The Corporate Scrutiny Committee of North Northamptonshire Council met on Tuesday 21 October 2025 to discuss the Local Council Tax Support Scheme, Council Tax premiums, the draft Corporate Plan, and the Residents' Survey Outcome. Key decisions included recommending the continuation of the current Local Council Tax Support Scheme, supporting the introduction of premiums on long-term empty properties and second homes, and requesting further scrutiny of the Corporate Plan's performance framework. The committee also recommended regular resident satisfaction surveys and improved communication strategies.

Local Council Tax Support Scheme 2026/27

The committee considered the report on the Local Council Tax Support Scheme (LCTSS) for 2026/27. The current scheme, which requires eligible claimants to pay a minimum of 25% of their Council Tax bill, is proposed to be maintained. Claire Edwards, Executive Director of Finance and Performance, explained that any change of 1% in this contribution would cost or benefit the council by approximately £127,000.

The committee requested a six-month update report to review claimant numbers and assess any variations from expected levels. A recommendation was also made to the Executive to review the affordability of the 25% contribution level for working-age claimants, particularly in light of potential Council Tax increases, to ensure the scheme remains financially sustainable and fair.

Council Tax Premiums: Second Homes and Long-Term Empty Properties

The committee discussed proposals to introduce a Council Tax premium on properties that have been empty for 12 months (previously two years) and to introduce a premium for second homes from April 2027. Claire Edwards highlighted that these measures are intended to encourage empty properties to be brought back into use, thereby addressing housing shortages and aligning with the council's Corporate Plan.

The committee welcomed the proposed changes for empty properties and supported the principle of encouraging homes back into use. They recommended pre-scrutiny of the forthcoming Empty Homes Strategy and requested a progress report in mid-2026 on the implementation outcomes, including financial and behavioural impacts. The committee noted that the second homes premium would not take effect until April 2027 and requested a future update on consultation outcomes.

Corporate Plan

Guy Holloway, Assistant Chief Executive, presented the draft Corporate Plan for North Northamptonshire Council, outlining its vision and priorities for the next four years. The plan is structured around four key themes: Family, Community, Prosperity, and Smarter, Faster, Fairer Public Services. The report detailed the extensive engagement process undertaken, including resident satisfaction surveys, informal dialogue with partners and members, workshops, and public consultation.

The public consultation, which received nearly 500 responses, showed strong support for the key themes, with over 90% agreement for the Family and Community themes, 85% for Prosperity, and over 77% for Smarter, Faster, Fairer Public Services. Feedback also highlighted areas for future focus, including housing affordability, environmental protection, health and social care, transport, and digital inclusion.

The Corporate Scrutiny Committee made several recommendations to the Executive:

• To ensure future consultations are inclusive, recognising both digital and non-digital engagement methods.
• That Corporate Performance Reports from April 2026 clearly demonstrate alignment between the new Corporate Plan, Key Performance Indicators, and Value-for-Money indicators, in line with National Audit Office guidance.
• To stress the crucial importance of clearly articulating and evidencing the golden thread between the Corporate Plan and all council activities.
• To request officers liaise with the Executive and the member who submitted written comments to include explicit reference to looked-after children and corporate parenting within the Corporate Plan.

Residents Survey Outcome

Guy Holloway presented the findings of the first residents' satisfaction survey for North Northamptonshire, conducted in the summer of 2025. The survey, using LGA methodology, revealed that 68% of residents were satisfied with their local area, slightly below the national average. Satisfaction with how the council runs things was lower at 41%, compared to 56% nationally. Only 28% felt the council provided good value for money, and just 37% believed the council acts on residents' concerns, significantly below national figures. Communication was identified as a key issue, with only 33% feeling well-informed about council services.

A positive finding was that 78% of residents preferred local decisions to be made by local councillors, higher than the national average.

The committee made several recommendations based on the survey results:

• Resident satisfaction surveys should be undertaken regularly, subject to finance, to track public perception trends and inform future policy.
• The Executive should ensure all Members receive clear and accessible communications summarising the council’s financial position and key service updates to help inform residents effectively.
• The Executive should ensure clear linkage between future Resident Survey results, the Corporate Plan, and the Council’s performance indicator framework.

Corporate Scrutiny Work Plan

Raj Sohal, Scrutiny Officer, presented the Corporate Scrutiny Work Plan. The committee noted the timetable for the forthcoming budget scrutiny process, which included four dedicated sessions in November 2025 covering process overview, public health grants, children's services, adult health partnerships and housing, and place and economy. Conclusions from this process would be brought back to the committee in the new year. The committee also discussed the importance of four-year trajectories for major expenditure items, particularly in areas like homelessness, SEND, and social care, to better inform risk-based scrutiny.

The meeting concluded with the election of Councillor Gavin Bills as Vice Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee.