Northamptonshire credit union Commsave has seen a surge in new members this year – with branded buses travelling the county and a new radio campaign hitting the airwaves.Commsave, a not-for-profit member-owned financial co-operative credit union based in Northampton, has invested in a new campaign for 2025, which includes airtime on Heart Radio and a host of branded designs on Northamptonshire’s Stagecoach buses.Since the campaign’s launch on January 1st the Northampton-based Member Services team at Commsave’s headquarters have received a record number of calls from local residents seeking savings, loans and financial support and advice.Interim CEO Richard Munro explained: “In a...

05 February, 2025

The Government has today announced that an expression of interest to join the Devolution Priority Programme for the South Midlands Region will not proceed. Joining the Programme would have put the region on track to receive new powers and opportunities from Government through the creation of a new Strategic Authority by May 2026.Whilst the South Midlands Region has not been successful in the first tranche, the Government is still keen to explore a future bid from the South Midlands Region and has committed to working with all South Midlands Authorities on developing this.North Northamptonshire Council will now work with partners...

05 February, 2025

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is hugely disappointed that the South Midlands has not been chosen for the Government’s Devolution Priority Programme at this stage and that its residents will not yet benefit from the powers and funding that it would have brought.The Council will however continue to work with Government and our partners towards devolution in the future and discussions will commence shortly on how we secure a devolution deal with the full support of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Governments (MHCLG) in those discussions.WNC is encouraged by the Government’s commitment to continue to work with us in...

05 February, 2025

North Northamptonshire Council, in conjunction with Northamptonshire Police, have agreed to a 6-month trial which will see the popular Voi e-scooters available 24/7.The changes will come in from Monday 10 February.It is hoped that the extension in operating hours will enable more residents to use the scheme - providing a green, affordable and reliable transport option for those who work shifts, or for example, in hospitality.All e-scooters will have additional reflective strips installed to the front of vehicles and, as is currently the case, riders are being encouraged to wear reflective clothing and helmets.Across the next 6 months, Voi, the...

05 February, 2025

Millions of taxpayers filed their Self Assessment tax return for the 2023 to 2024 tax year by the deadline.More than 11.5 million taxpayers beat the Self Assessment deadline to file their tax return for the 2023 to 2024 tax year by 31 January and avoid a £100 late filing penalty, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) can reveal.The number of people who filed their return on deadline day was 732,498, with the most common time being 16:00 to 16:59 when 58,517 people filed. Thousands left submitting their return until the very last minute when 31,442 filed between 23:00 and 23:59.Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s...

04 February, 2025

Axil, experts in waste management serving leading manufacturing brands and critical sectors across the UK, announces it has signed the Armed Forces Covenant, pledging support to members of the armed forces community, including veterans and their families. By signing, Axil joins over 12,000 businesses across the UK in making this commitment.Ed Pigg, Managing Director, signed the covenant at Axil’s Northamptonshire office on November 6th, pledging the company’s commitment to helping ex-service personnel transition smoothly into civilian life. This milestone reflects Axil’s deep respect for the sacrifices made by servicemen and women and its dedication to valuing the unique skills and...

04 February, 2025

Government lays legislation confirming that the new National Living Wage and new National Minimum Wage will take effect from 1 April.Over 3 million workers in shops, restaurants and workplaces across the UK are set to receive a significant pay boost from April – putting thousands of pounds back in the pockets of working people every year. As a result of these changes, a further 4 million workers could benefit from the positive spill-over impacts of the rate increases.The Government will lay legislation today that confirms a new National Living Wage of £12.21, and a new National Minimum Wage of £10.00...

04 February, 2025

Proposals to transform a vacant former bus depot into a vibrant new neighbourhood are set to take a step forward as West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is awarded vital funding to deliver this exciting regeneration scheme.WNC has been awarded £1.37m from the Government’s Brownfield Land Release Fund to develop Northampton’s St James Depot, a project which would provide more than 70 much-needed, quality homes.West Northamptonshire Council’s Cabinet will meet on 11 February to discuss the next phase of plans to breathe new life into this vacant site.Built in the early 1900s, the 4.5 acre site was the home of Northampton’s tram...

04 February, 2025

The British Cycling Evaluation Report for the 2024 Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men has revealed significant economic benefits in West Northamptonshire and highlighted the area’s impressive contribution to the overall event as one of six host stages.The event’s fifth stage, held on Saturday, 7 September 2024, showcased West Northants as a hub of excitement and community pride, seeing thousands of residents line the streets to cheer on the world-class cyclists, contributing significantly to the race’s overall success.The report highlights how West Northants’ stage delivered the highest economic benefit of the entire Tour, with an impressive total impact of £5.69 million, driven...

31 January, 2025

Now entering its 14th year, Northamptonshire Community Foundation’s Warm this Winter appeal has so far raised more than £267,000 to tackle fuel poverty and to support residents across the county who are not turning on their heating, or cutting back on food, to save money.The foundation is reaching out to anyone who feels able to give to this year’s appeal. Rachel McGrath, Chief Executive of Northamptonshire Community Foundation, said: “Too many members of our community are struggling in these freezing temperatures.“We are committed to supporting our county’s most vulnerable residents; every penny donated to our Warm this Winter appeal goes...

31 January, 2025

Ministers are encouraging UK businesses to work with Jobcentres to fill the thousands of jobs currently vacant as the UK goes for growth, the Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall set out today (30 January).It comes as the Work & Pensions Secretary visits B&M - a retailer that has had huge success using the Jobcentre network. As a fast growing UK retailer, B&M has filled almost 3,000 vacancies through the jobcentre network, with over 85% of new recruits coming directly through the DWP – benefiting jobseekers and the businesses’ growth.The DWP has hit the ground running to reset engagement with...

30 January, 2025