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29 April 2024
Refunds have been issued to around 15,000 residents in the Northampton area today (Monday, 29 April) whose monthly Council Tax payment was taken out twice due to an automatic systems error.
West Northamptonshire Council is urging those affected to check they have received the refund which will be in their bank account by the end of today.
They should not try to cancel their direct debit instruction or claim the sum back via their banks as doing so could result in them having to repay the refund back to the Council.
On Friday WNC were made aware of and took immediate action to address an automation error in the system hosted by its BACS supplier, meaning that monthly Council Tax payments would be taken twice from 15,558 bank accounts today (Monday, 29 April).
A refund has been issued by the Council to all affected bank accounts, so residents whose payments were taken twice do not need to do anything except await the credit from WNC.
We are sincerely sorry for the inconvenience and distress this error may have caused residents affected.Martin Henry, Executive Director for FinanceResidents affected by this error should see three entries going through their account today (Monday 29 April) – this is two entries taking the Council Tax payment and one entry providing a refund. The result of these three transactions means the correct payment will have been made to the Council.
We would ask anyone who has been affected by this issue to check their account and wait for the refund to be paid, which will have happened by the end of the day.
We can confirm there is no action residents need to take nor do they need to contact us but we thank them for bearing with us and for their patience and understanding whilst we resolve this issue.
The error has affected 15,558 accounts, equating to around 8% of the 184,683 total number of Council Tax accounts across West Northamptonshire.
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26 April 2024
Residents, parishes, and businesses in West Northants are invited to participate in shaping future electoral and governance arrangements for parishes across West Northamptonshire.
West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) are launching the Stage Two consultation for the Community Governance Review that will run until from today (26 April) until Sunday, 28 July 2024. This consultation aims to seek views from residents, parishes, and stakeholders regarding the proposals that emerged from Stage One of the review process. The proposals relate to the existing parish boundaries, the number of parish councillors, and potential changes to parish names.
Before starting the consultation, the Council sought requests from parishes that wanted to make changes to their parish arrangements. The outcome of this pre-review consultation, in addition to the Local Government Boundary Review, has determined the identified parish areas for inclusion in the Stage One consultation that finished in January 2024. Proposals from the Stage One consultation have been reviewed in the light of comments received and the final proposals are now subject to comments through the Stage Two consultation.
New parish arrangements resulting from this review will take effect at the May 2025 local elections, providing parish arrangements which better meet the needs of communities and ensure an efficient and effective governance structure.
“Your continued engagement and input are essential as we progress through the Stage Two consultation of the Community Governance Review.Councillor Adam Brown, the Deputy Leader of West Northamptonshire Council“I encourage all residents to have your say through the consultation, as your input will contribute to building local parish and town council arrangements that best reflect your local community and that will stand the test of time.”
For more information, please visit the Community Governance Review webpage.
You can submit your feedback online or you can request a paper form by contacting [email protected] .
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26 April 2024
New proposals aimed at shaping a vibrant future for Northampton’s markets are set to be considered by councillors next month.
Alongside the extensive renovation of the town’s historic Market Square opening this summer, a Markets Development Plan has been created to drive forward future improvements, boost trade and support existing traders at the new-look site.
West Northamptonshire Council’s Cabinet will meet to consider the proposals at their meeting on Tuesday, 7 May, which range from attracting new and specialist markets into the town alongside an existing offer of quality stalls to establishing a fresh programme of events for shoppers. Key to the proposals includes providing bespoke support to help existing traders make a successful transition to the ‘new’ market.
The development plan has been informed by the latest market and consumer trends as well as feedback from surveys asking local people what they would like to see at future markets.
“The refurbishment of our Market Square is a core part of the regeneration of Northampton and a key catalyst for attracting future shoppers and investment into our town.Cllr Dan Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth“Northampton has one of Europe’s longest-running outdoor markets and the reimagined market square opening this summer will be a fitting home for it. It’s absolutely crucial that we build on this great work and set out plans for ensuring our markets and traders have a vibrant future ahead of them and this development plan is an important first step.
Cllr Lister added that discussions and meetings were under way with existing traders to ensure they received the right support during the transition back to the square ahead of the opening later this summer.
The development plan will set out the proposed tiered pricing structure for the flexible stalls and fixed units, as well as the support available for existing traders during the transition back to the square.
“We are also keen to hear from anyone who would like to trade at the new markets, which offers flexible stalls and fixed units. I’d encourage anyone who is interested - whether you have a great business or business idea and want to become part of our town’s rich heritage – to get in touch and learn more about the opportunities on offer and how we can support them.”Cllr Dan Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth
Businesses keen to register their interest are urged to contact the Markets Team at [email protected] before the deadline on 17 May 2024.
Click here to view the Markets Development Plan as part of the agenda and papers for the cabinet meeting on 7 May.
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26 April 2024
On Tuesday, 7 May, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) cabinet will consider proposed changes to the Home to School Transport services for Post 16 students across West Northamptonshire which has been shaped using feedback from residents and key stakeholders following the public consultation which took place this winter.
Formal public consultation on the proposed changes to the policy commenced on 1 February 2024 and closed at midnight on Sunday 7 April 2024. There were 785 online responses to the questionnaire through the council’s consultation platform.
The changes being proposed are to help meet the increased demand and operating costs the service has experienced over the last two years, whilst at the same time attempting to create a fairer system and exploring opportunities to give greater flexibility for parents, support our young people’s independence and help to promote sustainable travel. The proposals will also help maintain consistency with the Council’s Home to School Transport Policy for children of statutory school age.
The proposals include:
- Increase the Cost of a Post 16 Bus Pass
- Increase use of personal travel budgets
- Personal Travel Budget for Sole Transport
- Young Adults with an Education Health and Care Plan Undertaking Apprenticeships
- Redefine transport start and finish times in line with education providers.
“We want to make sure that we are providing the best and most cost-effective service for residents and one which is fair and efficient for all who use it.Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways and Waste“We have considered the views of parents, carers, and young people following feedback from the consultation and are putting forward recommendations which seek to ensure the service continues to meet the needs of our community.”
The outcomes of the cabinet meeting will be shared on the Council’s website. Click here to view the agenda and cabinet papers.
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26 April 2024
West Northamptonshire Council has taken urgent action to address an issue with Council Tax payments affecting a number of residents in the Northampton area.
The Council has been alerted to an automated error in the system hosted by its BACS supplier, meaning that monthly Council Tax payments are due to be taken twice from 15,558 bank accounts on Monday (29 April).
Immediate steps were taken today to refund all those affected, who will receive a credit into their accounts on Monday, the same day as the duplicated payment is due to be taken.
“We are sincerely sorry for the inconvenience and distress this error may have caused residents.Martin Henry, Executive Director for Finance“Whilst our supplier’s software system automatically duplicated payment files which was beyond our control, we’ve acted quickly to arrange for refunds to be made into those affected bank accounts.
Residents affected by this error should see three entries going through their account. Two entries taking the Council Tax payment and one entry providing a refund. The net of these three transactions means the correct payment will have been made to the Council.
“We would ask those residents to bear with us whilst we resolve this issue and thank them for their patience and understanding.”
The error has affected 15,558 accounts, equating to around 8% of the 184,683 total number of Council Tax accounts across West Northamptonshire.
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