Archive for category: News

The Strategy will provide a clear framework for managing the council’s trees, as well as a strategic and proactive vision and action plan for maximising the benefits of trees into the future.

The views of people and organisations across West Northamptonshire will help to ensure that the policy reflects the needs and aspirations of the local community.

In celebration of National Tree Week 2023 (November 27 – December 4), and to mark the commencement of this important project, WNC has launched a public consultation giving residents, businesses and other stakeholders a chance to have a say. The consultation launched on 29 November will run until 1 January.

Also marking this landmark project, Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways & Waste, will be joined by Friends of Abington Park to plant a majestic redwood tree within the scenic grounds of Abington Park on Thursday 30 November.

Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways and Waste at WNC said: “We are delighted to launch this consultation to seek the views of our communities on how we manage existing trees and plant the right new tree in the right place across the area and implement a tree strategy for West Northamptonshire.

“National tree week provides the ideal opportunity to launch this, and commemorate the occasion by planting a new tree. It highlights the importance of creating a diverse and resilient treescape for the future, as well as the import role played by volunteers and all those who dedicate their time caring for our natural environment.”

The feedback from the consultation will help to inform the next steps and a further survey in the new year. To have your say visit: https://westnorthants.citizenspace.com/place/give-us-your-views-on-our-tree-strategy

Last month Ofsted carried out a focused visit to the ‘Front door’ services within countywide children’s services – this is where all safeguarding referrals are received and reviewed to consider the level of need and urgency, ensuring children and families get the support that they need.

In the first focused visit since the full Ofsted inspection in autumn last year inspectors have continued to see ongoing improvement, reflecting the closer working between Northamptonshire Children’s Trust and North and West Northamptonshire Councils as they prioritise improving outcomes for children.

In a findings letter published on Ofsted’s website today (Wednesday, 22 November) inspectors said, ‘the positive culture alongside a successful workforce strategy, has resulted in the front door workforce being more stable than it has been in years.’

Inspectors added that staff having a manageable workload meant that ‘social workers in the Duty and Assessment Teams can build positive relationships with children’ and ‘many skilfully do this’. They also said: ‘Collaborative, strengths-based social work practice is having a positive impact for many families.’

Leadership was also highlighted as a strength, with Ofsted saying senior leaders have ‘maintained a firm focus on improvement through external reviews, quality assurance processes and a realistic improvement plan.’

They added: ‘Leaders know their front door service well. They understand the service’s strengths, in particular, an increasingly stable workforce and improvements in the quality of social work interventions and assessments.’

Since the inception of Northamptonshire Children’s Trust three years ago, a positive change in culture has been noted throughout Ofsted inspections. In this latest visit, inspectors found ‘social workers across front door services are very positive about working for NCT’, describing a supportive, strengths-based culture’. They added that ‘staff are motivated, and, like their leaders, they are committed to improving the lives of children in Northamptonshire.’

Ofsted inspectors also noted there were still improvements to be made but that leaders were acutely aware of addressing these issues, such as improving consistency across the partnership in decision making, further work around continuing to improve initial responses to children at risk of exploitation and who go missing, further development of early help provision and improving current IT systems. Actions to address these areas are already under way.

Julian Wooster, Chair of Northamptonshire Children’s Trust said: “We are very pleased that Ofsted continue to see the improvements that we are making with our partners.

“Critical to the journey are our valuable workforce and alongside a strong stable leadership team, they are committed to improving the lives of children in Northamptonshire.

“We welcome the commitment and support that we receive from North and West Northamptonshire Councils and collaboratively we can achieve the best possible outcomes for children, young people and families in the county.”

The councils and Trust are committed to working closely together on the positive journey of improvement whilst tackling significant challenges, also facing children’s services nationally.

Among the national factors contributing to the challenges in Northants is the increase in the number of children and young people in care, high inflation driving up placement costs and a shortage of suitable placements due to a rise in the number of children with complex needs.

The Councils and NCT are working together to find solutions whilst also continuing to improve the service in line with Ofsted recommendations.

One example of this is the procurement and implementation of a new case management for the fostering service which was an Ofsted recommendation- this makes it easier to view the progress and outcomes for children supported by the service. The councils are supporting the Trust to further improve current IT systems as recommended in this latest inspection and the process for buying for this is already underway.

Another key initiative – the Circle 2 Success project (Valuing care) – is beginning to reap benefits for children and young people in care. It involves working closely with social workers and practitioners, spending time assessing and identifying children who with support could step down from a high-cost residential placement to a foster placement or return home. This work prioritises improving outcomes by considering the individual needs of every child and young person and ensuring they are safe and supported whilst also supporting our financial position by ensuring placements represent good value.

Cllr Scott Edwards, the Council’s Executive member for Children, Families, Education and Skills, said: “We are committed to improving the lives of children in North Northamptonshire and therefore committed to supporting Northamptonshire Children’s Trust (NCT) to continue their positive journey of improvement.”

Cllr Fiona Baker, Cabinet Member for Children, Families, Education and Skills at West Northants Council said: “Improving the life chances of our children and young people and ensuring they receive the best support and opportunities to help them thrive is a top priority for both us and our Children’s Trust.

Our collaborative progress on this journey has been significant and we continue to move upwards in a positive direction. The implementation of the new case management system and recent focused visit to the Front Door is a great example of this, highlighting some strong areas of practice, helping us to achieve a safe and effective Front Door.

“Despite our challenges, there is lots of good work underway. There is no quick fix, but the work happening is innovative and with our strong workforce, can make a difference.”

Read the reports:

North Northamptonshire

West Northamptonshire

Organised by the Community Safety team at West Northamptonshire Council (WNC), the Comfort and Joy campaign aims to provide gifts, treats and essential items such as food and toiletries to help vulnerable families and those staying in refuges.

Many women, men and children who flee domestic abuse do so quickly and may have no personal items with them at all. The campaign is asking for donations to bring comfort and joy to those vulnerable families this Christmas.

Donations can be made at West Northamptonshire Council’s offices at Lodge Road in Daventry, The Forum in Towcester, and the receptions at The Guildhall and One Angel Square, as well as at Daventry Police Station.

The deadline to donate items is 12pm on Friday, 16 December.

All of the items donated will go directly to local people living in refuges and other vulnerable families in West Northamptonshire this Christmas.

These donations will be distributed between Northamptonshire Domestic Abuse Service (NDAS), Eve and Home Start.

Cllr David Smith, WNC’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Engagement, and Regulatory Services, said: “It’s a really sad reality that not everyone is going to have a merry Christmas. In fact, the season can heighten the anguish of domestic abuse or trauma.

“The donations can be practical, they can be whimsical, but most of all we want them to send a message that your community wants to support you at this special time of year. Please get involved and help to spread a little comfort and joy this Christmas.”

All donations must be brand new and unwrapped. Suggested donations include:

Comfort donations

• soap
• body wash
• shampoo and conditioner (for adults, children and babies)
• deodorant
• sanitary products
• nappies and wipes
• toothbrush/paste for adults and children

Joy donations

• perfume/aftershave
• hats and scarves
• make-up
• toys
• books
• arts and crafts

Food donations

• mince pies
• tea and coffee
• chocolates
• cereal
• dry pasta
• baby food

Northamptonshire Domestic Abuse Service 24 hour helpline – 0300 0120 154.

Eve – 01604 230311

Voice – 0300 303 1965

In an emergency please call the police on 999

This grant funding will be available over the financial years 2024/25 and 2025/26 for eligible community transport projects from 1 April 2024, following £547,181 funding from Central Government via the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) and £60,337 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), in addition to £342,000 of Council funding.

The grant funding will be allocated to community transport projects and services that meet identified needs and assist the Council in achieving one or more of its corporate priorities, including improving accessibility to employment, healthcare, leisure and education services; addressing unmet needs where there are gaps in the commercial bus network provision; and connecting rural communities to the locations they need to access.

The types of community transport projects or services that will be considered for the grant funding will also play a crucial role in enhancing the wellbeing of individuals and communities by addressing the various transport-related challenges they face including:

• Increasing accessibility and inclusion by providing access to transportation for individuals who may have limited mobility, disabilities, or live in areas with inadequate public transport options.
• Reducing social isolation by enabling independent living especially among young people, older adults, and individuals with disabilities who may otherwise be confined to their homes due to a lack of suitable transport options.

• Providing access to healthcare by providing reliable community transport that is critical for individuals to access healthcare services.

• Enabling safer transport by prioritising safety and the training of drivers, community transport providers will understand their users’ needs to make transportation a safer option, especially for vulnerable individuals.

• Supporting economic opportunities by helping people access employment opportunities, education and training and contributing to economic development, economic empowerment, and self-sufficiency.

• Assisting in the maintenance of sustainable communities by connecting rural communities to the services they need and providing dependable travel resulting in well-connected places.
• Providing environmental benefits by using more sustainable and eco-friendly vehicles or limiting car mileage, contributing to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and a cleaner environment helping us to reach net-zero by 2045.

• Relieving traffic congestion by providing alternative transportation to reduce the number of individual vehicles on the road, thus alleviating traffic congestion in urban and suburban areas.
• Providing a cost-efficient alternative to existing transport services, particularly for users who might find traditional private transportation unaffordable.
• Building communities by promoting a sense of community, bringing people together and facilitating social interaction.

Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Organisations that operate within the geographical area of West Northamptonshire and the Town and Parish Councils within the area are invited to submit an expression of interest form for this Community Funding Grant.

Cllr David Smith, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Engagement, and Regulatory Services, said: “We are delighted to be inviting providers to bid for this funding to support our communities and help improve transport provision across West Northants.

“This funding will help to alleviate transport challenges for some of our most vulnerable residents as well as those who live in rural communities.

“We are looking for providers who share our ambition for accessibility and inclusivity and are particularly interested in providers that can deliver sustainable and environmentally impactful approaches to community transport.”

Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways and Waste, said: “It is an important factor in people’s wellbeing that they have options for safe, comfortable and affordable travel to meet their everyday needs, and we are committed to supporting this where we can for all our residents.

“Transport providers have a big role to play in providing people with an alternative option to the car, and to encourage people to travel more sustainably we will aim to support the provision of reliable, efficient and affordable alternatives which meet the needs of our communities and that are accessible to everyone.

“We’re keen to work with community transport providers who understand their communities’ transport needs and who share our commitment to making a sustainable West Northamptonshire a reality. Those who are successful at bidding for funding will receive a one-off grant to introduce or enhance local transport schemes in their communities.”

Cllr Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth, said: “We are grateful for the UK Government’s support in enabling us to deliver this REPF and UKSPF funding to local community groups and help improve the lives of residents across West Northamptonshire.

“As a Council, we’ve worked hard to carefully plan how to use this funding to realise our growth aspirations for our area and ensure it has a beneficial impact on the whole community.

“We have a comprehensive range of projects, initiatives and activities taking place between now and March 2025 which aim to deliver impactful interventions and continue to raise the profile of West Northants as an area where everyone can thrive.”

Further information and the full criteria for applications can be found 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.

More information on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) can be found on the Gov website.