'' Major financial investment needed ''

A WEEK of crisis for Northampton Borough Council which began with the revelation of a multi-million-pound budget gap has got worse following the leak of a damning Government report highlighting failures throughout the troubled authority.
The Chronicle & Echo has obtained a copy of a top-secret document investigating the performance of the council which was not due to be made public until later this year.
The damning report by governmentinspectors at the Audit Commission reveals the council has made little progress since it was first rated poor three years ago.
The 28-pagedocument also makes it clear some services have actually got worse since inspectors examined the struggling authority's performance last year.

Earlier this week, Northampton North's Labour MP, Sally Keeble called for the Government to take over the council in light of the publication of a series of proposed cuts.
Following the leak of the Audit Commission report, she said action was needed even more urgently.

The MP said she planned to meet local government minister Ruth Kelly as soon as possible to discuss the matter, adding: "The failure of the borough council is a phenomenally serious matter that everyone who lives and works in Northampton should be very concerned about.


Don't let our town facilities go down pan...
11 January 2007
Source: http://www.northamptontoday.co.uk