Summary

  • Updates on Friday, 3 February 2017

  • Tresham College merges with Bedford College

  • 'Very rare' problem closes A6 between Rothwell and Desborough until March

  1. That's it from uspublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    Live updates for Northamptonshire have now finished - thanks for joining us.

    Scroll below to see anything you've missed - and you can read more on Weetabix and Tata Steel on the BBC News website.

    We'll see you again tomorrow from 08:00 - hope you'll join us once more.

  2. Delays and budget increases, but the restorations shows dramatic changespublished at 17:26 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    Stuart Ratcliffe
    BBC Look East

    There may have been delays and budget increases, but the work at Delapre Abbey is fascinating.

    As you can see from these pictures, the change is quite dramatic.

    This is what it looked like when I visited two years ago...

    Delapre

    And this is what it looks like now...

    Delapre

    Two years ago...

    delapre

    Now...

    delapre
  3. Spending on Delapre Abbey set to increasepublished at 17:24 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    Stuart Ratcliffe
    BBC Look East

    More than half a million pounds of further funding is needed to complete the restoration of Delepre Abbey in Northampton.

    It's in addition to the extra £930,000 the borough council gave the project last year. It brings the total cost close to £8m.

    Delapre

    The borough council's cabinet has been asked to agree to the extra funding, which could be up to £650,000 after unexpected delays to the project.

    The abbey's opening has been put back several times, but once open it's hoped it will become a major tourist attraction.

  4. Duckett 'couldn't be happier' as team-mate White gets Lions call-uppublished at 15:27 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    Northamptonshire opener Ben Duckett has tweeted his congratulations to team-mate Graeme White, after the spinner was selected for England Lions' One-Day series against Sri Lanka A.

    James Whitaker, England cricket's national selector, said White "deserves this chance" after his performances for Northants.

    Duckett, 22, who is already in the squad, says he "can't wait" to join-up with the 29 year old...

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  5. Local paper round-up: Sleep-out raises thousands, Wellingborough council tax increasepublished at 14:26 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    Pete Cooper
    BBC Local Live

    Elsewhere in Northamptonshire:

  6. How to see inside a Weetabix box without opening itpublished at 14:17 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    Mike Cartwright
    BBC Look East

    I've come the Weetabix factory at Burton Latimer after the company announced a £30m investment.

    Did you know every cereal pack has an X-Ray?

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  7. Union says Weetabix workers due to vote on 'improved' offer over shift workpublished at 13:44 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    Pete Cooper
    BBC Local Live

    Earlier we mentioned Weetabix's chief executive said the threat of strike action from workers had "gone away" for the time being. 

    The row was over a change to a new 24-hour, seven days a week shift pattern.

    weetabix

    Union Usdaw has since told us the revised offer from the company would go out to ballot between 1 and 10 February.

    Members voted for industrial action in December, but put that "on hold" after discussions with the company.

    Usdaw said it put Weetabix's "improved" offer to members after "positive engagement".

  8. Weather: Mostly dry and cloudy this afternoonpublished at 13:12 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    BBC Weather

    Generally cloudy and dry conditions will persist through this afternoon for many, although some brighter spells are likely at times too, with highs of 7C (45F).

    lower shuckburgh

    There are more details on the BBC Weather website.

  9. Tata steel pension offer: An analysispublished at 12:57 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    Brian Meechan
    BBC Wales business correspondent

    It is a big and very difficult decision to make.

    Those workers who are union members will choose whether they want to remain on the final salary scheme or accept the less generous one being offered by Tata.

    The new pension comes with the promise of £1bn of funding for Port Talbot over the next 10 years, but only if the company is hitting profit targets.

    But even with the offer of a pensions top-up for older workers, it will mean significantly less money for their retirement.

    Steel

    Some people said given the year they have gone through with the job losses, the sale and then its cancellation, they have simply lost trust in Tata.

    This ballot is about the unions consulting their members.

    Its result will dictate how officials deal with the company, but the outcome is not binding on Tata itself.

  10. Pension offer 'best outcome', say steel unionspublished at 12:56 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    BBC News UK

    Community, GMB and Unite union members are involved in the vote over the revised pension offer, after a year which has seen major job losses and Tata's business being put up for sale.

    However, the company took it off the market as economic conditions in the industry improved.

    Under the proposed changes, the British Steel Pension Scheme would close to future accrual, replaced with a defined contribution scheme with maximum contributions of 10% from Tata and 6% from workers.

    The unions originally stood back from making any official recommendations, saying it was down to individual circumstances.

    tata

    But after a meeting of 100 officials from plants across the UK on Thursday, they issued a joint statement saying the offer was the "best outcome that could be achieved through negotiation".

    It also emerged a one-off pension contribution of up to £10,000 could be made to Tata workers in their 50s who plan to retire early.

  11. Tata Steel: Union ballot to start on pensions offerpublished at 12:54 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    BBC News UK

    A ballot on a new pensions offer is expected to be put to Tata Steel workers from today.

    The three unions at the Indian company's UK plants are recommending their members, including 578 Tata workers in Corby, accept the deal.

    They have called it the "only credible and viable way" to secure the future.

    Tata Steel

    Although a less generous pension scheme, the Tata offer also includes a £1bn investment commitment at Port Talbot and no compulsory job losses.

    The result of the ballot is expected by the middle of February.

  12. Female pedestrian dies after being hit by car in Barbypublished at 12:29 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    Pete Cooper
    BBC Local Live

    A woman has died after being hit by a car in Barby, near Daventry.

    The crash happened at about 11.30 on Friday, at the junction of Kilsby Road and Nortoft Lane.

    Police say a grey Vauxhall Insignia, driven by a 54-year-old man from Rugby, hit 32-year-old Anna Hodgkins, from Barby, who died hours later in hospital.

    barby map

    Northamptonshire Police is appealing for witnesses.

  13. Spinner White called up to England Lions squadpublished at 12:13 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    Andrew Radd
    BBC Radio Northampton

    Northamptonshire's Graeme White has been called up by the England Lions - the national side's second string.

    The left-arm spinner will play for the Lions in their One-Day series in Sri Lanka in March.

    graeme whiteImage source, Getty Images

    White was named Player of the Year in the domestic One-Day cup competition last summer and was a vital part of Northants' victorious T20 team.

  14. Flares set off in town centre pub before Northampton v Coventry matchpublished at 12:11 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    Pete Cooper
    BBC Local Live

    Following reports of disruption at Sixfields on Saturday, we've heard police were also called to O'Neills pub in the Drapery in Northampton half an hour before kick-off due to three flares being set off inside.

    The pub was evacuated as a precaution. Police say nobody was believed to have been hurt and nobody was detained in connection with the incident.

    O'Neill's said the pub closed until about 16:00 to allow smoke to clear and it then "traded as normal for the rest of the day".  

    northampton townImage source, Getty Images
  15. Weetabix 'believes' row over shift pattern resolvedpublished at 11:45 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    Pete Cooper
    BBC Local Live

    Giles Turrell, the chief executive of Weetabix, says threatened strike action "for the time being that has gone away".

    Last month workers at the factories in Burton Latimer and Corby voted to strike over shift patterns.

    Weetabix

    However, earlier this month union Usdaw said the action was "on hold" after the company made a new offer aimed at resolving the row.

    Asked about the whether the issue was resolved, Mr Turrell answered "we believe so". We've contacted Usdaw for comment.

  16. Who wants Weetabix?published at 11:04 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    BBC Business Live

    All this talk of Weetabix and no news on whether the company is being sold?

    Current owner, the Chinese company Bright Food, bought the British breakfast staple provider in 2012 and has made sure the oval wheat bricks are reaching more breakfast tables in China.

    But reports are circulating that it's talking to potential buyers.

    Weetbix

    Weetabix's chief executive, Giles Turrell, was more than happy to talk about who is eating Weetabix, how healthy their products are (or not) and potential price rises. But (not surprisingly) he wouldn't be drawn on any possible sale.

    Still, others reckon that Associated British Foods, the US's Post Holdings and Italy's Barilla could be interested.

  17. Weetabix warns of price rises this yearpublished at 10:58 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    BBC Business News

    Despite the announcement of investment, Weetabix has become the latest company to warn of price rises sparked by the lower pound.

    Although the company takes its wheat from within 50 miles of its processing plants in Burton Latimer and Corby, wheat is priced in dollars and the weaker pound means it takes more pounds to buy dollar-listed items.  

    Weetabix

    Giles Turrell, the chief executive of Weetabix, told the BBC rises would be a last resort and would be in the low single digits.

    A range of companies, including Next and Easyjet, have warned of higher prices following the fall in sterling, triggered by June's vote to leave the European Union.

  18. Multimillion-pound investment in Weetabix factoriespublished at 10:24 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    Pete Cooper
    BBC Local Live

    Weetabix has announced plans for major new investment in its factories at Burton Latimer and Corby.

    WeetabixImage source, Reuters

    The company says it's set to spend £30m, which should lead to increased production of its range of breakfast products and could create more jobs.

    Giles Turrell, Weetabix's chief executive, has been giving his reaction to the BBC this morning...

    Giles Turrell
    Quote Message

    It's good news for the company, it's good news for our farmers, and it's good news for the local area."

    Giles Turrell, Weetabix, chief executive

  19. Police defend criticism over disrupted Northampton v Coventry matchpublished at 10:08 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    Pete Cooper
    BBC Local Live

    There's been much criticism of the police response to the disruptions in Saturday's Northampton v Coventry clash at Sixfields, with fans airing their views on the Northampton Chronicle and Echo's Facebook page, external.

    One fan wrote the police "failed dismally to stop Coventry fans continually disrupting the match and instead employ the majority of their manpower on guarding the West stand where there was no sign of trouble".

    However, Supt Chris Hillery from Northamptonshire Police said: "Acknowledging we were never going to stop 1,000 fans entering the pitch, our tactics were to form a police line in front of the home fans to stop the away fans entering the home area."

    Supt Chris Hillery

    He added: "During the fixture we were made aware that some of the spectators in the away South Stand had planned a mass pitch incursion at a designated time.

    "As a result, match officials turned off the scoreboard time display and officers were placed in front of the West Stand and in the players' tunnel to prevent people intent on disorder entering these areas en masse."

    Mr Hillery went on to thank the Cobblers' supporters for their behaviour.

    Nine men have been arrested and bailed over the disruption, believed to have been a protest at Coventry City's owners.

  20. Pitch invasion 'unacceptable' says clubpublished at 09:57 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017

    The repeated disruptions to yesterday's Sky Blues match at Northampton Town were "unacceptable," a Coventry City spokesman says.  

    Nine men have been arrested and bailed over a pitch invasion and flares being thrown at the match at Sixfields.  

    Tim Fisher, Chair of Coventry City in the crowdImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Tim Fisher, Coventry City chairman

    In a statement on the club's website, the club says it will support both the police and FA investigations.  

    Quote Message

    The repeated disruptions to yesterday’s match at Northampton Town were unacceptable. The club recognises that the inexcusable conduct was led by a small number of people. The club does not and will not condone any such behaviour. Coventry City FC will support all subsequent investigations by the police and football authorities."

    Coventry City Football Club, Spokesperson