North Northamptonshire Council Draft Budget 2022/23 Consultation

Overview

North Northamptonshire Council’s budget proposals set out a detailed spending strategy for the authority for the financial year 2022-2023 as well as outlining the medium-term financial plan for the next two years.

The council is working hard to protect vital services, while at the same time proposing a balanced budget, with a net revenue budget of £293.5million.

This funding provides a range of services to residents and businesses across the area including care to vulnerable adults and children, education, the disposal and collection of waste, household waste recycling, economic development, housing and support for the homeless.

While the council is in a stable position now, it is recognised that the Covid pandemic has had a profound effect on societies and economies around the world and this presents some uncertainty in the medium term.

However, the council believes that by being prudent it can be in the best position possible as it moves forward.

The budget further develops firm financial foundations for the council as it settles into its second year following the reorganisation of local government in Northamptonshire.

Proposals focus on further transformation of services as well as developing policies around the authority’s corporate plan.

The council’s commitment to tackling the effects of climate change is emphasised with a dedicated pot of £1 million over the next three years to be invested in moving towards net carbon zero.

The council is also investing in Northamptonshire Children’s Trust to help deliver service improvements for some of our most vulnerable children and young people. 

Council Tax

It is proposed that council tax is increased by 2.99%, which includes the adult social care precept of 1%.

This would contribute around £5.2m per annum and would represent a Band D level of Council Tax for North Northamptonshire Council of £1,578.73 for 2022/23.

This is an increase of £45.83 (equivalent to £0.88 per week) from the Band D Council Tax level of £1,532.90 in 2021/22.

This Band D figure does not include the Council Tax for individual Town and Parish Councils or the Council Tax set for Fire and Police by the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

There is no change to the Local Council Tax Support Scheme which will continue at 25%. 

Next steps

This consultation will run from 23 December until midnight on Friday, 28 January, 2022 with the Executive then meeting on 10 February to consider final budget proposals for recommendation to Full Council on 24 February.

The main proposals are:

• To increase Council Tax by 2.99%, comprising a ‘core’ Council Tax increase of 1.99% covering all services and a further 1% for the adult social care precept, which is the maximum amount permitted. This would contribute around £5.2m per annum and would represent a Band D level of Council Tax of £1,578.73 in 2022/23, or the equivalent of £30.36 per week.
• Draft Capital Programme 2022-25

Your feedback on this consultation is really important to us, and all consultation feedback will be analysed and considered, and will help Councillors make a final decision on the budget at the North Northamptonshire Council Full Council meeting on 24 February 2022. This meeting is held in public and anyone wishing to speak at the meeting must contact democraticservices@northnorthants.gov.uk once the agenda is issued on the Council's website on 16 February 2022. Details of how the public can address the meeting will be given on the agenda.

Related Documents

Please read the related documents to gain a better understanding of the budget proposals before you comment on them.

• Draft Budget 2022-23 and Medium-Term Financial Plan, and its appendices:
  • Appendix A - Draft Budget Summary 2022-23
  • Appendix B - List of Proposals, which contains the full list of budget proposals
  • Appendix D - Dedicated Schools Grant
  • Appendix E – Equality Screening Assessment
  • Addendum - Budget Update 2022-23 - following publication of the Provisional Local Government Financial Settlement

• Capital Programme 2022-25, and its appendices:
  • Appendix A - Capital Programme 2022-25
  • Appendix B – is regarding the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Programme 2022-25. Council tenants will be consulted via a targeted consultation on the HRA proposals via their respective Tenant Forum’s
  • Appendix C - Development Pool

Have your say

The following sections gives details of the budget proposals. Please tell us your views by completing this questionnaire. You do not have to answer all of the questions or give us your feedback on every section. If you do not wish to answer a question or give feedback on a specific section, then you can skip those questions and move on to the next section.

This questionnaire focusses on the new proposals for the draft budget 2022-23 that will likely affect residents and service users. However, you can comment on anything within the Draft Budget in the comment boxes.

Your feedback will be part of a report with many other people’s feedback, so you will not be personally identified.

You can also access this online questionnaire free of charge at any North Northamptonshire Council library. Due to current restrictions, customers are asked to check the opening times of the library you wish to visit and book an appointment in advance. Please see the Library website or telephone 0300 126 3000 to check times and make a booking.

Alternatively, you can email or send your comments in by post using the contact details below, or by handing it in to one of North Northamptonshire Council’s libraries.

You can also hold your own group discussion with others and provide your joint feedback either by completing the online Group Facilitator’s Feedback Form or by downloading the PDF version below and emailing or posting the form back to us.

If you have any queries, comments or would like a copy of this questionnaire in another format (including paper, easy read or large print) you can contact us by email, post or telephone. Our contact details are as follows:

Email address: CET@northnorthants.gov.uk

Telephone: 0300 126 3000

Postal address:

• Budget Consultation Response
• North Northamptonshire Council
• Sheerness House 
• Meadow Road
• Kettering
• NN16 8TL

The deadline for completing this questionnaire is midnight 28 January 2022.

For information about how consultation and engagement responses are managed, please see the consultation and engagement privacy notice.

Thank you for helping us by completing this questionnaire.