West Northamptonshire Council was scheduled to meet on 26 June 2025 at The Great Hall at The Guildhall, Northampton. The agenda included the presentation of annual reports from overview and scrutiny committees, a review of the council's flag protocol, and a discussion on setting allowances for council members. Councillors were also expected to discuss regional devolution, youth services, and support for children in care.

Opposition Priority Business

Councillor Fiona Baker, seconded by Councillor Peter Matten, proposed a motion regarding the council's corporate plan. The motion stated that the council:

• Recognises a corporate plan as a critical strategic document.
• Recognises that a corporate plan provides clarity for council officers.
• Notes that the current administration did not publish a manifesto relevant to West Northamptonshire at the most recent election.
• Believes that the Corporate Plan must be subject to proper democratic scrutiny.
• Believes that the new Corporate Plan must align with the council's existing One West Northants plan.

The motion resolves that the Corporate Plan must be developed, debated and approved at a meeting of the Full Council as soon as possible.

Motions

Regional Devolution

Councillor Dan Lister, seconded by Councillor Fiona Cole, proposed a motion reaffirming the council's commitment to regional devolution as a means of securing enhanced powers, resources and investment for the benefit of West Northamptonshire residents. The motion confirms that the South Midlands geography, comprising West Northamptonshire, North Northamptonshire, Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes, is the council's preferred area for the creation of a Strategic Mayoral Authority that meets the criteria set out in the Government's Devolution White Paper.

The motion resolves to:

• Affirm publicly that the South Midlands geography is the most coherent and government-compliant configuration for a Strategic Mayoral Authority serving West Northamptonshire and the wider region.
• Continue working with the other five authorities to advance a unified and compelling proposal that secures fast-track devolution status from Government.
• Confirm the council's support for the role of a directly elected regional mayor, recognising the enhanced accountability, visibility and negotiating power this model provides.
• Request that Cabinet provides timely and regular updates to Full Council on the development of the full devolution proposal, including opportunities for resident engagement and scrutiny.
• Ensure this devolution proposal aligns with and supports the priorities set out in the council's approved One West Northants plan.
• The Chief Executive and the Leader shall inform all other Leaders and Chief Executives within the South Midlands authorities of this decision, and shall notify the relevant government departments and ministers of West Northamptonshire Council's affirmed position.

Youth Strategy

Councillor Enam Haque, seconded by Councillor Rufia Ashraf, proposed a motion noting the challenges faced by young people, and the tragic incidents that have occurred especially in Castle and Dallington Spencer wards in recent months. The motion applauds the response of parents, community groups, schools, police and voluntary youth services in reducing the tensions, and welcomes the Knife Crime Summit held in Northampton this month.

The motion notes the lack of a strategy for youth provision in the area, and the lack of any permanently employed qualified youth officers in the council, and that there is a statutory duty on local authorities, outlined in Section 507 of the Education Act 1996, to provide sufficient activities for young persons.

The motion asks the Cabinet to develop a costed youth strategy to ensure cost-effective youth services are provided in West Northamptonshire focussing on the areas of greatest youth need, and to consider the inclusion of a core in-house team of qualified youth workers to deliver effective implementation of the strategy.

Support for Children in Care

Councillor Rosie Humphreys, seconded by Councillor Stewart Tolley, proposed a motion noting that when a child comes into care, the council becomes their corporate parents, and that it is the collective responsibility of the council, elected members, employees and partner agencies to provide the best possible care and safeguarding for the children who are looked after by this council.

The motion notes that care in the Children's sector has been, and continues to be, subject to external market forces, meaning that costs for this statutory and essential service continue to escalate, and that data from regulator Ofsted shows private firms dominate the sector, with 83% of children's homes under private ownership and many being operated by Private Equity firms who seek to maximise profits for their investors.

The council therefore resolves to:

• Arrange a full training session for councillors on the 'Belonging Charter' to ensure that councillors understand their role in building good community relationships.
• Ensure that training takes place for officers in our planning team on the 'Belonging Charter', with specific emphasis on community cohesion, in the context of any children's homes that may come through the planning system.
• Make swift progress on the recommendations relating to the report on foster carers, and if necessary assemble a further cross-party working group to develop a full implementation pathway plan."

Items of Business

Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel - Members' Allowances

The council was scheduled to consider the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) regarding members' allowances¹. The IRP was convened to make recommendations concerning allowances payable to members. The Panel met in November 2024 and May 2025 to review the scheme, specifically around the following elements:

• Consideration of the Basic Allowance paid to all Members and whether these should be amended.
• Consideration of Special Responsibilities as detailed in the current Scheme, particularly that of the Vice Chairs of Overview and Scrutiny and whether these should be amended.
• Review the indexation element of the Scheme and how this should be adjusted in line with West Northamptonshire Officers pay rises, linked to a specific salary scale, or with reference to any other index.
• Review the Co-optee Allowances and whether these should be amended.
• Travel and Subsistence claims and the definition of approved duties.
• Have regard to the budget envelope available for the Scheme when proposing its revisions to the Scheme for 2025/26.

The Panel recommends that the rate of the basic allowance paid to Members from 1 July 2025 be set at £16,454.33 per annum if the Council agree to apply an inflationary uplift to the scheme for the year 2025-26 or £16,053 if the Council do not agree the increase.

The Panel recommends that the following special responsibility allowances be paid in recognition of the additional workload, levels of responsibility and accountability placed upon the following roles:

• Leader £41,135.83(2.5 x BA) or £40,132 without uplift
• Deputy Leader £28,795.08 (1.75 x BA) or £28,093 without uplift
• Cabinet Members £24,681.50 (1.5 x BA) or £24,079 without uplift
• Lead Member for Children's Services £27,314.19(1.66 x BA) or £26,648 without uplift
• Chair of the Council £12,340.75 (0.75 x BA) or £12,040 without uplift
• Vice-Chair of the Council £8,227.17 (0.5 x BA) or £8,026 without uplift
• Chair of Strategic Planning Committee £16,454.33(1 x BA) or £16,053 without uplift
• Chair of Planning Committees £16,454.33(1 x BA) or £16,053 without uplift
• Chair of Planning Policy Committee £nil*
• Chair of Licensing Committee £16,454.33 (1 x BA) or £16,053 without uplift
• Chair of Audit Committee £16,454.33 (1 x BA) or £16,053 without uplift
• Chairs of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees £16,454.33 (1 x BA) or £16,053 without uplift
• Chair of Pension Fund Committee £ nil *
• Chair of Senior Appointments Committee £ nil *
• Chair of Democracy and Standards Committee £16,454.33 (1 x BA) or £16,053 without uplift

• Group Leaders SRA £24,681.50 split or £24,079 split without uplift:

  • Leader of the Largest opposition Group £12,842 or £12,039 without uplift
  • Leader of the second largest opposition Group £6,421 or £6,019 without uplift
  • Leader of the third largest opposition Group £3,211 or £3,009 without uplift
  • Leader of the fourth largest Opposition Group £1,605 or £1,504 without uplift

*This is on the understanding that these posts will be filled by Cabinet Members

The Panel further recommends that:

• No SRAs be paid to vice-chairs of Committees.
• Members may not receive more than one SRA. The Member will be entitled to receive the highest SRA from the roles that they hold.
• That a review of allowances be undertaken by the Panel, two years' time , to check that the scheme is suitable following the reduction in Members from 93 to 76, if deemed necessary and invited to do so.
• That allowances are index linked to the Officers' annual pay award, specifically to the pay award applicable to Spinal Point 35 of the WNC pay scale. As the maximum period a scheme may be linked to an index is four years the Panel must meet to review allowances no later than 2029.

West Northamptonshire Council Annual Report 2024/25

The West Northamptonshire Council Annual Report 2024/25 was scheduled for presentation. The report summarises the council's performance against the Corporate Plan and other key strategies and policies, along with a summary of each Directorate's work and challenges during the year.

The report includes information on:

• Our drive to thrive
• Our priorities for 2024 - 25
• Progress against our priorities
• How we spent our money in 2024/25
• Our spending plans for 2025/26
• Place Services
• What we do in Place Directorate
• Our performance and challenges 2024/25
• People Directorate
• What we do in People Directorate
• Our performance and challenges 2024/25
• Communities and Opportunities
• What we do in Communities and Opportunities
• Our performance and challenges 2024/25
• Chief Executive's Directorate
• What we do in Chief Executive's Directorate
• Our performance and challenges 2024/25
• Finance
• What we do in Finance
• Our performance and challenges 2024/25
• Looking ahead - our next chapter
• Find out more

West Northamptonshire Council Flag Protocol

The council was scheduled to consider and endorse updates to the council's Flag Protocol. The flag protocol sets out which flags should be flown, how they should be flown and the circumstances in which flags should be flown at half-mast.

The protocol states that:

• The Union Flag and English (St George's) Flag are the national flags of Great Britain and England respectively, symbolising national unity and pride, and are flown at West Northamptonshire Council's main office buildings.
• Whilst there are designated days when the Union Flag must be flown on UK Government buildings, as commanded by His Majesty the King, UK Government buildings are encouraged to fly the Union Flag all year and local authorities are urged to follow suit. For this reason, the Council flies the Union Flag constantly from its main office buildings.
• Flags are a very British way of expressing joy and pride – they are emotive symbols which can boost local and national identities.
• The Council recognises and supports this by also flying the English flag all year round and permitting a number of other flags to be flown on specified dates of the year for Royal or National service occasions.

Annual Reports from the Overview and Scrutiny Committees

The council was scheduled to receive the Annual Reports 2024/2025 of the four Overview and Scrutiny Committees:

• Adult Social Care and Health
• Children, Education and Housing
• Corporate
• Place

The annual reports detail the scrutiny activities undertaken during 2024/2025.

Remuneration - Statutory Chief Officer Appointments

The council was scheduled to discuss a report seeking approval for a proposed remuneration package in excess of £100,00 for two Statutory Chief Officer roles, following resignations of two Statutory Chief Officers (Director of Public Health and Executive Director People).

Appointments to Outside Bodies

The council was scheduled to discuss a report to inform the Council of proposed appointments by West Northamptonshire Council to outside bodies relating to the area covered by the Council.

Changes to Political Balance and Committee Places

The council was scheduled to discuss a report to review the changes to the political balance of the Council and approve changes to the membership of committees.

Cabinet Reports and Records of Decisions

The council was scheduled to review the decisions taken at the meetings of the Cabinet held on Tuesday 1 April 2025 and Tuesday 3 June 2025.

The Cabinet resolved to:

• Approve and adopt the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans for Brackley, Daventry and Towcester.
• Approve the Resident Access Strategy 2024-2029.
• Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Finance to vire budgets up to £2.1m within the HRA revenue budget to ensure the estimated costs of implementation of the Housing IT system are fully funded in line with the previous Cabinet resolution.
• Authorise the Executive Director of Resources to undertake a procurement exercise and award a contract for the provision of Microsoft software to an authorised supplier, via an Enterprise Service Agreement, in compliance with the Council's procurement processes and procurement legislative requirements.
• Make a Public Spaces Protection Order banning car cruising across West Northamptonshire for the next three years.
• Approve the recommissioning of a Support Provider to deliver a service that provides people with a history of rough sleeping or at risk of rough sleeping who have multiple complex and medium to high needs at Oasis House for 3 years 6 months from 1 October 2025.