Ian McCord

Families demonstrating outside the Northampton Guildhall, ahead of presenting a petition to full council Credit: Nadia Lincoln LDRS

Parents warn school bus cuts will put children at risk on 'unsafe' walking route

People protesting the development outside the council meeting Credit: Sally Howard

Controversial plans for nine warehouses thrown out after marathon meeting

CGI showing how the new warehouses could look. Credit: Frontier Estates

Plans for warehouses and country park set for approval despite 3,500 objections

Concerns have been raised over how a housing appeal in Potterspury was handled by WNC.

Councillor fuming with how WNC handled appeal against new homes in village

The Towcester Relief Road is set to open the week commencing May 4

Exact opening date finally revealed for controversially delayed 'relief' road

Sarah Bool MP has demanded an answer from Persimmon on an opening date of major Towcester ‘relief’ road near Northampton

MP demands response from developer as to when major 'relief' road is set to open

One Angel Square, Northampton. Credit: Nadia Lincoln LDRS

Council's plan to 'modernise' planning service and provide 'faster' decisions

Cllr Mark Arnull, leader of West Northants Council
Credit: Nadia Lincoln LDRS

Reform approves its first ever budget in West Northamptonshire

Developers Richborough Estates Group Ltd and Milton Keynes Partnership submitted the proposals in summer 2025 for a 10.5-hectare site of farmland east of Deanshanger Road, immediately south of the village.

More than 200 objections against plan to build 220 homes as extension to village

In December 2023, WNC, under the previous Conservative administration, bought the machine and said it ‘will help achieve the council’s strategy to deliver prompt and lasting pothole repairs’.

Here’s how WNC have been using their £184,000 JCB Pothole Pro machine

The Towcester relief road is set to open in spring this year, according to its developer, Persimmon Homes.

Council hits back at criticism over 27-month delay to relief road

The Towcester relief road is set to open in spring this year, according to the developer building it.

Completion date revealed for relief road – public criticise construction 'chaos'

Deputy council leader James Petter (WNC)

Council accused after film of deputy leader reportedly 'in a bath' is destroyed

One Angel Square, West Northamptonshire Council
Credit: Nadia Lincoln LDRS

WNC 'not currently priority' for Reform's DOGE team, says senior councillor

The draft 2026/27 budget was discussed at a meeting of cabinet, in the Towcester Forum, on Monday December 22. Credit: Nadia Lincoln LDRS

WNC accused of 'breaking people's trust' as maximum council tax rise discussed

The Market Square redevelopment (pictured), initially budgeted at £8.4 million from the Government’s Future High Street Fund, was completed with new paving, water features, seating, enhanced landscaping, and 18 fixed stalls, as well as 19 pop-up tents, 26 additional pop-up stalls, and space for up to 10 food concession vehicles. Following a mediation settlement, the total project cost has reached £13.5 million.

Inside WNC’s 12-hour Market Square clash with contractor that added £1m to costs
Here’s what happened inside West Northants Council’s 12-hour showdown with Northampton Market Square contractors Stepnell – costing taxpayers £1 million and taking the project to £13.5 million
Logan MacLeod

WNC's Market Square project manager alongside former town centre regeneration holder Daniel Lister told Chronicle and Echo in October 2024 the project was not overbudget, then standing at £12.5 million. The final cost has now risen to £13.5m, making it £5.1m over the initial £8.4m budget.

‘Pirates’ partly blamed for Market Square £5.1m overspend, says councillor

The full council meeting was held on Thursday evening, in the Northampton Guildhall.
Credit: Nadia Lincoln LDRS

Councillor says role is 'baptism of fire' after he was called out for blunder

One Angel Square, West Northamptonshire Council.
Credit: Nadia Lincoln LDRS

WNC agrees to pay more than £100k for interim drug and alcohol misuse officer

At a full council meeting on Thursday night (September 25), Independent councillor Ian McCord called out Reform councillor James Petter, deputy Leader of the Reform-led council, for logging on to a treasury management meeting while preparing a bath. Credit: Getty / Alex Halada

Deputy leader of WNC reportedly logged into meeting while preparing a bath

One Angel Square, West Northamptonshire Council.
Credit: Nadia Lincoln LDRS

Councillors criticise planning system and say reports are not 'balanced enough'

The site lies within open countryside on the edge of a similar sized development in Potterspury.

Plans to build 20 affordable homes refused after 40 letters of objection

The solar farm proposal is spread across 12 fields between Potterspury and Yardley Gobion.
Credit: Potterspury Parish Council

More than 100 objections lodged against controversial solar farm

Protestors took over the cabinet meeting yesterday evening, in opposition to Reform UK's proposals to scrap net zero commitments. Credit: Nadia Lincoln LDRS

Reform-led WNC scraps net zero targets despite protestors disrupting meeting

JCB Pothole Pro and Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at West Northamptonshire Council

WNC's £184k JCB Pothole Pro criticised for operating at 50 percent capacity

One Angel Square, West Northamptonshire Council.
Credit: Nadia Lincoln LDRS

Budget passed including council tax rise despite criticism from opposition

West Northamptonshire Council is offering a £3 million loan to the Grosvenor Centre to bring in H&M and create flexible office spaces.

£3 million loan to shopping centre called in for scrutiny after concerns raised
Opposition groups on West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) have announced that they have called-in the cabinet's recent decision to lend the Grosvenor Centre £3 million.
Nadia Lincoln

West Northamptonshire Council is offering a £3 million loan to the Grosvenor Centre to bring in H&M and create flexible office spaces.

Opposition expresses discomfort as council approves £3m loan to shopping centre

One Angel Square, Northampton, headquarters of West Northamptonshire Council.

£20 million budget for more council-owned children homes in backed

Here's an artist's impression of what the DHL warehouse could look like

Controversial plans for massive warehouse development recommended for approval

The Towcester Relief Road is set to connect the A5 with the A43, aiming to alleviate traffic through the town centre

House builder accused of ‘ripping off’ town after delays to relief road

The homes would be built within the red boundary, a 12.5 hectare bit of land next to Deanshanger

Plans to build 174 homes on village land the size of 18 football pitches

Top left: Sarah Bool, Conservative. Top middle: Ian McCord, Independent. Top right: Stuart Robert.Bottom left: Mick Stott, Workers Party. Bottom middle: Stewart Tolley, Liberal Democrat. Bottom right: Emmie Williamson, Green. Not pictured, as they have not responded to questions: Rufia Ashraf, Labour and Paul Hogan, Reform UK.

What South Northamptonshire MP candidates said about important issues

Adam Brown is the new temporary leader of WNC

New leader of WNC speaks out following resignation of former leader

Jonathan Nunn stood down following further claims of domestic abuse, which he denies.

More WNC Tories speak out against disgraced former leader following resignation

West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) leader Councillor Jonathan Nunn.

Calls made for WNC leader to resign as opposition tables vote of no confidence

Councillor Larratt is in charge of highways at WNC

Council REJECTS amendment to keep £1.9m in budget to fix 'poor state' of roads

Councillor Larratt (left). JCB Pothole Pro (main).

WNC's £184k pothole repair machine slammed for being 'too expensive to run'

The Guildhall, Northampton.

Budget approved meaning a near five percent council tax increase

The affordable homes would have been built on fields to the south east of Old Stratford.

Council rejects affordable homes application after 89 letters of objection

The current trial of Voi e-scooters is set to run until May 2024, after it was launched in 2020 and received repeated extensions from the council.

Calls to suspend Voi e-scooter trials in Northampton pushed back

The final budget 2023-24 was passed by 51 votes to 16 – with one who voted to abstain.

Fight lost for town centre car parking charges, as increases passed by council

Mr Pothole, Cllr Ian McCord and Will Hollis from GB News inspect the A5

National Pothole Day: Television’s GB News visits A5

An application has been submitted for nine units on the A5/A508 roundabout.

Councillor raises concerns about planning application submitted for development

Cllr Ian McCord campaigned against introducing a £42 charge for garden waste collections in 2022 — now he's fighting a West Northamptonshire Council increase to £55 from April

Councillor labels garden bin charge hike 'sneaky stealth tax' for West Northants

Councillor Ian McCord speaks up after reporting Persimmon Homes are in breach of planning conditions

‘Persimmon must comply with planning conditions,’ says ward councillor

Danielle Stone (left) and Ian McCord (right)

Councillors criticise 'undemocratic' proposed cabinet reshuffle by Conservatives

Ian McCord has won his fight against expulsion from South Northamptonshire Conservative Association on the eve of last year's leadership vote

Top Tory booted out over bullying claims demands apology after appeal victory

Cllr McCord wants to see garden bin charges scrapped across West Northamptonshire.

Leaflets already out for £42-a-year garden bin collections ahead of budget vote

The homes would be built on land the size of 18 football pitches next to Deanshanger

Online public consultation opens for 190-home housing development in Northampton...

Cllr McCord says West Northamptonshire can afford to scrap garden bin charges with an extra £3.8m to play with in next year's budget

Council's extra £3.8m 'blows excuses for garden bin charge out of the water'

Cllr Ian McCord says West Northants plans to charge for garden waste collections is "pure profiteering"

Garden waste charge is 'mugging residents,' says former district council leader

Councillor Ian McCord, speaking to the Chronicle & Echo at the election count on May 7

Senior West Northamptonshire councillor expelled from Conservative Party after i...

Councillor Ian McCord

West Northamptonshire Council leadership candidate vows to defend his integrity ...

Councillor Jonathan Nunn

'It is tremendously exciting..but it feels scary too': New leader elect of West ...

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