We asked, you said, we did

We sought community opinion about the existing CCTV cameras in the Queensway area of Wellingborough and feedback on the plan to renew for a further 3 years from 2025 to 2028.

There were 8 responses, the majority of whom were happy to keep the CCTV in place for another 3 years.

The present CCTV will remain in place, to help keep crime levels down and for public safety. This is a joint project with Northamptonshire Police.

We sought community opinion about the existing Alley gates in the Queensway area of Wellingborough and feedback on the plan to renew them for a further 3 years from 2025 to 2028.

There were 239 responses, the majority of whom were happy to keep the alley gates in place for another 3 years.

The present Alley Gates will remain in place, to help keep crime levels down and for public safety. This is a joint project with Northamptonshire Police.

Adult Social Care in North Northamptonshire reviewed its approach to transport to create a policy to ensure we offer a fair and consistent approach to transport for service users. Transport usage for social care has increased significantly since 2021, prompting a review into how we manage the offer. We sought views to ensure that we are able to offer a transport service that is equitable, and in place only for those who need it. We set a rating system of 1-5 where 1 was the statement is very important / reasonable, and 5 is not important / reasonable at all.

There were 25 respondents. Overall there was relatively strong agreement in the statements put forward. Expecting family members and carers to support with transport, and use of public transport were the two statements that scored closer to neutral. The most common theme from the comments was the need to focus on an individual's circumstances, and not have a one size fits all policy. It was also noted that many raised concerns over lack of available public transport routes when considering transport arrangements for social care.

As a result of the consultation Adult Social Care have drafted a transport policy which will be reviewed by the elected Executive members by the end of the calendar year. In line with our strengths-based approach to social care, The Care Act, and the feedback from the consultation, we have ensured the language within the policy clearly states the need to assess each individual by their circumstances. The draft, which will be considered by Executive Members, includes a set of circumstances for staff to consider when reviewing the need for transport. These include:
- expectation that individuals will make their own arrangements where they have a Motability vehicle
- expectation that individuals will make their own arrangements where there is existing available options to them
- a focus on building independent travel where reasonably possible
- exploring contributions to transport arrangements where reasonable

The Council sought feedback on the draft Corporate Plan 2025-29. The Corporate Plan sets out the high-level strategic direction of the council over the next four years.

The draft Corporate Plan focused on four priority themes:

• Family
• Community
• Prosperity
• Smarter, faster, fairer public services

For each of the above priority themes, the plan sets out:

• What this [theme] means in practice
• Key Commitments [under the theme]
• The change you [residents] will see

There was a total of 494 responses to the consultation. The majority of the feedback was received via a consultation questionnaire, with 476 respondents participating via this method and 18 respondents submitting a written response.

• Family: 90.6% strongly agree or tend to agree with the proposals
• Community: 89.5% strongly agree or tend to agree with the proposals
• Prosperity: 84.6% strongly agree or tend to agree with the proposals
• Smarter, Faster and Fairer Public Services: 77.2% strongly agree or tend to agree with the proposals

Respondents were also invited to share their comments on the proposals. For more information about your feedback please see:

Draft Corporate Plan 2025-29 Consultation Analysis report

Draft Corporate Plan 2025-29 Consultation Analysis report – redacted feedback

The full consultation analysis report and supporting papers were discussed by the Corporate Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday 21 October 2025.

Following that meeting, the Draft Corporate Plan 2025-29 was refined and discussed by Executive on 11 November 2025 and subsequently endorsed.

Noted that the Corporate Plan would be reported to the December meeting of Full Council for formal adoption.

Full details can be found in the Executive meeting papers. 

North Northamptonshire Council proposed to introduce a new Direct Payments Policy to outline and clarify our current approach to the operation of Direct Payments within Adult Social Care. A new policy will enable us to be transparent and consistent with our approach to adults Direct Payments. We sough views to help shape what should be included in our policy.

A total of 92 responses were received either via the on-line consultation hub or directly by email, however only 66 people provided any specific feedback or responded to the questions included.

56% of respondents rated the importance of introducing a Direct Payments Policy as 4 or 5 on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being least important and 5 being most important.

Respondents were asked to rank the importance of specific areas being included in the new policy on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being least important and 5 being most important. Of those who commented:

• 81% rated the inclusion of a section on what Direct Payments can be used for as 4 or 5.
• 81% rated the inclusion of a section on the role of the person receiving a Direct Payment as 4 or 5.
• 88% rated the inclusion of a section including information on using a Direct Payment to employ a Personal Assistant as 4 or 5.
• 82% rated the inclusion of a section on Monitoring, Funding and Reclaims as 4 or 5.
• 82% rated the inclusion of a section on what support is available to recipients of Direct Payments as 4 or 5.

Based on the feedback the specific areas identified for inclusion were included in the policy.

Respondents were invited to submit any other subjects they felt should be included in the policy. A range of subjects were suggested. Feedback was considered and included in the policy where relevant. There were two suggested topics which could not be included fully but which were signposted from the document.

The revised Adults Social Care Direct Payments Policy was approved at Executive on 11 November 2025. A Consultation Feedback Report was appended to the committee report which provides full details of the survey feedback and actions taken.

The fully co-produced North Northamptonshire Carers Strategy 2024-2029 was introduced in April 2024. It included feedback, from consultation and engagement, with unpaid carers with lived experience of providing care to family, friends and loved ones.

Following the first year of implementation we sought views on our progress, including what has worked well, any challenges and any achievements.

We received 37 responses.

16 people said they were not aware that we contract Northamptonshire Carers to deliver unpaid carers services on our behalf, 10 said they were aware, 2 responded "not sure", the remainder did not know.

6 responders said we did meet their needs as an unpaid carer, the remainder either told us "no" we did not, they "didn't know", or they did not respond.

5 carers told us it was “fairly easy” to find the support they needed, 11 told us it was “not at all easy”.

5 carers told us they had been offered a carers assessment in the last year, 8 said no, 14 did not answer.

Reflecting on the assessment itself, we gained the following information:

3 carers told us they were signposted to information, but this wasn’t enough. 1 carer received a break, which they found beneficial. 2 carers used the support line/accessed a one stop shop /joined a peer group and created an emergency plan. 4 carers told us that the support groups offered by Northamptonshire Carers were not offered outside of traditional working hours, they felt this was unfair. 2 carers told us they struggled to access respite for their disabled child, an additional carer told us “more respite care needed” but did not provide any context to this. 2 carers told us they felt there were barriers in accessing support as an unpaid carer.

We are grateful to the carers that responded to the online survey, we also gained feedback face to face with carers, which resulted in some clear themes. The survey and face to face feedback tells us that although some good things are being achieved because of the Strategy, we have some identified target areas. These are:

• raising awareness of our partnership and funded contract arrangements with Northamptonshire Carers
• the carers assessment isn’t feely offered, and does not always meet needs
• carers want more offers outside of working hours
• accessing respite is important

What we will do:

• Raise awareness through our social media, and webpages, Local Area Partnerships, the VCSE sector, GP surgeries and hospitals. We will also explore other ways of sharing messaging.
• Through the contract monitoring process, we will work with Northamptonshire Carers on the following:

• Access to carers assessments
• Improving auditing to monitor carer outcomes
• Explore ways of improving offers for carers that work
• Audit the respite offer for adults, that sits within the contract

• Arrange a series of Carers workshops to set out the priorities and implementation of years 2 and 3 of the Strategy, the workshops will be open to carers to feedback their lived experience.

The aim of the survey was to explore current barriers to pharmacies providing emergency hormonal contraception (EHC), and to understand any challenges residents face when accessing EHC and other sexual health services in North Northamptonshire.

Pharmacy providers identified issues with training, funding, and system organisation that impact their ability to deliver EHC.

Stakeholders and residents told us that community pharmacy is often the preferred access point for EHC, but that more public education is needed around how to access it for free.

Transport and geography were also raised as barriers, especially for those trying to reach sexual health services from rural areas.

Survey findings were shared with local stakeholders, sexual health providers and public health leads to highlight key themes and inform future planning.

The insights are being used to guide further work, raise public awareness, and support a smooth transition as emergency contraception is added to the national NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service. This change will enable participating community pharmacies in England to provide free emergency contraception as part of their NHS offer. Local communications and support will be put in place to assist pharmacies and the public through this transition.

Following the local elections, we wanted to understand peoples experience of the voting process to help us review and improve future election planning.

The survey sought to gather information on participation in the local elections, local electors understanding of the different types of election, whether electors had enough information to make an informed choice, and whether electors had any difficulties accessing the polling station.

89 online survey responses and 1 written response were received.

The responses to this survey will be used to inform the public engagement strategy and election plans.

The public engagement strategy is how we will identify and engage with potential target audiences, details of the communications channels we will use, how we will work with internal and external partners to reach target audiences and how we will raise awareness through advertising and the media. The survey responses will help us to assess what we need to provide to electors and what we can do better.

The election plans will allow us to tailor our communications aiming to improve elector knowledge and to make the elector experience as easy as possible by enhancing voters understanding of the procedures and processes. The responses, alongside other local area data, can be used to inform work to improve responses and electoral engagement in areas with lower levels of engagement.

We sought feedback on plans to install CCTV cameras on Spring Rise Park, Kettering, due to antisocial behaviour in the area.
 

We received 38 responses. The majority were in support of installation of 2 x CCTV in the park to reduce crime.
 

An application for the relevant planning permission has been submitted. The aim is for CCTV to be installed in December 2025/January 2026, weather permitting.

We sought feedback on the proposals to instal Calisthenics equipment at Queensway Park, Wellingborough. The engagement also sought the views of what kind of equipment residents and park users would like to see. 
 

86 responses were received. The majority of responded were positive regarding Calisthenics equipment being installed in the the park, that they would use or know someone who would benefit from use.  This is to assist with the health and wellbeing of the community and divert from criminal activities.
 

There is currently a tender process in operation for the required equipment. We hope that the equipment will be installed during December 2025 and January 2026, weather permitting. There is also a proposal of an official opening in February/March 2026.

We asked the public for their thoughts on the draft anti-social behaviour policy for North Northamptonshire Council (NNC).

There were 143 responses in total to the consultation.

Overall, the feedback was mainly positive. The majority of individuals that completed the consultation questionnaire agreed with the aims of the policy, how NNC will investigate anti-social behaviour (ASB) and what NNC will expect from a complainant. 79% of people that completed the survey felt that it is very important that we work to reduce anti-social behaviour and crime where they live.

80% of respondents either strongly agreed or tended to agree with the aims of the draft policy, 2% neither agreed nor disagreed, and 2% either strongly disagreed or tended to disagree. 1% were not sure and 15% didn’t answer this question.

57% of respondents either strongly agreed or tended to agree with how the Council will respond to a complaint of ASB. 6% neither agreed nor disagreed, and 15% either strongly disagreed or tended to disagree. 1% were not sure and 21% didn’t answer this question.

62% of respondents either strongly agreed or tended to agree that what the Council would expect from a complainant is clear. 3% neither agreed not disagreed, and 6% either strongly disagreed or tended to disagree. 1% were not sure and 28% didn’t answer this question.

The draft policy was considered by the Place and Environmental Scrutiny Committee on 2 September 2025 and presented to the Executive on 9 September 2025. The reports outlined the consultation findings. For full information on the decision making process please view the Executive papers. The Anti-Social Behaviour Policy is available on the Anti-Social behaviour policies webpage.

In preparation for drafting a North Northamptonshire Alcohol Needs Assessment, the Public Health team sought feedback on drinking behaviours and patterns from residents. The Alcohol Needs Assessment will support future planning and help design alcohol support services.

There were 153 responses. It is important to acknowledge a potential limitation of this type of survey as respondents may not have reported or been able to calculate an accurate reflection of their overall alcohol consumption. For instance, some individuals might have underreported how much or how often they drink, which could affect the reliability of the results. Nonetheless, we are sincerely grateful to everyone who took the time to participate and share their responses.

How often people drink alcohol: 22% of respondents stated they never drank alcohol (abstinent), it was also 22% of people who advised they only drank monthly/or less than this, 2-3 times was indicated for 19%, while 17% advised they drank between 2-4 times a month, and 20% stated they consumed alcohol 4+ times a week.

The results shown highlighted 19.5% of people exceeded 14 units per week, and 8.5% of people advised they had previously sought professional help when concerned about their level of drinking.

Where people buy their alcohol: A high proportion of people (57%) advised they purchased their alcohol in-person from a supermarket, 16% from an off-license/corner shop, 12% via an online supermarket, 5% was ‘other’, 4% delivery service/subscription, 2% petrol station and 2% were from a duty-free purchase.

Where people drink alcohol: Where people advised they drank alcohol were as follows; 31% at home, 22% in pubs, 17% in restaurants, 14% at other people’s homes, 10% at events, 3% in bars/nightclub, 2% ‘other’ and 1% stated outside/in a public space.

Alcohol reduction campaigns: Overall 11% of respondents had participated in Dry January, 3% had participated in ‘Going Sober for October’, and 6% had joined ‘other’ campaigns.

Reasons for not drinking alcohol: This survey aimed, in part, to understand the reasons for people not drinking alcohol and asked respondents to rank this from ‘extremely important’ to them to ‘not important at all.’

Ranked highest for ‘extremely important’ 32% of respondents did not want to act like people (they have) seen drunk, 30% stated it was because being drunk made them feel vulnerable and may put them at risk, 17% do not drink for medical reasons, 14% advised they have, or used to have, a problem from drinking alcohol, 9% stated their reason for abstinence was they do not like the smell or taste of alcohol, and 4% chose not to drink due to their religious and/or spiritual beliefs.

At the other end of the spectrum from the results for ‘not important at all’ religious/spiritual beliefs ranked highest as a least important factor at 89%, 64% I have/used to have a drinking problem, 55% I don’t like the smell/taste of alcohol, 53% not drinking for medical reasons, 15% concerns around their vulnerability/safety and risk, and just 10% not wanting to act like people they have seen drunk.

The findings from this survey, alongside data and information gathered for the needs assessment involving wider key stakeholders, will shape and inform our forthcoming recommendations. We are nearing the conclusion of this collaborative work, and we are grateful all stakeholders across North Northamptonshire who have contributed valuable data and insights to support our broader work.

During summer 2025, the council commissioned an external company called Yonder Data Solutions to carry out a residents’ satisfaction survey, via a telephone exercise. Yonder were asked to use the same methodology as the survey carried out by the Local Government Association so that some comparison can be made. These were chosen to allow North Northamptonshire Council to benchmark its performance, providing context to findings and identifying areas of strength and improvement. Bespoke questions specific to North Northamptonshire Council were also incorporated alongside these to explore additional areas of interest and local issues.

Additionally, an online version was created and all residents were encouraged to participate.

This Residents’ Satisfaction Survey is the first of its type for North Northamptonshire.

Of the 500 residents who responded to Yonder’s telephone survey:

a. Local Area Satisfaction: 68% of residents were satisfied with their area as a place to live, slightly below the national average of 74%.

b. Council Performance: 41% expressed satisfaction with how the council runs things, compared to 56% nationally. Older residents and women reported higher satisfaction.

c. Value for Money: Only 28% felt the council provides good value for money, below the national average of 36%. Perceptions of value for money are therefore low nationally.

d. Responsiveness: 37% believed the council acts on residents’ concerns, significantly lower than the national figure of 53%.

e. Service Satisfaction:

• Waste collection (77%) and parks / green spaces (68%) are broadly aligned with national averages.

• Street cleaning (48%), library services (48%), and sports/leisure services (45%) were below national benchmarks.

• Road maintenance (13%), pavement maintenance (34%), and services for young and older people (32% each).

f. Communication: Only 33% felt well informed about council services, compared to 47% nationally. This highlights a need for improved communication.

g. Decision making: 78% of North Northamptonshire residents stated they would prefer local councillors to make local decisions. This is significantly higher than the national findings, where 70% expressed the same preference.

Of the 3,451 responses to the online survey:

a. Local Area Satisfaction: 49.9% of residents were satisfied with their area as a place to live, slightly below the national average of 74%.

b. Council Performance: 62.2% expressed satisfaction with how the council runs things, compared to 56% nationally.

c. Value for Money: Only 11.6% felt the council provides good value for money, below the national average of 36%. Perceptions of value for money are therefore low nationally.

d. Responsiveness: 14.5% believed the council acts on residents’ concerns, significantly lower than the national figure of 53%.

e. Service Satisfaction:

• Waste collection (70.7%) was broadly aligned with national averages.

• Street cleaning (25.8%), library services (28.9%), sports/leisure services

(24.4%), green space (48.3%) were below national benchmarks.

• Road maintenance (3.4%), pavement maintenance (8.4%), and services for young and older people (9.5% each).

f. Communication: Only 17.5% felt well informed about council services, compared to 47% nationally. This highlights a need for improved communication.

g. Decision making: 42.8% of North Northamptonshire residents stated they would prefer local councillors to make local decisions. This is significantly lower than the national findings, where 70% expressed the same preference.

You can view the full report and analysis via the:

Yonder Residents Survey Long Form Report

Further details can also be found in the Corporate Scrutiny Committee papers for 21 October 2025.

The results have been utilised to help identify potential areas for greater emphasis and action, and to help develop the council’s draft Corporate Plan 2025-29, which takes a prevention-based approach.

Further details about the draft Corporate Plan 2025-29 can be found in the Corporate Scrutiny Committee papers for 21 October 2025, at item 7.

We sought to gather the views of the public on the provision of pharmaceutical services in North Northamptonshire, in order to draft a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment.

 

Views were received from 358 people. The findings of this were summarised in the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment.

 

Responses were used to inform the findings of the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment.

This PNA covers a three-year period. As per the 2013 regulations, the North Northamptonshire Health and Wellbeing Board are required to publish the subsequent PNA within three years of this PNA’s publication date. The next PNA is required to be published in July 2028. It is the responsibility of the Health and Wellbeing Board to determine whether a supplementary statement should be issued when notified of changes to pharmaceutical services by Primary Care Support England or NHSE. Supplementary statements will be published with this PNA when necessary.

As part of the Corby Station link road project, some trees were identified for potential removal, which required regulatory consultation.

Following national guidance up to 20 trees were identified for potential removal. It was also proposed that alongside removal works, a programme is put in place for planting 300 trees within the scheme but also for other spaces just outside the project area in Corby.

4 email responses were received from local stakeholders and members of the public.

One response supported the plans, two responses did not support the plans and one response offered no particular opinion.

You can view the full decision papers view the Corby Towns Fund page

The decision has been made to approve the removal of 20 street trees along Oakley Road in Corby between the roundabout at Westcott Way/Elizabeth Street to the St Marks and Station Road junction (see Tree Management Plans) in connection to the proposed works for the Corby Town Centre to Train Station Link Road project. Full details can be found via the links below:

Generic Report Template

Record-of-Delegated-Decision-Consultation-for-the-removal-of-20-street-trees.pdf

Outcome-notice-for-street-tree-consultation-Oakley-Road-2nd-May.pdf

We invited residents of rural North Northamptonshire to share their experiences of health and wellbeing. The survey explored healthcare access, community life, digital use, and the everyday challenges and strengths of rural living. A focus group discussion was also held to deepen the picture. 

623 responses were received. 

• Access to healthcare: Pharmacies and GPs were the most used services, but many described difficulties getting GP appointments, long travel times to hospital and urgent care, and over-reliance on private cars or costly taxis. Lack of public transport was the most common barrier. 

• Community life: Most people felt connected and safe, but some reported isolation, caring pressures, and limited activities. Community groups and warm spaces were described as lifelines, especially for those experiencing bereavement or loneliness. 

• Digital access: Many residents use online services, but others feel excluded due to poor connectivity, low confidence, or a preference for face-to-face contact. 

• Wider challenges: People highlighted how caring responsibilities, hidden poverty, and gaps in local services can make it harder to stay healthy and connected. 

The findings have been used to develop a Rural Health Needs Assessment, which sets out recommendations for action. These include: 

• improving transport options for healthcare and community participation, 
• supporting digital inclusion while retaining offline routes, 
• investing in carers, local groups, and community connection, 
• safeguarding access to GP, pharmacy, dental and urgent care services, and 
• addressing gaps in engagement with younger people and under-represented groups. 

We have shared the findings with Local Area Partnerships, Healthwatch, and voluntary sector organisations to inform local planning. 

Building on this, we are starting joint discussions with community partners and service providers about practical steps to improve transport, local service access, and support for carers and isolated residents. 

Next steps 
The Rural Health Needs Assessment will be published in Autumn 2025. We will continue to share updates and work with partners to ensure the voices of rural residents guide future services and decisions. 

A draft Baseline Report has been produced, to identify and detail relevant changes that have occurred since the production of the previous, Northamptonshire County Council Local Transport Plan (LTP) in 2012, and to capture policies and guidance to be considered in the development of the new, first North Northamptonshire Local Transport Plan. 

As part of this process, a public and stakeholder engagement exercise was undertaken in order to seek feedback on the draft Baseline Report and enable progression of the Local Transport Plan taking into account that feedback.

142 responses to the engagement exercise were received, excluding blank submissions.  The majority of respondents identified themselves as residents (120), with a range of organisational representation also received.

Overall, 37% of responses received indicated support for increasing priority for transport modes, with 29% indicating support has been at the right level since the 2012 LTP.  Responses indicating greater priority should be given were focused mainly on the modes of Bus, Walking, Rail and Cycling.

Overall, 60% of responses received indicated support for increasing priority for the transport-related areas of congestion, maintenance, planning for new developments, road safety, school travel and sustainable transport, with maintenance receiving strong support.

A wide range of written comments and suggestions were received, which have been analysed and collated thematically.

The decision-making process regarding the adoption of any proposed amendments will consider aspects of detail through to strategic considerations, and it is expected to be complete later this year in order to allow development and finalisation of the Local Transport Plan itself by 2026, with further engagement exercises to take place. 

We sought residents feedback and views on the first draft North Northants Health and Wellbeing Strategy for 2024-29.

 

The activity generated 58 responses which were analysed and shared with the Health and Wellbeing Strategy Oversight Group, The Director of Public Health and senior Public Health officers.

 

Your feedback will be reviewed and used to shape the information sharing with the public on the work being done within the 5 key areas of the strategy.

 

North Northamptonshire Council in agreement with the Governing Board of Alfred Lord Tennyson School proposed an amendment to the age range from 3-11 to 4-11. This will have the effect of closing the nursery class from August 2025.

The proposal has met the criteria for a significant change and therefore a full proposal and public notice of this proposed change was issued.

Background information

• Alfred Lord Tennyson School (ALTS) is a newly amalgamated school.
• ALTS amalgamated in September 2023.
• The school currently operates on 2 sites, those being the previously named Tennyson Road Infant School site and the previously named Alfred Street Junior School site.
• ALTS are considering changing their age range from 3-11 to 4-11 from September 2025 having inherited the Nursery as part of the amalgamation.
• This will have the effect of closing the school nursery.
• The current nursery provision is based at the Tennyson Road Infant School site.
• The school are currently working with the local authority to move to one site in September 2025.
• The chosen site for the move to 1 site is the previously named Alfred Street Junior School site.

Why the school is proposing the change

• The nursery currently takes 6 children.  This is not financially viable for ALTS.
• The school are at risk of significant financial challenges. This is due to the staffing requirements that are required for nursery age children.
• With children joining the school that may require one to one support, triggering recruitment of additional staff, the school’s budget will be placed under further pressure.
• Another point of note is that the school building will not have a suitable space to accommodate the nursery when the move to one site takes place in September 2025.
• The school will not have a space which is compliant with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework, which has strict requirements around space per child.

We received one response to the consultation which offered a "tend to agree" agreement level to the proposal. The respondent queried where the current attendees would move to and what support was in place to manage the change for children and families.

Following the conclusion of the consultation the statutory guidance around change of age range was updated and changed in March 2025. The amendment meant that the Council was no longer required to act as the statutory decision maker for this process. The school are therefore required to complete a non-statutory process including consultation with the school community. 

The outcome of the Council consultation which was conducted was passed to the school for them to use as part of their non statutory process which has concluded. The school have confirmed that they will be going ahead with the change of age range from September 2025.

North Northamptonshire Council formally received the Great Addington Parish Neighbourhood Plan, which was submitted in accordance with Regulation 15 of The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

9 submissions were received.

You can view full updates on the Neighbourhood Plan and its progress via the Great Addington Parish Council website.