The Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee met to discuss revisions to the council's carbon neutral target, the Anti-Social Behaviour Policy, the Zero-Emission Bus Scheme, and the Keyways Housing Allocations Scheme Review. The committee approved recommendations for each of these items, including realigning carbon neutral ambitions with the UK's net zero target by 2050 and requesting additional information and data on anti-social behaviour enforcement.

Carbon Management Plan Review

The committee considered feedback on a proposal to revise the council's carbon neutral target, in line with the new administration's policy. Jonathan Waterworth, Assistant Director Assets & Environment, presented the Carbon Management Plan Review Scrutiny Panel Feedback, which included the 2024/25 Carbon Management Plan (CMP) Annual Progress Report.

The report outlined four options:

• Maintain the current 2030 carbon neutral target.
• Remove the 2030 target and align with the UK's net zero target of 2050.
• Push the target date back to 2040.
• Abandon carbon neutral ambitions entirely.

The report recommended the second option, aligning with the UK's 2050 target.

The committee discussed the absence of 2024/25 carbon data, with officers clarifying that carbon accounting is retrospective and that the latest available data (2023/24) had been reported. Concerns were raised about the financial implications of maintaining the 2030 target, with officers stating that it would require significant additional resources and capital investment, or the purchase of carbon credits costing over £800,000 per year.

The committee resolved to recommend realigning the council’s carbon neutral ambitions to align with the UK target of net zero by 2050, and to recommend that the Scrutiny Management Board create a working group to review the Carbon Management Plan.

Anti-Social Behaviour Policy

The committee reviewed the Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Policy, presented by Kerry Purnell, Assistant Director Communities and Leisure, which outlines how North Northamptonshire Council investigates and addresses complaints of anti-social behaviour. The policy aims to provide a consistent approach to tackling ASB across the council's service areas.

Members sought clarification on the framework, key performance indicators, and review mechanisms associated with ASB, as well as how the policy is made accessible. They emphasised the importance of partnership working and ensuring robust enforcement powers. The committee also highlighted the role of Town Centre Enforcement teams, Street Watch, and the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner¹ in enforcing the policy.

The committee resolved to request additional information and data on anti-social behaviour enforcement, and to request that the Police Fire and Crime Commissioner attend a future meeting to provide details on enforcement and ASB in North Northamptonshire.

Zero-Emission Bus Scheme

The committee discussed the Zero-Emission Bus Scheme, with Councillor Jim Hakewill, Executive member for Housing, providing support for the scheme's implementation. Graeme Kane, Assistant Director Highways, Waste and Growth, and Chris Wragg, Head of Strategic Transport, presented the report, which sought feedback on the proposal to use Department for Transport funding to purchase eight electric buses for the Kettering – Rothwell – Desborough – Corby/Market Harborough corridor.

The report stated that the council had been awarded £2.589m of Bus Service Improvement Plan capital funding for 2025/26, with £1.8m allocated towards the electric buses. The intention was to introduce the buses on Stagecoach² services 17, 18 and 19. To comply with Subsidy Control legislation³, the council would fund 75% of the additional cost of electric vehicles, with the operator funding the remaining 25%.

Members raised questions about expanding the scheme to rural communities, the upkeep and replacement costs, and why services 17–19 were selected over higher-patronage routes. Officers clarified that Stagecoach would be responsible for maintenance and upkeep costs, and that the selected routes were within the range of current battery technology.

The committee resolved that officers establish clear performance metrics to evaluate the impact of the electric buses, including bus patronage, carbon emissions, air quality, and community satisfaction, and report findings to a future meeting.

Keyways Housing Allocations Scheme Review

Councillor Jim Hakewill, Executive member for Housing, raised concerns regarding the potential for local village connections to be lost in the housing allocation scheme. Evonne Coleman-Thomas, Assistant Director for Strategic Housing, Development and Property, presented a report on the Keyways Housing Allocations Scheme Review, seeking pre-decision scrutiny of proposed amendments to the scheme.

The report stated that North Northamptonshire was facing increasing demand for social/affordable housing, with a 129% increase in the housing register from April 2022 to April 2025. The scheme aimed to provide choice in bidding for homes while prioritising those in greatest housing need and with a local connection to North Northamptonshire.

Proposed changes to the scheme included:

• Removing applicants with no housing need.
• Removing homeowners from eligibility.
• Awarding Band A to care experienced young persons and adults moving to independent living.
• Awarding Band A to domestic abuse victims with a connection to North Northamptonshire.
• Introducing an overcrowding criterion in Band A.
• Limiting single and couple households to bidding on one-bedroom properties.
• Increasing autobid areas and enabling autobid for households in supported accommodation.
• Increasing weekly bids from three to five for all applicants.

Members supported the consultation exercise and suggested including video consultations to ensure all residents were adequately informed. They also requested that feedback from the consultation be provided to the committee.

The committee resolved to request feedback on completion of the consultation and a post-implementation review process to assess the scheme's effectiveness, including metrics on housing outcomes, register size, and service efficiency.

Place & Environment Scrutiny Committee Work Programme

Members noted the Place & Environment Scrutiny Work Programme and requested the inclusion of green burials within the cemetery regulations report scheduled for the next meeting.