Leader of East Northants Council re-elected for his tenth year

The leader of East Northants Council has been re-elected for his tenth year in charge.

During East Northamptonshire Council’s (ENC) first virtual full council meeting on Wednesday (May 13), Cllr Steven North was re-elected unopposed as leader of the authority.

The appointment means that Cllr North will now lead ENC for the tenth consecutive year and until it ceases to exist on March 31, 2021, and the new North Northamptonshire Council is formed.

He is also leader of the ruling Conservative group and represents the council in the Rushden Sartoris Ward.

Cllr David Jenney was re-elected as deputy leader and pledged his support to Cllr North, to the council and to the district.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, ENC councillors are currently conducting meetings virtually and during the full council, Cllr North said: “It’s a great privilege to lead the council for a tenth year, especially as we enter this final year as East Northamptonshire Council.

"This was always going to be an unusual occasion; however I never expected to be doing the last annual meeting virtually.

“Knowing that the new North Northamptonshire Council will come into existence on 1 April 2021 over the past year, we have continued to work on our legacy projects, and more recently alongside the current situation - these remain our focus.

“One of our key projects is Enterprise Centre, East Northants in Raunds and I am pleased to announce it is nearly complete and will be a valuable support for businesses old and new as our economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.

“We also continue to work on future wider development in the district, and our work on the Local Plan is nearly complete, alongside our continued work on the Rushden Sustainable Urban Extension and Tresham Garden Village.

“We are always keen to support local communities and earlier this year, we agreed our last round of Communities Facilities Fund.

"Since the initiative was launched in 2013, we have used money received from the New Homes Bonus, to award nearly £3 million to projects up and down the district, both large and small.

"It has been a privilege to see what a difference these projects make and we hope to be able to celebrate their success later in the year.

“Throughout the last couple of months, I have used the Greenway more than ever and it has shown me just what an important project it is and we are looking to add to the route whilst protecting it for the future.

“As you can see, the last year for ENC will see us looking to the future whilst celebrating the council’s 46-year history, as well as the community projects across the district.”

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