We asked, you said, we did

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 will be presented and discussed by the Corporate Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday 21 October 2025 at 7pm.

The Draft Corporate Plan 2025-29 will then be refined and put before Executive for endorsement in November 2025 and before Full Council in December 2025 for formal adoption.

Full details can be found in the Corporate Scrutiny Committee papers.

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.

The Council sought feedback on the draft proposals for a balanced revenue budget for 2025/26 and the medium-term financial plan for the next three years. The budget consultation period commenced on 19 December 2024 and closed on 24 January 2025.

The budget proposals set out a detailed spending strategy for the authority for the financial year 2025/26 as well as outlining the medium-term financial plan for the next two years. The budget proposed a balance net revenue budget for 2025/26 at £400.93 million.

The main proposals were:

• To increase Council Tax by 4.99%, comprising a ‘core’ Council Tax increase of 2.99% covering all services and a further 2% for the adult social care precept, which is the maximum amount permitted. This would contribute an additional £11m per year and would represent a Band D level of Council Tax of £1,827.06 for 2025/2026, or the equivalent of £35.14 per week.
• Draft Capital Programme 2025-29.

However, respondents were invited to comment on any proposal within the Draft Budget.

Using the various means available to consultees, local people and organisations contributed to the North Northamptonshire Council Draft Budget 2025/26 consultation 204 times.

Council Tax increase proposals:

• 48.6% of respondents said they strongly agreed or tended to agree with the proposal to increase core council tax by 2.99%, whilst 43.3% said they strongly disagreed or tended to disagree with the proposal.
• 50.0% of respondents said they strongly agreed or tended to agree with the proposal to add an adult social care precept of 2% to council tax, whilst 38.0% said they strongly disagreed or tended to disagree with the proposal.

For more information about your feedback please see:

Appendix E – Draft Budget 2025-26 Consultation Analysis Report

On Thursday 20 February 2025, the North Northamptonshire Council approved the 2025 to 2026 budget for North Northamptonshire.

The report before Council presented a balanced revenue budget for 2025/26 as well as outlining the medium-term financial plan for the next three years.

Council Tax: The Council approved an increase in council tax of 4.99%, which includes the 2% adult social care precept and is the maximum increase permitted by Government.

This increase will contribute about an additional £11m per year and represents a Band D level of Council Tax for North Northamptonshire Council of £1,827.06 for 2025/26.

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.

Capital Programme: Final proposals for capital projects were also approved, totalling £180.4m over a four-year period from 2025-29 across a number of schemes including investing over £43.6m into highways, £36.6m for continued investment into our Housing Stock, £27.9m for investment into schools, £8.1m to support facilities for those with disabilities, £8.2m in improving digital infrastructure and £2.6m for Electrical Vehicle infrastructure.

Housing Revenue Account: This year’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) sees a balanced position.

There will also be a rent increase of 2.7% for the next financial year, which accords with the Government’s rent setting policy for 2024/25. Any funding received by the HRA is retained within the HRA and will be used to support investment into the Council’s housing stock through improvements and maintenance.

For more information about the budget, please see:

Council papers for meeting held on 20 February 2025

We sought feedback on schools term dates for the 2026-27 academic year.

We received 4 responses with some alternative suggestions.

The terms dates for 2026-27 academic year will proceed as suggested and can be found on the NNC website School term dates page.

We sought feedback on the arrangements for school admissions for September 2026.

No comments were received on the proposed arrangements.

The school admission arrangements for September 2026 will proceed as suggested. You can find more information on the NNC website school admission pages.

We sought your views on the draft Adult Social Care Strategy 2024-29. The Care Act 2014 sets out the statutory duties for Local Authorities and has a focus on wellbeing, enablement, partnership working and outcomes. It has been key to our approach in developing the North Northamptonshire draft Adult Social Care Strategy 2024-2029. The draft Strategy supports people aged 18 and over as well as young people from the age of 14 moving into adulthood.

There were 40 responses. Consultation responses received were broadly supportive of the strategy with no changes made as a result.

The strategy was adopted by Executive at their meeting held on 13 February 2025. The strategy now moves to implementation phase and forms a key part of preparations for the assurance of the Council’s delivery of Care Act 2014 duties that would be undertaken by the Care Quality Commission.

The creation of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy is a legal requirement. The strategy is about restoring and enhancing biodiversity across the NNC area. In collaboration with environmental organisations, landowners and the community the draft strategy was created and provide a framework for guiding conservations efforts to create a thriving, sustainable landscape for everyone’s benefit. We sought your views on the draft.

239 responses were received:

179 responses to the online questionnaire
28 direct emails
32 comments directly on the mapping were received.

These included place-based comments, thematic suggestions, and site-specific requests.

The consultation feedback report can be viewed via the Local Nature Recovery Strategy page of our website. Scroll to the bottom of the page.

The Natural England blog also provides a great summary:
https://naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2025/03/20/a-new-era-for-englands-nature-celebrating-the-publication-of-the-second-local-nature-recovery-strategy/

All feedback was taken into consideration and some amendments were made throughout the strategy document. The feedback was discussed at Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee on 25 February 2025. You can view the papers online. The LNRS Strategy was approved by the Executive Member for Climate and the Green Environment and can found on the Local Nature Recovery Strategy page of our website.

As part of aligning the wider customer experience offer, we are working towards customers being able to interact with any of our customer facing offices, in a harmonised way. The ways in which we process payments should be consistent, efficient and effective across all areas. 

The closure of the Corby Cube cash office facility during the recent pandemic, resulted in a behaviour change, with many customers using alternative payment methods. The Corby Cube is also the only council venue that hosts a cash office.

We are proposing to remove the ability to pay by cash at The Corby Cube. However, customers will still be able to use this method of payment in several establishments, who are open more regularly than the Corby cash office (which is only open 3 days per week; 09:00am to 2:00pm)

• There were 36 respondents, (of which 29 were residents, 5 staff members and 2 Councillors).
• Of those surveyed, 7 (19%), disagreed that the options to make a payment to the Council should be the same across all of North Northamptonshire.
• Of those surveyed, 14 (39%), usually make cash payments at the Corby Cube cash office.
• The ability to make a payment by cash was discussed as being a preferred option for the following reasons: 
• • Ease of use (i.e. how income is either paid or drawn down; convenience of visit to the town centre).
  • Struggle with online payments.
  • Personal choice.
• Whilst considering the payment methods available, it was highlighted that card payments are not facilitated in the library.
• There was strong feedback on not losing the ability to make a payment by cash.
• Of those who usually make cash payments at the Corby Cube cash office, 9 (64%), would use a Post Office to make a cash payment, and 6 (43%), would use a Paypoint / Payzone outlet.
• The uptake of the survey was low, with an estimated 1.4% of service users taking part.

Following consideration of all the feedback received and the Bank of England report of 2021 Update on the future of Wholesale Cash Distribution in the UK, the decision has been made to adopt the consultation proposal for harmonising payment options and removal of paying by cash at the Corby Cube cash office.

Next steps:

• To review card payments in libraries and how this can be implemented for library shop and printer purchases.
• Customers will be proactively engaged from week commencing 13 January 2025. The last operating day of the Corby cash office will be Monday 31 March 2025, allowing time to support customers through annual billing and any rent increase letters.
• We will have an additional member of staff on reception from 13 January to 31 March, during the cash office operating hours.
• The new annual billing letters will all have barcodes on the letters and information on how the barcodes can be used to make payments and where payments can be made.
• We will also be updating our website contact us page with a list of services available at our customer service hubs, including making a payment. This will evolve as we go through the office rationalisation project and incorporate actions from our recent audit on the service offer. 

The Private Sector Housing Policy has been in place since 1 April 2021 when NNC was created.

During the last three years, we have identified areas of improvement within the Private Sector Housing Policy and the need to incorporate new and revised proposals as a response to the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002 (RRO) and The Housing Grants, Construction, and Regeneration Act 1996. The (RRO) allows local authorities additional freedom in providing home adaptations and improvements in line with the needs of the local area and we have tried to take advantage of this autonomy by introducing new grants, simplifying processes and paperwork, where feasible and increasing discretionary grants where possible.

We have therefore reviewed the original policy, renamed it as Private Sector Housing Assistance Policy and we have incorporated new measures and proposals.  We sought your views on the revised policy.

During the consultation period, we have received 58 responses. All feedback/questions/comments were written and returned by e-mail. In fact, all comments received were as a result of the e-mails sent out to residents/ organisations/team members contacted directly during the consultation period. We had no feedback received by phone calls or letters and no responses received due to the public consultation advertised on the website.

In summary, the residents who were contacted, as they had previously received a DFG, said how helpful a DFG is and how this funding improved their lives but asked for increased funding. The Council cannot increase the mandatory grant of £30K as this is a central government decision. But we can have an impact on the discretionary assistance which has been, thus, increased from £10K to £20K. Additional proposals have been introduced which will assist more people to receive DFG funding and in a timely manner.

External stakeholders such as Housing Associations were satisfied with the recommended policy. Only a few responded and made no major comments.

Foundations – the National Body for Disabled Facilities Grants and Home Improvement Agencies in England - were very supportive and pleased with the content of the policy. They confirmed it covers all items and areas that should be included in a robust Private Sector Housing Assistance Policy.

The members of the team (Occupational Therapists, Grant Support Officers, Surveyors and wider Private Sector Housing officers) commented on new grants introduced and the logistics behind their delivery.

All comments were taken into consideration and valued. A document has been produced – Consultation Outcome - that lists all comments made, our response, how each feedback impacted the policy, and which part was changed, if applicable, as a result of each comment / query. The document recorded the name of the person commenting, the date the feedback was received, the exact feedback given or question asked, our response and the exact change made to the document or a statement that no change was required.    

Several comments resulted in additional text being incorporated in the policy offering further clarity. Other items raised, led to the introduction of new sections being added to the policy to cover areas not previously included – prior to the public consultation. Further comments resulted in a more thorough evaluation of certain new proposals and additional review on logistics behind the delivery of DFGs under these sections.

Finally, there were a few queries to which answers were provided – these were included in the Consultation Outcome document. However, the content of these queries was of a different nature and not to be covered by the policy such as kitchen adaptations which will be covered by the DFG Procedures document.

We have also received a few complimentary comments which have been recorded but no further action was required. The Consultation Outcome document along with the final Policy have been distributed to the DFG Team, Occupational Therapy and wider Private Sector Housing Team. The final policy has been published on the Council’s website. 

Following public consultation in August 2024 regarding proposed changes to car parking charges at Corby Rail Station, a final consultation was undertaken.

There were 56 responses, the majority of which opposed the proposed changes.

Following consideration of all responses some changes were made, such as off peak charges and additional bays created within the car park to reduce on street local pressure.

On 7 November 2024, notice was given under Section 35C of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 that North Northamptonshire Council has approved the following variations to the charges payable in respect of vehicles using the whole of the car park, the charges are listed below and take effect from 2 December 2024:

CORBY RAILWAY STATION CAR PARK VARIED CHARGES

Off peak tariffs

Any enquiries please contact Traffic Enforcement Team (trafficenforcement@northnorthants.gov.uk)

Residents, organisations and business were invited to give their view on the proposed routes identified for the Wellingborough & Rushden Area Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) which was created in collaboration with Pell Frischmann and Brightwayz.

The LCWIP provides a strategic approach to identifying cycling and walking improvements at a local level and enable the long-term approach to developing networks.

This LCWIP had a range of engagement and consultation with stakeholders and the public throughout the development of the plan. This engagement included a series of workshops with key stakeholders and residents that were held during the development of the LCWIP.

Participants at the most recent public consultation were able to comment on:

• How they felt about the overall LCWIP and why they answered in that way
• Comments on any of the proposed routes/improvements
• Any other comments

Following the drafting of the LCWIP Technical Report, public consultation was undertaken between 16 September and 27 October. This consultation was undertaken primarily using the NNC Citizenspace online platform, but with respondents also able to submit their responses by other methods.

The online public consultation was promoted to stakeholders/residents who had already been involved in the development of the LCWIP as well as to the wider population through various media. In addition, various events were attended to raise the profile of the consultation and to help those wanting to comment upon the proposals.

There were 44 online respondents and 5 responses received by other means to this consultation

As part of this consultation, respondents were asked for their overall feeling about the LCWIP. 74% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the overall LCWIP. 22% of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed with the LCWIP. Only 4% of respondents were neutral in their view of the LCWIP proposals. It is noticeable that the proportion of respondents who provided a neutral response for this consultation was significantly lower than that recorded during the May 2024 public consultation. This may reflect the fact that many respondents used the earlier consultation to provide suggestions to improve the proposals.

Each of the responses and comments have been analysed and considered. A Consultation Report that summarises the findings of this analysis was prepared and reported to NNC members (along with a report on the overall engagement for the overall LCWIP process) when approval of the Wellingborough & Rushden Area LCWIP proposals was sought.

The detailed analysis and consideration of the consultation comments has resulted in some additional clarification being agreed to be provided within the route proposals plans for Wellingborough Road in Rushden.