The Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee met on Wednesday 04 February 2026 to discuss the Community Safety Partnership Plan 2026-2029, future leisure management options, and the draft Housing Tenant Engagement and Influence Strategy 2026-2029. Key decisions included noting the Community Safety Partnership Plan and endorsing further work on future leisure management options, while the draft Housing Tenant Engagement and Influence Strategy was presented for information.

Community Safety Partnership Plan 2026-2029

The committee received a report outlining the North Northamptonshire Community Safety Partnership Plan for 2026-2029. This plan details five overarching aims: preventing serious harm from violence, knife crime and exploitation; protecting and supporting people from domestic abuse, sexual violence and exploitation; protecting and supporting women and girls; ensuring communities are cohesive and stable; and making neighbourhoods and towns safer for everyone. The plan also sets out principles for partnership working, including a focus on prevention, early intervention, fair service delivery, effective data sharing, and evidence-led activity.

During the discussion, a registered speaker, Lyn Buckingham, raised concerns about the measurability of the plan's outcomes, urging for clearer, published outcome measures for each priority, named accountable leads, and transparent reporting within the annual action plans. Members also enquired about preventative programmes for knife crime, with confirmation that ongoing engagement with education providers is in place. The committee proposed that additional information and statistics be provided on topics such as Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) enforcement, knife crime, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) pilot schemes, and the specific priorities within the Community Safety Partnership Plan.

Future Leisure Management Options - Phase One

The committee reviewed a report detailing the work undertaken to inform future decisions on how North Northamptonshire's active communities and leisure services will be delivered. The current mixed model of in-house and contracted operations is being assessed, with existing contracts ending between March 2027 and March 2028. An external expert, Max Associates, was commissioned to conduct an options appraisal for the council-owned sports and leisure facilities and the Active Communities Service.

The appraisal considered six management models, with Asset Transfer, Local Authority Trading Company (LATC), and a new NNC-owned Charitable Leisure Trust not recommended for further progression. The report highlighted that for leisure centres, the in-house option scored highest in delivering against corporate priorities and strategic outcomes, although it incurs a higher cost than the external contractor model. For the Active Communities service, the in-house option also scored highest.

The committee heard that the proposed next steps involve establishing a clear, outcomes-driven service specification for leisure and active communities services for 2028-2038. This will involve defining and costing three operational models: In-House, Single External Contractor, and a Mixed Model approach, each with three levels of service: Core Offer, Community Plus, and Transformational. Members raised comments to ensure that all financial sustainability and risks are thoroughly evaluated in the next phase. Consultation with existing staff and contractors is underway, with a comprehensive member survey and a consultation with service users planned.

Draft Housing Tenant Engagement and Influence Strategy 2026-2029

The committee received the draft Housing Tenant Engagement and Influence Strategy 2026-2029 for information. This strategy, already approved by the Housing Improvement & Assurance Board (HIAB) and presented to the Regulator of Social Housing, is North Northamptonshire Council's first dedicated strategy of its kind. It aims to ensure the Housing Service is inclusive, responsive, and shaped by its users, supporting the council's improvement journey and regulatory compliance following a recent inspection.

The strategy is built on four strategic engagement priorities: Respect, Listening & Acting, Communication & Access, and Everyone. Each priority is supported by a detailed action plan and will be monitored quarterly by the HIAB. The council has enhanced capacity within the housing team, including advertising for an additional tenant engagement officer, and the tenant engagement team has been integrated into the new Housing Services Improvement Team for a joined-up approach.

A registered speaker, Lyn Buckingham, commented that the strategy was necessary, overdue, and directionally sound, but urged for strengthening in three areas: provable influence, independence and challenge, and governance. Specific suggestions included clear outcome metrics tied to regulatory standards, published evidence of tenant-led change, and defined escalation and accountability mechanisms. Members inquired about the recording of tenant satisfaction, noting that the next Tenant Satisfaction Survey has been commissioned and will be presented to the committee in the future. Improvements in complaint resolution were also noted, with internal audits and a complaints panel in place. Members also sought clarification on how officers engage with elderly tenants and the use of official council stock photos in publications. A resident profiling survey is to be conducted to better understand tenant needs and tailor services accordingly.

The committee noted the current work programme for the Place & Environment Scrutiny Committee and sought additional expressions of interest for involvement with the Carbon Management Plan Task & Finish Group. The meeting concluded at 8.51 pm.