This year the annual Fairtrade Fortnight takes place from Monday 27^th February to Sunday 11^th March. As part of this event, Daventry Town Council will be setting up a stall on the market, on Friday 2^nd March from 10 am until 3 pm, to encourage residents to ‘Take a Step for Fairtrade’. Please come and say ‘hello’. There will be plenty of examples of how easy it is to support this campaign along with opportunities to taste some Fairtrade goodies. For more information on Fairtrade or how to get involved go to:

www.fairtrade.org.uk

At a meeting on Monday 9^th January, Daventry Town Council committed to fund the provision of CCTV in Daventry Town.

Following the decision by the District Council to withdraw funding for the provision of CCTV as of 1^st April 2012, members of the Town Council worked together with the Police, Crime Safety Reduction Partnership and the District Council to find a sustainable and cost effective solution.

The CCTV system will be owned by the Town Council with the maintenance and monitoring outsourced to a local supplier.  Northamptonshire Police will be providing additional funding of £10,000 per annum over the next three years and will be working in partnership with the Town Council to ensure the CCTV system provides information that will assist in crime detection and prevention.

The Town Council plans to use the existing technology more effectively and work with the supplier to develop the service whilst reducing costs.

Daventry Town Council confirmed their support for the work carried out by the Phoenix Youth Centre by granting them a further £16,828 for the financial year 2012/13 to assist the organisation in fulfilling their commitment to a three year development plan.

Members recognise the work undertaken by the Phoenix organisation to provide a facility that encourages young people to achieve their goals and become positive role models within the community.

The Phoenix Centre is run predominantly by volunteers, providing a vital service and facility for Daventry youth.  Costs to continue these services continue to rise, whilst funding from principle authorities is being withdrawn. Members of the Town Council are committed to work in partnership, with the Phoenix, to help bridge this gap.’