'Together we can give everyone in Northamptonshire a fresh start' says leader of West Northamptonshire Shadow Authority

The leader of West Northamptonshire Shadow Authority has paid tribute to fellow councillors at North Northamptonshire Shadow Authority as the two prepare to move to unitary status this week.

Councillor Ian McCord joined the start of the final live streamed meeting of the North Northamptonshire Shadow Executive Committee on Thursday (March 25).

Councillor McCord said he wanted to thank everyone in the North Northants Shadow Authority and said together they could “give everyone in Northamptonshire a fresh start.”

The new unitary authorities for the county, West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire will begin on Thursday (April 1) which is called vesting day.

NN Council will be responsible for services in Corby, East Northamptonshire, Kettering and Wellingborough. WN Council will look after services in Daventry, Northampton and South Northamptonshire.

Elections are scheduled to take place on May 6 when the councillors will be decided for each authority and then later in the month who will sit on which committee.

Councillor McCord said he wanted to thank everyone in the North and said together they could “give everyone in Northamptonshire a fresh start.”

He said: “I felt it appropriate to wish you all well. We have been on this journey together for almost three years and tonight (March 25), this is your last shadow executive as I had mine on Tuesday (March 23).

“And we have achieved a lot together, working to get both our councils established and to misquote Churchill, ‘this is the end of the beginning.’

“And I just want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone in the north. We will need to work together for a long time to come and our individual success will be linked to our collective success.

“So thank you for your help and cooperation throughout all the past years. And thank you especially Russell (Cllr Roberts) for your guidance and advice. You have been invaluable on a few occasions.

“And can I also place on record my firm belief that, as a result of the work that we had done to establish firm, trusting relations between and within all the councils, the districts, the boroughs, the county, before the pandemic struck a year ago, we just then had to reorientate our project teams to respond.

“Can I just say to my fellow Northern Ireland traveller Tom Beattie – thank you. It would have been easy for you to have to disengaged as it was seven against one. But you didn’t.

“And we might have disagreed, we never fell out but we always respected each other’s position and I made him many cups of coffee as well.

“To each and every one of you, I wish you well and want you to know that we are your sibling council and I want you to succeed just as much as I want West Northants to succeed.

“And I hope that we will continue to work in cooperation with one common aim, to do our best by our residents, our businesses, our investors and our visitors.

“Together, in our separate ways, we can give everyone in Northamptonshire a fresh start and a bright future.”

Responding to Councillor McCord’s message, councillor Roberts, leader of North Northamptonshire Shadow Authority, and chairman of the committee, said: “We are going to be neighbours for life and we should always remember that.

“And we have always been good strategic partners and we must continue to be good strategic partners, speaking truth to power and being a critical friend.”