People invited to have their say on developing West Northants’ Library Service

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People are being invited to have their say on proposals to develop the Library Service across West Northants by taking part in West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) consultation.

From today (4 September), residents can share their views around the new 4-year draft strategy which proposes the continued development of public libraries as thriving community hubs supporting people of all ages and backgrounds by setting out 7 priority areas, which include:

  • Increased reading and literacy
  • Cultural and creative enrichment
  • Improved digital access and literacy
  • Healthier and happier lives
  • Helping everyone achieve their full potential
  • Greater prosperity
  • Stronger and more resilient communities

There are currently 18 Libraries across West Northamptonshire; 9 of which the Council are responsible for and 9 which are community managed libraries delivered in partnership with community organisations and volunteers.

The draft strategy sets out the Council’s ambition for the library service which will apply to the council-run public libraries and has been developed through engagement with staff, partners and stakeholders and is based around other local strategies and the 10 Integrated Care Northamptonshire Strategy ‘Live Your Best Life’ ambitions.

The new strategy will build on previous work to make libraries hubs for local communities from which a range of services, information and support can be accessed. It considers the post-pandemic landscape and the resulting behavioural changes of residents and needs of the communities, as well as the opportunities to work with the community managed libraries to provide services locally.

Residents are encouraged to give their feedback on these proposals as part of an 8-week consultation starting today (Monday, 4 September) and running until midnight on Sunday, 29 October.

Cllr Adam Brown, Deputy Leader of WNC and Cabinet Member for Housing, Culture and Leisure, said: “It is vital that we hear the views of residents in order to best shape our Library Service and ensure it meets the needs of the whole community.

“Libraries have evolved over the years and now provide so much more than books. Our libraries can now provide a welcoming space to meet others or somewhere to seek employment, mental health and money advice, and a wealth of free online resources including publications from around the world in a variety of languages. Our library service offers something for everyone and we want to make sure it continues to be the best it can be.

“We want to hear from residents, businesses, stakeholders and anyone who has an interest in the library service. Your views will help us to provide a modern, engaging service, and I encourage everyone to share their ideas and have their say.”

All responses will be considered and will help to shape a final version of the strategy to then be considered by West Northamptonshire Council’s Cabinet this autumn. To view the draft proposals and complete the online questionnaire, visit the WNC Consultation Hub.

Grants scheme launched to mitigate youth violence and knife crime in West Northants

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West Northamptonshire Council (WNC), in partnership with the Northamptonshire Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (OPFCC) has launched a new grants scheme to mitigate youth violence and knife crime in West Northants.

Grants of up to £10,000 are available for Voluntary and Community Sector organisations who have identified projects, either new or existing, that aim to alleviate youth violence and knife crime in local communities.

These projects can be prevention or intervention projects, including projects that promote community safety, deter potential offenders, or provide support and resources to at-risk individuals or groups to prevent their involvement in violence and crime.

Registered charities, voluntary or community groups, constitutionalised clubs that engage with young people, and not-for-profit organisations can submit an expression of interest form to WNC outlining their project to be considered for the funding.

Cllr David Smith, WNC’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Engagement, and Regulatory Services, said: “We want to make West Northamptonshire a safer place for everyone and working in partnership with other organisations and community groups is crucial to achieving this.

“This funding will enable these organisations to continue their valuable work with young people while enabling local people to become actively involved in developing solutions to protect and improve our communities.”

Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Stephen Mold, said: “Tackling youth violence and knife crime at the earliest stage is something that can only be achieved by all the agencies working together, and local community groups.

“Communities are often best placed to make a difference and understand how best to prevent crime and support young people in their area, and I am certain that investing in these groups will be a powerful tool in tackling violence.”

Find more information and view the full criteria for applications on the WNC website and in the Council’s Community Funding Grants Framework.

If you would like to speak to the Community Funding Grants Team about your project or your eligibility to apply for this grant, email: communitygrants@westnorthants.gov.uk including your contact telephone number, as a telephone conversation can sometimes clarify a question more efficiently.

Tackling environmental crime across West Northamptonshire

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Fly-tipping and environmental crime has a significant negative impact on our streets and countryside. West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is committed to reducing fly-tipping through the fly-tipping charter, which is backed by a robust enforcement policy to discourage and prosecute offenders.

The Charter includes a detailed plan of action, demonstrating the steps that are being taken to tackle the issue, including targeted patrols, the use of CCTV, and working with residents, businesses, and town and parish councils to avoid fly-tipping and gather intelligence to prosecute.

Through the cleaner communities campaign, WNC seeks to highlight the negative impact of environmental crime, and demonstrate the work of officers to tackle this and remove fly-tipping on the land where we have a responsibility to do so. Through investigation and working with the public to share information WNC will hold people to account and prosecute offenders.

It also sets out how the Council will communicate with businesses, landlords and householders to ensure they are clear on their responsibilities towards managing their waste responsibly.

Councillor David Smith, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, Community Safety and Engagement on West Northamptonshire Council, said: “Fly-tipping and other environmental crimes are unacceptable and impact every one of us in our communities. They spoil our streets, parks and open spaces, create an environmental hazard, and the clean-up costs and work involved to remove waste place a significant financial burden both on our council and on private landowners.

“The latest figures published by Government relating to our first year as a new unitary council demonstrate the vast scale of illegal waste which is carelessly fly tipped across our area. Through the hard work of our environmental crime team, we have made a head start in tackling fly-tipping in West Northamptonshire and creating a cleaner community for everyone.

Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways and Waste, added: “Fly-tipping and environmental crime is unsightly and none of us want to see this in our local area. As a council we want to work with communities and our partners to educate people about the detrimental effect of fly-tipping, as well as ensure we are targeting our resources effectively in order to catch and punish offenders. By working together, we can reduce waste on our streets and create cleaner communities.”

People can view the Fly-tipping Charter at www.westnorthants.gov.uk/street-cleansing/fly-tipping-and-duty-care-charter

People can report fly-tipping and environmental crime by visiting: https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/street-cleansing/report-fly-tipping

Town and Parish Briefing – August 2023

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Please find attached the August edition of the Town and Parish Briefing.

We hope you find this briefing useful and informative, and we encourage you to share it widely within your organisations.

If you have any ideas and feedback for shaping future content, we’d really like to hear from you, so please feel free to contact us.

Kind regards

WNC Communications Team

West Northants announced as host for prestigious Rugby World Cup 2025

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West Northamptonshire will be taking part in the biggest-ever celebration of women’s international rugby having been announced as a host for the Rugby World Cup 2025 – and the 2-year countdown kicks off today (22 August).

The 10th edition of the women’s pinnacle global tournament is set to take place between 22 August and 27 September 2025, and will see matches taking place in front of a worldwide audience at Northampton’s legendary Franklins Gardens stadium – home of the internationally renowned Northampton Saints.

The tournament will be the most accessible women’s Rugby World Cup ever and will expand the reach of the game across the five-week period by bringing the world’s best players to cities and venues across the country, including:

  • Brighton and Hove – Brighton and Hove Albion Stadium
  • Bristol – Ashton Gate
  • Exeter – Sandy Park
  • London – Twickenham Stadium
  • Manchester – Salford Community Stadium
  • Northampton – Franklin’s Gardens
  • Sunderland – Stadium of Light
  • York – York Community Stadium

While the full match schedules and ticketing details will be announced next year, the milestone two-year celebration and confirmation of dates and venues provides the ability for fans across England to start to plan their Rugby World Cup 2025 experience.

Cllr Adam Brown, Deputy Leader of WNC and Cabinet Member for Housing, Culture and Leisure, said: “It’s a privilege for West Northamptonshire to be chosen as a host venue for the women’s 2025 Rugby World Cup following our successful partnership bid. As a Northampton Saints season ticket holder, I know that there’s nothing quite like watching live rugby from the stands and I am excited to see this prestigious tournament take place at Franklin’s Gardens.

“Major sporting tournaments like this can bring huge benefits to the area, from attracting visitors and boosting the local economy to encouraging people to get active and showcasing West Northants to a worldwide audience. West Northamptonshire’s unique rugby culture is something special, and just one of the things we’re thrilled to share with teams from around the world.

“This event will undoubtedly provide a wealth of opportunities and help us build on our growing reputation as a major sporting destination. We’re also intent on securing a lasting legacy that builds participation in both Rugby and other sports for future generations, and especially for women and girls whose participation in sport continues to be lower than amongst males.”

Franklin’s Gardens, while most well-known for housing Northampton Saints, is also the home venue of Loughborough Lightning, with the Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby side set to play all of their home league matches in Northampton this season thanks to the two sides’ partnership forged in 2021.

The Gardens has also played host to the Red Roses, England’s women’s team, twice in the last two years, welcoming record crowds for women’s rugby in the region on both occasions; while Saints’ community-based programmes continue to invest in women’s and girls’ rugby, seeing participation reach expand year-on-year across camps and tournaments.

Mark Darbon, Northampton Saints Chief Executive, said: “We are absolutely over the moon to have been selected as one of the host venues for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

“We continue to see participation in women’s and girls’ rugby and the audience for the sport grow throughout our region, and have been delighted over the last few years to have contributed to that via our partnership with Loughborough Lightning, as well as through hosting women’s international matches in Northampton.

“So, to bring several World Cup matches to our home ground in 2025 is fantastic, and we hope this will create a lasting legacy of success in Northampton and beyond by inspiring the next generation of female players.

“I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the Club’s operations team for all their hard work to ensure we will play a part in this historic World Cup, and also to thank West Northamptonshire Council for their help throughout the process so far.”

Emily Scarratt, Centre and Fullback for Loughborough Lightning, said: “Franklin’s Gardens is a traditional rugby hotbed in the UK and we can’t wait to bring the Rugby World Cup there in 2025.

“We want to inspire the next generation of players in the Midlands and having one of the focal points for the region as a host venue will go a long way to doing just that.”

RWC 2025 aims to continue to raise the bar for women in rugby, inspiring the next generation of young players and supercharging the growth of women’s sport in England and across the globe. The Rugby World Cup Impact Programme, delivered by the RFU in partnership with the UK Government and Sport England, will also create more opportunities for females than ever before across all levels of the game through its volunteer, coaching and internship programmes.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “Following the record-breaking success of Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand, women’s rugby has built an incredibly strong foundation and as one of the fastest growing sports in the world, RWC 2025 is set to take the game to the next level as the biggest celebration of women’s rugby with fans and players very much at its heart.

“We look forward to continuing to collaborate with all our partners as we strive to deliver a world-class and historic event that will leave a lasting legacy, both in England and around the world as we aim to inspire millions of new players and fans and continue to grow the game we love.”

Reminder to have your say on the way social housing is allocated in West Northants

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People are reminded to have their say on proposals for how social housing will be allocated across West Northamptonshire from spring next year by taking part in West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) draft Housing Allocation Scheme consultation.

There are currently three housing allocation schemes that operate in West Northants covering the Daventry, South Northants, and Northampton areas. The existing policies operate in different ways to each other, therefore introducing a West Northamptonshire Housing Allocation Scheme will harmonise these differences making it fairer, clearer and more consistent across the West Northamptonshire area.

The new draft housing allocation scheme sets out proposals for those households who would be eligible and the qualification criteria to apply for social housing across the whole of West Northamptonshire, along with how the Council processes applications, assesses and manages people’s housing needs, and determines how priority will be awarded for social housing.

Residents, tenants and housing associations are among those being encouraged to give their feedback on these proposals as part of a 10-week consultation, which started on 19 July, and runs until midnight on Tuesday, 26 September.

Cllr Adam Brown, Deputy Leader of WNC and Cabinet Member for Housing, Culture and Leisure, said: “We want to make sure that we are providing the best and most effective service for residents and one which is fair and efficient for all who use it.

“To achieve this, it is vital that we listen to and carefully consider the views of residents and stakeholders who may be affected by these proposals so we can ensure the service continues to meet the needs of our community. I strongly encourage anyone with an interest in housing issues to view the policy and share your views in the online survey.”

All responses will be considered and will help to shape a final version of the scheme to then be considered by WNC’s Cabinet this autumn. To view the draft proposals and complete the online questionnaire, visit the WNC Consultation Hub.

New scheme to help cut fuel poverty and tackle climate change

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West Northamptonshire Council is pushing ahead with a plan to harness renewable and wasted heat to tackle fuel poverty and make the Northampton area a more sustainable place.

It has announced work on a Sustainable Heat Network Feasibility Study to explore the possibility of a district heating system that can deliver lower-cost, low-carbon heat to homes and businesses.

District heating collects warmth from a variety of sources and uses a distribution system of insulated pipes to carry it from a central source to multiple buildings.

This can significantly reduce heating costs and carbon emissions compared with traditional heating solutions which use electricity or burn fossil and other fuels.

Council Leader, Cllr Jonathan Nunn, said: “This Sustainable Heat Network Feasibility Study represents a significant step towards our ambitious goal of becoming a net zero area by 2045 while supporting our residents and businesses.

“By exploring sustainable heat solutions, we can tackle the impacts of fuel poverty, reduce carbon emissions, and foster economic resilience within our community.”

To bring this vision to life, West Northamptonshire Council has secured £112k from round 12 of the Government’s Heat Network Delivery Unit (HNDU) funding.

The project will also be match-funded by contributions of £20k from Northamptonshire Partnership Homes and £40k from the council’s Public Health team.

The project, built on work originally launched by Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS, now Department for Energy Security & Net Zero) in 2019, will now focus on the Northampton and Rothersthorpe Village area.

Its aims are to:

  • Update the previous BEIS report, to include data from those located within the wider boundary now covered by the project
  • Investigate opportunities for multiple energy centres, including recoverable heat from different sources such as commercial activities, sewer network heat recovery, and water bodies
  • Produce a detailed feasibility study highlighting sustainable heat generation options, costs for providing the heat network, carbon savings, potential energy costs for users, operating costs, income and commercial viability,
  • Identify where West Northamptonshire and other social housing stock can be supplied with heat from the network.

Sustainable engineering firm, Ramboll, will work on the project with infrastructure consultancy, AECOM, following a competitive bidding process.

Evagelos Korais, Associate at Ramboll, said: “Heat accounts for approximately 50 per cent of the UK’s energy demand, making projects to decarbonise heating critical to meeting net zero targets.

“Ramboll has significant experience in planning and implementing heat networks to efficiently recover waste heat to provide clean, green, safe, and reliable heating and hot water to local properties.

“We are looking forward to identifying the best opportunities for West Northamptonshire Council to realise their low-cost, low-carbon heating ambitions for the economic and social benefit of its residents.”

Rodrigo Matabuena, Project Manager at AECOM, said: “Heat networks have a huge potential to reduce carbon emissions and cut costs for consumers.

“We’re pleased to be working with Ramboll to support West Northampton Council’s decarbonisation agenda and accelerate its transition to net zero.”

Upon completion, the feasibility study will provide critical data on sustainable heat sources, technical and financial costs, and potential funding opportunities.

The council aims to apply for funding from HNDU round 13 to cover the detailed project development phase based on the study’s findings.

Boughton Parish Council are looking for a Parish Lengthsman

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Parish_Lengthsman advert

DUTIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO

  • Clean roadsigns and cut back vegetation.
  • Occasional planting of bulbs and de-weeding of overgrown flowers/plants.
  • Pick up litter around the village (Black bags and a litter picker tool will be provided).
  • Keep notice boards tidy. Remove out of date notices and other notices which are old or have no date.
  • Remove out of date notices from lamp posts.
  • Report to the Parish Council any damage/repairs/maintenance needed to public structures (e.g: Village sign, seats, etc.)
  • Attend Parish Council meetings every 2 months to give Councillors a verbal report.
  • Undertake any other activities that may be required, on agreement with the Parish Council.

The Council initially offers this post at approx 4 hours per week (hours to be discussed) with an hourly rate of £12 per hour. If you’re interested in applying for the position, please contact the Clerk – Shirley Wong on 07918 32976 or email clerk@boughtonparishcouncil.co.uk

Over 20 West Northamptonshire roads set to benefit from micro-asphalt surface treatments

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This week, West Northamptonshire Council and its highways service provider, Kier, will kick-start the annual micro-asphalting programme – which is set to improve the condition of 28 roads across the county.


The treatment will cover 6.1km of the county’s roads, which is the size of more than 6 football pitches. The preventative road surface treatment targets defects such as surface wear, cracking and minor potholes.


The micro-asphalt treatment offers a more eco-friendly and cost-efficient process when compared to resurfacing, with a fraction of the disruption – and is set to future-proof roads by up to 10 years. It works to seal the existing road surface, improve its texture and prolong the life of the carriageway.


Roads identified for the treatment have undergone a condition assessment and meet the criteria for early intervention at a critical point, before needing replacement. The scheme will take up to three weeks to complete.


It is one of the first moves as part of West Northamptonshire Council’s £28.5m budget to improve roads across the area this year.


Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways and Waste at West Northamptonshire Council, said: “We are pleased to be working with our partners, Kier, to carry out this efficient service which provides a long-term and cost-effective solution to maintaining our roads. It will enhance our road network for road users for years to come.”


Micro asphalt is a two-phased process used to seal the existing road surface – which involves applying a levelling layer of materials, followed by a surface layer. In just 30 minutes, members can reuse the road, with an improved road surface texture. Kier will be returning to the roads at a later stage to install ironwork and road markings.


John Coombes, general manager at Kier Transportation, added: “Microasphalt is a highly effective preventative treatment, extending the life of roads before they pass the point of repair. It’s important we balance proactive and reactive maintenance methods as part of an effective asset management strategy, and we look forward to seeing the benefits this important scheme will bring across West Northamptonshire.”


The roads scheduled to receive the treatment include:
• Ashwells Lane, Yelvertoft
• Brookside Close, Yelvertoft
• Oak Lane, Crick
• Drayson Lane, Crick
• Malt Mill Close, Kilsby
• Oldfield Lane, Kilsby
• Hillside Road, Nether Heyford
• Orchard Way Harpole
• Manor Close, Harpole
• Shepherds Walk, Harpole
• Manor Close Odd’s, Harpole
• High Street, Lamport
• Booth Lane South, Northampton
• Connaught Street, Northampton
• Margaret Street, Northampton
• Cranstoun Street, Northampton
• Charles Street, Northampton
• Crawford Avenue, New Duston
• Bants Lane, New Duston
• Melrose Avenue, New Duston
• Cameron Crescent, New Duston
• Franklin Crescent, New Duston
• Trevor Close, New Duston
• Lovat Drive, New Duston
• Cameron Drive, New Duston
• Trevor Crescent, New Duston
• Lyncrest Avenue, New Duston
• Windsor Road, New Duston


The process is weather dependent cannot take place in the event of rain. Residents will be informed 48-72 hours before work is due to commence. You can find further updates regarding works in your area via WNC’s Current works page.

Have your say on the way social housing is allocated in West Northants

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People are being invited to have their say on proposals for how social housing will be allocated across West Northamptonshire from spring next year.

People are being invited to have their say on proposals for how social housing will be allocated across West Northamptonshire from spring next year.

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is currently seeking views on its new draft Housing Allocation Scheme, which is due to be implemented on 1 April 2024.

There are currently three housing allocation schemes that operate in West Northamptonshire covering the Daventry, South Northants, and Northampton areas. The existing policies operate in different ways to each other, therefore introducing a West Northamptonshire Housing Allocation Scheme will harmonise these differences making it fairer, clearer and more consistent across the West Northamptonshire area.

Residents, tenants and housing associations are among those being encouraged to give their feedback on these proposals as part of a 10-week consultation starting today (19 July) and running until midnight on Tuesday, 26 September.

All responses will be considered and will help to shape a final version of the scheme to then be considered by West Northamptonshire Council’s Cabinet this autumn. To view the draft proposals and complete the online questionnaire, visit the WNC Consultation Hub.

The new draft housing allocation scheme sets out proposals for who would be eligible and could apply for social housing across the whole of West Northamptonshire, along with how the Council processes applications, assesses and manages people’s housing needs, and determines who should have priority for social housing.

Plans include expanding the Choice Based Lettings approach to allocating social housing across the whole West Northants area, which is already used in the Daventry and Northampton areas. Choice based lettings allows applicants to register an interest in properties they prefer that are suitable for their household size.

Cllr Adam Brown, Deputy Leader of WNC and Cabinet Member for Housing, Culture and Leisure, said: “The way we allocate housing is vital in helping us to support the needs and welfare of our residents, so it’s really important we shape the best scheme possible for our communities.

“By harmonising our existing Housing Allocations policies, we ensure a fairer and more efficient service for people across the whole West Northants area and provide an opportunity to better match the local needs with suitable housing and use our resources as effectively as possible.

“We value the views of our residents and stakeholders and would encourage anyone with an interest in housing issues to view the policy and complete our online survey.”

The consultation will last 10 weeks and residents can take part in the following ways:
• – Complete the online survey here.
• – Call us on 01327 322175.
• – Email: ConsultationAllocationsPolicy@westnorthants.gov.uk
• – Write to: Housing Allocations Consultation 2023, West Northamptonshire Council, The Guildhall, St Giles’ Square, Northampton NN1 1DE

To request the consultation document in an alternative format, please email ConsultationAllocationsPolicy@westnorthants.gov.uk or call 01327 322175.People are being invited to have their say on proposals for how social housing will be allocated across West Northamptonshire from spring next year.