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Detectives are appealing for information regarding the whereabouts of a man wanted in relation to a number of Northampton assaults.
Noor Alam, 36, of no fixed abode, also goes by the name Ahmed Zakir, and police want to speak to him in connection with a number of Northampton assaults.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Alam should call Northamptonshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 19000524436.
If you see Alam, you are asked to call 999 immediately.
Kevin van Veen is looking forward to seeing some old friends when his Scunthorpe United side face the Cobblers on Saturday - but once 3pm comes around his sole focus will be on winning the game.
Having joined in January 2018, van Veen endured a horror start to his Northampton career and was plagued by injury and loss of form as the club were relegated out of League One.
He improved the following season and scored 10 times in all competitions before moving back to Scunthorpe, where he's currently top of the scoring charts with four goals in seven appearances this season.
"I’ve got a lot of friends who are players there still and I’ve got a connection with the gaffer Keith Curle," the Dutchman told the club website ahead of Saturday's game.
"When the game starts on Saturday, that will be forgotten and we’ll try to get three points.
“I’ve been positive about recent performances as a team and personally. I expect a tough game but I’m very confident we’ll get the result.”
It took van Veen, now 28, over a month to earn his first league start of the season under Paul Hurst but he's since started four of Scunthorpe's last six games, scoring four goals during that time.
“I’ve not really got a target because I’ve missed some games," he added. "I do try to get as many goals and assists as I can.
“I’ve been training well and playing to keep the shirt. We’ve got some good strikers and that pushes me to do better.
“Our luck has turned. At the start of the season, we lost games we shouldn’t lose. We just need to get three points now and it doesn’t mater how.
"A draw is a good result but we need to get some wins on the board now.”
A new domestic abuse strategy has been developed to help tackle violence in communities across Northamptonshire.
The strategy brings together and builds on the work being done by agencies and voluntary groups to deal with domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Drawing on the latest good practice, it covers coercive control and stalking for the first time, as a recognition of the prevalence of this behaviour.
The new, multi-agency strategy has been prepared and led by Northamptonshire police, fire and crime commissioner (PFCC) Stephen Mold and Northamptonshire County Council on behalf of the Northamptonshire Community Safety Partnership.
"Domestic abuse has no place in Northamptonshire. This strategy shows that working together, we are serious in our intention to create an atmosphere where abuse will not be tolerated and I am pleased to have been able to make this a reality," he said.
As this newspaper reported earlier this week, more than 16,000 incidents of domestic abuse were recorded by Northamptonshire Police between September 2017 and December 2018.
Meanwhile 4.6 per cent of domestic abuse incidents have a sexual element.
The new strategy will focus on: the development of prevention and intervention initiatives and raising awareness that will improve the response to victims of abuse.
As well as ensuring that children, young people and families affected by abuse have access to support, developing safe accommodation for victims, including keeping them safe in their own homes, and ensuring perpetrators are dealt with effectively by the criminal justice system.
Partner agencies involved in the Community Safety Partnership will work together to develop an action plan to meet these ambitions, a spokesman said.
Chairman Martin Hammond said: “Domestic abuse is one of the partnership’s top priorities and this strategy is the first the board has finalised.
"Each agency will now take the strategy for approval through their own organisations, so that we can be confident it will have the right profile and collective ownership.
"The board will be overseeing and monitoring its impact over the coming months and years.”
The PFCC has already put in place a number of initiatives, some in partnership with Northamptonshire Police, including:
· Adopted a ground breaking new programme to ensure that first time abuse offenders who would be cautioned, have to attend a programme to tackle their abusive behaviour and prevent reoffending
· Funded and helped the force to implement a ‘safer relationships’ programme that intervenes with prolific, high risk domestic abuse offenders to manage their offending
· Planned a campaign with Northamptonshire Police and other partners to begin in November, that will promote an environment where people can spot the early signs of domestic abuse and help victims feel confident to disclose abuse
Other initiatives, such as paying for resources to help make victims’ homes more secure, are also in the pipeline.
Members of the Northamptonshire Community Safety Partnership are: borough, district and county councils, Northamptonshire Police, Northamptonshire police, fire and crime commissioner, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, National Probation Service, Bench CIC, Youth Offending Service, clinical commissioning groups and Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust.
The jewellery, including rings, a necklace and earrings was stolen during a break-in at a property in Larch Close, Irchester.
The jewellery includes a distinctive snowflake pendant necklace and a diamond heart necklace, as well as a number of rings with precious stones.
The break-in happened between 4.30pm and 5pm on Monday, September 9.
Anyone who saw the burglary, has seen the jewellery or been offered similar items for sale should call the police.
Northamptonshire Police can be called on 101 or Crimestoppers can be called anonymously on 0800 555111.
A 15-year-old girl has been missing from Northampton for over 24 hours.
Police are appealing for information to help find a 15-year-old girl reported missing from Northampton.
Leah McAulay was last seen at around 4.05pm yesterday, Wednesday, October 9, in Kingsthorpe.
Officers are concerned for Leah’s welfare and are urging her to call police on 101.
Leah is described as white, around 5ft 2in, and has very long hair dyed silver-grey, not pink as in her photo. She speaks with a Scottish accent.
She was last seen wearing a black puffer-style jacket with a fur hood, a grey chequered cropped jumper, black skinny jeans, black and white trainers and carrying a black rucksack.
Anyone who sees Leah or knows where she is should call Northamptonshire Police on 101 quoting reference MPN2/3168/19.
Town have a number of talented youngsters on their books but first-team opportunities are currently few and far between, particularly with players now returning from injury.
However, aware of the importance of playing men's football, Curle is planning to send several out on loan, following in the footsteps of Jay Williams and Jack Newell.
Newell recently spent time at Redditch United in the Southern Football League while Williams has already won admirers during his short stay with National League North team Kettering Town.
"The younger players are developing and what they need is game-time but they also make up the first-team squad and they're getting the training," said Curle.
"They are fundamental within the first-team squad but they're not getting the game-time needed for their individual development so I think we're going to see them out on loan.
"Jay Williams has just gone out while Jack Newell has just returned from a loan spell and we're looking to get him out again.
"There's been approaches for Ryan Hughes, Camron McWilliams and Morgan Roberts for them to go and get game-time."
It's a tricky balancing act for Curle who is keen to promote Town's youngsters while also trying to lead a promotion challenge with the first-team.
He added: "Now that players are starting to come back into the first-team - touchwood - that does allow us to be able to help them on their development and get men's football game-time, 90 minute, competitive football under their belt.
"They still train with us through the week so that they're fully part of it but they've also got an end product at the end of the week. Initially we let them out for 28 days and if need be we're able to get them back.
"Hopefully when they do come back in, they maintain their upward progression but with adding game-time to it as well."
The following people were sentenced at Northampton Magistrates’ Court:
AUGUST 21
Jonathan Hart, aged 46, of Orchard Court, Pattishall, breach of a court order; fined £80, surcharge £32, costs £85.
Brett Moore, aged 47, of Eastfield Road, Duston, stole a bottle of whiskey from Waitrose; jailed for 12 weeks suspended for 12 months, surcharge £122, costs £85. Used threatening or abusive words or behaviour; jailed for 12 weeks suspended for 12 months.
Dean Roberts, aged 40, of Billing Road, Northampton, no insurance; fined £440, surcharge £44, costs £85, licence endorsed with six points. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £146. No test certificate; fined £146.
Vadims Zukovs, aged 30, of Campbell Street, Northampton, stole two bottles of cider; community order made, compensation £5.38, surcharge £90. Obstructed a police officer; community order made.
Kelly Park, aged 41, of Narrowboat Lane, Northampton, failed to identify a driver accused of an offence; fined £384, surcharge £38, costs £85, licence endorsed with six points.
Cameron Fox, aged 25, of Damselfly Road, Northampton, driving without due consideration of others; fined £33, surcharge £30. No insurance; fnied £101, licence endorsed with six points.
AUGUST 22
Qudus Alaka, aged 22, of Abbey Road, Northampton, assaulted a police community support officer; community order made. Resisted arrest; community order made. No insurance; fined £135, licence endorsed with six points.
Steven Joyce, aged 30, of Stockmead Road, Northampton, sent a grossly offensive social media message; community order made to carry out 40 hours of unpaid work, surcharge £85, costs £40.
Laura Spriggs, aged 34, of Cheriton Close, Daventry, drink-driving; community order made to carry out
100 hours of unpaid work,
surcharge £90, costs £85, banned from driving for 26 months.
Mohammed Ali, aged 27, of Icknield Drive, Northampton, failed to stop at an accident; jailed for 18 weeks, banned from driving for 14 months. Failed to report an accident to police; jailed for 18 weeks, surcharge £115, costs £85.
Anatolie Arnaut, aged 34, of Perry Street, Northampton, drink-driving; community order made to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work, banned from driving for 24 months. No insurance; fined £250.
Elliott Chapman, aged 19, of Cooks Way, Long Buckby, drug-driving; fined £210, surcharge £30, costs £85, banned from driving for 12 months.
James Scotland, aged 31, of Inglewood Court, Northampton, assault, breach of a court order; pleaded guilty, sent to Crown Court for sentence.
Lynne Wintersgill, aged 41, of Erikson Close, Daventry, stole steak from Costcutter; fined £25, surcharge £30, costs £85.
Vasile Voinitchi, aged 60, of Longmead Court, Northampton, failed to provide a blood test; fined £300, surcharge £32, costs £85, banned from driving for 20 months.
Wayne Townsend, aged 34, of HMP Woodhill Prison, entered a building with intent to steal, assaulted a police officer, damaged roof tiles; pleaded guilty, sent to Crown Court for sentence.
Mohammud Cali, aged 35, of Castle Street, Northampton, possession of cannabis; pleaded guilty, sent to Crown Court for sentence.
AUGUST 23
Lincoln Ingram, aged 33, of Oak Road Place, Northampton, driving while banned; no separate penalty. No insurance; no separate penalty. Assault; jailed for 26 weeks, compensation £200, surcharge £115, costs £400. Assault; jailed for 22 weeks concurrent, compensation £200.
Sharon McGowan, aged 58, of Tintern Avenue, Northampton, fraud; jailed for 18 weeks suspended for 12 months, compensation £420.
Daniel Ashby, aged 36, of no fixed abode, used threatening or abusive words or behaviour; jailed for seven weeks, compensation £50.
Raymond McWilliams, aged 41, of High Street, Upton, damaged a porch; no separate penalty, compensation £250. Assault; jailed for six weeks suspended for 24 months, compensation £100, surcharge £115. Harassment; jailed for two weeks consecutive suspended to 24 months, compensation £50. Assault; jailed for six weeks consecutive suspended for 24 months. Similar offence; jailed for six weeks consecutive suspended for 24 months.
Kevin Spring, aged 38, of Skiddaw Walk, Northampton, breach of a court order; jailed for 12 weeks suspended for 12 months, surcharge £115, costs £200.
AUGUST 27
Gherorghe Boguta, aged 28, of Collyweston Road, Northampton, failed to comply with a community order; fined £100, costs £60.
Mitchell Mills, aged 23, of Pembroke Road, Northampton, failed to comply with a community order; order varied, costs £60.
Jay McLeod, aged 33, of Arbour View Crescent, Northampton, failed to comply with a supervision order; fined £40, costs £60.
Richard Paine, aged 34, c/o Queens Road, Daventry, kept an unlicensed vehicle; fined £38, costs £85.
Daniel Robinson, aged 27, of Brookside Meadow, Northampton, failed to comply with a community order; fined £40, costs £30.
Graeme Snee, aged 37, of Rufford Avenue, Northampton, failed to comply with a community order; fined £333, costs £60.
Mitchelle Stephenson, aged 25, of Bective Road, Northampton, failed to comply with a community order; fined £100, costs £60.
William Watts, aged 25, c/o Campbell Square, Northampton, failed to comply with a community order; costs £60.
Dean Maskell, aged 51, of Braemar Crescent. Northampton, committed an act outraging public decency; community order made, surcharge £85, costs £85.
Ricky Austin, aged 33, of Hardlands Road, Northampton, failed to comply with a community order; costs £60.
George Murray, aged 48, of no fixed abode, possession of a class B drug; conditional discharge for 12 months, surcharge £21, costs £85.
Kye Parr, aged 22, of Abington Street, Northampton, possession of a class B drug; fined £80, surcharge £30, costs £85.
Ben Pickford, aged 32, of Market Square, Northampton, used threatening or insulting words or behaviour; jailed for 12 weeks suspended for
12 months, surcharge £122, costs £620. Failed to surrender to custody; jailed for two weeks suspended for 12 months.
Zydre Macene, aged 33, of East Oval, Northampton, vehicle did not meet insurance requirements; fined £40, surcharge £30.
AUGUST 28
Vaughan Coe, aged 29, of Alliston Gardens, Northampton, stole four bottles of wine worth £27.65 belonging to Tesco; jailed for six weeks, compensation £27.65. Stole six bottles of wine from Sainsbury’s; jailed for six weeks, consecutive. Stole alcohol from Tesco; jailed for six weeks concurrent. Failed to surrender to custody; jailed for two weeks.
Benjamin Hill, aged 33, of Harefield Road, Northampton, failed to surrender to custoday; costs £60.
Ryan Petrons, aged 24, of no fixed abode, damaged
a front door; community
order to carry out 70 hours of unpaid work, compensation £250.
Colm Hyland, aged 39, of Limehurst Square, Northampton, entered as a trespasser, Shoezone Store, and stole items including shoes £2,000; jailed for 16 weeks suspended for 12 months, compensation £300.
Nathan Williams, aged 47, of Banbury Road, Daventry, resisted arrest; fined £115, surcharge £32, costs £85.
Scott Hogben, aged 22, of Briar Hill Road, Northampton, driving without due care and attention; fined £360, surcharge £36, costs £85, licence endorsed with seven points.
Robert Jurca, aged 27, of Lower Meadow Court, Northampton, driving at 43mph in a 30mph zone; fined £100, surcharge £30, costs £85, banned from driving for six months.
Aude Ntandou, aged 36, of Link Road, Northampton, faulty tyre; fined £440, licence endorsed with three points, surchargfe £44, costs £85.
Rebecca Stephens, aged 23 of Kent Crescent, Northampton, failed to stop at an accident; fined £440, surcharge £44, costs £85, licence endorsed with six points. Driving without due care and attention; fined £440.
AUGUST 29
Emanuel Sarpong, aged 22, of The Severn, Daventry, possession of a class A drug; fined £120, surcharge £32, costs £85. possession of a class B drug; fined £80.
Mihai Spiridon, aged 29, of Wilby Street, Northampton, assault, dangerous driving; pleaded guilty, sent to Crown Court for sentence.
Christopher Line, aged 36, of Wildacre Drive, Northampton, driving without due care and attention; fined £369, surcharge £122, costs £85. Drink-driving; jailed for 20 weeks suspended for 18 months, banned from driving for 36 months.
Thomas Humphries, aged 27, of Chase Park Road, Yardley Hastings, drink-driving; community order made to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work, surcharge £90, costs £85, banned from driving for 24 months.
Lavinia McKenzie, aged 32, of Berrywood Drive, Northampton, arson; conditional discharge for 12 months, compensation £100.
Age UK Northamptonshire has said they might have to close some of their day centres if their funding is not renewed by Northamptonshire County Council.
Age UK runs seven day centres across the county for more than 300 individual elderly people every week - 63 per cent of those people have an informal carer at home.
It's a place where many people go not just to have a chat but also to be bathed and have their hair and feet done.
But there is growing concern by Age UK and ten other voluntary groups in Northamptonshire that their funding will not be renewed by the county council leaving 3,500 people recieving no support.
It comes as a three-year Social Wellbeing Contract - which is currently funded through the NCC Public Health pot - will cease at the end of March 2020 (previously reported here).
This means Age UK might have to shut some of their day centres, or reduce the number of days the day centres remain open for their clients.
Organisations who are under threat of shutting, unless new funding can be found, include Northamptonshire Age UK, The Autumn Centre, Catch 22, Dostiyo, Glamis Hall, Marlow House Welcomes, Mayday Trust, Midland Heart, Naash, Serve and ACA.
Age UK Northamptonshire bosses argue that reducing their funding would, in turn, cost the county council millions of pounds to put their elderly clients into residential care or respite.
Service manager for Age UK Northamptonshire, Fern Overton, said: "Sixty-three per cent of our clients have an informal carer at home and that informal carer and us mean that they can stay living independantly.
"Without us that would be 63 per cent of our clients that would need residential care. That's a huge amount of people, and obviously that residential care has to be paid for somewhere."
In an open letter sent to Northamptonshire County Council's chief executive, Theresa Grant, the voluntary organisations said they have now achieved even better value for money after the overall contract has reduced in value from £2.6 million in 2016 to £1.6 million in 2018.
Age UK chief executive, Christopher Duff, added: "We would have to cut provision, we would have to cut services. Our different centres would be under threat of closure.
"Even a centre like this that is open Monday to Friday we would really have to assess having it open five days a week or condensing it down to two or three, and it would have a massive impact on us."
Over the eleven organisations there are 171 volunteers who provide a saving of £438,920 a year.
Describing what Age UK means to her, Fern said: "When our drivers pick clients up in the morning they are in the home, they put the cat out and put the heater on the alarm is set and sometimes our drivers have to help clients get dressed. Our drivers have saved lives in terms of the fact that some of our clients are so socially isolated that we are the only people they see once a week.
"We have gone to pick them up in the morning and they've not been waiting outside like they normally are, they're on the floor where they've been all night. We've detected burglaries where an older person has been broken into during the night and they've not known because they've taken their hearing aids out.
"When our drivers have got there in the morning they've found that they've been locked in and they've been burgled. It's the whole package, it's not about turning up, paying your money and getting your activities and lunch it's about being part of the family."
James Grayson has grown up watching Saints scrap it out with Leicester Tigers and Welford Road.
And this weekend he finally gets to grace the turf of his club's local rivals as he looks to steer the black, green and gold to a morale-boosting victory.
Saints have lost all three of their matches so far, meaning they will not be able to successfully defend their Premiership Rugby Cup crown.
But now sights are sharpening on the final pool game, at Tigers, and, ultimately, the Gallagher Premiership opener at Saracens a week later.
And Grayson, a product of the Saints Academy, can't wait to be part of the action this Saturday as he tries to help his club continue their good recent record at Leicester.
"It's very exciting, Leicester away at Welford Road," Grayson said.
"I've actually never been lucky enough to play there, but I've been there as a travelling reserve and witnessed a couple of good wins.
"Fingers crossed we can get a bit of momentum, put in a decent performance and the result will take care of itself."
Saints have won on their past two visits to Tigers, with their most recent victory a convincing 29-15 success back in March.
But prior to April 2018, they had failed to win at Leicester since February 2007.
And Grayson has plenty of derby-day recollections, having watched those ferocious battles while growing up.
"I remember being a young boy watching on TV with the Tuilagis beating up Chris Ashton and all that sort of stuff," said the 21-year-old.
"It's a tough place to go and play and though the last couple of years it's not been as much of a fortress as they'd want it to be, there's no doubt they're going to be flying into it - and we're going to be the same.
"A few people have said it's still pre-season games but once you get to local derbies there's no pre-season about it.
"Everyone will be full on, piling in, so we're just trying to focus on our processes and making sure we go there in as good a shape as we can."
With Dan Biggar at the World Cup with Wales, Grayson is Saints' current first-choice 10.
He has started all three matches so far, with Saints losing to Sale Sharks, Wasps and Saracens in the Premiership Rugby Cup.
But Grayson has relished the emphasis that has been placed on his young shoulders.
"It's been good, I've enjoyed the responsibility," he said.
"I probably didn't play as well as I wanted to in the first couple of games, against Sale and Wasps, but I was a bit better against Saracens.
"I'm just trying to get myself comfortable in starting games and taking control from the off.
"Against Sale it was about trying to get the team on the front foot when their pack was a bit more physical than ours.
"Against Wasps it was about not overplaying in the middle third and trying to put the pressure back on them.
"And against Saracens, we had a good 30, 40 minutes but we need to be more consistent throughout the game.
"I'm getting there and looking forward to Leicester this week."
Saints shipped 31 second-half points in their defeat to Saracens at Franklin's Gardens last Sunday.
But Grayson insists there were reasons to be cheerful after the 54-28 defeat ahead of the renewal of rivalries between the sides in the Premiership opener on October 19.
"Lots of positives there in the de-brief," he said.
"But against a team like that you can't give them the opportunities we gave them.
"We dropped the ball from kick-offs and turned the ball over in our own third.
"It gave them a chance to squeeze us and you can't be doubling up on errors.
"When we've got the ball we've got to be more accurate and when we haven't we need to be crystal clear and not give them any ins to the game."
Grayson lined up alongside summer signing Henry Taylor last Saturday.
Taylor turned in a superb scrum-half showing, scoring a try against his former club.
And Grayson said: "He did do well and he's good.
"He's a classic nine: gobby and full of energy.
"He's signed here and is looking to try to push Alex Mitchell and Coby (Reinach) as first-choice potentially.
"He's a good boy.
"He's a good-looking lad, he likes his hair and to make sure he's looking good on the pitch.
"But he's a good player and he's full of energy."
Young homegrown midfielders Shaun McWilliams and Scott Pollock were both singled out for praise by manager Keith Curle after Tuesday’s victory over Cambridge United in the EFL Trophy.
McWilliams made his 14th successive start in all competitions for the EFL Trophy tie at the Abbey Stadium while Pollock was in for his third appearance of the season.
Both players have emerged through the club’s youth system, albeit via different paths, and whilst McWilliams has very much established himself in the first-team, Pollock is not far behind.
The 18-year-old broke into Curle’s starting XI towards the end of last season and although he’s had to be patient for game-time this term, his performance on Tuesday was, as Curle described afterwards, ‘a gentle reminder of what he’s all about’.
With the typically hard-working, hard-tackling McWilliams sweeping up play behind him, Pollock’s first thought was always to play forward and his purposeful, incisive passing gave Cobblers control in the first-half.
He faded a little in the second 45 minutes but it was still an impressive display from the teenager and Curle was clearly impressed with both of his young midfielders afterwards.
He said: “One’s a player, one’s a rat! But they’re both elements that as a player you need to have and as a team you need to have.
“You need have that energy, that willingness and then you need the composure to go and get on the ball, and I think both of them can improve on the other one’s aspect of the game.
“Shauny McWilliams has great tenacity and great willingness and effort to get the ball back, but he can be a little bit better on the ball.
“Scotty Pollock can handle a ball, can see a pass, can deliver a pass and he’s also got a range of passing.
“He needs to be a little bit stronger and a little bit more aggressive out of possession but that’s part of their development and part of their learning that something we’re pleased to be part of.”
Jordan Turnbull was also impressed with Town's contingent of young players on Tuesday, including second-half substitute Morgan Roberts.
"I thought Shaun McWilliams and Scott Pollock were fantastic," he said. "We passed the ball around quite well during the game and those two were pivotal in that.
"Then Morgs coming on at the end gave us attacking threat and work-rate down the wing so it was a brilliant night for them."
Scunthorpe United were one of the favourites for promotion this season but a poor start has left them struggling down in 22nd place with just one win in 12 games.
To find out what's going on at Glanford Park ahead of Saturday's big game, we asked Paul Crute of the Scunthorpe Telegraph to give us the lowdown...
What has been the reason behind Scunhtorpe's slow start to the season?
I think at the start of the season, there was still a little bit of a hangover from last season, with the same defensive mistakes still happening.
Slowly but surely that seems to be eradicated and the Iron recently have not conceded goals in bunches as they had been doing. Harrison McGahey and Rory McArdle have formed a good partnership in the centre of defence.
Hurst has also struggled with a number of injuries earlier on in the season but those problems have eased.
The striking department has been at times pretty light, and Scunthorpe did struggle for goals early on but with Jamie Proctor and Jamie Ward signing and Kevin van Veen and Lee Novak returning from injury things look better in that area.
Now the injuries have lightened, the Iron’s form has improved slowly, with just one defeat in their last five league games.
What do fans think of Paul Hurst?
For some the jury is still out on him but the recent improvement in form, fans are slowly warming to him.
His signings, on the whole, have been decent, and now they have settled they are starting to put in good performances.
I don’t think even Hurst envisaged the size of the task he took on at Scunthorpe and it was always going to take some time to get things right.
But now he looks like he has found close to his best side, has brought in the players he wants (12 in all) and now they are starting to gel.
He has also had to deal with a really bad injury list but with players returning performances have improved.
There is still a long way to go but the signs are positive moving forward.
How has Kevin van Veen fared since his return?
It has been a bit hard to judge Kev so far due to his limited game time this season.
Before the season started Paul Hurst said he was on the periphery of the first team but then got injured after the first game of the season which kept him out until September.
But he scored twice in his comeback game against Grimsby in the EFL Trophy and followed that up with two goals in his last three games, but he did miss a golden chance against Plymouth last weekend.
Hurst knows what a talented player he is and he slowly seems to be getting the message through to the Dutchman about his workrate and he has linked up well with Jamie Proctor recently.
There were times last season, especially in the big relegation match against Bradford, where he didn’t look interested and everybody knows this is the side of his game he needs to improve on.
He didn’t get too much of a look in last season but if he continues his form he has shown in his last few matches he could be a valuable player
The leader of Northamptonshire County Council has said the biggest problem holding back children’s services improvement is the authority’s inability to recruit and retain staff.
The authority lurched into a fresh crisis with the loss of its head of children’s services Sally Hodges, along with her deputy.
The experienced pair had been brought in earlier this year to improve the failing department which has been rated as inadequate by Ofsted and is currently unable to provide 230 Northamptonshire children who need a social worker with one.
The Government-appointed children’s commissioner Malcolm Newsam has also quit.
Speaking at the health and wellbeing board yesterday (Oct 10) Conservative leader Cllr Matt Golby, who has seen off various calls for him to resign over the children’s services problems which have been ongoing for the past year, says the biggest issue is not being able to staff its chidlren’s department with permanent employees.
He said: “The nub of the issue has been recruiting and retaining social workers. It has been incredibly difficult.
“We are working very hard on the improvement plan and have added additional staff at senior level. We have a new recruitment campaign but it remains difficult.”
The council had planned to make huge financial savings across its children’s services department by converting its high number of expensive agency staff to permanent staff members. It had also tried an international recruitment campaign and will be launching a new recrutiment drive shortly.
However, the reputation of the council, its impending closure and working conditions – staff have previously complained of hot desking at One Angel Square and not having private consultation spaces – have meant that people do not want to join the authority permanently.
The council, which is likely to overspend its budget by £4m this financial year, does not offer national pay and conditions.
As well as trying to work on an improvement plan the service is also going through a Government-directed handover to an independent trust. Cllr Golby said the anticipated go-live date for the trust would be July next year.
However, the move to the trust has been criticised by a number of opposition councillors who fear it will remove accountability and not improve services.
It has not been made public why the director of children’s services, deputy director and children’s commissioner are leaving the authority. The elected portfolio holder for children’s services Cllr Fiona Baker has so far declined to answer questions.
Daventry council’s leader Chris Millar says there needs to be a collective call for a cash injection into the county in the face of the financial troubles at the county council coupled with a government imposed move to a unitary model of local government that will see two new super councils replace the existing eight.
The county’s public services are in a precarious position as the county council struggles to balance its budget while millions are also being committed by the eight Northamptonshire councils setting up the two new organisations.
The government has not given any additional funds into the county to help with reorganisation and is expecting the councils to find the way out of the mess themselves. This has largely involved Northamptonshire County Council heavily cutting public services at the same time as raising local taxes.
Speaking at the health and wellbeing board in Northampton earlier today (Oct 10) Chris Millar said it is clear that more funds are needed to make sure public services can operate properly. He said county council senior officers were ‘fighting against a tsunami’ to try and overcome the financial woes. Currently the council is £7m over budget in children’s services and is predicting it will spend £4m above its £417m annual budget.
He said: “There is not enough money in the system in Northamptonshire. I have always said the best way is honesty and we all know locally that it is going to be very difficult. We are at that critical moment where someone is going to have to stand up and be counted and we need more money from government.
“I think it’s time we as a collective in Northants say ‘we need more money’”.
He added: “The last thing we want to do is set up two unitaries and they fail in the first two years.”
Mr Millar, who will be standing down at the end of the month, said the county’s eight leaders would be meeting with Northamptonshire’s seven Conservative MPs next month to ‘thrash out a way forward’.
Leader of the county council Cllr Matt Golby, who was at the meeting said he agreed with almost everything Cllr Millar said, but that the county council also needed to make sure it was more efficient and was securing better contract deals. He admitted that ‘services are at a lower level than they should be’.
A high profile call for cash as part of a ‘fairer funding’ deal for Northamptonshire was unheeded by government just before the council collapsed in spring last year.
Plans are moving ahead for the unitaries despite the change not yet being made law as yet. The councils have been given indication by government officials it could go through parliament and into the law books by Christmas but the Brexit debacle is holding things up.
At the meeting chief executive of Daventry council Vincent said “until the government agrees this we are running at significant risk.”
He said the law could be finalised with as little as 25 days before the planned election to two new shadow councils in May next year.
Fixture: Scunthorpe United v Northampton Town, Sky Bet League Two
Date/time: Saturday, October 12, 3pm kick-off
Venue: Glanford Park
Forecast: 14C, cloudy
Outs and doubts: Jordan Hall, John McAtee, James Perch, Ryan Colclough. Cobblers: Ryan Watson
Betting: Iron 13/10, draw 23/10, Northampton 2/1
Form guide: United DDDLDW, Cobblers WLDDWW
Possible line-ups: Scunthorpe (4-4-2): Watson; Perch, Harrison, McGahey, Brown; Gilliead, Sutton, Sogno'o, Colclough; Novak, van Veen. Northampton (4-2-3-1): Cornell; Harriman, Goode, Wharton, Martin; Turnbull, Lines; McWilliams, Adams, Hoskins; Williams.
Man in the middle: Trevor Kettle
Last time out: Plymouth 2 Scunthorpe 2 (Gilliead, Eisa); Cambridge 0 Northampton 1 (Smith)
Most recent meeting: Saturday, February 17, 2018 - Scunthorpe 2 (Ojo, Wallace) Northampton 2 (Long, O'Toole)
Record v Scunthorpe: P65 W21 D19 L25
James Heneghan's preview: Saturday's fixture at Glanford Park brings together two teams who are having to play catch-up on the rest of League Two following a surprisingly slow start to the season.
Both Scunthorpe and Northampton were tipped by many to contend for promotion this season but they go into tomorrow's game sitting 22nd and 14th respectively and well off the early pace.
For United, it's been a particularly painful first couple of months. Relegated from League One last season, the appointment of Paul Hurst coupled with a batch of summer signings - including Andy Butler and Alex Gilliead - were meant to lead to a quick return to England's third tier.
That might still happen, of course, but they will have to do it the hard way. Hurst, who was sacked by Ipswich last season after working wonders at Grimsby and Shrewsbury, has overseen just a solitary league victory all season - and that was against one of only two teams below them in the table.
As the injury list clears though, their form is steadily improving, helped by former Town man Kevin van Veen. They're unbeaten in five games in all competitions and grabbed a stoppage-time draw at Plymouth Argyle last time out.
Van Veen, who was made to wait until mid-September for his first league start of the campaign, has scored four goals in six games and he'll no doubt be eager to add one or two more against his old club this weekend.
The Cobblers are not struggling to the same extent as Saturday's hosts but they are nonetheless falling short of expectations. It will be hoped that Tuesday's well-earned 1-0 victory at Cambridge United, which ended a three-game winless run, kicks sstart their season again.
Keith Curle does have plenty of options to pick from. Charlie Goode is back from illness and will captain Town on his return to Glanford Park while Alan McCormack is closing in on a start after two cameo appearances.
With Goode back, Jordan Turnbull will likely move back into midfield and Chris Lines, Nicky Adams, Joe Martin and Sam Hoskins are also all expected to return to the team.
Perhaps the most interesting conundrum for Curle comes at right-back. Michael Harriman has been steady since his arrival but faces strong competition from the fit-again Reece Hall-Johnson, who enjoyed his best game for the Cobblers in midweek.
Typically a point would be a satisfactory outcome from an away game at Scunthorpe - the Cobblers haven't won there since 1980, after all - but whilst that remains true to an extent here, it feels an opportunity for Curle and his men to atone for recent slip-ups and put their season back on track.
Prediction: Scunthorpe United 1 Northampton Town 1
It has been a week since Northamptonshire Police revealed in an official statement that an American suspect in the death of 19-year-old Harry Dunn had left the country by claiming diplomatic immunity.
Since the statement last Friday (October 4), thousands of people have called for the US to revoke Anne Sacoolas' status and return her to the UK to face justice.
But tensions were high yesterday (October 10) after President Donald Trump accidentally flashed a secret US State Department cue card during a press conference - which read that the suspect "will not return to the UK".
It also comes after Harry's family reportedly branded a meeting with secretary of state for foreign affairs Dominic Raab "a publicity stunt" and say they feel "in the dark" about how the diplomat scandal is progressing.
Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold said: "There's historically been a very strong special relationship between the US and the UK - and although Donald Trump is, shall we say, the current custodian of this relationship I hope that common sense will prevail.
"I think in its totality there's never going to be any winners in this. Northamptonshire Police will do all we can do to get justice for Harry and his family.
"I would repeat the force's message that she should do the right thing as a mother and return to the UK to help Northamptonshire Police with its investigation.
"Don't rule out extradition, let's put it that way."
It comes after the force's chief constable Nick Adderley spoke on BBC Radio 4 this week to appeal to Mrs Sacoolas - who is the wife of a US ambassador - to "do the right thing".
Chief Constable Adderley told the Chronicle and Echo: "It's always tragic when dealing with a grieving family and throughout this period of grief what his family is quite rightly looking for is some hope.
"I admire their tenacity in pursuing their cause and I want to give them the reassurance that we're not slowing down in our endeavours legally or lawfully to see justice be done.
"My issue with Trump is that it was upsetting for the family but also upsetting for the judicial process. We have not explored all avenues yet so to see that note would give the impression that this is a done deal is upsetting.
"I want to make the point that here at Northamptonshire Police we are not giving up hope. We are speaking to the American embassy every day and know that the British Government is working incredibly hard."
Meanwhile, it has been revealed this week that after the crash that killed Harry, Northamptonshire Police was not told that Mrs Sacoolas had left the country for weeks after, and do now know how or when she left the UK.
Chief constable Adderley said: "I have looked at the timeline and the files surrounding this case and I'm more than content that Northamptonshire Police has done everything it could have done lawfully to move at speed and complete our enquiries."
Harry Dunn, 19, was killed on the B4071 Park End, near Croughton, after his motorcycle collided head-on with a black Volvo SUV allegedly driven by Mrs Sacoolas.
It has been reported that the 47-year-old American was driving on the wrong side of the road at the time.
Saints have been handed a big injury boost with the news that George Furbank is fit to start at full-back against Leicester Tigers on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).
Furbank has not featured for the black, green and gold since suffering concussion in the win at Harlequins in April.
But he is now back available and will wear the 15 shirt in the Premiership Rugby Cup clash at Welford Road.
Taqele Naiyaravoro returns from his one-week ban to start on the wing, while James Fish, Alex Coles and Heinrich Brüssow also come into the team.
Harry Mallinder (knee), Dylan Hartley (knee), Alex Mitchell (knee), Reece Marshall (hamstring), Mikey Haywood (knee), Jamie Gibson (shoulder) and Paddy Ryan (knee) remain sidelined.
Saints, who have lost all three of their games so far, can't make it out of their Premiership Rugby Cup pool, but Leicester still harbour hopes of a semi-final spot.
Club captain Tom Youngs and prop Facundo Gigena return to the front row for Tigers, with Will Spencer at lock after missing the win at Bath last week.
Hanro Liebenberg is included in the back row for the final outing before the start of the Gallagher Premiership season.
Noel Reid, Kyle Eastmond and Andy Forsyth come into the back-line and Adam Thompstone starts his first home game of 2019.
Samoa international prop Nephi Leatigaga and Fijian on-loan back-rower Ifereimi Boladau could make their Welford Road debuts from the replacements bench.
Leicester Tigers: Worth; Thompstone, Forsyth, Eastmond, Holmes; Reid, White; Gigena, Youngs (c), Heyes; Spencer, Wells; Liebenberg, Reffell, Thompson.
Replacements: Kerr, Leatigaga, Cortes, Green, Boladau, Harrison, Hardwick, Olowofela.
Saints: Furbank; Olowofela, Dingwall, Symons, Naiyaravoro; Grayson, Taylor; van Wyk, Fish, Painter; Ribbans, Coles; Tonks, Brüssow, Harrison (c).
Replacements: van Vuuren, B Franks, Hill, Moon, Eadie, Mitchell, Hutchinson, Collins.
A woman caught almost three times the drink-drive limit on the A14 at Kettering has been banned from getting behind the wheel.
Elizabeth Redman, 29, was stopped after drink-driving in her white BMW on the major road on September 11.
Redman, of Eaton Avenue in Bletchley, near Milton Keynes, gave a reading of 97mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.
At Northampton Magistrates' Court Redman admitted drink-driving and was banned from the roads for 23 months.
Magistrates also handed her a community order with 80 hours of unpaid work.
Redman must also pay costs of £85 and a surcharge to fund victim services of £90.
Competition: Premiership Rugby Cup (pool game four)
Venue: Welford Road, Leicester
Date and kick-off time: Saturday, November 12, 2019, 3pm
Referee: Christophe Ridley
Television coverage: None
Weather forecast: 14c, showers
Leicester Tigers: Worth; Thompstone, Forsyth, Eastmond, Holmes; Reid, White; Gigena, Youngs (c), Heyes; Spencer, Wells; Liebenberg, Reffell, Thompson.
Replacements: Kerr, Leatigaga, Cortes, Green, Boladau, Harrison, Hardwick, Olowofela.
Saints: Furbank; Olowofela, Dingwall, Symons, Naiyaravoro; Grayson, Taylor; van Wyk, Fish, Painter; Ribbans, Coles; Tonks, Brüssow, Harrison (c).
Replacements: van Vuuren, B Franks, Hill, Moon, Eadie, Mitchell, Hutchinson, Collins.
Outs: Saints: Harry Mallinder (knee), Dylan Hartley (knee), Alex Mitchell (knee), Reece Marshall (hamstring), Mikey Haywood (knee), Jamie Gibson (shoulder), Paddy Ryan (knee), Dan Biggar, Piers Francis, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, Api Ratuniyarawa, Cobus Reinach, Ahsee Tuala (all international duty).
Most recent meeting: Friday, March 22, 2019: Leicester Tigers 15 Saints 29 (Gallagher Premiership)
Tom's preview: This weekend's trip to Tigers is probably the ideal fixture for Saints right now.
Not because they will be expecting to cruise to a win at Welford Road back in March.
In fact, it's the total opposite.
With Tigers still harbouring hopes of progressing from their Premiership Rugby Cup pool - never mind the fact it's an east midlands derby - Geordan Murphy's men will come out all guns blazing on Saturday afternoon.
For Saints, it will be a final test of their mettle before the serious stuff starts with the trickiest of trips, to Saracens, a week later.
And it will give them a chance not only to really sharpen up a defence that has shipped 129 points in three matches this season, but also to secure a morale boost before the league begins.
If they win, that is.
If they lose, and fail to show the desired improvement at Tigers, there will be worries.
Because although the Premiership Rugby Cup is bottom of the priority list this season, they do need some sort of momentum to take to Allianz Park.
If they lose, and lose badly at Leicester, they will be shorn of that.
But recent trips to Welford Road should give them confidence that it won't turn out like that on this occasion.
They have outgunned Leicester twice in as many meetings on Tigers turf, with belief finally flooding through the Franklin's Gardens camp ahead of derby-day dates.
In years gone by, Saints couldn't purchase a win at Welford Road.
Prior to their win there in April 2018, they hadn't prevailed at Tigers since February 2007.
It was a long old wait, and when they finally broke the curse, it felt so sweet for Saints.
Now they will be desperate to make it a hat-trick of wins in their old foe's back garden.
Tom's prediction: Leicester will really fancy this as they look to progress to the semi-finals, but Saints should give them a tough test. The Tigers team doesn't look too formidable and Saints could just sneak a win. Leicester 23 Saints 27
Scunthorpe United manager Paul Hurst is once again battling something of an injury crisis with up to six players ruled out of Saturday's Sky Bet League Two game against Northampton.
United were ravaged by injuries earlier in the campaign and lost six of their first seven games but they looked to be getting things back on track as players gradually returned to fitness.
However, Hurst revealed this week he has some new injury concerns. Jordan Hallam and John McAtee remain out while James Perch and Ryan Colclough both came off last week against Plymouth and Jamie Ward is still struggling with illness.
"We have six lads missing from the game and a couple probably back as well, so it’s almost balancing itself out in terms of options," said Hurst.
“We’ve also had a bit of illness again, but we’re pretty much clear in my mind in the way I’d like to go, but we’ll have to check that I’m able to do so ahead of Saturday.”
Scunthorpe are third-from-bottom in League Two and have only won win all season ahead of tomorrow's game against the Cobblers at Glanford Park.
Hurst added: “Keith (Curle) has been there a little while now and brought a lot of players in during the summer to put his stamp on it.
"He’s spoken about challenging for that top seven and being in with a shout of promotion.
"They’ve had some very good results, and one or two they won’t have been as pleased with, but they certainly have some good experienced players in there.
“They have some good players and certainly a threat at the top end of the pitch in Sam Hoskins, Andy Williams, Nicky Adams - lads who have been there and done it. We know we’re going to have to be at our best.”