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Q: Consultations - how to have your say
A: The council regularly consults on a wide range of specific matters. We want you to have more opportunities to tell us what you think about the council and its services, and more opportunities to see the results of our consultations.
For more information visit the consultations webpage or use the contact details below.
Rachel Evans Public Participation Manager Northamptonshire County Council PO Box 93 County Hall Northampton Northamptonshire NN1 1AN Tel: 01604 236426 email: consult@northamptonshire.gov.uk
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Q: How can I become a County Councillor?
A: Councillors are elected every 4 years to represent their local area. They help if people are dissatisfied with a council service by advising or directing them to someone who can help sort out the problem and can sometimes progress the case on their behalf. This is often done in advice surgeries where residents can meet with the councillor for their ward and discuss the problem. As community leaders they put forward proposals to improve their ward, which may include bringing together different community groups to develop a case for change. If you are interested in standing for election as a Councillor please contact your local District and Borough council.
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Q: How can I make a complaint about Northamptonshire County Council?
A: We need your complaints to help us improve. We always aim to give the best possible service, but sometimes things go wrong. If that happens, we want to put things right and learn from our mistakes. The process of complaining about the council consists of three stages all of which are detailed on the complaints process webpage. If you wish to make a complaint visit the related webpage and follow the instructions.
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Q: How do I contact my councillor?
A: You can visit the online councillor database, here you will find details for all the councillors and the option to search and find your local councillor if you do not know who they are.
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Q: How do I find information about Council Tax?
A: Detailed information about Council Tax, including how much you will have to pay, what the money is spent on and the council's priorities for spending this year can be found on the Council Tax Information webpage. For further information visit the webpage or use the contact details below.
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Q: How do I find information on Freedom of Information?
A: The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities. Individuals wishing to obtain information described within the Scheme may contact the Council in a way convenient to them and expect the information to be readily available. For more information on the scheme visit the Freedom of Information webpage or use the contact details below.
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Q: How do I find out if the land next to my property is council owned?
A: The Council has a computerised system of all council owned land and premises together with large scale ordnance survey maps showing the boundaries. To find out if land next to your premises is council owned we need to know the boundaries of the land in question and if possible the full postal address. For more information use the contact details below or visit the council owned land and property webpage.
Lynda Collett County Property Services Northamptonshire County Council PO Box 128 County Hall Northampton NN1 1AS Tel: 01604 236961 Fax: 01604 236979 email: lcollett@northamptonshire.gov.uk
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Q: How do I look at the minutes from committee meetings?
A: All minutes from councillors meetings are stored in the Council's online reference library. Select the link below and click on the plus sign next to committee meetings to browse the library.
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Q: How do I see overview and scrutiny work done by the council?
A: The purpose of Overview and Scrutiny Committees is to provide an independent process for reviewing council processes and policies and for developing new policy. Their duties include:
- Holding the executive to account
- Policy development and review
- Best value reviews
- External scrutiny
The work done by these different committees can be viewed on the overview and scrutiny webpage.
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Q: How do we make decisions?
A: Most of the important decisions that govern the running of those services are taken by the county council's cabinet, which is made up of ten elected councillors. This includes the leader of the council, who is appointed by the whole council. The formal name for the cabinet is the executive.
The cabinet system operates in a similar way to the government's, with each member of the cabinet, who are all members of the political party with overall control of the council, having specific responsibilities in the same way as ministers do. The county council's cabinet meets monthly, in public, to take key decisions.
For more information visit the Committee section
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Q: How do I find out who owns private property?
A: Please visit the Land Registry website (new window) or telephone them on 0207 917 8888 to obtain the relevant enquiry form.
NB the Land Registry will be unable to assist you if it turns out that the land concerned is unregistered, in which case you may wish to make enquiries locally with neighbours. Alternatively, if the land is subject to development proposals the Head of Planning will be able to provide information on recent planning applications received. Northamptonshire County Council is not a planning Authority except for mineral and waste.
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Q: How does Overview and Scrutiny fit into the decision making process?
A: The New Political Arrangements introduced under the Local Government Act 2000 meant that the decision making functions of the Council were allocated to the leader of the council and Cabinet Members, either individually or collectively, as well as the Council itself (which sets the overall Budgetary and Policy Framework).
It is an important function of Overview and Scrutiny Committees to oversee these decisions to ensure that they are fair, practical and being made in the public's best interest. Overview and Scrutiny Committees can put forward their own ideas/recommendations for improvements, and influence the decisions being made.
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Q: How is the Overview and Scrutiny committee any different from the previous committee system?
A: The agenda is quite different and councillors may now decide on the areas that they wish to review and challenge. The Committee may meet in an informal atmosphere and may invite those who it believes can help with their investigations to give evidence. The Committee may also invite members of the public attending its meetings to participate in asking questions.
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Q: What does Overview and Scrutiny not do?
A: They do not take on board individual complaints. The committees are primarily concerned with the wider issues of council policies, practices and procedures. The Northamptonshire County Council already has a complaints procedure in place.
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Q: What does the Overview and Scrutiny committee do?
A: Overview and Scrutiny consists of 4 Scrutiny Committees, whose role is to monitor the performance of the Council and to scrutinise any issues affecting the citizens of Northamptonshire. This is achieved by regularly checking the decision making process and reviewing existing polices, procedures and practices, as well as proposing new policies. This process supports the Council's desire to continually improve its services.
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Q: What is the Best Value Performance Plan?
A: The Best Value Performance Plan (BVPP) describes the most strategic and politically important areas of the council's work and explains how they will be improved for the benefit of Northamptonshire citizens. It also summarises other aspects of the work and performance of our services. The complete plan can be viewed from the BVPP webpage.
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Q: Where do I access committee papers?
A: All committee papers are stored in the Council's online reference library. Select the link below and click on the plus sign next to Committee papers to browse the library.
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Q: Who is my local MP/MEP Councillor?
A: Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected in the General Election, held every five years or less. Each MP serves in the House of Commons, representing his or her constituency. Members for Northamptonshire are listed on the Local MPs and MEPs webpage, also on this webpage is the option to search for your local MP/MEP if you are not aware of who they are.
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