Please find below our report for summer 2025.

Housing Land Availability Report (HLA)

The Council published its annual Housing Land Availability report in July 2025, as required by national planning policy.
The report confirms a 5.5-year housing land supply as of 1 April 2025, based on:
Planning permissions
Allocations in adopted plans
Assumed windfall sites
The housing requirement is now set at 2,503 dwellings per annum, using national methodology. This replaces the previous West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy figures, which are now considered outdated

One West Northamptonshire Plan (2025–2030)

Developed under the previous administration, the One West Northamptonshire Plan sets strategic priorities for the Council and partner organisations through 2030.
The plan outlines five guiding principles:

Inclusive growth
Collaboration
Prevention-focused services
Efficient working
Environmental sustainability

Stakeholder engagement included over 220 responses and 704 comments, with approximately 75% support for the proposed priorities.

Sustainability Strategy Revision

In July 2025, the Council revised its Sustainability Strategy:
Net zero targets for 2030 and 2045 were removed.
Climate-related terminology was replaced with “environmental impact.”
The Council continues to pursue green initiatives such as solar energy and home insulation projects.

The decision has been formally called in for scrutiny by councillors from multiple parties. A review will be held by the Place and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 19 August 2025

Flag Protocol Policy

A new flag protocol was introduced in June 2025:
Permitted flags include the Union Flag, St George’s Flag, Armed Forces Flag, and Council Flag.
Flags representing community groups (e.g. Pride, Windrush) are excluded.

The policy was approved by Cabinet and is now in effect!

Housing Services Consultation

The Council launched a consultation on the future of Northamptonshire Partnership Homes (NPH):
Proposal to bring housing services back under direct council control.
Consultation runs until 7 September 2025.
£77 million is allocated for social housing investment in 2025–26.

Budget & Financial Planning

The Council is preparing its 2025–26 budget, targeting £26.2 million in savings.
Since its formation in 2021, the Council has achieved £115 million in efficiency savings.
A proposed 2.99% council tax increase and 2.7% rent increase were consulted earlier in the year.

Tiffield SEND School – Progress Update

Construction of the new SEND school in Tiffield, serving pupils aged 4–18 with autism and severe learning difficulties, is on track for completion by summer 2025.
The school will offer 230 places and include specialist facilities such as sensory rooms, a rebound therapy room, and outdoor learning areas.
It is being delivered by Willmott Dixon and will be operated by the Greenwood Academies Trust.
The project is part of a £21.4 million investment in specialist education provision.
Cllr Fiona Baker, former Conservative Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education, has been the driving force behind the initiative, highlighting its importance in meeting rising local demand for SEND placements.

Families interested in placements should engage through their child’s EHCP review process.

HS2 Construction & Resident Support

HS2 construction continues to affect communities across our ward.

We fully acknowledge the severe and ongoing disruption caused by HS2 works — from noise and dust to traffic delays and loss of amenity.

The impact on residents, businesses, and the local environment has been deeply damaging, and we share your concerns.

As your elected representatives, we are actively working to hold HS2 Ltd to account:

We have repeatedly raised concerns with HS2 Ltd regarding poor communication, lack of responsiveness, and failure to mitigate impacts.
We’ve submitted detailed feedback on behalf of residents to HS2 and West Northamptonshire Council, demanding stronger oversight and enforcement. We regularly attend coordination meetings to push for better planning, clearer timelines, and improved community engagement.

We’ve visited affected sites, spoken directly with residents, and escalated specific cases where disruption has been excessive or mishandled.

We continue to press for public updates, clearer communication channels, and meaningful consultation with local communities.

We will continue to stand up for residents and hold HS2 to account at every opportunity. This is not a one-off effort — it’s an ongoing commitment to ensure your voices are heard and your concerns addressed.

Charles Manners 07836 550356 Alison Eastwood 07967 867726 David Smith 07845 120924
Ward Councillors – Rural South Northamptonshire Ward.

Dear all,

I know that some colleagues are aware that Bloor Homes is proposing to build a 300+ housing estate outside the confines of our village on good agricultural land south of Byfield Road [indicative plan attached].

I understand the company will be submitting a Planning Application to West Northants. Council within the next couple of months.

Not only is the proposal site outside the confines of our village but Woodford Halse and the surrounding areas simply do not have the infrastructure to support the current population leave alone another huge development e.g. existing roads are not constructed to the necessary standard, the sewerage system is inadequate and the area is susceptible to flooding.

At a recent series of public meetings in Woodford Halse those attending overwhelmingly instructed my Council to object to this proposed development.

I have no doubt that such a development would affect your parishioners and would be grateful if you could consult your councillors/meeting and let me know please if they will support Woodford cum Membris in its objections to the Bloor Homes proposal.

Thank you and best wishes.

Gary

Gary Smith | Parish Clerk | Hinton –  West Farndon –  Woodford Halse

 

 

 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNCIL

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14

 

WEST NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNCIL

(PUBLIC BRIDLEWAY AL15 – EYDON)

TEMPORARY CLOSURE BY NOTICE

West Northamptonshire Council as Highways Authority do hereby give notice that for a period of twenty-one days from the 18^th of July 2025 that length of Public Bridleway AL15 in Eydon as specified in the Schedule below is closed to pedestrians, equestrians and cyclists in the interest of health and safety. Access to land or premises adjacent to the said length of bridleway is unaffected.

The closure is in place as the landowner needs time to remove a large tree limb that is dangerous and it is expected the tree works will be completed within the 3 weeks.

Dated this 21^st day of July 2025

SARAH HALL

Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer (Interim)

ROW/178-W

If you require any further information please contact Kay Roberts on 01604 529700.

S C H E D U L E

(Length of bridleway to be closed)

The length of Bridleway AL15 in the parish of Eydon to be closed commences at point A on the map at National Grid Reference (‘NGR’) SP 5283.5013, junction with AL14.  The route then proceeds generally west for 1123 metres to terminate at point B at NGR SP  5397 5007, junction with Hollow Way.

The route to be closed is shown by a solid black line between points A – B.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES:

The alternative route follows Hollow Way to point C, junction with AL16 at NGR SP 5372 4986.  The route then proceeds south-west for 1690 metres to point D at NGR SP 5268 4863.  The route then proceeds south-west for 474 metres to point E, junction with AE7, at NGR SP 5227 4639.  The route continues northwards for 1659 metres to point F at NGR SP 5224 5006.  The route then turns and proceeds east for 613 metres to terminate at point A at NGR SP 5283 5013.

The alternative route is shown by a dashed black line B-C-D-E-F-A.

 

WEST

 

The July Issue of Eydon Village News is available here.