We asked, you said, we did

North Northamptonshire Council are developing their first All Age Carers Strategy. We asked carers, or someone who is supporting a carer, to feedback on the draft strategy.

The All-Age Carers Strategy 2024-29 sets out our vision and priorities for recognising, valuing, and supporting carers. It reflects legislation and national guidance regarding the role and duties of local authorities. The strategy also aims to respond to priorities that have been highlighted within North Northamptonshire, which were discovered during recent engagement events with local carers.

We have identified five key priorities to support carers in their caring role and to maintain their own health and wellbeing. The strategy outlines our actions for each priority, and we want to know carers views on these. The feedback will be used to further develop our action plan for the final All Age Carers Strategy 2024-29.

The priorities are:

• Identification and recognition
• Information and Advice
• Carers Breaks
• A life alongside caring
• Joined up systems - Telling my story once

• 76 Surveys were submitted
• Of the 76 submitted forms, 7 contained no information

The results of the survey show that those participating mostly agreed with the 5 priorities.

The feedback has been collated, and will be taken to the newly formed *Carers Forum for discussion and decision making. This will then be used to make changes to the Strategy at future reviews - the strategy will be reviewed yearly by the group to measure success/identity where more support/changes are required.

*The Carers Forum is made up of carers, who are Experts by Experience.

The Council sought feedback on the draft proposals for a balanced revenue budget for 2023/24 and the medium-term financial plan for the next three years. The budget consultation period commenced on 21 December 2023 and closed on 26 January 2024.

The budget proposals set out a detailed spending strategy for the authority for the financial year 2024/25 as well as outlining the medium-term financial plan for the next two years. The budget proposed a balance net revenue budget for 2024/25 at £371.5 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 £9.6m per year and would represent a Band D level of Council Tax of £1,740.22 for 2024/2025, or the equivalent of £33.47 per week.
• Draft Capital Programme 2024-28.

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 2024/25 consultation 475 times.

Council Tax increase proposals:

• 44.3% of respondents said they strongly agreed or tended to agree with the proposal to increase core council tax by 2.99%, whilst 47.5% said they strongly disagreed or tended to disagree with the proposal.
• 42.8% 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 45.2% said they strongly disagreed or tended to disagree with the proposal.

For more information about your feedback please see:

Appendix E – Draft Budget 2024-25 Consultation Analysis Report

On Thursday 22 February 2024, the North Northamptonshire Council approved the 2024 to 2025 budget for North Northamptonshire.

The report before Council presented a balanced revenue budget for 2024/25 as well as outlining the medium-term financial plan for the next three years.

Through its budget, the Council will: 

• Invest in the region of £57m in protecting and improving local services.
• Continue to improve local schools, town centres, transport and rural neighbourhoods.
• Tackle climate change, continuing the use of a dedicated £1m fund for this purpose.
• Invest in adult social care and in care and support for children and families.
• Help those on low income by maintaining the Local Council Tax Support Scheme at the current level of 25%.
• Continue to support and develop the local economy, housing, education and skills.
• Provide grants to local community and voluntary organisations.

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 £9.6m per year and represents a Band D level of Council Tax for North Northamptonshire Council of £1,740.22 for 2024/25.

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 £163.5m over a three-year period. General capital projects make up £104.8m of this amount while the Housing Revenue Account is £58.7m.
 
There is also a Capital development pool - totalling £171.1m - for the progression and prioritisation of key schemes. 

Housing Revenue Account: This year’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) sees a balanced budget for the two Neighbourhood Accounts.

There will also be a rent increase of 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 housing improvements and maintenance.

For more information about the budget, please see:

Council papers for meeting held on 22 February 2024

Draft minutes of Council meeting held on 22 February 2024

The company known as Scotts of Thrapston Limited, 4 Bridge Street, Thrapston, Northamptonshire, NN14 4LR has applied to North Northamptonshire Council to vary their existing permit for the working of timber and manufacture of wood-based products, EPR/EN/9b, to include a biomass boiler as a directly associated activity.

Representations were invited from interested parties.

No responses or representations were made.

The existing permit will now be varied. For more information about Environmental permits please visit the NNC webpage at https://www.northnorthants.gov.uk/environment/environmental-permits

Residents were asked to give their views on a proposed new PSPO for Rushden town centre. Rushden has been experiencing significant anti-social behaviour in the town centre.

The proposed restricted area that the PSPO will cover was set out, along with the suggested prohibitions. Residents were asked to say whether they agreed with the making of the PSPO overall; the proposed restricted area; what they felt about each prohibition and whether additional areas of the town, or other prohibitions should be considered for inclusion in the order.  
 

NNC received 148 responses, with 83% of respondents saying they strongly agreed or agreed with making the PSPO.

The proposed restricted area was very widely regarded as the critical area for the PSPO to cover.

ASDA was identified as a key area for consideration of extending the PSPO restricted area.

Several other roads were identified further out from the town centre. However, for practical reasons with enforcement, these couldn’t be included.

The prohibitions were widely regarded as the key ones.

Many respondents offered other comments about their own experiences of issues in the town centre.
 

All views helped support the PSPO proposals when they were considered and approved by NNC’s Executive at its meeting on 14 January 2024.

The PSPO is now being implemented and will be formally sealed as a legal order to start shortly. It will be in place for three years, when NNC will be required to review it and either extend for a further three years, with or without amendments, or discontinue with it.

In Autumn 2023, we conducted a survey seeking views on a proposed new way of delivering activities and respite (short breaks) for disabled children in Northamptonshire. It was important that we gave as many people the opportunity to feedback via an electronic survey and through face to face sessions. 

Conducted throughout October and November, the survey received an overwhelming response, with 150 individuals contributing their valuable insights and a further 134 attending the various workshops. 

The following sets out the key findings:

• The idea of a single referral pathway is beneficial to help avoid families having to tell their stories repeatedly.
• Any assessment that is already in place should be used for access to the short break’s services. Some respondents did want to keep self-referrals.
• Respondents agreed with the principle of reallocating funding, however, they did not agree with closing the residential short breaks unit 1 day a week.
• That daytime activities preferred included swimming, activities involving animals, cooking or musical activities.
• The need for better links with activities already taking place in communities and support for children and young people to access them.
• The need for 1:1 or 2:1 staffing, followed by secure environments and small groups to access services.
• The sleep service should not be added to the short breaks group of services.
• Sensory impairment services should not be added to the short breaks group of services.
• Adding personal care and support services to the short breaks group of services would be positive.
• That in general, respondents agreed with some parts of the proposals but not all of it.

The survey covered a broad spectrum of topics allowing us to review the entire provision and receive appropriate feedback. Thanks to this, a new model of short breaks and respite will be implemented; this will consist of:

• A single referral route into the short break’s services.
• Existing assessments being used to access the short breaks services and allowing parents to self-refer.
• Residential short breaks unit reducing the bed capacity rather than closing 1 night a week; analysis shows this will still enable the need to be met.
• The Sleep Service (and budget) will not be included in the Short Breaks group of services.
• The Sensory Impairment services will not be included in the short breaks group of service.
• Consideration of adding PCaS services during the 2^nd year of the contract after modelling the viability of this.

Next steps 

• Commissioning the new services to be in place by November 2024.
• Complete a whole service review of the sleep service and agree a joint plan to reduce the waiting list.
• Ensure the transition from the current services to the new services are as smooth as possible to avoid any negative impact on children, young people, and their families.

To read more and see the report you can visit the Northamptonshire Childrens Trust News page

North Northamptonshire Council sought the views of residents and interested parties on the development of a strategy to encourage more walking, wheeling and cycling tris across North Northamptonshire.

Although many areas across North Northants have, or are in the process of developing, an LCWIP, this strategy encompasses more rural areas and connects key settlements and identifies all trip generators.

The survey took respondents through various sections of the strategy and sought views on the different aspects, objectives, funding and how we are proposing to prioritise the order in which 33 proposed routes may be delivered.

295 responses were received.

Respondents are in agreement with the Vision and its key objectives. Underlying all responses is the need for maintenance, inclusivity, deliverability, connectivity and safety to be at the heart of all the development of routes.

Securing future maintenance agreements is key with the delivery of routes, and that needs to be agreed at the outset. As is the maintenance of the Greenways already delivered.

Various alternative or additional suggestions were made including working with landowners to further develop the network, and keeping the Greenway off road wherever possible.

The questionnaire asked for “Greenway Champions” to come forward who would raise the profile of the Strategy, the benefits of the Greenway network, advocate it to their community and generally spread the word. This yielded 3 individual responses (more responses were yielded from the Wellingborough to Rushden Consultation). Various groups also came forward to offer their support for scop8ing out further routes.

It was clear that there is strong support for harmonisation of the S106 formula across North Northants, and further work needs to be done internally within North Northants Council in order for it to become an adopted policy.

The North Northamptonshire Greenway Strategy was approved by the Greenway Board on 21 March 2024 and will go to Executive for decision making at a date to be advised.

It will be accompanied for a request to commit to further investigation into a more robust S106 formula in order for it to be relevant and in sync with other S106 requests to improve harmonisation with the new emerging local plans, internal departments and supplementary planning documents review.
 

The Wellingborough to Rushden Masterplan has been developed in order to look at how a Greenway connection can be made between Rushden Lakes and Wellingborough to connect to Chester House Estate. It would connect the Greenway from Woodford to Stanwick Lakes, Irthlingborough, Higham and Rushden.

Residents have been asking for such a route for a few years now, and the demand is there but developing it has some significant challenges. North Northamptonshire Council sought the views of residents on the proposed route.

153 responses were received.

Responses indicated that the Wellingborough to Rushden Greenway route is much needed and well supported.

Variations of the route have been suggested, and where they have proposed linking to Irchester this can be fed into other plans. Suggestions that the route should be placed elsewhere e.g. to the North of the river have already been investigated and perhaps was not made clear enough in the Masterplan that the route currently being looked at is the only way it can be delivered with all the constraints of the landscape, nature, infrastructure in the area.

Indications for future use, is showing a sway towards leisure use.

It is also evident that the public wish to be kept informed of development and timeframes. Updates could be done through the Greenway Champions network, a website, regular press releases, through the existing Friends of the North Northamptonshire Greenway social media site and through the numerous stakeholders.

As of January 2024, timescales and costs for this project and the necessary assessments which need to be carried out are being investigated.

The Wellingborough to Rushden Masterplan was approved by the Greenway Board on 21 March 2024 and will go to Executive for decision making at a date to be advised.

We will apply for Shared Prosperity Funding to initiate the Habitat Regulations Assessment and Flood Risk Assessments, both of which are crucial to start as soon as possible due to the length of the studies.

Work will continue to progress the Masterplan to a planning stage with the aim of submission late 2026/early 2027 with the project plan and its actions agreed at the above Executive meeting.

We sought feedback on the experiences of unpaid carers to shape the way forward for the service.

62 carers completed the survey, in varying degrees of completion.

Some key points are that:

• One third had visited the NNC website pages.
• A small number indicated they had found the information they were looking for.
• A quarter had been in receipt of a carers assessment, with wait times varying from under 5 working days to a small number still waiting for their assessment.
• Carers told us that they are not overly aware of the services the Council fund for carers.

The survey results were used in conjunction with face to face and online workshops with carers, alongside Expert by Experience input, to identify where carers living in North Northamptonshire would benefit from improvements to the support currently offered by NNC via its Supporting Carers contract.

The survey and workshops identified 5 key themes that NNC have included in the Strategy: :

- Identification and recognition
- Information and Advice
- Carers Breaks
- A Life Alongside Caring
- Joined up systems - telling my story once 

NNC has drafted an All-Age Carers Strategy, which is currently out to public consultation. You can view the details on our Consultation Hub, which is open for your feedback until 3 March 2024.

The results will be analysed and will inform any amendments made. The draft Strategy will be presented to the Executive for adoption, in April 2024.  

NNC sought the views on the review of the content of three separate Dog Control PSPOs currently in place in the form legacy district and borough council areas (East Northamptonshire, Kettering and Wellingborough) and incorporate the Corby area into one overall PSPO relating to Dog Control.

A PSPO allows the council to enforce key restrictions including dog exclusion in all fenced children’s play areas, county wide controls on dog fouling, dogs on lead orders in places such as cemeteries and the ability to request dogs to be placed on leads when required.

Proposed changes included:

• Remove the requirement that dogs must be kept on a lead no more than 1.5m in length in prescribed areas – currently this is only within the Kettering area.
• Remove the restriction that a person may not take more than 6 dogs onto any land at any time – currently this is only within the Kettering area.
• Elements of the existing orders are replicated to cover the former Corby Borough Council area, including dog exclusion from all enclosed or fenced off children’s play areas, dog fouling control and a requirement to have dogs on leads in certain areas such as churches and cemeteries.

There were 72 responses to the online survey with 72% of respondents strongly agreeing or agreeing with the contents of the proposed PSPO.

Several representations were made in relation to additional considerations, including Fermyn Woods, Irchester main hub area and Corby areas. Full details can be found in the consultation appendix as part of the Executive papers for the Executive meeting held on 16 November 2023.

The draft Public Spaces Protection Order (Dog Control) Order 2023 was approved by Executive on 16 November 2023 and is now in force. Full details can be found on the NNC website PSPO page.

Residents, organisations and business were invited to give their view on the proposed Corby Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan which was created in collaboration with WSP 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 for the next ten years.

The Corby 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 as well as a dedicated feedback section on the Commonplace website.

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

• Proposed routes and corridors
• Priority of individual routes and corridors
• The overall LCWIP report

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 provide assistance to those wanting to comment upon the proposals.

There were 105 responses in total:

• Only 14% of the respondents disliked or mostly disliked the plan.
• 59% of contributions loved or liked the plan.
• The remainder of 27% were neutral contributions.

The walk routes most often identified by respondents as being important to them were:

• Town centre 25%
• Corby Old Village 16.1%
• Oakley Road 13.7%
• Weldon Road 11.3%

The cycle routes identified by respondents as being important to them were:

• East- Station to Weldon/Priors Hall Park South 26.5%
• North East – Train station to Priors Hall Park 20.5%
• North – Rockingham triangle 15.7%
• South East – Stanion to train station 14.5%
• West – Cottingham to town centre 13.9%
• South West – West Corby SUE to town centre 9.0%

Numerous detailed comments on each of the route proposals were provided.

Each of the responses and comments have been analysed and considered. A Consultation Report that summarises the findings of this analysis has been prepared and will be reported to NNC members (along with a report on the overall engagement for the overall LCWIP process) when approval of the Corby LCWIP proposals will be sought. The report includes proposals to reflect all comments received and ensure they are considered as the design of the route proposals is developed further.

As part of the Active Communities Framework Consultation residents were invited to have their say on the future provision of sport and leisure in North Northamptonshire Council area via completion of an online community survey.

656 residents completed the community survey. 

The results of the community survey are being analysed by Max Associates (consultants) together with other survey results which were sent and completed by; National Governing Bodies (Sport), Schools, Town and Parish Councils, Voluntary Sector and Sports Clubs.  Workshops and consultations with external partners/stakeholders and North Northamptonshire Councillors also took place.

The draft report from Max Associates will be considered by the Steering Group in February 2024 and a final report will be taken to the Council in August 2024. We will update you after this time.

We were considering the extension of the current PSPO for a further three years following its expiration in November 2023. The PSPO covers the Wellingborough Town Centre area and feedback was sought from residents and stakeholders. The current PSPO had been successful in tackling issues of anti-social behaviour, drug taking and criminal activities.

The response rate was very low. Four of the five respondents agreed with the extension for a further three years, whereas the final respondent wasn’t sure. Respondents told us how important the PSPO was to the local area.

The PSPO has been extended for a further three years from 2023 to 2026 with no changes to the prohibitions or the restricted area it covers.

We were considering the extension of the current PSPO for a further three years following its expiration in November 2023. The PSPO covers alleygates in the Isebrook and Victoria Ward and feedback was sought from residents and stakeholders. The current PSPO had been successful in tackling issues of anti-social behaviour, drug taking and criminal activities.

Respondents told us how important the PSPO was to the local area. Respondents were asked whether they agreed the gates on the alleyways had helped reduce anti-social behaviour and crime, and whether the PSPO should be extended for a further three years. Nineteen responses were received of which 18 said they agreed with both questions.  

The PSPO has been extended for a further three years from 2023 to 2026 with no changes to the prohibitions or the restricted area it covers.

We applied to FCC Community Action Fund – England for funding to create a new playground area at Barnwell Country Park.

Residents were asked to vote on four options.

55 responses were received with the winning design being option 3, by Kompan Ltd.

Funding has been approved by the FCC Communities Foundation and we are hoping that the installation will be completed by July 2024 in time for the summer holidays.

The company known as Marsh Industries Limited, Units 3-13 Addington Park Industrial Estate, Little Addington, Northamptonshire, NN14 4AS applied to North Northamptonshire Council for a permit to operate an installation for the polymerisation or co-polymerisation of any pre-formulated resin or pre-formulated gel coat which contains any unsaturated hydrocarbon, where the activity is likely to involve, in any period of twelve months, the polymerisation or co-polymerisation of 100 tonnes or more of unsaturated hydrocarbon. Comments on the application were sought.
 

There were 0 responses to the consultation process

The application has been approved.

We sought the views on proposed revision of our home to school transport policies for 2024-2025 onwards. The policies set out what assistance we provide and how to access it, to enable parents to easily understand whether their child is eligible for free home to school travel or whether there is any other help provided, using discretionary powers.

The possible changes put forward in the consultation fell into two categories:

1. Format and language used in the policy document.

2. Substantive changes to entitlement to free and discretionary transport:

a. ceasing to provide free transport to linked schools unless it is the nearest suitable school with places. This proposal would comply with the legislation.
b. Making changes to the provision of discretionary transport:

Options relating to discretionary transport:

• Withdraw all discretionary transport (all age groups).
• Withdraw discretionary transport for Post 16 only.
• Cease to guarantee a discretionary seat for those applying by mid-May.
• Increase fares to recoup more of the expenditure and cease to undercut the commercial market.

We received 514 online responses, and 4 written responses, which were reviewed and used to support the Home to School Transport - Policy Revisions for Statutory School Age Pupils 2024/25 report, which was discussed at North Northamptonshire Council Executive meeting on 12 July 2023.

The consultation primarily considered the discretionary element of home to school transport.

You can also view the full report and appendices pack.

On 12 July 2023, the Executive considered all the supporting papers and resolved to agree the recommendations made.

Additionally, Members recognised the unique situation in relation to Prince William School, and asked Officers to explore alternative arrangements for students residing in the former East Northants area, and in particular those in and around the Thrapston area.   A suitable approach was agreed with Members and local MPs to mitigate the negative impact on residents in that area.  Further work is still ongoing both with the school and with transport providers to meet the demand for transport in that area.

Public consultation was undertaken for a period of six weeks between April and June 2023 on the introduction of the non-immediate Article 4 Direction, covering parts of Kingswood in Corby.

Six responses were received. Three responses offered no comment on the Direction, two responses were generally supportive and one of the responses offered technical advice. The consultation responses did not identify any issues or new information to challenge the merit of the Article 4 Direction, either in the permitted development rights it removes, or the geographical extent of its coverage.

The Article 4 Direction has been confirmed, as publicised, and will come into force (take effect) from 24 April 2024. A copy of the Article 4 Direction, including a map of the area covered by the Direction, is available to view on the Article 4 Direction pages of the Council's website (https://www.northnorthants.gov.uk/conservation-and-protection/article-4-direction-kingswood-corby). You will also find other helpful resources including links to the Council's interactive mapping system, HMO licensing pages and planning permission check pages of the website.

Public consultation on the Scope and Options and associated Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report is the first stage of preparing the Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan. At this stage the Council invited views on what should be included in the plan and a range of high-level options to address issues within the plan.

The consultation at this first formal stage in the plan making process encouraged many helpful and constructive comments and can be considered valuable with nearly 100 individual responses received. A Scope and Options Consultation Summary Report will be reported to Planning Communities Executive Advisory Panel on 19 July 2023.

Agenda for Planning Communities Executive Advisory Panel on Wednesday 19 July 2023

Feedback received will be used to help prepare the draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan. A formal consultation on the draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan is expected to take place later in 2023.

In April and May 2023, we launched a consultation to seek and understand the views of families, staff and other professionals on the future shape of the way that short breaks are provided for children with disabilities.

This was to review and check the feedback received from families in 2020 about what was not working well with short breaks and what they wanted to see in the future. The online survey asked parents/carers, staff, practitioners and members of the public about their feelings on the proposed new model of short breaks, such as, having one lead provider for all of the short breaks services. It also asked about their needs and preferences of what short breaks could look like in the future.

There were 195 responses to the online consultation, with the highest proportion from parents/carers of someone who uses the Short Breaks services (32%), followed by members of staff working in Short Breaks services (21%).

Summary of responses: 25% of responses agreed with bringing residential and non-residential short breaks services together to support the needs of children with disabilities. 32% of responses agreed with having a staff team that could flex support across residential and non-residential short breaks and potentially also support in the home. 40% of responses agreed with one referral point and joined up assessment and reviews for all of the short breaks services. 16% of responses did not feel that improved access and flexibility of non-residential short breaks would reduce their need/or the need for residential short breaks. 12% of responses asked for more support when using direct payments.

All responses have been considered and will help to shape the future direction for short breaks. The information received will be used in the development of the specification for the tender of short breaks. The new model of short breaks will be in place by Spring 2024. There will be a further consultation survey and some workshops happening in Autumn 2023 which will give families and practitioners another opportunity to engage and discuss the new proposed model of short breaks.

North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) promoted First Renewable Developments’ public consultation on the draft Masterplan for Kettering Energy Park. Comment were requested on the comprehensive Masterplan, which will:

• Define development boundaries and also the renewable/low carbon technologies and land uses to be developed on the site;
• Make provision for a mix of complementary employment uses to facilitate development of local knowledge, expertise and research and development;
• Demonstrate how the proposal will contribute towards meeting the energy needs of existing and planned development, including East Kettering SUE, strategic development at Junction 10 of the A14 and employment uses associated with the site;
• Create a model for zero carbon energy through the installation of exemplary energy efficiency standards in buildings which use energy produced on-site in their operation.

212 representations were received in total, 89 were received via the online feedback form and the remaining 123 were received via email.

The results of the consultation are currently still being analysed and will be reported to a future meeting of the Planning Communities Executive Advisory Panel. Reports are still being prepared and will be shared once available.