Streetwatch is now up and running in Kettering

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KETTERING has became the first town in the county to have members of the public patrolling their own streets.

A voluntary scheme has been set-up which allows members of the public to help with policing their streets.

Streetwatch was created by PCSO Megan Roberts with the hope of creating a 'happy, healthy and safe community'.

Despite the scheme not being ran by Northants Police, it will work in partnership and with the support of the Police.

It is hoped that the added presence on the streets will help to decrease all kinds of crime, ranging from anti-behaviour to more serious crimes.

Improving security, increasing vigilance and making people feel more safe are three of the key aims of the scheme.

Anyone can sign up to take part in Streetwatch, provided you pass relevant background checks.

Members have no additional powers to any other member of the public and will be subject to a code of conduct.

By Tom McCartin

Council transforms empty houses into affordable homes

KETTERING Borough Council (KBC) have secured over £150,000 in funding to refurbish empty properties into new, affordable homes.







The six figure sum was granted by the Homes and Communities Agency under its Empty Homes Programme, which will deliver eight new homes to the area.

KBC has been identifying long term empty properties in the Borough to purchase, refurbish and let out via its housing register, Keyways.

John Conway, Head of Housing at KBC, said: “Every additional home we make available, makes someone’s life better.

"I am pleased to say that, under the Empty Homes programme, the Council has now succeeded in providing new homes for four families with the prospect of more to come."

The council has so far purchased five empty properties, four of which have been refurbished and have been let.

The homes are let on Fixed Term tenancies at Affordable Rent levels, which was a condition of the funding.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the most recently completed property on St. Mary's Road, Kettering earlier this month.

The ceremony was to celebrate the success of the project in securing external investment and creating 'much needed' affordable homes.

Cllr Steve Bellamy, Kettering Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Housing, said:
“Providing affordable housing is an important issue and many local people want to see empty homes in their communities being renovated and brought back into use. 

"We’ve worked hard to win funding through the Empty Homes Programme to bring these properties back into use after a long period of being unoccupied.

"It’s great news for people looking for somewhere affordable to live in the local area.”

By Daryl Greenland

Kettering MP favourite to defect to UKIP

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KETTERING MP Phillip Hollobone has been tipped as the next Conservative MP to defect to UKIP.

Hollobone, who is close friends with Tory defector Mark Reckless, is the favourite to jump ship to Nigel Farage's party.

50-year-old Hollobone introduced Reckless into the House of Commons after his election victory in Rochester and Strood as a UKIP MP.

The current Conservative MP for Kettering has previously denied planning to defect to the right-wing eurosceptic party.

Hollobone increased the speculation of his defection, by voting against the Government in favour of Labour's private member's Bill on the NHS.

Hollobone, who will have been Kettering's MP for ten years come May, attended Dulwich College at the same time as UKIP leader Farage did.

When asked about defecting MP's in the recent by-election in Rochester, Farage admitted that more defections were 'unlikely' before Christmas.

Although he did reveal that he expected more MP's to join his party before the General Election in May.

By Stephen Matthews