This week in North Northamptonshire:

Controversial Logistics Park Gets Green Light Response

The Planning Committee ¹ has agreed on a response to the Planning Inspectorate regarding a hybrid planning application for a new strategic scale logistics park near Halden's Parkway in Thrapston. The committee stated that had North Northamptonshire Council remained the determining authority, planning permission would have been GRANTED, subject to conditions and a Section 106 Legal Agreement.

• The application seeks permission for a large logistics park with a total proposed gross internal area of 200,000 square metres.
• The application was accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) due to potential effects on the nearby Upper Nene Gravel Pits Special Protection Area and Ramsar site, and the Titchmarsh Meadow Site of Special Scientific Interest.
• Objections were received from Thrapston Parish Council and other parishes, raising concerns about traffic, infrastructure, environmental and landscape impacts, planning and development concerns, heritage and archaeology risks, and community and consultation issues.

The planning officer's report acknowledged a conflict with the spatial strategy in the Joint Core Strategy (JCS), which directs large-scale growth to Growth Towns rather than Market Towns like Thrapston. However, the report also noted the government's support for economic growth and the need to meet the specific locational requirements of different sectors.

This decision is likely to be controversial given the existing concerns about traffic and environmental impact, and the conflict with the council's stated planning strategy.

New Children's Home Approved Despite Local Concerns

The Planning Committee resolved to grant planning permission for a change of use from a dwelling to a children's home for up to six children at 10 Brambleside in Thrapston, subject to conditions.

• The application was brought before the committee due to objections from more than five neighbours.
• Thrapston Town Council did not object but requested conditions, including restricting the C2 Use Class to a children's home only, limiting the number of residents to six, and adhering to the age restriction of 7-17.
• Twenty letters of objection were received from neighbours, raising concerns about increased traffic and parking, impact on services, insufficient parking, waste disposal, security, loss of a residential dwelling, and noise.

While the planning officer's report concluded that the proposal was acceptable in planning terms, the level of local opposition suggests this decision may be unpopular with some residents.

Green Light for SEN Building at Greenfields Primary School

Councillors resolved to approve the application for the demolition of a mobile classroom and erection of a building for four special educational needs classrooms with associated parking arrangements at Greenfields Primary School in Kettering, subject to conditions and confirmation from the Secretary of State.

• Sport England initially raised a statutory objection due to the loss of playing field space.
• Two letters of objection were received from neighbours, raising concerns about increased parking problems and noise from construction.
• The planning officer's report noted that the school would retain approximately 22,311 sqm of playing field, exceeding the required 16,762 sqm.

The report also noted that the proposed building would not be visible from the public realm and that landscaping would mitigate any impact on neighbouring amenity. The Council's Ecology Officer confirmed that the Biodiversity Net Gain Metric and supporting Ecological site plans submitted by the applicant were acceptable and would deliver a gain of 14%, in excess of the 10% required by legislation.

This decision will be welcomed by parents and staff at Greenfields Primary School, as it will provide much-needed facilities for children with special educational needs.

Upcoming Meetings

Here are some of the upcoming meetings scheduled for next week:

• Democracy and Standards Committee (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/68446) to review the committee's terms of reference and work programme, and the re-establishment of the Constitutional Working Group.
• Scrutiny Management Board (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/69442) to discuss its work programme for the coming year, and to review training for scrutiny members.
• Audit and Governance Committee (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/69421) to discuss the External Audit Plan for 2024/25, the Internal Audit Annual Report for 2024-2025, the Internal Audit Progress Report, and the Internal Audit Strategy.
• Executive (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/69431) to discuss an efficiency review, budget forecasts, capital outturn, treasury management, performance indicators, and several policy matters.
• Planning Committee (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/70546)
• Council (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/70548)

This week in North Northamptonshire:

Council Constitution Under Review

The North Northamptonshire Council's constitution, the document that outlines how the council operates and makes decisions, was scheduled for discussion and approval this week. The meeting was intended to cover all nine parts of the constitution, including:

• How residents can participate in council matters, such as contacting councillors and submitting petitions.
• The roles and procedures of the full council and its various committees, like the Planning Committee and Audit and Governance Committee.
• Rules for the Executive¹, scrutiny processes, and joint arrangements with West Northamptonshire Council.
• Standards of conduct for councillors and officers, including codes of conduct and protocols.

The constitution also includes a glossary of terms used in the document, aiming to make it more accessible to the public.

Unfortunately, no video was provided of the meeting, so it is not possible to say what was decided.

Upcoming Meetings

Here are some of the upcoming meetings scheduled for next week:

• Planning Committee (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/68438) to discuss planning applications for a new SEN building at Greenfields Primary School in Kettering, a change of use of a property in Thrapston to a children's home, and a sand and gravel quarry in Thrapston.
• Democracy and Standards Committee (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/68446)
• Scrutiny Management Board (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/69442)
• Audit and Governance Committee (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/69421)
• Executive (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/69431)

This week in North Northamptonshire:

• At the Council meeting, Councillor Helen Campbell was elected as Chair and Councillor Maurice Eglin as Vice Chair.
• The Council approved committee memberships and noted appointments to outside bodies.
• The Council agreed to move to a single planning committee of 13 members, replacing the previous model of two area planning committees.

Council - Thursday 22 May 2025

The Annual Council meeting of North Northamptonshire Council on 22 May 2025 saw the election of Councillor Helen Campbell as Chair and Councillor Maurice Eglin as Vice Chair. Councillors also approved committee memberships and noted appointments to outside bodies.

Election of Chair and Vice Chair

Councillor Helen Campbell was elected as Chair of North Northamptonshire Council, and Councillor Maurice Eglin was elected as Vice Chair.

Political Group Leadership

The council noted the group leadership for 2025/26 as follows:

• Reform UK: Councillor Martin Griffiths (Leader), Councillor Eddie McDonald (Deputy Leader)
• Conservative: Councillor Helen Harrison (Leader), Councillor David Howes (Deputy Leader)
• Green: Councillor Emily Fedorowycz (Leader), Councillor James Towns (Deputy Leader)
• Labour: Councillor Mark Pengelly (Leader), Councillor David Baker (Deputy Leader)
• Communities Alliance: Councillor Jim Hakewill (Leader), Councillor Simon Fairhall (Deputy Leader)

Committee Membership and Appointments

The council determined the allocation of seats to committees in accordance with political balance rules, as required by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989¹. Key decisions included:

• Approving the proportionality rules applied for committee seat allocation, as detailed in Appendix A - Proportionality Allocations.
• Noting appointments made by political groups to the governance structure, as detailed in Appendix B - Nominations for Chairs Vice-Chairs and Committee Membership.
• Making appointments to chair and vice-chair positions.
• Delegating authority to the Monitoring Officer to make in-year changes to committee membership in consultation with political group leaders.
• Delegating authority to the Monitoring Officer to commence recruitment for independent persons, co-opted members, and members of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Members Allowances.
• Delegating authority to the Monitoring Officer to update the Council Constitution to reflect council and executive changes.

The council agreed to move to a single planning committee of 13 members, replacing the previous model of two area planning committees. It also agreed to permanently remove the Executive Advisory Panels.

Key appointments were:

• Audit and Governance Committee: Councillor Brendon Lovell-Moore (Chair), Councillor Bill McElhinney (Vice Chair)
• Democracy and Standards Committee: Councillor Joe Garner (Chair), Councillor Darren Rance (Vice Chair)
• Employment Committee: Councillor Chris Munday (Chair), Councillor Ken Harrington (Vice Chair)
• Licensing and Appeals Committee: Councillor Denis McLean (Chair), Councillor Paul Brooke (Vice Chair)
• Planning Committee: Councillor Chris Kellett (Chair), Councillor Scott Brown (Vice Chair)
• Children, Young Persons and Education Scrutiny: Councillor Vincent Whitrow (Chair), Councillor Paul Brooke (Vice Chair)
• Corporate Scrutiny Committee: Councillor James Hakewill (Chair), Councillor Chris Kellett (Vice Chair)
• Health Scrutiny Committee: Councillor Leon Gibbs (Chair), Councillor Julie Lumsden (Vice Chair)
• Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee: Councillor Trevor Conway (Chair), Councillor Matt Davies (Vice Chair)
• Scrutiny Management Board: Councillor Chris Kellett (Chair), Councillor Vicent Whitrow (Vice Chair)

Outside Bodies

The council noted appointments to strategic outside bodies made by the Leader and approved nominations to community outside bodies, as detailed in Appendix B - Nominations for Strategic and Community Outside Bodies Appointments.

Strategic Outside Body appointments included:

• East Midlands Councils: Councillor Griffiths
• District Council Network (DCN): Councillor Griffiths
• County Council Network (CCN): Councillor Griffiths
• Anglian Northern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee: Councillor David Brackenbury, Councillor James Towns
• Northamptonshire Sports Partnership: Councillor Barry O’Brien
• Northampton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (Council of Governors): Councillor Brian Benneyworth
• Northamptonshire Rights and Equalities Council: Councillor Chris Munday
• Northamptonshire Action with Communities in Rural England: Councillor Gregory Wilcox
• Corby Town Deal Board: Councillor Eddie McDonald, Councillor David Donnelly
• Strategic Transport Leadership Board for England’s Economic Heartland: Councillor Jan O’Hara
• Transport for the East Midlands (Teems): Councillor Chris McGiffen
• Adoption Panel: Councillor Vinnie Whitrow
• Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE): Councillor Tom Partridge-Underwood, Councillor Jack Goncalvez
• Greenway Board: Councillor Jan O’Hara, Councillor David Baker, Councillor James Towns
• Groundwork Northamptonshire: Councillor Maurice Eglin
• Destination Nene Valley: Councillor Ken Harrington
• Local Government Association: Councillor Griffiths
• North Northants Community Safety Partnership: Councillor Trevor Conway, Councillor Vincent Whitrow
• Northamptonshire Traveller Unit (NTU) Executive Board: Councillor Kirk Harrison
• Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Central Region: Councillor Jan O’Hara, Councillor Mark Pengelly

Community Outside Body appointments included:

• Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Rail Action Committee (LANRAC): Councillor Brian Bennyworth
• Stanwick Lakes Management Board: Councillor Kirk Harrison
• Longtown Outdoor Education Centre: Councillor Griffiths
• Victoria Centre Management Committee: Councillor Ken Harrington
• Campaign to Protect England (CPRE): Councillor Gregory Wilcox
• Industrial Alliance: Councillor William Colquhoun
• Wellingborough School: Councillor Kirk Harrison
• Kettering General Hospital Governors Council: Councillor Julie Lumsden
• Domestic Violence Forum: Councillor Scott Brown
• The Core at Corby Board of Trustees: Councillor Graham Cheatley

Confirmation of Executive Appointments

The council noted the appointment of the Deputy Leader and members of the Executive and Executive Portfolios. The Executive is responsible for:

• Leader of the Council: Councillor Griffiths (Big 50, housing, human resources and devolution)
• Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Adults and Health Partnerships: Councillor McDonald (Adult services, adults commissioning, health and social care integration and safeguarding of adults with care and support needs)
• Executive Member for Finance, Efficiency and Change: Councillor Graham Cheatley (Finance, internal audit, revenue and benefits, IT and customer experience)
• Executive Member for Assets, Waste and Environmental Services: Councillor Harrington (Climate and environment, country parks, bin collections and household waste recycling centres, grounds maintenance and the council’s assets)
• Executive Member for Children, Education and Families: Councillor Elizabeth Wright (Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, commissioning, education, SEND and Family Hubs)
• Executive Member for Highways and Travel: Councillor Chris McGiffen (Roads, transport and parking)
• Executive Member for Planning and Economic Growth: Councillor Jan O’Hara (Economic development, planning and planning policy, flood and water management)
• Executive Member for Regulatory Services: Councillor Harrison (Licensing, environmental health, trading standards, registrations (births, deaths and marriages) building control and private sector housing)
• Executive Member for Communities: Councillor Wilcox (Community safety, tourism, visitor economy, community services (including libraries) and adult learning)
• Executive Member for Health and Leisure: Councillor O’Brien (Public health commissioning, leisure and health and safety)

This week in North Northamptonshire:

• The Audit and Governance Committee approved the Risk Management Policy and Strategy, the Internal Audit Plan for 2025/26, and the Internal Audit Charter and Mandate.
• The Planning Committee (South) deferred a decision on residential dwellings at Land area 26A Stanton Cross due to contamination risks, parking, and waste management concerns.
• The Executive approved the delivery of the Household Support Fund 7 and a capital programme update for 2025/26.

Audit and Governance Committee - Monday 14 April 2025

The Audit and Governance Committee convened to discuss governance, risk management, and audit functions. Approvals were granted for the Risk Management Policy and Strategy, the Internal Audit Plan for 2025/26, and the Internal Audit Charter and Mandate. The committee also reviewed the External Quality Assessment of the Internal Audit service, and the Internal Audit progress report.

The External Quality Assessment (EQA) of the Internal Audit service, conducted by Business Risk Solutions, concluded that the North Northamptonshire Council internal audit service (NNCIAS) generally conforms with the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards. The report highlighted good communication protocols and a detailed Internal Audit Manual, but recommended increasing integration of risk-based techniques and enhancing focus on identifying significant risk and key controls. Councillor Andrew Weatherill, Chair of the Audit and Governance Committee, noted the findings.

The Internal Audit Plan for 2025/26, developed based on the council’s Corporate Plan and Risk Register, was approved. Key areas of focus include mandatory training, equalities, diversity and inclusion, cyber security, climate strategy, and SEND¹. The committee also approved delegating authority to Claire Edwards, Executive Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer), to amend the plan as necessary, in consultation with Councillor Weatherill.

The Risk Management Policy and Strategy, informed by best practice from sources like ISO 31000:2018 and HM Treasury’s “Orange Book”, was approved. The policy outlines how the council will manage risk at each level of the organisation.

The committee received the Monitoring Officer Report from Kamila Coulson-Patel, Director of Law and Governance & Monitoring Officer, detailing the role and statutory functions of the Monitoring Officer. The report reflected on the period from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024, noting that a permanent Monitoring Officer was appointed in 2025.

The Internal Audit progress report highlighted findings from completed audits. These included procurement compliance issues, temporary accommodation compliance, and the successful management of the Kettering Library roof project. The report also noted improvements in schools' health and safety compliance.

Finally, the committee approved the interim report of the Audit and Governance Committee, summarising its work in embedding good governance, internal control, and risk management.

Planning Committee (South) - Wednesday 16 April 2025

The Planning Committee (South) deferred a decision on the application for residential dwellings at Land area 26A Stanton Cross due to concerns about contamination risks, parking, and waste management. They approved the change of use of 4 Knox Road into a House of Multiple Occupation, and also received an information update on the Green Hill Solar Farm.

An application was submitted for the demolition of an existing building and the construction of 47 residential dwellings at Land area 26A Stanton Cross, Mill Road, Wellingborough. Councillor Lora Lawman proposed that the application be deferred to a future meeting to enable further information to be provided in relation to the contamination risks and mitigation, parking strategy, including input from highways and input in relation to waste. Councillor Andy Mercer seconded the proposal, and it was carried.

The committee considered an application for a change of use from a class C1² 18-room guest house to a 15-bedroom House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) for a maximum of 20 occupants at 4 Knox Road, Wellingborough. Eight letters of objection had been received from neighbours, citing issues with the previous use of the property, concerns that a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) will attract anti-social behaviour, parking issues on Knox Road, difficulties housing so many people in a small area, increase in noise, bins and rubbish, and impacts on existing infrastructure and existing sewage system. The committee resolved to grant planning permission subject to conditions.

The committee received an information update regarding the Green Hill Solar Farm, a proposed solar farm including battery storage on land located to the west and south of Wellingborough, and north of Milton Keynes. The development is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) and is subject to a Development Consent Order (DCO).

Executive - Thursday 17 April 2025

The Executive approved the delivery of the Household Support Fund 7 (HSF7), which was announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in October 2024 as a continuation of cost of living support packages. The funding, estimated at £4.3 million for North Northamptonshire, is intended for vulnerable households experiencing severe hardship. Councillor Gill Mercer, Executive Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing, has been delegated authority, in consultation with the Director of Public Health, to redistribute any unassigned or uncommitted funds by 31 March 2026.

The Executive delegated authority to the Executive Director of Place and Economy, in consultation with the Executive Member for Growth and Regeneration, to agree the details of any habitat bank proposal to be secured by legal agreement. They also adopted the information requirements and evaluation of habitat bank proposals, and approved the principle of a price on application fee for processing habitat bank proposals. These decisions aim to ensure that biodiversity gain remains within North Northamptonshire and that the council's costs are recovered. Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is an approach to development and/or land management which aims to leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than it was beforehand.

The Executive authorised the commencement of procurement for Microsoft Licensing to continue providing productivity and infrastructure software licences for North Northamptonshire Council. The council uses Microsoft software licensing for productivity and infrastructure, including MS Teams, MS Outlook, and MS Office Suite.

The Executive delegated authority to the Executive Director of Children’s Services, the Director of Law and Governance (Monitoring Officer) and Executive Director of Finance, in consultation with the Executive Member of Children, Families, Education and Skills, to take all necessary actions to deliver the projects detailed in the report.

The Executive approved the updated Performance Management Framework and KPI set for 2025/26. Formal reporting to the Executive will remain on a quarterly basis, with the core indicator set being made available to members on a monthly basis.

The Executive approved a number of changes to the Capital Programme Update 202526, including additional budget approvals for the Isham Bypass, Alfred Lord Tennyson School, Rowan Gate Primary School, Latimer Arts College, and Prince William School Alternative Provision. Budget approvals were also granted for Warkton Lane Traffic Calming, Broughton Village Hall Changing Rooms, and Desborough Library improvements, funded from Section 106 ³ Contributions.