Agenda item

Cabinet Members each highlighted the salient points of their reports. Members made comments and asked questions and the following points were raised:

·       Regarding the attendance of the Monitoring Officer at the ongoing trial of former MP David Mackintosh and Howard Grossman, the Leader confirmed that senior officers worked independently and had the freedom to make decisions on how best to spend their time to meet their objectives.

·       Updates on the Landlord Incentive Scheme were available on the Council’s website.

·       Discussions around a Clean Air and Climate Summit had been discussed at the cross-party Sustainability Working Group and further communications with interested members and groups would be forthcoming.

·       Regarding the Sixfields Stadium East Stand, work was due to be completed soon; no further Cabinet decisions were required, appeals had been dismissed, and only minor matters remained.

·       The new A5 roundabout opened on Friday 24th November. The Council was working closely with national Highways and Persimmon to get the A43 junction opened quickly, and the Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways and Waste was confident following discussions that things would progress quickly.

·       Regarding the recent speed limit change to Towcester Road, there had been an issue with lighting of the road signs which caused issues.

·       A meeting was due to take place with officers regarding flooding issues in Far Cotton and members would be briefed in due course.

·       Concerns were identified through the Active Travel consultation regarding the Abington Park Crescent/King Edward Road/Park Avenue South junction. The Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways and Waste had met with officers and ideas would be put to ward members.

·       Congestion in the town centre was difficult to manage; the town centre’s roads were based on the medieval design of the town which was not fit for modern traffic levels. There were no plans to implement a low emissions zone in the town centre.

·       Various scenarios had been offered in respect of possible solutions to traffic issues in Kingsthorpe, but none had been met with approval by Kingsthorpe residents.

·       The Cabinet Member for Housing, Culture and Leisure confirmed his ongoing commitment to working with those involved with the creation of the Ecton Brook Community Hub. He assured Members that he would meet with the Cabinet Member for Finance to ensure that next year’s budget had earmarked funds, where available, for the project.

·       The draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy was in its final stages; stakeholder and collaboration events would be taking place in January and was due to go to Overview and Scrutiny in February, and then to Cabinet. The Structural Changes Order dictated that it must be in place by 1st April 2024 and the Cabinet Member for Housing, Culture and Leisure assured Members that it would be.

·       There was a uniform approach to community managed libraries; where they were occupying former district or county council spaces, they paid market rents less a 40% deduction. It was noted that local parish and town councils had a large role in keeping these libraries open.

·       The Housing Partnership Board worked with major registered providers within West Northamptonshire. To date, Futures and Grand Union Housing had not been successful in securing housing decarbonisation funds; the Council would continue to press them to upgrade their housing stock.

·       The new Licensing Policy would be brought to the Licensing committee in January; consultation responses would be reflected within it.

·       The Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Engagement and Regulatory Services agreed that the Home Office did not handle the closure of the Westone Manor contingency hotel well. The Council had fed its concerns in respect of this back to the Home Office.

·       Gratitude was expressed for the residents and volunteers of Crick for welcoming and providing support for refugees and asylum seekers.

·       Southfields Community Centre was not fit for purpose; this was a challenging site; the administration was looking at what else could be done in the area.

·       The Market Square was on track for completion in the summer of 2024.

·       The Council was working with the museum to make sure anything of interest during the Market Square works would be available for display.

·       A new planning application submitted for Market Walk did not include a “pod hotel”.

RESOLVED:

Council noted the Cabinet Member reports and the decision records from 10 October and 14 November 2023.