Councillor James Petter

The Shareholder Cabinet Sub-Committee approved West Northamptonshire Council continuing its participation in the OPUS People Solutions (East) Limited arrangement for a further five years from January 2027. The committee authorised the Corporate Director - Workforce, Technology and Change, in consultation with other officers and the Cabinet Member for HR, Corporate and Regulatory Services, to finalise updates to governance documents. It was also noted that the current arrangement is capable of continuing under a Procurement Act 2023 exemption, and updated documentation may include an optional horizontal access arrangement.

The Cabinet of West Northamptonshire Council approved the adoption of the Contaminated Land Strategy and Cost Recovery and Hardship Policy on 05/05/2026. The decision authorises the Corporate Director - Law and Governance to review and amend these policies following periodic reviews. The approved policies replace predecessor authority policies and outline the council's approach to identifying and remediating contaminated land, including cost recovery and hardship considerations.

The Cabinet of West Northamptonshire Council approved the adoption and implementation of the proposed Housing Allocation Policy on 05/05/2026. The decision maker delegated authority to the Corporate Director for Housing and Communities to make necessary minor amendments to ensure ongoing compliance. The approved policy includes changes to succession of tenancy, local connection requirements, employment eligibility, income levels, and the introduction of auto-bidding for certain applicant bands.

The Cabinet of West Northamptonshire Council decided on 05/05/2026 to bring waste collection and street cleansing services in-house from June 2028. They also approved the procurement of necessary supporting contracts and changed residual waste collection frequency to every three weeks for certain properties by Spring 2027. Authority was delegated to the Executive Director for Place, Economy and Environment to finalise specifications, make decisions on bringing services in-house, and progress procurement processes.

The Cabinet of West Northamptonshire approved the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategy 2026-2030 on 05/05/2026. The strategy aims to transform the national response to domestic abuse by strengthening victim protection, improving support services, and enhancing powers to tackle perpetrators.