emerged as a possible location for the school and it is hoped it will see its first intake in September 2024.
Cllr Fiona Baker, WNC's Cabinet Member for children, families and education, said: "The pressure for SEND places is intense.
"As they are, mainstream schools simply do not have the capacity to take on more SEND pupils and the private sector in the county has also reached its limit.
"And sending children across county borders is not the best for them and in the longer term, not financially sustainable.
"There's a well-regulated process which we must now follow, but I would urge anyone with the necessary skills and experience to study these specifications and step forward to support your community."
The plan for a new special school is just one of two phases within WNC's SEND sufficiency strategy which will also see the establishment of 259 places within SEND units attached to mainstream schools and extensions to existing special schools located within West Northants.
The publication of the Proposed New Designated Free Special School Specification follows the start of the 'free school presumption' process in May 2022 during which the council gained broad support for the new school from the special education sector in the region.
Contact Information
West Northamptonshire Council Communications Team
communications@westnorthants.gov.uk » Less
Posted: Mon, 20 Jun 2022 08:59 by Web Team
