Major delays are being felt on the M1 in Northampton after a collision between a car and a lorry
Slow traffic is being reported on the M1 northbound between junction 15 and junction 15a following the crash this morning.
Ambulance crews are on the scene and the stricken vehicles have been moved over to the hard shoulder.
However queues are still being experienced back to junction 14.
Fixture: Bury v Northampton Town, Sky Bet League One
Date/time: Saturday, April 22, 3pm kick-off
Venue: Gigg Lane
Forecast: 9, Cloudy
Outs and doubts: Bury: Craig Jones (calf), Andrew Tutte (hamstring), Nathan Cameron (knee), Zeli Ismail (hamstring), Danny Mayor (hip). Cobblers: John-Joe O’Toole (suspended), David Buchanan (suspended), Luke Williams (hamstring), Gabriel Zakuani (hamstring), Sam Hoskins (knee), Gregg Wylde (injury)
Betting: Bury 17/20, draw 13/5, Northampton 3/1
Form guide: Bury DLLLDD, Cobblers DLLDDL
Avg. goals scored/conceded per game: Bury 1.3/1.6, Northampton 1.4/1.6
Likely line-ups: Bury (5-3-2): Murphy; Moore, Barnett, Kay, Burgess, Leigh; Caddis, Burgess, Tutte; Pope, Vaughan. Northampton (4-4-2): Smith; Moloney, Diamond, Nyatanga, Phillips; Taylor, P Anderson, McWilliams, Boateng; Smith, Richards
Man in the middle: Nigel Miller
Last time out: Bolton 0 Bury 0; Northampton 1 (Richards) Shrewsbury 1 (Sadler)
Most recent meeting: Saturday, October 29, 2016 – Northampton 3 (Richards 2, Taylor) Bury 2 (Miller, Ismail)
Record v Bury: P60 W22 D15 L23
Cobblers connection: David Buchanan’s remarkable run of successive starts was always going to end eventually but it is a shame his red card against Shrewsbury has prevented him from returning to a former club. Born in Rochdale, Buchanan started out as a trainee at Bury and proceeded to make more than 200 appearances for the club between 2005 and 2010. His departure wasn’t particularly amicable and when negotiations on a new contract broke down, he moved north of the border and signed for Scottish club Hamilton Academical. But he was back in England just a year later and following a brief spell at Tranmere Rovers, he spent three years at Preston North End and upon his release in 2015, he was snapped up by the Cobblers.
James Heneghan’s preview: Easter Monday’s disappointing 1-1 draw with Shrewsbury Town delayed confirmation of Northampton’s survival for another few days at least but, come 5pm this Saturday, any lingering doubt should surely be removed.
There’s a variety of scenarios that could see the Cobblers clinch safety this weekend. The first and most preferable is to beat Bury and not have to worry about events elsewhere.
Even a draw would be enough given the current five-point gap back to the Shakers but should they lose, it only takes a defeat for one of Port Vale or Shrewsbury to secure their spot in League One for another 12 months.
Even then, it could still be assured if Vale fail to beat Walsall in their game-in-hand next Tuesday.
If all those permutations work against Northampton, we could be in for an unnecessarily nervy final day against Gillingham next weekend.
That requires an unlikely set of results but whatever unfolds over the next 10 days, the Cobblers will have a big say in who stays up and who goes down this season
Both their remaining two opponents are currently in relegation peril and the intriguing prospect of Justin Edinburgh potentially sending his old club down on the final day remains a possibility.
Like Paul Hurst at Shrewsbury, Lee Clark’s appointment as Bury boss sparked a brief resurgence and almost took them out of trouble, but the goals have dried up and as a result, they still require at least one more win to escape the drop.
They’ve scored just once in their past six games, losing three in the process to remain hovering just one place above Port Vale, who currently occupy the final bottom four spot.
Indeed, with not a single win between them in the past six games and only five goals scored, the recent form book does not make for pleasant reading for either Bury or Northampton ahead of their meeting.
Clark has helped to shore up a previously leaky defence but that has come at a cost at the other end, although their difficult season has not prevented striker James Vaughan from netting 22 goals, the second most in League One.
For the Cobblers, the absence of a whole host of first-choice players will give others an opportunity to impress before the season’s out.
John-Joe O’Toole and David Buchanan, whose record run of successive starts will end on 106, are both suspended for the trip to Gigg Lane while Luke Williams and Gregg Wylde have joined Sam Hoskins and Gabriel Zakuani in the treatment room.
That may pave the way for a first start for Shaun McWilliams, who has performed well as a substitute in recent weeks, and Jak McCourt or Hiram Boateng could also be in for rare game-time.
Whatever team Justin Edinburgh picks will have to improve on Monday’s disappointing showing against Shrewsbury when the Cobblers were lacklustre and fortunate to escape with a point.
Bury are another team desperately fighting for their lives, and if Edinburgh’s men do not raise their standards, they will once again be relying on results elsewhere.
Prediction: Bury 1 Northampton Town 1
A person has died in a road traffic collision near Brackley today.
The incident happened near the Duck End Junction in Hinton-in-the-Hedges at around 12.30am.
For reasons yet unknown, a white Renault Trafic van lost control and rolled onto its side.
As a result, one of the three occupants of the vehicle sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Anyone with information or who witnessed this incident is asked to call the ‘Drivewatch Hotline’ on 0800 174615.
Courtney Lawes believes the Lions can cause an upset in New Zealand this summer.
The Saints lock has been named in Warren Gatland’s squad for the three-Test tour, which begins in June.
Lawes will compete with the likes of Maro Itoje and Alun Wyn Jones for a starting spot against the All Blacks.
And the Saints star is in bullish mood after being given the chance to realise his Lions ambition.
“It’s going to be a real tough campaign, but we’ve certainly got the quality in the side to cause an upset,” Lawes said.
“It’s going to be a great tour.
“There were some pretty close calls in there, especially in the second row, so I’m delighted to be a part of it.”
So how did Lawes discover he would be in the Lions squad?
“We’d just had a meeting (at Saints) and some of the boys found out I was in before I did, so I didn’t know whether they were taking the mick.
“But it turned out that I was in and it was good to share it with the boys.”
Lawes has been in fantastic form for club and country this season.
And he said: “It’s been the first season in a long time that I’ve managted to stay fit.
“It’s been a really good one, I’ve worked hard and thankfully it’s paid dividends.
“I’m just going to go in there with an open mind, ready to work hard and get to it.”
Saints star George North is hoping to help the Lions repeat their heroics of four years ago when they head to New Zealand this summer.
North was one of the stars of the show in 2013 as the Lions beat Australia 2-1 in the three Test series down under.
And he has been named in the squad once again for the trip to face the All Blacks.
“Excited is an understatement - I’m honoured and overwhelmed,” North said.
“The last experience was awesome and hopefully we can repeat that.
“I’m just excited, I know how much it means to go out there, and going to New Zealand is going to be a massive challenge.”
So just how big a mission will this be for the Lions?
“You’re playing the world champions in their own back garden and you go there with a team formed from four different nations,” North said.
“You have to mash together and understand each other in a short period of time and that’s another massive challenge.
“It’s something I’m excited to get back involved in.
“The whole experience of everyone coming together and working as one is great.
“Overall, winning the series 2-1 was amazing last time.”
More than 20 vehicles were seized by police in a single day across the Daventry area.
On Wednesday, April 19 officers carried out 157 police database checks on vehicles and a similar number of driving licence and person checks.
They identified 41 traffic offences and a total of 21 vehicles were seized.
One of these included a stolen BMW from a car key burglary in the Thames Valley Police area.
The BMW (pictured on Middlemore) was picked up by ANPR cameras before the police tracked the vehicle down.
When making the arrest, the driver got out of the vehicle and ran off, only to be stopped by officers who had chased after him.
Of the three arrests made, one was for burglary and another for possession of class B drugs and drug driving.
The operation, which ran between 8am and 8pm, was supported by Special Constables as well as officials from the council’s taxi licensing department.
A total of 16 private hire vehicles were checked and five of these were found to have serious defects.
A Northampton Chinese restaurant and its owner have been heavily fined for failing to keep the premises and cooking equipment clean, as well as not protecting food against contamination.
The restaurant, on Kingsley Park Terrace, had been served several Hygiene Improvement Notices by the borough council, but a failure to comply with these led Northampton Magistrates Court to dish out punishments on April 18.
Golden China Ltd was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £175 and legal costs of £225, while owner Mr Yi Yu was fined £400 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £40 and legal costs of £225.
Northampton Borough Council wants to remind traders to their commitment to food safety.
Cllr Jonathan Nunn, the leader of the Borough Council, said: “Environmental health officers carry out regular checks on all food premises to ensure the public is protected and that high standards are maintained.
“These inspections are ongoing and we take action against any premises that fail in their duty to their customers.”
A further inspection Golden China’s premises will be undertaken shortly.
Any business that is unsure of their obligations or in need of advice to call the borough council’s environmental health team on 0300 330 7000.
Members of the public who may be concerned about a particular premises are also urged to get in touch with the council.
Fire officers are currently dealing with a significant thatched cottage fire in Easton Maudit, between Wellingborough and Olney.
Four pumps and an aerial appliance are being used at the scene.
Officers were called at 12.15pm and are working with Compton Estates to minimise the impact on the local community.
Howard Packman has become the second Saints player to agree to join Bedford Blues this summer.
Packman, who is out of contract at Northampton at the conclusion of the current campaign, will join Lee Dickson at Goldington Road.
And another man with a Saints connection, fly-half Will Hooley, is also Blues-bound from Exeter Chiefs.
Packman had shown early promise after graduating from the Academy at Franklin’s Gardens, scoring regularly for the Wanderers.
But the 21-year-old, son of Saints legend Frank Packman, has been unable to secure regular first-team starts, making just seven appearances.
And he will now play for Bedford on a full-time basis next season, having had a spell at the Championship side on dual-registration.
“Howard is a wonderful player and over the last few months we’ve really seen what he’s all about and the hunger that he has on the field,” said Bedford boss Mike Rayer.
“Despite his young age, Howard has a very mature attitude to the game and I’m excited about seeing him really kicking on for us next season.”
Northants new boy Andy Carter revealed he was on the road at 5.30am before producing a superb debut display at Worcestershire.
Carter claimed three for 51 as Northants bowled Worcestershire out for just 188 on the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two clash at New Road.
Nathan Buck grabbed three for 53, while Muhammad Azharullah marked his first appearance of the season with two for 35 and Steven Crook registered the same figures.
But Northants, who were without the injured Rory Kleinveldt and Ben Sanderson, as well as skipper Alex Wakely, for family reasons, found it tough with the bat.
David Ripley’s men finished the day on 102 for six, 86 runs behind but with opener Ben Duckett still unbeaten on 45.
Carter was the day’s big talking point though, with the former Nottinghamshire right-arm medium pace bowler having come out of retirement to hit the headlines.
“I had a few phone calls from a few different people saying I had stopped playing too early so I thought I’d try and give it another shot,” the 28-year-old said.
“I played for the seconds last week and took five wickets.
“They have got a few injuries this week so I’m having a game!
“I’ve been working for a good friend as a self-employed tiler. That is what I’ve been doing since October.
“Yesterday I was on a building site until five o’clock. I drove down to Worcester at half-past-five this morning.
“They rang me yesterday afternoon saying they had got a few issues and they didn’t now what the pitch was like and said ‘can you come down?’.
“We bowled better than them having three wickets down at lunch, and in the afternoon I picked up three quick wickets and it created a hole in their batting line-up for the lads to roll them over.”
Police have named a man who died following a road traffic collision near Brackley.
He was Jon Milenkovic, 27, of High Street, Croughton, Northamptonshire.
Officers were called to the collision, near the Duck End junction in Hinton-in-the-Hedges, at about 12.30am today (Friday, April 21) when, for reasons yet unknown, a white Renault Trafic van lost control and rolled onto its side.
As a result, one of the three occupants of the vehicle sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Anyone with information or who witnessed this incident is asked to call the ‘Drivewatch Hotline’ on 0800 174615.
An elderly woman was robbed as she answered the door to her home in Dryden Street in Kettering.
The victim was robbed by a woman who knocked on her door at about 9.30am yesterday (Thursday, April 20).
The suspect pushed the door open resulting in the victim being knocked to the floor.
The offender then entered the property and stole the victim’s purse before leaving down Dryden Street and then right into Field Street.
She was described as tall, thin and aged in her late 30s with a gaunt-looking face.
She was wearing tight blue jeans and a black jacket.
The suspect is also described as wearing a blonde wig at the time of the offence and was seen to remove it when walking away from the scene revealing dark hair tied in a bun.
Witnesses should contact police on 101.
Justin Edinburgh was in no mood to celebrate confirmation of Northampton’s survival on Saturday as he berated his side’s ‘inept’ performance in their 3-0 defeat to Bury, insisting ‘it will not happen again’.
James Vaughan fired Bury ahead inside three minutes and it got no better from then on for the Cobblers who were lacklustre and below-par throughout.
George Miller headed in a second after half-time before Vaughan’s injury-time third rubbed salt into Northampton’s wounds.
Fortunately, results elsewhere, specifically Port Vale’s defeat to Bolton Wanderers, mean Town’s survival has been confirmed, though a deeply disappointed Edinburgh was hardly in party mood post-match.
“It’s pure frustration,” he admitted. “It was the worst performance in terms of the way we conceded goals.
“Credit to Bury because it was a very big game for them but we gifted them a goal in 90 seconds.
“There will be changes, We’ve accomplished what I was brought in to do and keep this club in the division which was obviously the priority and we’ve done that with a game to spare.
“But I’ve told the players that the performance today will not be happening under my reign anymore.
“I can only apologise to the supporters because we’re in a privileged profession and there are many people who would go to great lengths to be a professional footballer and what we produced today can’t happen at this football club again.”
Edinburgh is aware big changes are needed in the summer and he will not be afraid to make them after the defeat at Bury followed disappointing displays against Millwall and Shrewsbury.
“I think the first goal summed us up,” he added. “From a goal-kick we allowed the ball to bounce, we didn’t make contact and the player runs through and scores - you’d be disappointed if you saw that in U15s football, let alone professional football.
“So that was frustrating. There wasn’t much in the game but we’ve been poor and the second goal is two free headers in our six-yard box and the third just sums up our afternoon.”
Cobblers have been assured of their Sky Bet League One status for next season but only courtesy of results elsewhere after their winless run extended to seven games with a wretched 3-0 defeat away at fellow strugglers Bury on Saturday.
Bury had scored just one goal in their past six games, failing to win all six, but they were comfortably the better team on Saturday, sweeping to an easy victory against a seriously out-of-sorts Cobblers side.
Justin Edinburgh went with an experimental line-up for this game and his team spent most of the first-half trying to get to grips with their system after James Vaughan’s third minute goal punished a slack start from the visitors.
Town struggled for fluency and cohesion throughout but did gradually claw their way back into the contest to remain only one behind at the break, however despite a promising start to the second-half, Bury reasserted their control through George Miller’s close-range finish before Vaughan’s late second ensured it was the hosts who claimed a priceless victory.
Thankfully for Northampton, Port Vale’s defeat to Bolton Wanderers means they will stay up and remain a League One team, but their survival has hardly been achieved in convincing fashion.
This defeat and performance at Gigg Lane fell several notches below the expected standard - for the third successive game - leaving Edinburgh with plenty of head scratching to do ahead of his side’s final game of the season against former club Gillingham next Sunday.
Edinburgh rung the changes for Saturday’s final away game of the season, the most surprising of which saw first-choice goalkeeper Adam Smith drop to the bench.
David Cornell came in for his first start under Edinburgh, who also brought in Aaron Phillips, Shaun McWilliams and Neal Eardley as John-Joe O’Toole and David Buchanan missed out through suspension and Michael Smith failed to recover from a leg injury in time.
Eardley started at right-back with Brendan Moloney in more of an advanced midfield role but the makeshift team got off to the worst possible start and fell behind inside three minutes.
Some hesitant defending by the Cobblers was pounced upon by top marksman Vaughan, who out-muscled Lewin Nyatanga and worked space for neatly-placed shot that rolled into the bottom corner and gave Cornell no chance.
Bury did not start like a team who have only scored one goal in six matches but that early strike put the wind in their sails, though Moloney slashed over a half chance in reply for Town.
Tom Pope’s weak shot was easy for Cornell and Anderson’s diving header was equally straightforward for Joe Murphy as both teams exchanged chances in an enterprising opening quarter.
The game settled down as the half wore on but it remained an entertaining watch as Murphy produced a diving stop to tip wide Matty Taylor’s well-struck free-kick while Pope’s dipping volley clipped the top of the net and Andrew Tutte also shot narrowly off target from range.
Despite improving on their slow start, Northampton found themselves defending in the final stages of the first-half and Bury’s push for a second was almost rewarded but Pope opted to pass instead of shoot when seemingly through on goal.
His poor decision-making allowed Town to go into half-time just one behind, and it was no surprise that Edinburgh opted to use the interval to make changes.
Rod McDonald replaced Eardley and the Cobblers shifted to three at the back, and those alterations prompted a much-improved start to the second-half.
The visitors were dominant and Bury had to be on their guard to hack away several dangerous crosses and prevent any shots from threatening Murphy in the home goal.
The hosts then steadied the ship and stemmed Town’s dominance with a good spell of their own, during which Vaughan crashed a 20-yard free-kick into the top of the wall.
Northampton were bossing possession but struggled to carve open the home defence and properly test Murphy, and with Bury always carrying a threat on the break, what happened on 73 minutes didn’t come as a great shock.
The Cobblers looked to have been off the hook when Cameron Burgess’ thumping header crashed back off the bar but substitute Miller was quickest to react, poking home the rebound to double the lead.
A fine block from Zander Diamond prevented Lowe from making it three as Northampton struggled to mount a response, and their misery was compounded in injury-time when Vaughan hammered in his second and Bury’s third, capping off an excellent afternoon for the hosts and a terrible one for the visitors, even if confirmation of Vale’s defeat secured their safety.
Bury: Murphy, Leigh, C Burgess, Kay (c), Tutte, Barnett, Moore, Lowe (S Burgess 84), Caddis, Vaughan (Cameron 90), Pope (Miller 65)
Subs not used: Williams, Walker, Mackreth, Hulme
Cobblers: Cornell, Moloney (Beautyman 80), Diamond, Nyatanga, Phillips, Eardley (McDonald 45), McWilliams, Taylor, P Anderson, Revell (K Anderson 64), Richards (c)
Subs not used: Smith, McCourt, Boateng, Iaciofano
Referee: Nigel Miller
Attendance: 5,190
Cobblers fans: 772
A Northamptonshire foundation awarded £1.2m to various groups across the county during its most successful year to date.
Between April 2016 and March 2017 Northamptonshire Community Foundation handed funds to 299 groups, charities and individuals on behalf of a range of donors across the county.
The funding has helped to support a variety of community projects including those tackling issues such as poverty, social isolation, domestic violence and unemployment in Northamptonshire.
Grants director and deputy CEO of the Northamptonshire Community Foundation Rachel McGrath said: “I am delighted that the foundation has had its most successful year yet in awarding grants to local community groups and charities on behalf of a range of donors.
“The impact that small groups have on our communities is absolutely huge and vital tackling a range of issues and improving the lives of local people. We’d like to say a huge thank you to our generous donors for their kind support.”
Phoenix Community Cinema was awarded £9,500 to provide affordable cinema screenings to rural areas in Northamptonshire, bringing isolated communities together for an evening of film.
To help develop their WISH project enabling fragile families to improve their sense of wellbeing, decrease isolation, increase self-esteem and improve health, Home Start Wellingborough and District were handed £8,765.
Great Oxendon Village Hall was given £1,760 to provide maintenance work to the village hall to produce a good community space for all group activities.
Citizens Advice Services Corby and Kettering were awarded £10,000 to provide a Personal Independence Payment Support service to disabled people who are applying for personal independence payments.
Sikh Community Centre and Youth Club were handed £19,850 to develop their Mind, Body and Soul programme improving the emotional, physical and social wellbeing of vulnerable and isolated individuals in the community.
The singing group set up to help people diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Singing for Breathing, were given £3,000 to provide a transport service for their members during the winter.
A former nightclub in Northampton town centre is being relaunched by the university's student union, it has been revealed.
The University of Northampton’s Students’ Union has signed a 10-year lease with the Richardsons Group on the former Black Bottom Club situated on George Row, which will house a new nightclub, café bar, art shop and volunteer training space.
It will also be the base to a number of the Students’ Union’s current services, including a student letting agency and temporary recruitment service.
Liam Bligh, Students’ Union president, said: “We are delighted that we can bring part of our Students’ Union into the town centre ahead of the move to the Waterside Campus in 2018.
“The café bar will be a bright, airy and contemporary venue offering a wide variety of light snacks, sandwiches, pastries, soft and alcoholic beverages and will be open to the students and the general public throughout the day all year round.
“With our nightclub offering, we are aiming to create a premium evening destination which will distinguish itself from other venues in the town centre.
“It will cater to our core student market through exclusive student nights offering high quality entertainment at affordable prices during the week. It will also be open to the general public through club nights, independent events and private bookings.”
The venue is due to shortly undergo a full refurbishment and will open at the start of the new academic year.
Their attack was only broken up when a lone police officer charged in to stop them, and a member of the public tripped one of the defendants as they ran away.
The pair took part in a four-on-one beating, where a witness described seeing 'penalty-like kicks' that snapped the victim's head back 'like whiplash in a car accident'.
John Butterfield QC, in sentencing, said: "I want to commend the bravery of the police officer and the member of the public on that night. They show some of the better qualities of humanity that these two do not exhibit."
Billy Holland, 20, and his cousin Kieran Holland, 20, both from Kettering, were sentenced in Northampton Crown Court yesterday (April 21) for causing grievous bodily harm. Kieran, who the court heard started the attack with a punch to the head, was sentenced for causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
They were on a night out in Kettering town centre in July 2014 when a disagreement with another man turned violent.
Mr Butterfield said: "I imagine this was some disagreement that started in a nightclub and was resolved outside on the pavement.
"Kieran Holland punched the victim to the ground before all four of the group 'put the boot in' with stamping and kicking. All the time he was helpless as they piled in with their feet.
"A lone police officer stopped the attack and bravely chased off the four jacked-up lads. As they ran away, Billy Holland was tripped by a member of the public."
The victim woke up a broken jaw with no memory of the attack. He had to be put in a medically-induced coma by doctors and could not return to work for five weeks.
Police tracked down and arrested the cousins. They found blood on Kieran Holland's shoe.
They were found guilty by a jury on March 23, during which they heard how Billy Holland had lied about his involvement and claimed to throw the first punch. They pair have never revealed who the other two attackers were.
In mitigation, their barristers pointed out that neither had touched alcohol or reoffended since the attack three years ago.
Mr Butterfield said: "Both of you still deny the offences you have been convicted of. You are both young and you were in drink. It is sad that you, Billy Holland, had no previous convictions before this attack."
For his part in starting the attacked, Kieran holland was sentenced to five years in a young offender institution.
Billy Holland was sentenced to one year in a young offenders institution.
Several members of cabinet and the leader, Heather Smith, claimed that councils inside London get better deals on their council taxes and that 'there just isn't the funding' in Northamptonshire to finish vital projects like the North-West Relief Road.
Central Government awarded nearly £8 million to the county in March to finish the long-awaited North West bypass.
Cabinet member for Transport and Highways Ian Morris said yesterday (April 21): "There just isn't enough funding.
"It's a question of funds to deliver these projects. There needs to be a major change in Central Government to fairly distribute funding."
They made the comments at a launch party at the County Cricket Club for the Northamptonshire Conservative manifesto ahead of the county election on May 4.
Leader Councillor Heather Smith pledged she would lobby central government for 'fairer funding', saying: "Boroughs in London are getting a much lower council tax on much larger houses compared to Northamptonshire. That is based on historic systems and deprivation that doesn't apply now.
"We want to change that nationally and have the money redistributed on a fair basis. If we can a Tory government working both nationally and locally then we can work to push these changes through."
Northamptonshire has the lowest county council tax in England, according to the manifesto published yesterday (April 21).
Countywide spokesman for UKIP, Jonathan Bullock, said: "Northamptonshire has been controlled by the Tories for 12 years and they've also had central Government since 2015. They've had the chance to work locally and nationally to afford more funding. Instead, we're one of the least funded counties in the country."
Northamptonshire's Labour leader John McGee said: "We have two Tory MPs and amongst some of the lowest funding in the country.
"I'd like the remind the Northamptonshire County Council that we have had a Tory majority for 12 years. I don't believe we are in the mess we're in now solely because of central government funding."
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid attended the party yesterday. He said: "I do think funding could be distributed more fairly, but we need to secure a stable relationship between local and national government."
Ella Eyre and Sheppard will be supporting Little Mix who headline Donington Park this summer as part of their Summer Shout Out Tour.
Eyre has already racked up an impressive seven UK Top 40 hits and is set to perform her hits including Waiting All Night, Gravity and If I Go before Little Mix take to the stage.
Australian indie band Sheppard have enjoyed success with their song Geronimo, which spent three weeks at number one in their home country and was certified five times platinum- as well as being streamed more than 238 million times on Spotify.
2016 was an incredible year for headliners Little Mix with another massive number one single Shout Out To My Ex, and their album Glory Days shooting straight to the top of the album charts.
The record is the quickest selling album in the UK charts by a girl group since Destiny’s Child’s Survivor in 2001.
All play Donington Park on July 1.
Tickets cost £38 and are on sale now. For more details visit www.donington-park.co.uk.
The authority is set to temporarily close St John's House, based in Tiffield, near Towcester at the end of the month as it says the standard of care there is "not being met".
But it means the five young people living there have been moved to foster houses, in some cases many miles away, with no knowledge of whether can ever return to the place they had come to know as home.
A 16-year-old who has lived there since she was 12, has even lodged a petition to keep the home open that has so far gathered 50 names.
She told the Chronicle & Echo: "Obviously it is traumatic.
"I wasn't allowed to say goodbye to anyone that had looked after me for the past four years."
Teenagers living in St John's House have their own bedroom and there is an apartment there for the older teenagers to live semi-independently.
But the teenager has been moved to a foster home in Aylesbury, making it the second time she has had to switch homes under care.
"I liked it at St John's House," she said.
"All the staff are very caring. we had a very good structure, I had a good routine in there.
"I just want the county council to think about what they are doing.
"No one has really spoken to us about anything. we were just told that we were going to get moved and they were going to close us down."
The most recent Care Quality Commission report for St John's House in 2013 was also positive.
An excerpt from a watchdog inspector read: "We spoke with five people that used the service and they all told us they were happy living at St John’s Home and they felt safe.
"One person told us 'I like living here and I feel safe'. Another person told us 'They keep their eye on you and they always come to you if you need them'."
A Northamptonshire County Council spokeswoman said: “We are currently carrying out a review of St John’s House children’s home to ensure our expected standards of care are being met.
“As an interim measure, we have taken the decision to move the five young people currently placed at St John’s House into alternative suitable provision within the county and staff are being temporarily relocated.
“Our priority is to ensure a smooth transition for the young people affected and we are keeping their families and carers, as well as Ofsted, fully updated.”
To sign the petition to keep St John's House open click here.