Have your say on public safety blueprint and police and fire funding
Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone has launched an online consultation on her draft police, fire, and crime plan, which sets the blueprint for police and fire services in Northamptonshire.
The survey also asks people for their views on the police and fire precept – the amount paid towards local police and fire services through the council tax – which will go towards delivering the plan and priorities next year.
The plan is based on the extensive public consultation that took place across the county at the beginning of this year. The plan has also been built on the views of professionals providing services to young people, working in the criminal justice system, or tackling violence against women.
Now the draft plan – called Safe and Sound – is out for consultation, to ensure that it reflects the priorities and concerns of local communities.
Three priorities for the county
It sets out three strategic priorities for our local police and fire services:
- Visible and accessible community services
- Professionalism and standards
- Stronger public safety partnerships
Council tax precept
Alongside the strategic plan, the survey is asking people to say how much extra, if any, they are willing to pay on the policing and fire parts of the council tax next year (2025/26) to fund local emergency services.
Around 56 per cent of the budget for policing, and around 37 per cent of the budgets for the fire service comes from central government, the rest (44% and 63% respectively) is raised as part of the local council tax.
The survey asks for views on an increase of at least £15 a year on the police precept for an average, Band D household, which amounts to 29p a week (a 4.9% increase).
The suggested increase on the fire precept for a Band D property is £5 a year – which works out at 10p a week or 6.6%.
You can read the plan, find out more about the council tax precept and take the survey at www.northantspfcc.org.uk
Danielle said: “People have told me very clearly that they want to feel safer. They want to know that police, fire, and all the public safety partners will be there when they need them.
“That’s why this strategic plan prioritises visible and accessible local policing, fire and rescue professionals who are fully engaged in their local communities and helping people to protect themselves from risk, improved standards across the board, and partners working together with just one aim, a safe and sound Northamptonshire.
“We have set out to clearly show the priorities that the council tax precept would help fund. I hope it is clear what any additional council tax would pay for and how it would help to deliver the priorities I have set out in the plan.”
The survey closes at 11.59pm on Sunday 5 January 2025.
Offenders giving back to the community
A Garden of Remembrance looked its best this year thanks to a clean-up by people who were subject to Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone’s Immediate Justice programme.
Five young people who were caught committing anti-social behaviour on the grounds of St Lawrence Church in Towcester and around the local area, were issued five hours each of reparative work to help repair the harm they have caused to the community. They spent that working in the garden at St Lawrence.
The Immediate Justice programme provides an alternative to prosecution for people who have committed lower-level offences such as criminal damage, causing a public nuisance or being drunk and disorderly.
Over five days, the young people, aged between 15 and 17, transformed the garden by weeding, relaying slabs and bark, clearing footpaths and chopping back hedges.
The garden was built in 2018 to celebrate the centenary of the end of the First World War and is usually maintained by local volunteers from across the community.
Reverend Paula Challen, Rector at St Lawrence Church, said that the Immediate Justice scheme helps to encourage positive change in young people.
She said: “The restorative work that the Immediate Justice programme does is great at bringing about positive change in the lives of the people using the programme, which is something we wholeheartedly support at St Lawrence.
“The area is all about the health of the soul and giving people a place to reflect and having it looking the way it does now really helps that.”
The garden is not just utilised for Remembrance events, it is a focal point throughout the year for the Church – including becoming a nativity scene for their Christmas celebrations.
Rev Paula added: “As a church reliant on volunteers, having the help of young people taking part in the immediate justice programme to restore what is such a special place, has been brilliant.”
Danielle Stone said: “It’s great to see that people taking part in this scheme have helped to repair some of the harm they have caused to communities by helping to restore a fantastic community asset like the garden of St Lawrence Church.”
Since its inception a year ago, the Immediate Justice programme has helped to clean up nineteen different areas in communities across the county, through over 550 hours of reparative work.
Locations and community assets of all kinds have been repaired and cleaned, benefitting from work such as graffiti removal, litter picking, gardening and repairs undertaken by over a hundred people who have completed an Immediate Justice penalty.
The areas that have benefited are:
- Residential areas including Crestline Court in Northampton; Hemmingwell Estate in Wellingborough; St Peter’s Close in Daventry; Cottingham Road area in Corby and St George’s Street in Northampton.
- Community spaces including St Lawrence Church in Towcester; Daylight Veggie Patch in Wollaston; Weston Favell Community Allotments and Wellingborough’s Victoria Centre
- Parks such as St Katherine’s Gardens in Northampton; West Glebe Park in Corby; Mill Road and Highfield Road parks in Kettering; Twywell Hills and Dales County Park in Kettering; Becket’s Park in Northampton and Queensway Park in Wellingborough.
Other areas of the county that were helped through the Immediate Justice programme were Rutherford Drive in Wellingborough, Walter Tull Way in Northampton, and Northampton’s Union Canal.
Success of Sponsored PCSO Initiative
Businesses at Prologis’ Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT) are celebrating the success of a Northamptonshire initiative that funds dedicated Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) to enhance safety and community wellbeing. For over 15 years, businesses at DIRFT have supported the programme through a collective estate charge, ensuring a proactive safety presence across the site and in the nearby village of Crick.
PCSOs Duncan Cumming and Les Conopo work tirelessly to maintain a secure environment for the 7,000 people working daily at DIRFT and for the 2,500 residents of Crick. With a strong focus on community engagement, they have become trusted figures in the area, working alongside businesses and residents to foster a safe and welcoming atmosphere.
Northamptonshire Police, Fire, and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone recently visited DIRFT to see the positive outcomes.
“It was inspiring to witness the deep commitment to safety and community here. The PCSOs are integral to fostering a positive environment, and DIRFT has clearly set an example with its commitment to community-oriented safety,” she said.
The PCSOs’ role is wide-ranging and impactful. At DIRFT, their work includes visible patrols, collaboration with on-site security, and assistance with site operations, ensuring that people feel safe and supported in their workplace. In Crick, they engage with local schools, delivering important safety messages on topics such as road and rail awareness, and providing resources to local hospitality venues to help them support vulnerable young people.
Duncan, who has been part of the DIRFT team since 2016, said: “Our role is diverse and rewarding. We have the unique opportunity to support both a thriving logistics hub and a close-knit rural community. Seeing the positive impact of our work motivates us every day.”
Steve Haddock, Director of Real Estate & Customer Experience at Prologis, added: “The benefits of sponsoring PCSOs are clear. They bring peace of mind and support that’s valued by all on site, making this a truly worthwhile investment.”
Sandy Bhamra, Park Manager for DIRFT, said: “Everyone knows Duncan and Les, and their presence enhances the sense of safety and community here. The addition of a sponsored police vehicle has also expanded their reach, further benefitting our park and Crick village.”
This innovative PCSO scheme is a model for community policing, blending proactive safety measures with genuine community engagement. Danielle said: “PCSOs are at the heart of community policing. The success at DIRFT highlights the value of strong community partnerships, and I hope other business parks will look initiative as an example.”
Leading on violence against women and girls
Marianne Kimani was appointed as Deputy Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in July 2024. As well as supporting PFCC Danielle Stone on visits and engaging with the public, she has a dedicated portfolio that includes tackling violence against women and girls, improving diversity in the workplace and ensuring those in police custody are treated fairly.
Dedicated to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG), Marianne and Danielle hosted a partnership day on behalf of the Northamptonshire Serious Violence Prevention Partnership. The day brought together specialists leading on various schemes funded by the OPFCC to discuss a new, countywide strategy to reduce VAWG.
Marianne will also be working to support the victims of violence, which she said was a key priority in the new strategic blueprint for police fire services in the county. She said: “The safety of women will be a huge focus of the Commissioner’s new public safety plan and I am committed to implementing changes that will help to improve the safety of women and girls.”
As part of this work, Marianne is also supporting the expansion of a domestic abuse crime team within Northamptonshire Police. The team is vital to helping to keep victims safe, and Marianne will be helping to ensure that the team is at full capacity and well-supported.
She said: “We need to be able to protect and safeguard those who may be the victims of abuse and harassment with empathy and care, and I plan to support the Domestic Abuse Team fully.”
Working with young people and diverse communities
Marianne believes in the importance of engaging with young people and hearing their perspectives, and in October visited the University of Northampton during Black History Month to talk to students about her own life experiences and lessons of breaking down barriers and challenging the status quo within social justice and law enforcement.
Part of the role of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner is to hold the Police to account, and to ensure that the communities of our county are represented fairly.
Marianne is working with colleagues to set up a Custody Detention Scrutiny Panel, which will work to scrutinise the treatment of detainees to ensure that all those who find themselves in Northamptonshire Police custody are treated fairly and with respect.
The panel will allow independent investigations to take place and will include a diverse group of representatives, covering different careers, ethnicities and backgrounds.
Marianne’s portfolio is also dedicated to improving diversity and inclusion across both organisations and she will be supporting colleagues to find ways to encourage people from all backgrounds who may not consider the Police and Fire Service as a career option to apply, and to focus on employee retention.
The panel will allow independent investigations to take place and will include a diverse group of representatives, covering different careers, ethnicities and backgrounds.
“I want to help shape how we can recruit from a wide pool of people and benefit from the skills, experiences and knowledge of people from all backgrounds.”
