Cllr Mabbutt is no longer continuing with his role as the Police Liaison Representative. More information about the scope of the role can be found below:-
PLR Contact Agreement police-liaison-representative-role-description-vdec20-8Have your say on funding for policing and fire and rescue services in Northamptonshire
The survey is now open and runs until midday on Monday 5 January 2026. It can be completed by clicking here: https://www.research.net/r/OPFCCPR25
Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone is asking for views before setting the council tax precept – the amount of the council tax bill that goes towards funding Northamptonshire Police and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Local police and fire services are funded through a combination of central government grants and the council tax precept. The precept is about 18% of a total council tax bill in Northamptonshire.
A consultation has now been launched to ask how much people are willing to pay to support their police and fire services next year (2026/27).
Government guidance on what level of precept increase is available to Commissioner’s is expected soon, but we are asking for views on an expected increase of £14 a year for policing and £5 a year for fire for a Band D property.
Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone said that these increases are needed to balance the budgets of both organisations and to invest in policing and fire services.
“It’s never easy to ask for more money, but it’s my responsibility to set the precept for Northamptonshire Police and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service. I must balance the impact on taxpayers against the need to invest in these important public services so that they can deliver on the public’s priorities,” Danielle said.
“We have made a commitment to create new policing hubs in key towns and there will be two new fire stations and new appliances to ensure we continue to meet the risks that face the county. I am genuinely excited by the developments we are seeing.
“Without the contribution that local people make through their council tax, we can’t deliver better services,” Danielle added.
The strategic priorities for both Northamptonshire Police and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service are set out in Danielle’s Safe and Sound Plan, which is based on the results of a wide-ranging public consultation.
The Plan aims to deliver police and fire services that are visible, accessible and engaged with their local communities – so that they deliver on public priorities.
In the coming year, new investments in both services will include keeping police officer and firefighter numbers and creating better town centre police bases in Corby, Kettering and Towcester. For fire, there will be new fire stations in Moulton and Kettering and new fire appliances.
Danielle said: “As Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, I am committed to pressing the government on the historic underfunding and underinvestment in Northamptonshire.
“The council tax precept is a significant part of our funding and before I set the level for next year, I really want to hear from the public.”
Boughton Neighbourhood Watch needs a local Coordinator
We are entering the time of year with shorter daylight hours when certain types of crimes tend to be more prevalent, and when Neighbourhood Watch can therefore be most beneficial.
A few weeks ago, Boughton parishioners recorded suspects interfering with residents’ vehicles. Whilst incidents like this tend to be shared informally, it would be far more effective if they could be shared via all our local Neighbourhood Watch groups, thus warning everyone in the local area. Another incident, more recently in the village, was theft from a motor vehicle.
Unfortunately, the previous local Coordinator of the Boughton Neighbourhood Watch group has had to step down.
Therefore, the opportunity of local Coordinator is open to any Neighbourhood Watch member who would like to take on this very important role in our community.
If you would like to become the local Coordinator, or just join the Neighbourhood Watch scheme, then please contact me as soon as possible to find out more, and together, we can help to detect, deter and discourage crime in our local area.
Many thanks,
Paul
Paul Mabbutt
Boughton Parish Council Police Liaison Representative
e: plr@boughtonparishcouncil.co.uk
The Forcer Protocol was founded by Claire Lilly and is named after her former husband Lance Corporal Alan Forcer, a veteran who suffered with depression and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following service in Kosovo and Northern Ireland. Tragically he died by suicide in 2020 after going missing.
The Forcer Protocol enables police to ensure key information is available to them when searching for military veterans who are lost or reported missing.
The service is free and run independently from police with the provider Safe and Found Online.
Veterans, their families and carers can complete an online form and provide a variety of information which is held digitally on a secure platform, including photographs, a physical description, any medical conditions, mobile phone numbers of the veteran and friends, vehicle details, whether they have gone missing before, and whether they pose a risk to themselves.
The information entered into the personal profile is completely confidential. Police can only access the profile, if the person featured is reported missing.
Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Preece said: “The Forcer Protocol is vital in ensuring the safety of vulnerable veterans within our communities.
“We are really pleased to be adopting this initiative in Northamptonshire, working alongside the Armed Forces Covenant and Op Nova to ensure a joined-up approach to best protect those who are in crisis when they need help the most.
“It’ll be a valuable tool to help us find missing veterans, providing us with key information in seconds. Having access to information, such as risk factors, triggers and key vulnerabilities helps us to accurately assess the risk associated with that missing person and tailor the search accordingly. It also helps connect veterans to specialised aftercare support once they have been found.
“We want to encourage all veterans, their families, friends and carers to sign up to the scheme.”
Police will only access the information in cases where the person is reported missing or lost. The following three step approach is used:
Register now on the Forcer Protocol pages of the Safe and Found website: safeandfoundonline.co.uk/register.php
During October, a group of sixteen village volunteers gave up some of their time to participate in Community Speed Watch. This involved using speed detection equipment supplied by the Police to detect and record vehicles on our village roads that were driving in excess of the enforced limit.
Quite shockingly, the highest recorded speed in Boughton was 50 mph on Moulton Lane, on a Sunday afternoon, which demonstrates a clear and flagrant disregard for the safety of other road users and pedestrians in our village. A collision at that speed would likely have fatal consequences. In total, 100 vehicles were reported by our volunteers to Northamptonshire Police over less than 14 hours of speed recording, and so thanks to everyone involved this year.
Volunteers experienced the ‘other side of the lens’, so to speak, and could easily see how even a slight increase in speed over the posted limit rapidly increases the concern for road safety in our small village.
Thanks to the collective efforts of all the Community Speed Watch teams in the region, collectively 2,105 warning letters were issued to drivers found exceeding the enforcement thresholds, a significant contribution to improving road safety in our communities.
Following on from the success of a pilot in Staverton, in 2026, Northamptonshire Police are planning to roll out the following key updates:
Everyone, please drive at a safe speed within the now reduced 20 mph speed limit in our village, and continue to drive safely on our roads.
Many thanks,
Paul Mabbutt
Police Liaison Representative
Residents across Northamptonshire sent in hundreds of questions about crime and safety to the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable in an online ‘Chief’s Chat’ session last night (October 21).
Commissioner Danielle Stone and Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet fielded questions on a whole host of issues, ranging from road safety to anti-social behaviour and police visibility.
A link to the live session can be found here:-
In October, Cllr Mabbutt will be attending a public meeting with Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone and Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet.
Cllr Mabbutt is also co-ordinating the village SpeedWatch programme, which starts on 28th September to 24th October 2025.
Cllr Mabbutt – Police Liaison Representative