In the last issue of Nene Herald, we reported that Reform-led North Northants Council (NNC) was proposing to halve the Councillors Empowerment Fund.
It turns out that we were wrong.
NNC have abolished it completely, saying it was “under-utilised”.
At the NNC Executive Committee Meeting on 19th May 2026, 16 speakers across all Parties and areas expressed strong feelings against any attempt to scrap the funding, but to no avail.
Cllr. Helen Howell wrote to summarise the objections to the abolition.
“The trouble…started when the…administration decided to introduce new rules where all ward members had to agree to an application and any one member could refuse, thereby stopping the others from supporting.”
“If it was left as it always was, each individual councillor could choose what local organisation or project they wanted to support (subject to meeting the council funding criteria). This would undoubtedly have had an effect on what was spent, so {just} saying {that} it was under-utilised was not a true description of the reasons why.”
Half of the Empowerment Fund money has been transferred to “the general revenue fund as an in-year saving”, with the rest to other projects.
Cllr. Barbara Jenney of the Rushden South Ward commented to Nene Herald that she fully supported the strength of feeling to retain the Member Empowerment Funding.
“I do not believe the new Reform Councillors fully understand the vital support that this funding can provide. As Ward Councillors working in our wards, we know how critical it is to local charities, groups and organisations that cannot access essential funding elsewhere.”
“This cost cutting exercise will have minimal effect on the Council’s finances, but a significant impact for local groups and charities offering vital support to the community.”
Around a decade ago, the Empowering Fund was used by Cllr. Andy Mercer to restore the lost TV signal for dozens of homes in the area of The Hedges in Rushden. This was after a newly-built steel-sided warehouse had blocked the TV signal.
Dozens of satellite dishes were provided by the Fund. Those satellite dishes are still in place today. (See photo.)
The abolition of the Fund will save around £68,000 out of a budget of approximately £405.5m, i.e. roughly 0.00017%.
