Agenda and decisions

That the Executive approved an uplift in fees paid to adult social care providers to support providers in meeting the additional financial pressures including National Living Wage for frontline carers inflationary pressures from 1st April 2025.

Provision Type	Recommendation	Net increase in cost £’s
Home Care framework	Uplift: the Urban Hourly rate by 3.85% to £23.34; the suburban hourly rate by 3.7% to £24.38; the Rural Hourly rate by 3.4% to £26.47; and the Extra Rural Hourly rate by 3% to £29.72; resulting in an average uplift percentage of 3.49%. Uplift the support at home standard and enhanced hourly rate by 6.25% to £21.00 and £23.04; and the overnight sleeping and waking rate by 4.71% to £105.46 and £162.89. Total	£819,668 £99,814 £919,482
Older Persons Residential Care and Older persons Dementia Residential Care	Increase the expected to pay rates by 5% to £747.60 per week and £846.73 per week.	£693,506
Older Persons Nursing Care	Increase the expected to pay rate by 17% to £918.49 per week (excluding funded nursing care). NLW only would be 4.96% (applying the 6.73% NLW uplift to the staffing elements) and this represents an additional investment of 12.04% to incentivise providers to join the Council’s Frameworks.	£196,198
Older Persons Dementia Nursing Care	Increase expected to pay rate up to 17% to £995.03 per week (excluding funded nursing care). NLW only would be 4.96% (applying the 6.73% NLW uplift to the staffing elements) and this represents additional investment of 12.04% to incentivise providers to join the Council’s Frameworks.	£413,706
Working Age Adults Residential Care	Increase Tiered Payments by 5%	£448,414
Supported Living Providers	Increase tiered payment rates by 3.5%	£911,724
Day Opportunities	Increase session rates by 3.5%	£101,068
Independent Living Framework (Extracare)	Increase care and support tiered payments by 3.85%	£14,890
Direct Payment increase where personal assistants are employed	Increase hourly rate by 6.73% to meet National Living Wage	£396,766
Total		£4,095,754

Reasons for Recommendations:

The National Living Wage (NLW) increase for 2025/26 is 6.73%. This compares to 9.8% in 2024/25 and 9.7% in 2023/24. In addition to this we know that providers continue to face broader inflationary pressures, in particular the impact of the changes to National Insurance in the 2024 Autumn budget that will impact in 2025/26.

The care and support market in North Northamptonshire continues to experience difficulties with the recruitment and retention of care staff with a vacancy rate of 6.8% (3% lower than in 2022/23) and turnover rate of 23.4% for care providers (0.6% lower than in 2022/23).

Whilst this is an improving trend the data continues to demonstrate that providers still face challenges in recruiting and retaining staff locally, this is evidenced by high numbers of staff working with certificates of sponsorship across all Adult Social care markets.

The ability of providers to recruit and retain a sufficient workforce has been one of the key challenges and risks for the sector for some time. By effectively targeting our annual uplifts we support our contracted care providers’ ability to ... view the full decision text for item 6.

Replacement Adults Social Care System PDF 300 KB

Decision:

RESOLVED

KEY DECISION

That the Executive:

a) Approved the commencement of the procurement process to purchase and implement a new adult social care case management system for North Northamptonshire Council.

b) Approved the recommendation to full council to draw down of the planned use of the Flexible Use of Capital Receipts (FUCR) to fund the one-off implementation costs of the procurement of £2.2m.

c) Delegated authority to the Executive Director for Adults, Health Partnerships and Housing (DASS), in consultation with the Executive Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing, to take any further decisions and/or actions required to conclude the procurement, implement the system and deliver the project, including but not limited to awarding and entering into a contract.

Reasons for Recommendations:

a) The current contract for our Adult Social Care case management system expires on 31^st March 2025. Procuring a new system ensures that the council remains compliant with statutory requirements and avoids disruption to critical services.

b) The new system configuration will help to streamline processes, reduce administrative burden, improve data management, and support better decision-making.

c) A competitive procurement process via a compliant framework ensures that the council secures the best possible system at an optimal price. The recommended approach balances affordability with the need for a high-quality, fit for purpose solution, ensuring long term value for money.

d) A modern case management system will enable the council to provide more responsive and efficient support to individuals, leading to improved care coordination, communication, and engagement.

e) The proposed procurement aligns with the Council’s corporate plan, as well as the Adult social care strategy, reinforcing the ambition to deliver high quality, person-centred services.

Alternative Options Considered:

a) The ‘do nothing’ option was ruled out as the existing system contract expires in March 2025. Without a system in place, the council would be unable to access case management functions, leading to severe service disruptions, and non-compliance with statutory duties.

b) The option to extend the current contracts via a variation was also ruled out due to contract restrictions and legal risk under the public contract regulations 2015. To enable a planned implementation period for a new case management system, a direct award to the current suppliers will be completed via a procurement compliant process for a two-year period. This will enable service continuity, whilst also providing appropriate time for training, data migration and implementation of a new system. The timeline for this is shown within 6.1.

c) A ‘bespoke system’ option was also rejected due to the high costs, lengthy development timelines, and the need for an increased ongoing maintenance.

Care and Support in Accommodation-based settings for Individuals with needs related to mental health and/or Autism PDF 253 KB

Additional documents:

Appendix A , item 8. PDF 141 KB

Decision:

RESOLVED

KEY DECISION

That the Executive:

a. Approved the procurement of a contract for care and support for individuals with needs arising from mental health and/or Autism in accordance with the Care Act 2014.

b. Delegated to the Executive Director for Adults, Health Partnerships and Housing (DASS), in consultation with the Executive Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing, to take any decisions and/or actions required in the procurement and awarding of the contract.

Reasons for Recommendations:

· This proposal will ensure the Council continues to meet its Statutory duties under the Care Act 2014.

· It will build on outcomes-based commissioning and further enhance the quality of the services and outcomes for individuals in the future.

· Agreeing the proposal enables the Council to:

a. Maintain a pricing framework that is driven by the defined outcomes for individuals.

b. Consider future accommodation requirements based on a housing needs analysis and the wider Housing Strategy (2025-30).

c. Incorporate commissioning plans that are better informed by the Adult Social Care Strategy (2024-29) and the vision for strength-based approaches and more specifically co-production.

· The proposal is in the best interest of vulnerable adults who have needs arising from mental health and/or Autism living in North Northamptonshire.

· There will be no adverse effect to residents currently in receipt of services; continuity of care will be maintained.

· The intention is for the framework to be awarded for a period of 4 years, with the option for two 12-month extensions.

Alternative Options Considered: These include taking no action, resulting in the contract coming to an end in September 2025; extending the existing health-led contract; utilising internal provider services. None of these options are recommended.

Wellingborough and Rushden Area Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan PDF 1 MB

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED

KEY DECISION

That the Executive:

a) Acknowledged the findings of the public consultation analysis for the Wellingborough and Rushden Area Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) which are included within Appendix A and B of this report;

b) Approved and adopted the Wellingborough and Rushden Area LCWIP which forms Appendix A of this report as a Council policy document;

c) Agreed the prioritisation of routes within the Wellingborough and Rushden Area LCWIP should form the basis of work to develop preliminary designs for the routes to form the basis of future funding bids.

Reason for Recommendations – Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) are the recommended Department for Transport approach for planning and co-ordinating provision for active travel modes. They provide a strategic and planned approach for short and long term provision for cycling and walking within the local area.

The Wellingborough and Rushden Area LCWIP has been developed to enable NNC to:

· Identify prioritised cycling and walking infrastructure improvements for future investment

· Ensure that consideration is given to cycling and walking within both local planning and transport policies and strategies, and

· Make the case for future funding for walking and cycling infrastructure.

Alternative Options Considered – While it would be possible to develop an LCWIP based on a different methodology to that contained in Government guidance on LCWIPs, this is not recommended as it would mean that the Council was less likely to secure Government funding. However, should alternative funding (such as financial contributions secured through agreements entered into pursuant to S106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990) become available for particular corridors, it would be possible to progress lower priority schemes on that basis.

10.

Sywell Country Park Reservoir drawdown capacity improvement project PDF 175 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED

KEY DECISION

That the Executive:

a) Approved the delivery of the reservoir drawdown capital works to comply with the EA guidance on drawdown capacity at Sywell Country Park Reservoir.

b) Noted the request contained in the Capital Programme 2025-2029 to Full Council on 20^th February 2025 for budget approval for the scheme totalling £1,180,000.

c) Approved commencement of the procurement process as outlined in the report.

d) Delegated authority to the Assistant Director of Assets & Environment, in consultation with the Executive Member for Climate and the Green Environment, to take all necessary actions to deliver the project, including awarding of the contract and placing the works.

Reasons for Recommendations:

· Installation of a siphon will provide the necessary drawdown capacity required for a Flood Category A dam and provide improved protection to park users and the wider community.

· Completing the works ahead of September 2026 will allow the MIOS Action plan to be signed off and remove the risk of enforcement action being taken by the EA.

· Address other minor recommendations around safety picked up in the supervising engineers report and operators.

Alternative Options Considered:

· Stillwater Associates carried out an options feasibility study included at Appendix A detailing all options considered to address the drawdown capacity deficiency. Most of the options were discounted due to the cost, technical reasons, or impact on the Country Park.

· Doing nothing is not available as the drawdown assessment identifies that the reservoir does not comply with Environment Agency guidance on lowering water in emergency situations. As a result, the Council have signed up to an action plan with the Environment Agency, for the MIOS, to increase the drawdown capacity.

11.

New Ambition: North Northamptonshire's Economic Growth Strategy 2025-2030 PDF 460 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED

KEY DECISION

That the Executive:

a) Approves New Ambition: North Northamptonshire’s Economic Growth Strategy 2025-30.

b) Agrees the creation of a North Northamptonshire Economic Ambition Board to drive forward strategic actions

c) Delegates authority to the Executive Director of Place & Economy (Deputy Chief Executive), in consultation with the Executive Member for Growth & Regeneration, to agree details of the Economic Ambition Board, including appointments, and make any minor amendments or updates to the Strategy.

Reasons for Recommendations – The recommendations will ensure that:

· There is strategy in place for North Northamptonshire, setting out a clear set of priorities and actions to support economic growth over the next five years, supporting the Corporate Plan vision and aligned with the Council’s wider suite of strategies and plans.

· There is a more co-ordinated approach to economic growth between the Council and its key partners supporting delivery of the “BIG50 vision and priorities”.

· The Council is in a stronger position to respond to new opportunities for Government funding and private sector investment.

Alternative Options Considered – Two alternative options have been considered:

· Alternative Option 1: No new Strategy. There is no statutory requirement to prepare an Economic Growth Strategy, and the Council could continue to offer a range of economic development services and respond to opportunities as they arise. However, this option would mean a less coordinated approach within the Council and with partners. It could also put North Northamptonshire at a disadvantage in relation to future funding and investment opportunities, including in the context of devolution.

· Alternative Option 2: In-house development. The Council could prepare a new Strategy without external support. This would be a lower-cost option. However, it would mean fewer resources to engage with partners and build support around a series of priorities. It would also divert resources away from core delivery during the strategy development period.

12.

Local Development Scheme PDF 241 KB

Additional documents:

Appendix A , item 12. PDF 210 KB

Decision:

RESOLVED

KEY DECISION

That the Executive approved the North Northamptonshire Local Development Scheme (LDS) for adoption.

Reasons for Recommendations – To agree a timetable for the programme of plans identified in the LDS; and to ensure the Council meets its legal obligation to publish and maintain an up-to-date LDS, to meet its requirements as a local planning authority.

To ensure the Council meets its obligation under Section 15(1) of Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, to publish an up-to-date LDS to meet its requirement as a Local Planning Authority.

Alternative Options Considered – It is a statutory obligation for the Council to publish and maintain an up-to-date LDS, as such the Council needs to adopt a revised LDS. The Executive could, if it was minded to do so, ask officers to review the timeframes and present a further revision of the LDS in due course

13.

National Non-Domestic Rates and Council Tax Write Offs PDF 158 KB

Additional documents:

Restricted enclosure 27 View the reasons why document 13./2 is restricted
Appendix B , item 13. PDF 157 KB

Decision:

RESOLVED

KEY DECISION

That the Executive reviewed and approved the proposed write-off of Non Domestic Rates and Council Tax outstanding debts as summarised in Appendix A.

Reason for Recommendation –The Council’s Constitution (Financial Procedure Rules) requires the approval of Executive to write off debt in excess of £25,000. It is considered that this debt cannot be recovered.
Alternative Option Considered – The alternative option would be to periodically review and pursue the debt. However, following the action already undertaken and the status of the businesses (administration, liquidation or dissolved), it is considered irrecoverable at this time and would not be economical to continue to pursue.