New meeting dates have been scheduled for the two joint committees tasked with progressing proposals for Northamptonshire’s two new unitary authorities.
The North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire Joint Committees will resume their meetings in January to continue preparations for setting up shadow authorities for the new unitary councils ahead of their proposed creation in April 2021. Agenda items will include a programme update, finance report and report on the appointment of interim and permanent statutory officers.
The proposed new unitary council for North Northamptonshire will cover the areas of Corby Borough Council, East Northamptonshire Council, Kettering Borough Council and Borough of Wellingborough Council and a West Northamptonshire unitary will cover the areas of Daventry District Council, Northampton Borough Council and South Northamptonshire Council. Services currently provided by Northamptonshire County Council and the districts and boroughs would be delivered by the two new councils.
The West Northamptonshire Joint Committee – made up of 16 councillors representing Daventry District, Northampton Borough, South Northants and the County Council – will meet 7 January 2020 at Northampton Guildhall starting at 6pm and is open to the public. Agendas and papers for this meeting will be available on the West Northamptonshire Joint Committee page on 24 December 2019 at: www.northamptonboroughcouncil.com/councillors/mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?ID=886
The North Northamptonshire Joint Committee – made up of 15 councillors representing Kettering, Wellingborough, Corby and East Northants councils and the County Council – will meet 16 January 2020 at Corby Borough Council. The meeting will start at 6.30pm and is also open to the public. Agendas and papers for this meeting will be available from 8 January 2020 on the North Northamptonshire Joint Committee page at: www.kettering.gov.uk/meetings/committee/52/north_northamptonshire_joint_committee
Draft parliamentary legislation to create the two new unitary councils was recently laid but was not approved by Parliament before it dissolved for the General Election. It will now be considered by the new Government.
Work towards creating the new unitary authorities as set out in the draft legislation continues at the same pace working to the go live date of 1 April 2021.
The two temporary Shadow Authorities are scheduled to be formed in May 2020 with responsibility for delivering the new unitary councils and setting their first budgets and council tax. Until then, the joint committees continue to take responsibility for putting unitary plans in place.
