NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL COUNCILS

ISSUE 1/21 January - February 2021

CONTENTS

• THE CHIEF’S BRIEF • SAVING CARBON AND CASH • ELECTIONS 2021 • HAVE FUN WITH FUNDING • LOCAL GOVERNMENT REORGANISATION ROUND-UP • TWO MONTHS TO GO! • SECTION 137 LIMIT 2021/22 • CENSUS 2021 – 21 MARCH 2021 • OVERHANGING VEGETATION • THE ROLE OF PARISH & TOWN COUNCILS IN HEALTH & WELLBEING • A CAUTIONARY TALE • SITUATIONS VACANT • ANNUAL PARISH MEETINGS • TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR LOCAL COUNCILS • NORTHANTS CALC CONTACTS

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THE CHIEF’S BRIEF

By Danny Moody, Chief Executive, Northants CALC

What a difficult and challenging time it is for everyone. I hope that you are managing to plot your own way through it in the best way you can. The escalating Coronavirus infection rates in December and early January were devastating and Northamptonshire quickly went from Tier 2, to 3, to 4 and then national lockdown. There are some who have lost loved ones, and many others who have been separated from family and friends just at a time when they needed them most. All one can do is to try to maintain a positive mental attitude, hunker down, and hope and pray for better times ahead. KBO, as Churchill said.

It is a time of huge change and uncertainty, both in the wider world and in our own tiny sphere of local government in Northamptonshire, and it is easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless. Uncertainty is stressful, but you don’t need to know all the answers. Just breathe deeply and take small steps.

2021 is going to be epic. At the time of writing it is 61 days to 1 April 2021, when the “We will have new new unitary authorities take over legal councils, new responsibility for principal local government councillors, and in Northamptonshire and we say a sad goodbye to the district, borough and county refreshed democracy councils that have served residents since and local the early 1970s. I wonder if the new representation” structure will survive fifty years. It is 96 days until 6 May 2021; polling day for local elections across England. So, in 100 days we will be in a new place: God willing the pandemic will be abating, with infection rates in sharp decline and all the most vulnerable people vaccinated, we will have new councils, new councillors, and refreshed democracy and local representation. The weather will be better, we will be reconnecting with each other and the future will look bright. 100 days!

January has been extremely busy at Northants CALC. The new local councils in the borough of Northampton are beginning to get established, with Kingsthorpe Parish Council (KPC) and Far Cotton and Delapre Community Council (FC&DCC) holding their inaugural meetings in early January, with councillors from the borough council appointed to them until the councils can hold elections. They

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have appointed an Interim Clerk and have set budgets and precepts for 2021/22. And Northampton Town Council (NTC), the largest parish council in England, appointed its first permanent Town Clerk after a two-day assessment centre facilitated by Northants CALC in mid-January. Marion Goodman, currently Director of Customers and Communities and Interim Assistant Chief Executive at Northampton Borough Council, was the preferred candidate and her appointment was ratified at a meeting of the town council held on 27 January. Wellingborough Town Council (WTC) is underway too and will shortly be publishing a vacancy notice for its first permanent Town Clerk. The appointed councillors for all these new councils have an onerous task: they are parachuted in, often with vast knowledge and experience of being a borough councillor but none of being a parish or town councillor, and they have to predict what the new councils might like to do in their first year and make financial provision for it in the budget. They have to make difficult and important decisions, particularly on recruitment and precept, with scant data and no history to rely on. I think it is fitting therefore that the first few sets of minutes for these councils record the names of the interim officers and appointed councillors, without whom it would not have been possible to get the new councils up and running, and I thank them for their contribution and forbearance during what would have been a difficult task even at the best of times, let alone in the midst of Brexit, Local Government Reorganisation and a global pandemic!

On 13 and 14 January 2021 we held the most recent in our popular series of “LGR Q&A” events. We were really pleased to have the unitary council Chief Executives, Anna Earnshaw and Rob Bridge, with us and there were many excellent questions submitted by delegates. Notes were sent out after the meetings, and there is a summary report in an article below.

If parish and town council clerks and councillors allowed themselves a few days off over Christmas, they certainly cracked back on in the New Year. Our office reopened on 4 January and we were immediately inundated with enquiries. January is always busy because parish and town councils are setting their budgets and precepts and starting to look ahead to the end of year, annual meetings, and elections. There is more on those things below including what impact the pandemic will or might have on timing and logistics.

And finally, please do continue to get in touch with your questions and queries; that is what we are here for! 3

SAVING CARBON AND CASH

An article from Benjamin Gunn, Director, Clear Utility Solutions

Local council Clerks in Northamptonshire have been hard at work reviewing their current energy contracts for council properties and streetlights within their respective parishes these past few months. Whilst it can be an easily overlooked area of responsibility for busy council clerks, making sure that the energy consumed by streetlights and other assets is competitive and responsibly sourced can reap rewards for both the environment and the council’s purse.

As a non-domestic entity, it can be daunting for the clerks of smaller councils to wade into the difficult waters of arranging a commercial energy contract which, by definition, comes without the assurances and protections of similar domestic

arrangements. Often the inherited incumbent supplier is chosen as a safe bet against the myriad of small and large energy companies that now operate in the UK energy market; fears also abound over collapsed energy companies and rogue energy salespeople.

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Many Clerks opt to carry out their own independent market reviews to find the right deal for them, however many suppliers do not offer suitable tariffs for unmetered supplies, making finding a good deal both time consuming and difficult. As a result, some Clerks have turned to the services of energy consultants and brokers who guide them to suitable deals and suppliers who are able to service their respective needs.

Our consultancy, Clear utility Solutions, has recently partnered with Northants CALC and has succeeded in bringing greener and more cost-effective energy tariffs to CALC members countywide. The scheme has focussed on ensuring local clerks have access to an easy and convenient energy comparison service which, with minimal time and effort, has been successful in helping them to secure more suitable contracts for their energy needs. With a firm focus on renewable energy and cost reduction, the scheme has enabled local clerks to purchase tailored energy contracts from reputable energy suppliers in a way that was previously not possible.

To date the scheme has helped parish and town councils save £27,426 for their respective precepts and the scheme goal of supplying wholly renewable power where possible has meant that a total of 86,719 kg of carbon emissions have been prevented.

Many suppliers are still billing councils on standard or variable tariffs that can be as much as 40% more than comparable fixed deals. As such, councils that are on these standard tariffs with their respective suppliers may well be missing out on potential savings for their precepts. With energy prices set to rise and uncertainty over how Brexit will affect the cost of the approximately 12% of gas and 5% of electricity the UK currently imports from the EU, making sure you have the right deal for your energy has never been more important!

Editor’s Note: Northants CALC and Clear Utility Solutions partnered to set up an energy buying group for member parish and town councils in Northamptonshire. The scheme was launched in September 2020 and has been a great success so far. Even councils that are on long-term fixed contracts should get in touch with CUS, who will take a note of the contract end date and send you a helpful reminder when it is time to start looking at renewal rates. For further details please see https://www.clearutilitysolutions.com/ncalc-partnership.

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ELECTIONS 2021

Local elections are scheduled for 6 May 2021. In Northamptonshire there are three elections: for unitary councils, for parish and town councils, and for the Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner.

There has been a lot of speculation as to whether the elections can go ahead safely on 6 May 2021, but as things stand, that is the plan. In a letter dated 22 January 2021, Chloe Smith MP, minister of state for the constitution and devolution, said “The date of the elections is set in primary legislation, and will remain so unless Parliament determines otherwise. I recognise that there has been speculation about any change of date but there is rightly a high bar for any further postponement, considering that polls have been postponed for a year already, and that voters deserve to have their voices heard. I would observe that other countries have successfully held elections of late, and a number of countries are planning elections over the next few months. Elections can be run safely.”

In fact, in Northamptonshire polls have been delayed by not one, but two years, with the first delay due to LGR and the second due to Coronavirus. Most parish and town councillors are coming to the end of a six-year term, and democratic renewal (at all levels) is badly needed.

As things stand the elections look more likely to go ahead in May than not, but of course these things can change rapidly. It would only take the graph of infection rate to take an upward turn again and all bets would be off. All we can do is proceed on the basis that the elections are going ahead on 6 May 2021 until we are told they are not. If parish and town councils postpone their campaigns to promote candidacy until the date is certain it will be too late. The uncertainty could remain until mid-March, and the close of nominations – the date by which any candidate needs to have submitted their papers – is 4pm on 8 April 2021. So, crank up your campaigns and start encouraging people to come forward.

We sometimes hear clerks or councillors say, “Our council hasn’t had elections for decades!” What they mean is that the council has not had a contested election. The council had elections but there were the same number of or fewer candidates 6

than seats available, so they were uncontested elections. In an uncontested election all the candidates are declared elected and there is no need for a poll. Parish and town councils are democratic public bodies. Elections are their lifeblood but encouraging councils to promote candidacy sometimes feels like pushing a rock uphill. The reasons include:

1. Cost. Elections cost money for the poll cards, polling stations, elections officers’ fees, counting, statutory notices etc, etc. Where a parish or town council election is combined with other elections the typical cost of the parish or town council election is in the order of £1 to £2 per elector. The 2021 parish and town council elections are combined with elections for the unitary authorities and the Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner.

2. Fear of competition. From an individual point of view, it is not in a councillor’s interests to promote candidacy because if he/she intends to seek re-election any other candidates are competition.

3. Fear of the ballot. It is an odd phenomenon that councils that have vacancies due to an insufficiency of candidates are able to quickly co-opt to fill those vacancies after the election. It seems that people are loathed to expose themselves to the scrutiny of the ballot box and the potential embarrassment of being “rejected” by their friends and neighbours.

4. Fear of change. Councillors get used to dealing with each other and do not want some Johnny-come-lately getting on the council and upsetting the apple cart. Better, they think, not to promote the election and take that risk. Some clerks too have “their councillors” just where they want them and don’t like the idea of changing the employment dynamics (and it is genuinely risky and unsettling if your employer can change wholesale every four years!).

5. Effort. Promoting candidacy and having a contested election takes effort. Someone has got to put together a promotional campaign and do the hard yards. And it is not as if people are falling over themselves to become councillors in the first place, so it is an uphill task to convince them that putting themselves forward for election is worth doing. The path of least resistance is just to advertise the elections, make information available and if people come forward, they come forward. If they don’t, they don’t.

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For each of the five reasons (or excuses!) above for not promoting candidacy there are good and rational counterarguments, but they require councillors and clerks to be selfless, open-minded, and absolutely committed to democracy.

Thankfully however there are also some very good reasons in favour of promoting candidacy so that there is a hotly contested election:

1. Calibre of Councillors. If there is an uncontested election then any nutter, extremist or oddball can get on the council where they can wreak havoc and cause untold damage. Having a contest gives the electorate a choice and the opportunity to select-out the most obvious misfits before they get on the council or, if they are already there, to vote them out.

2. Attitude of Councillors. It is a generalisation, but a contested election instils a sense of duty, humility, and public service. A councillor so elected knows that there were other people that wanted to be a councillor and the good people of the community chose him/her above others to be their elected representative. Conversely a councillor who is elected uncontested might be bullish and emboldened… “Don’t criticise me, no other b*****r stuck their head above the parapet!”

3. GPoC Eligibility. The General Power of Competence (GPoC) is an important power that allows a parish or town council to “do anything that an ordinary person may do” (Localism Act 2011). It frees up a council to do all sorts of things but to be eligible to use the power at least two-thirds of the councillors must be elected (i.e. not co-opted). To have the best chance of two-thirds elected councillors a council should go for a contested election to give itself some leeway.

4. Image of the Sector. Parish and town councils are local authorities but are sometimes not given the respect they deserve by their principal council cousins. “Isn’t that the lot that just moan about potholes? Half of them aren’t even elected!”. If parish and town councils want to be treated as serious partners in local government then they must take responsibility and ensure that democracy is alive and well within their council.

5. Energy. All groups and organisations require a bit of a refresh from time to time. Elections are an opportunity to get in new blood and fresh thinking. 8

New councillors challenge the status quo and won’t necessarily follow tradition just because “it’s always been done that way”. The council can renew its outlook and ensure that it is up to date and relevant to the needs of the community.

If you are a clerk or councillor, you have a responsibility to ensure that your council’s election in May 2021 is contested. Do not succumb to the easy option; instead, get out there and start recruiting! If every existing councillor encouraged at least one other person to put themselves forward for election, then almost every parish and town council in the county would have a contested election. That is not too much to ask, is it?

How to Recruit Candidates

There is no substitute for approaching someone directly. Survey results show that most councillors joined because someone approached them and asked them to put themselves forward for election. You will know someone who is already active in the community, perhaps as a committee member of another group or organisation, or someone that has shown an interest in the work of the council, for example a member of the public who has been on the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, or someone who has come forward to help with the community response to the Coronavirus pandemic. These are ideal people to approach about becoming a councillor. Try to avoid cronyism by thinking outside of your normal social and community circles… this is not about recruiting your closest friends and family to join you on the council!

Advertising is also effective if it is done well. Avoid boring local government terminology wherever possible! The best tactic is to have a simple, eye-catching poster that drives people to your council’s web site, where you can present more detailed information. The poster can also be adapted as a flyer to put through every door. You will find our “Wanted” posters, web site text and all sorts of other resources freely available at https://www.northantscalc.com/elections. Feel free to use what we have developed or make up your own! 9

Once you have got people to your web site and given them a bit of information about what being a councillor entails, you then need a very clear “call to action”, for example “Want to be a councillor? Please contact [email protected] to register your interest”. Once direct contact is established you can make sure that they know how and when to put in their nomination.

Your council should be ramping up its recruitment campaign right now. Nomination papers must be in by 4pm on Thursday 8 April 2021, so there isn’t long left. There is more about the nomination and election timing below.

The text on your web site is critical and could determine the type and calibre and even ambition of the people coming forward. You can use it to set out the skills, qualities and attributes of your “perfect” councillor.

DON’T PUT anything like…

Notice of Election

Pursuant to the Representation of the Peoples Act 1985 and the Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) Rules 2006 elections to Little Pipping Parish Council will take place on 6th May. If you might be interested in becoming a councillor, please contact the Returning Officer at the District Council for further information.

DO PUT something like…

Ever thought of being a parish councillor? We are holding elections!

Expressions of interest are welcomed from anyone who is over 18 years old.

As a councillor representing your community you will help keep it a great place to live and work. You will be supported in your role and will be expected to undertake training. You should be comfortable working electronically. You should have a positive outlook and a can-do attitude and be willing to work as part of a team.

If you are interested in joining the council, please contact John Smith by 31 March 2021 for more information on 01234 522222 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Great Pipping Parish Council currently meets in the evening on the fourth Wednesday of the month. If you care about your community and would like to help make a real difference then why not…

Become a Parish Councillor!

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The two notices advertise the fact that there is an election coming up, but each sets a completely different tone. It’s hard to see anyone being excited to join Little Pipping Parish Council, but Great Pipping Parish Council sounds like great fun!

What is the size of the task?

Northants CALC conducted a survey last year that showed that just over half (54.4%) of councillors intended to seek re-election. Just over a tenth (11.6%) of councillors said they intended to retire. Just over a third (34.1%) didn’t know or wouldn’t say.

Of course, the averages are not very meaningful because each council is a unique data set. Drilling into the date shows that 18 councils will definitely be losing a third or more of their councillors, and a further 57 councils have a third or more retiring or undeclared. Good candidacy campaigns are essential.

Overall, the picture is not as gloomy as some people were predicting. Yes, parish and town councils are entering a brave new unitary world and things are going to be radically different, but on average more existing councillors are up for the challenge than not.

Even though our survey was entirely anonymous, it also showed that talking about future election intentions is a difficult conversation for many councillors to have. Perhaps if a councillor knows they will be retiring or is thinking about retiring they might not wish to make that fact too widely known for fear of being seen as a dead duck? We won’t do the same survey in 2025, but the principle of establishing how many vacancies there are likely to be at an election is a sensible element of good business continuity planning, so perhaps it can be a private and confidential internal process next time.

Election Process & Timetable

The key date is 4pm on Thursday 8 April 2021. That is the deadline by which nomination papers must be delivered. 4:01pm is too late; your nomination will not be accepted, even if there was a traffic jam or the bus was late! The parish and town council elections are administered by the relevant principal council, so that’s where the nomination papers must be delivered to. This year, the election will be called near the end of March by the borough and district councils, but nominations 11

papers will be delivered to the new unitary councils. In practice, papers will be delivered to the same location and the same officers as if there had been no change in council. Further instructions for delivering nomination papers will be issued in due course. Nomination papers must be delivered in a very narrow window; from the date the election is called (sometime between 24 and 29 March 2021, tbc) and the close of nominations at 4pm on 8 April 2021. Not only is this a very narrow window anyway, but it is also the Easter holidays, with 2 April 2021 being Good Friday and 5 April 2021 being Easter Monday. So it is very tight this year. Due to Coronavirus, the elections officers might be able to offer to check nomination papers remotely (candidates send the papers in advance by email attachment) and then perhaps one person can be tasked with hand delivering a bunch of nominations to the principal council offices. It is each candidate’s responsibility to ensure safe delivery of a valid nomination, but this year perhaps it is worth some co-ordination in order to reduce the number of people visiting the principal council offices, and the length of time spent there. Northants CALC is working with all the elections officers across the county, and we will make sure that timely, relevant and accurate information is sent to all member councils.

Interested candidates or existing councillors who may wish to get a copy of papers sooner rather than later can download them directly from the Electoral Commission website: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or- agent/parish-and-community-council-elections-england, where there is also lots of information and resources for candidates at parish and town council elections.

Once nominations close the process is driven by the unitary councils. The day after the close of nominations the relevant unitary council will publish either a Notice of Uncontested Election (where there is no contest) or a Statement of Persons Nominated (where there is a contested election).

When the polling stations close (10pm on 6 May 2021) the ballot papers need to be counted. It is yet to be finally confirmed, but our understanding is that the count for the parish and town council elections is likely to take place on Saturday 8 May 2021 for north Northamptonshire. The date is yet to be confirmed for west Northamptonshire. Monday 10 May 2021 is the day on which the newly elected councillors legally take office, being four days from the day of the poll.

The election process is complex, but it is not complicated, so if candidates take their time and are well prepared there is no reason why it shouldn’t go smoothly. 12

HAVE FUN WITH FUNDING

It is true that a lot of grant funding has been diverted to the response to and recovery from the Coronavirus pandemic, and rightly so. But there is still a wealth of grant funds out there for all sorts of projects and activities, if you know where to look. Su Davies, External Funding Manager at East Northamptonshire Council, is the expert in finding funding for community groups in Northamptonshire and she has prepared a round up of the funding that is currently available. Most of the funds are aimed at charities and community groups, but many are also available for parish and town councils to apply. Even where parish and town councils are not directly eligible themselves, it is useful for them to know about the various funding sources available so that they can signpost community groups to them.

A copy of Su’s report is at https://www.northantscalc.com/uploads/grant-funding- update-jan21.pdf.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REORGANISATION ROUND-UP

The next bi-monthly eUpdate will be sent out at the end of March 2021 and it will be the last edition written in the context of three-tier local government in Northamptonshire. On 1 April 2021, the seven districts and boroughs of Northamptonshire are abolished as local government areas and their councils, along with the county council, are wound up and dissolved. In their place North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) and West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) come into being, in the biggest shake-up of local government in the county since 1974. Parish and town councils continue to make up the first tier of local government, and the two unitary councils will comprise the upper tier.

Whilst there is a lot of focus on 1 April 2021, it will be just another day. A milestone in a journey that started more than fifteen years ago when the then Chief Executive of Northamptonshire County Council (NCC), Peter Gould, suggested that the future of the county was as a unitary. The blue touch paper was lit on 15 September 2017, the day that the Local Government Association published its damming and now infamous Financial Peer Review of NCC, which said that “time was running out” for the county council and precipitated the 13

government sending in inspectors. And the journey will continue long after 1 April 2021 as well. Evidence from counties that went unitary in the 2009 wave of reorganisations is that it takes years and years to achieve stability, to create a fresh culture and build a new sense of place.

Critical to the success of the unitary councils is their leadership. The Chief Executives and their Senior Management Teams on the officer side, and the Leader, Deputy Leader and cabinets/executive committees on the political side. The early signs look positive with the appointment of Anna Earnshaw as CEO for WNC, and Rob Bridge as CEO for NNC. Both bring fresh perspectives and a burning ambition for the new councils to do things differently, and better.

Anna and Rob were the guest speakers at the Northants CALC LGR Q&A events held on 18 and 19 January 2021 for the west and north respectively. Two things came across at the events, one cultural and the other operational:

Culturally, both CEOs indicated a desire to work with parish and town councils in true partnership. There was recognition that the two tiers are, together, “local government”, with parish and town councils delivering community-level services, and the unitary councils focused on Working together, the tiers of local government can join the pieces and create a good picture. strategic and statutory services. It is a continuum with no hard edge in between, and the important thing is that one is complementary to the other. The CEOs recognised the importance of engagement, communication and, where possible, co-production. They made it clear that it would take time to redefine the relationship between the tiers, but that they would put effort and resources into doing so. Rob spoke about the diversity of the parish sector and that one-size-fits-all type solutions are not always helpful. Delegates went away feeling that here are two people that we can work with, over time, to imagine a more collaborative and complementary relationship, building on examples of good practice from the past, and leaving behind the adversarial, them-and-us culture, which saps resources and achieves little.

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Operationally, the thing that came through loud and clear is to not expect wholesale changes in 2021/22. The message is that if a service/asset/function is currently the responsibility of a county, district or borough council then it will become the responsibility of the relevant unitary council. Nothing will be “dumped” on parish and town councils as a direct result of LGR. During 2021/22 both CEOs are keen to begin a dialogue with parish and town councils about things that have been inherited by the unitary councils from the predecessor authorities that should rightfully be devolved back to parish and town councils. It was made clear that the process would be steady, considered, and thoughtful. There is no suggestion that either unitary council intends to force parish and town councils to take on things that they are not ready, willing, and able to do.

So, the mood music is good and now the proof of the pudding is in the eating. We know that there will be huge financial pressure on the unitary councils, and that they will not be able to sustain a plethora of discretionary services. The principle of subsidiarity, where services are delivered at the most local level possible, will be driven not by ethos but by the financial imperative to save money to spend on statutory services. If vital local services are to be protected, cost will inevitably shift from the unitary councils to parish and town councils. It might be unpalatable for some, but it is inevitable.

Not surprisingly, many of the questions raised at the Q&A sessions were operational: Where will the unitary councils be based? What telephone numbers do we call from 1 April 2021, and who do we ask to speak to? Will the unitary councils adopt the Community Infrastructure Levy? But there were deeper questions too: How will you shape the culture of the new council? How can we build a planning partnership? What is your vision on climate change? During the two-hour sessions Anna & Rob were asked to cover a lot of ground, and we certainly got our monies worth. The Q&As were written up and circulated to member councils. You will find the west report at https://bit.ly/3opZZo9 and the north report at https://bit.ly/3cnO7Rk.

In the next edition of eUpdate we will focus on where parish and town councils fit in the new councils’ structures, who has management responsibility for ensuring that the relationship between the unitaries and parish and town councils is as strong as it can be, and how the unitaries intend to engage and communicate.

If you have any questions about LGR, please email [email protected]. 15

TWO MONTHS TO GO!

The Future Northants team is working with the unitary council leadership teams as Day 1 for WNC and NNC approaches. Here are the new faces:

Ahead of 1 April, ensuring that all residents are aware of the upcoming changes, and the benefits that will come from having all their services in one place, is vital. 16

It is also critical that residents feel reassured that council services will continue as normal through the transition and that they are provided with the contact details of the new councils.

This effort is already underway through various pieces of press coverage, regular social media updates, and the use of other channels and networks. The Future Northants team welcomes you sharing these through any local Facebook or other social media groups you are part of.

As we move into the final weeks before vesting day, digital versions of posters and leaflets will be provided to parish and town councils and displaying these on village notice boards or sharing of them with residents will be much appreciated.

Until these posters and leaflets are available, residents wanting to know more about the new unitary councils should continue to be pointed to www.futurenorthantsnorth.org and www.futurenorthantswest.org.

SECTION 137 LIMIT 2021/22

Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 enables parish and town councils to spend a limited amount of money for purposes for which they have no other specific statutory expenditure. Monies must be spent on purposes for the direct benefit of the council’s area, or part of its area, or all or some of its inhabitants. It cannot be used to benefit an individual.

Expenditure under Section 137 is limited to an amount per year per elector, and the appropriate sum for the purpose of section 137(4)(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 for parish and town councils in England for 2021-22 is £8.41.

This is the amount resulting from increasing the amount of £8.32 for 2020-21 by the percentage increase in the retail index between September 2019 and September 2020, in accordance with Schedule 12B to the 1972 Act.

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CENSUS 2021 – 21 MARCH 2021

An article by Gwen Rhys, Community Engagement Manager for South West Northamptonshire for the Office for National Statistics

This year’s Census is more important than Response rates in 2011 Northamptonshire County 96% ever. With the new Unitary Authorities coming Corby 96% into operation in April and the devastating Daventry District 97% impact of Covid-19 it is vital to have as East Northamptonshire 98% Kettering 98% accurate a statistical picture of the population Northampton 94% as possible. Achieving the highest response South Northamptonshire 98% 95% rate is critical; the ONS’s 2021 target is 94%. Wellingborough

Achieving the 2021 target

Community Engagement Managers have been appointed to boost local responses. Two cover Northamptonshire: Gwen Rhys (Daventry District, South Northants, and Northampton), and Dan Paterson (Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and East Northants). Both are engaging with local community organisations and groups to back up the ONS’s national promotional campaign which will soon roll out on TV, radio, social and print media.

For the first time ever Census 2021 is digital first.

Householders will be invited to complete their Census form using a digital device. Most will have no difficulty, but some may not have the necessary digital skills, others might not want to share personal information with the “authorities”, some may have a disability that makes digital completion difficult and for those who do not have English as a first language the form may present challenges. The digital format may also make some older people anxious, but they can order a paper copy and contact the Census Help Line for support. Details will be in the Information Pack. Some households, especially those in rural areas, will automatically receive a paper copy with their Information Pack.

19 ONS National PR Launch followed by a major promotional January 2021 campaign.

w/c 22 An advance warning post card will land on door mats. February 2021 18

w/c 3 Information packs will be sent to every household. These March 2021 will include a unique digital access code and instructions on how to get help.

21 March 2021 CENSUS DAY

Postal reminders and Census Field Staff will follow up households that do not submit their forms.

How can Parish & Town Councils help?

Covid-19 restrictions are making the job of Community Managers that much harder, and those who would normally help others are facing difficulties, too. Parish and town councils can help by:

. Following and re-posting #Census2021 on social media accounts. . Including information on web sites and encouraging others to do the same. . Placing posters on notice boards and encouraging others to do the same, especially those offering a public service (GP practices, health centres, dentists, Libraries, Post Offices) as well as Covid-19 compliant outlets such as cafes, takeaways, supermarkets, and other food outlets. We can send posters to you FOC. . Including articles in newsletters (both print and digital). . Telling local community groups that Community Managers can speak at Virtual Meetings. . Letting Community Managers know about any local media channels (print, social media, radio) that they can contact.

Gwen Rhys (West) Dan Paterson (North) Mobile - 07452 934885 Mobile - 07452 939157 [email protected] [email protected]

See https://census.gov.uk/ for more information. A wide range of ONS promotional materials is available to download from the ONS web site at https://census.gov.uk/downloadable-resources/. If you add content to your web site, please send Gwen or Dan a link so that they can record your support.

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OVERHANGING VEGETATION

It is a “perennial” problem. Normally around June or July we start to receive enquiries about the powers of parish and town councils to deal with complaints of trees, bushes, and hedges overhanging the pavement or footpaths. The simple answer is that parish and town councils have no statutory powers at all, but ignoring the issue isn’t the way forward either.

Cllr Jason Smithers, the Cabinet Member for Place, Highways And The Environment at Northamptonshire County Council (NCC) produces an excellent weekly e-bulletin on highway services, and in the edition sent to parish and town councils on 11 December 2020 he clearly outlined the way to deal with this “thorny issue” (apologies!).

The bulletin says “If there is a hedge or tree that is affecting you or you think it’s creating a risk to safety from a neighbour’s property, talk to them first. If this does not work or you feel unable to talk to them simply go onto the Street Doctor site and report the issue [choose vegetation > restricted visibility / overgrown / overhanging]. This will kick start the process and mean that we will inspect and determine the issue.”

“If we do see it as a problem we will write to the property owner giving them 14 days to carry out the necessary work, whilst advising them about the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in respect to cutting back vegetation… If, after the 14 days, nothing has been done we will serve notice to the property owner asking them to act now, giving another 14 days. If there is still no action we might have to take legal action but to be honest, we want to avoid this as takes up valuable time and resources. In some circumstance we may have to resort to doing the work ourselves but, again, this puts unnecessary pressure on our budgets although we will do all we can to reclaim the associated costs.”

Jason adds “The right hedge or tree can really add to a community and they provide important boundaries between properties and even our own highway land. Gardens are our sanctuaries, especially this year, but we have to ask that everyone is responsible and to not let our beautiful gardens get out of hand and put safety at risk.” 20

THE ROLE OF PARISH & TOWN COUNCILS IN HEALTH & WELLBEING

Mitch Harper, Public Health Practitioner – Place Based Public Health, at Northamptonshire County Council (NCC) has contributed a two-part article on the role of parish & town councils in health & wellbeing. The first part (below) focuses on the factors that make us healthy and describes the effect of what we do, what we eat and where we live. The second part, which will be in the March/April eUpdate, will look specifically at how parish and town councils can play a vital role in shaping the health and wellbeing of people in Northamptonshire.

What makes us healthy?

When we talk about health, we often focus on healthcare. The quality of, and access to healthcare is of course very important in keeping us living healthy lives. There are, however, many other aspects of daily life contributing significantly to how healthily we live. In fact, widespread research suggests approximately 50% of what makes us healthy comes from the physical, social and economic environments we are born, grow, live, work and age. We often refer to these as the ‘wider determinants of health’.

Given Councils have many opportunities to shape these environments, there is a crucial role to play in health improvement for all levels of local government, albeit with different roles. The following wider determinants of health can be considered across all council functions and support with health improvement, alongside wider benefits to local communities and services. 21

Family, Friends, and Communities

Being socially connected, having positive relationships and a strong social network is associated with living a longer and healthier life. Additionally: . Good relationships allow people to feel supported, develop skills and face new situations. . Participation in activities and groups offers people a sense of purpose and shared identity. . Ties within and across communities enable people to feel included and valued. . A sense of control and collective voice can help people influence positive change.

Our Surroundings

The environment that we live, work and play in have a significant impact on our health and wellbeing, whether that be street layouts, or access to parks and green spaces that reduce our stress levels. Some other benefits are identified below:

. Green infrastructure and healthy urban areas contribute to the local economy by helping to attract and maintain jobs and business. . Green space in people’s living environment is associated with enhanced feelings of social safety. . It is widely suggested that investing in public realm improvements can lead to increased footfall and therefore increased retail and leisure spend.

Transport

Travel and transport play a huge part in our health and wellbeing, affecting how we live our daily lives and how easily we can access school, work, friends, family, shopping and leisure facilities. A more sustainable transport system could offer a range of benefits:

. Reduced congestion and thus reduced travel times. . Better quality and more appealing public spaces. . Increased physical activity, encouraging people to travel by foot and by bike. . Less pollution from road transport. . Increased social interaction from a more accessible transport system. 22

Education and skills

Educational attainment is strongly linked with better health outcomes. People with higher levels of education are less likely to suffer from long term conditions, and to report themselves in poor health, than their peers. Improving school-readiness, building resilience and improving emotional health and wellbeing in schools, provides benefits beyond health and wellbeing which includes:

. Educational attainment and school performance. . Community safety and anti-social behaviour. . Employment, income and economic development.

Housing

Poor, ’unhealthy’ housing can have serious long-term effects on both physical and mental health. It can result in up to 25% higher risk of serious ill-health or disability during childhood and early adulthood. By ensuring that good quality housing is available and accessible to all, there are a number of wider benefits for our communities:

. Educational attainment. . Environmental sustainability. . Employment and economic growth.

Work

Being in ‘good work’ where your health and wellbeing is considered and supported, has a significant impact on our health and wellbeing. Job satisfaction, opportunities to develop and feeling in control with the right workload can contribute to “good work”. Not only will our communities be healthier and happier but also:

. Supporting healthy workplaces can lead to many benefits for businesses. . Local economic benefits. . A prevention approach in workplaces also gives a potential for reduction in demand on services. 23

Money and resources

Poverty has wide ranging impacts. Being in poverty can mean that basic material resources are lacking and can lead to people living in poor quality housing, or not having a home. It can also lead to missed opportunities exclusion and even stigma and discrimination.

By working together locally to address poverty we could see positive impacts on:

. Employment – By creating a prosperous economy and encouraging business investment, employment opportunities will increase. . Reduced demand on services. . Improved health behaviours.

Food

Getting the right nutrition is important throughout each stage of life and the impact of not having a healthy balanced diet can span the spectrum of malnutrition from underweight to obesity. While food is vital for our physical health, it is also an important part of our social, cultural and emotional life.

By supporting a healthy food environment, as well as improving the health of the population, we can have a positive impact on:

. Waste management. . Workforce productivity. . Economic development.

The role of Parish and Town Councils

The above should set the scene for what shapes our health and wellbeing. In the next edition, we will follow this with the role of Parish and Town Councils in improving health for your local communities.

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A CAUTIONARY TALE

Northamptonshire Police has asked us to highlight a particularly nasty scam that is doing the rounds. It is called “Clone Firm Investment Fraud” and anyone can be targeted. ‘Clone firms’ are set up by fraudsters using the name, address and ‘Firm Reference Number’ (FRN) of real companies authorised by the FCA. The criminal gangs running these scams can engage with victims through a number of channels. Often they will take out adverts on social media platforms and search engines. Victims will then click on these adverts and be taken to exact replicas of websites belonging to genuine investment firms. The most sophisticated criminals will even clone the website domain name. Once victims have registered their interest, they’ll be contacted by the fraudsters, who often obtain the names of genuine employees of investment firms and create seemingly legitimate company email addresses, but with very subtle changes.

The scammers will telephone and try to sell you investments in emerging markets. They often claim will lead to financial gains above the rates of established investments like ISAs but the item offered may not exist or is worthless. The scammers will give you details that you might think only a genuine investment company will have. They may have details of previous investments you have made, shares you hold, and know your personal circumstances. The scammers will do their homework to get to know as much about you as possible.

The scammers will often call you several times in an attempt to form a friendly relationship. If you respond in any way they will persist, try and build trust, and may eventually persuade you to part with your money.

If you are considering an investment, visit the FCA Register (https://register.fca.org.uk) to make sure the firm you are dealing with is authorised. Use the contact details on the FCA Register, not the details the person who calls you gives you, and check for subtle differences to avoid scams. Double check every detail.

See https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/investment-fraud for more information, or to report a crime if you think you have already been targeted. 25

SITUATIONS VACANT

Raunds Town Council Raunds is a rapidly expanding market town in East Northamptonshire just off the A45 near Stanwick Lakes. The council has 12 seats and there are just under 7,000 electors. The council set a precept for 2020/21 of £501,070. The council has a vacancy for a Town Clerk. The position is full time, permanent, based at the Town Hall, Raunds. The closing date for applications is 12 February 2021. Full details at https://www.northantscalc.com/council-vacancies.html.

Upcoming Council Vacancies Wellingborough Town Council (WTC) will soon start recruiting for a full time, permanent Town Clerk. We are also aware of opportunities coming up to the north of Northampton, between Rothwell and Kettering, and between Daventry and Banbury. If you might be interested in any of these emerging opportunities please contact Danny Moody on 01327 831482 or by email to [email protected].

ANNUAL PARISH MEETINGS

Northants CALC has received a number of enquiries over the last two weeks related to the Annual Parish/Town Meeting (APM), aka Annual Parish/Town Assembly. The APM is a meeting of the electors of the parish; it is not a council meeting. The APM must be held between 1 March and 1 June and, where there is a sperate parish or town council, the APM is convened by the council and the chairman of the council presides, if present.

We are not expecting any rules to change with respect to the APM, so member councils are advised to go ahead and convene the APM as usual. An APM constitutes a “public gathering” so it would not be lawful to hold an in-person APM at this time, and even when lockdown ends, it is unlikely in our view to be lawful (or recommended) to hold an in-person APM in the window from 1 March to 1 June. Our advice is to hold the APM by remote means.

Experience shows that it is easier to attract outside speakers to remote meetings. They can drop in for ten or twenty minutes and then go off somewhere else if they need to. It gives councils the opportunity to think about different speakers, from anywhere in the country, or even anywhere in the world! 26

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR LOCAL COUNCILS

Look below for a course or event that may be of interest and make a booking through the Clerk to the Council. All councils must have a training budget from which councillors can book courses under the authority of the clerk.

Microsoft 365 Masterclass Tue, 02 Feb 2021 11:00 Improving remote working for councils during Covid-19. A one-hour hands on webinar designed to highlight the benefits of working in the Microsoft 365 Cloud. This masterclass will run through real-world examples of how councils are utilizing the cloud to operate and continue serving their communities during the Covid-19 crisis.

Off to a Flying Start Thu, 04 Feb 2021 18:30 This course is designed to help all Clerks and Councillors make an early, effective and confident start to their careers, by providing quality, constructive and participative training on the roles and responsibilities of Clerks and Councillors.

Emotional Resilience Skills Wed, 10 Feb 2021 10:00 Why do some people handle whatever life throws at them, while others tend to struggle? The answer is resilience. Resilience is the ability to recover from the inevitable problems that life throws at us. This session will focus on increasing your resilience and managing it as part of your wellbeing. Looking at self-care and self-awareness, we will lead you in the first steps to improving your resilience and developing a resilience journal.

Community Emergency Plan Workshop Wed, 24 Feb 2021 10:00 Emergencies are very rare, however recently Northamptonshire has experienced major floods, long term utility failure, recycling fires resulting in air pollution, extreme winter weather AND a global pandemic. Coronavirus has shown that in times like these communities will pull together, but you can be better prepared to deal with any eventuality if you take steps now. You can have an emergency plan in place for any community emergency. This practical workshop will go into more detail on how to complete an effective community emergency plan and more 27

importantly how to embed your plan within your community. If you have already got a plan as a result of the current pandemic, this workshop with will help strengthen and embed your plan.

Planning Nuts and Bolts Tue, 02 Mar 2021 17:30 An introductory training session for Parish/Town Councillors and Clerks covering the basic principles of planning including policy, applications, appeals and enforcement. This two-hour session will also include tips on increasing the effectiveness of the responses that Parish and Town Councils send through to local planning authorities and the opportunity to ask questions of an experienced planning consultant who has worked for local Councils, a volume house builder and a planning consultancy.

New Clerks Spring 2021 Day 1 Saturday 6 March 2021 10:00-16:00 Day 2 Saturday 13 March 2021 10:00-16:00 This course provides a broad understanding of the role and responsibilities of a town or parish clerk. This course is a must for newly appointed clerks, or clerks who feel they could benefit from some formal training.

Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) 2021 Northants CALC Training Manager, Marie Reilly, has been part of the national review of the current CiLCA portfolio over the last 12 months. This review is now complete and all registrations after 1 February 2021 will be on the new portfolio. If you have previously attended CiLCA training and want to register under the old portfolio you must do so before 1 February 2021, i.e. NOW! Contact me if you have yet to submit your portfolio and would like some refresher training. Dates for CILCA training are now confirmed starting in March 2021. For more details, please visit www.northantscalc.com/cilca-2021.html. This training will be for the new CILCA 2021 portfolio. Contact me if you want to join the 2021 cohort.

For more information on any of the courses mentioned above, and to make a booking please see https://www.northantscalc.com/training-and-events.html, and if you would be interested in a training session specifically designed and delivered for your council, please contact Marie Reilly on 01327 831482 or email [email protected] to discuss your requirements.

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NORTHANTS CALC CONTACTS

Danny Moody CEO [email protected]

Lesley Sambrook Deputy [email protected] Smith CEO

Marie Reilly Training Manager [email protected]

General [email protected]

Member Enquiry Service [email protected]

DPO Service [email protected]

Telephone: 01327 831482

Address: Northants CALC PO Box 7936 Brackley NN13 9BY

www.northantscalc.com

Follow Northants CALC on Twitter @ceo_ncalc & @deputyceo_ncalc 29