November 17: Foundation already laid for cash gift
Question: Why would members of Northampton Borough Council think it such a great idea to set up rival charitable trusts? Would it be for the good of the community groups who may well be set to benefit . . . or is it for their own political point scoring?
I think we all know the disappointing answer to my question.
A member of our Community Foundation grants team showed me Monday's article, Councillors compete to donate pay rises, and subsequently two of our trustees contacted me; all were exasperated at such a notion.
Not only will these "Community Action Funds" be created to compete with their opponents, they will be duplicating the fantastic grant giving that is already happening on a wide scale across the county of Northamptonshire.
We already have a successful Northamptonshire Community Foundation, which is an independent grant-giving organisation that makes grants to small, local, voluntary sector organisations across the county while working with donors who want to give, to create funds that give to causes closest to their hearts.
It makes sense for those who have funds to give away to our local communities to do it through the foundation.
Northamptonshire County Council works with the foundation to distribute its Community Youth Fund and this year the foundation won a bid for the Grassroots Grants Programme, a small grants programme worth over 800,000 and an endowment challenge which is set to leverage 1.7million for our smaller community groups across our county.
Our individual and corporate donors can also set up Named Funds, which is simple, straightforward and far more cost effective than setting up a charitable trust.
My message to the councillors is straightforward: If you want to give to your local communities for all the right reasons, come and talk to us about channelling your giving through the foundation.
We're independent, local and we understand the needs of the groups.
Working in partnership has a far more joined-up approach, is cost effective and will truly improve the quality of life for people in Northamptonshire.
Oh, and one more thing, if local businesses are interested in donating funds to their local communities, they'd be much better off doing it through the foundation.
We're currently running an Endowment Match Challenge, whereby we can match 1 for 1 until October 2009 and then we run a 2:1 match.
Speak to us here at the foundation . . . it makes sense.
Victoria Miles, Chief Executive, Northamptonshire Community Foundation.
Pay confusion
Following Monday's article on councillors' allowances, I have a question for Councillor Andrew Simpson.
If he is not taking the council's pay rise, why did he vote for it?
If he is that confused, shouldn't he be thinking of reining in his political ambitions?
Councillor Penny Flavell,
St Crispin Ward (Conservative), Northampton Borough Council.
Ditch Trident and help the people
We are in a time of financial crisis. The Government has released 500 billion to bail out the banks.
The Treasury has underwritten hundreds of billions of pounds in banking debts. Each taxpayer faces a potential liability of about 20,000.
In these circumstances, is it justifiable to spend between 25 billion and 40 billion on replacing Trident?
This money would be better spent on developing sustainable energy, on housing, health care and education.
Such spending would provide more employment than useless, dangerous and immoral development of nuclear weapons.
The Government should suspend all plans for the replacement of Trident and concentrate on promoting an International Convention to abolish nuclear weapons worldwide.
Ramonde Hainton (Mrs),
The Green, Kingsthorpe,
Northampton.
My computer ahead of its time
Some 30 years ago I built a computer . . . for the buffs it was a single board UK101 with 69 chips, all soldered.
One of the programs I found was called Fiscal, the purpose of which was to run the economy with a view to re-election.
This was achieved by taxing to the hilt during the first three years and becoming unpopular, then giving back by reducing tax and spending on public amenities in the fourth year.
The result was re-election every time, as the program did not have an historic element.
For the cynical it almost looks like real life, only the time-frame is different.
Tony Underlin,
Pytchley Drive, Long Buckby.
Sick of a month of fireworks
I can't be the only person who is sick to death of fireworks being let off two weeks before and after November 5.
Sorry to be a killjoy, but I suggest they go on sale two days before November 5 and make it illegal to let them off on any other day but the 5th.
If you can't have them on that day or attend an official display, tough!
I get home for 5pm from work purposely to avoid the oncoming onslaught and take my dog out for walk, however, the first ones around here were let off just after 5pm!
Sharon Howley,
Cross Waters Close, Wootton Fields, Northampton.
Thanks for the poppy money
I write on behalf of the Northampton Branch of the Royal British Legion, to express our appreciation to the Grosvenor Centre management and staff for their continued support of the Poppy Appeal, and of course to all the other shopkeepers, organisations and members of the public in the town who gave their support too.
Donations are still being counted and you will be informed in due course of the total collected.
Dawn Sheppard,
Chairwoman,
Northampton Branch,
Royal British Legion.
To the rescue
Just in case they happen to read this, I would like to sincerely thank the two young people who came to my aid after a man fell back on the escalator in the bus station on Monday, taking me with him.
Thanks to their assistance, and to whoever hit the emergency button, the incident was not as bad as it could have been, although I was quite shaken up by it at the time.
Now I have only got a very badly bruised arm as a trophy.
Angela Atkins,
Purser Road, Abington,
Northampton.
Racetracks worth Bernie's attention
I am aware that Bernie Ecclestone has put much effort into trying to stop the British GP being held at Silverstone.
I think it would be useful if we could hire him into looking at the two race tracks in Northampton's Weedon Road and Harlestone Road.
It would be useful to have his opinion on whether they are safe for such a purpose or whether they should be closed.
If Bernie is too busy to help, I suggest we need someone in authority to monitor both these roads for one day, Harlestone Road, especially between 5pm-7pm, and Weedon Road for 24 hours.
The way the roads are used by motorists is a disgrace.
The main part of Weedon Road, from Beacon Bingo to the traffic lights at the square, needs particular attention, as does the Santa Pod-type track starting at the end of Spencer Bridge Road, at the traffic lights turning right into Weedon Road and lasting approximately 200 yards towards the Saints car park.
These time trials take place between cars or a car and a lorry of any size.
The skills the drivers put into getting to the front are astounding and very dangerous to pedestrians who may be using the pavement, as well as to other motorists. A death is waiting to happen.
V Graham-Hole,
Elgin Street, St James, Northampton.
Massive pile-up is waiting to happen
IN response to your article Speed cameras end death toll, the stretch of road after the final camera on the A43 going towards Riverside is a complete nightmare.
Traffic speeds up after the final camera and there are three areas that have to cross over the dual carriageway on that stretch: two are entrances into Standens Barn and the other is the exit from Billing Road onto the A43.
I use the Billing Road exit daily and there is an accident there on a regular basis. A massive pile-up is waiting to happen.
A 50mph limit is much too fast on this stretch of road, let alone the speed some motorists get up to.
There should be a reduction in speed and also signage to slow traffic down.
Traffic lights at Standens Barn would also enable the other two crossovers to make their move in safety.
Yvonne Abbott,
Westcott Way, Abington Vale, Northampton.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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