Executive approves updated Empowerment Fund Policy to deliver bigger, better local projects

16 June 2025

North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive has approved an updated Member Empowerment Fund Policy, introducing a more flexible and effective approach to supporting local projects. The revised policy will make it easier for Councillors to collaborate, pool their ward budgets, and fund larger initiatives that deliver real impact in communities across North Northamptonshire.

Now called the Ward Member Empowerment Fund, the updated policy will come into effect on 1 July 2025. Originally introduced in 2022, the policy has been reviewed and refreshed to reflect recent changes to the Council’s structure, including a reduction in the number of Councillors and adjustments to ward boundaries.

Each group of ward councillors are allocated a yearly budget to support community-based projects in their area. This funding can be awarded to parish or town councils, community groups, voluntary organisations, and charities working to improve life in North Northamptonshire.

Over the past few years, the Empowerment Fund has supported a wide range of local projects, including new football goals for Ise Lodge Football Club, kitchen equipment for Wollaston Village Hall, and an intensive care unit for a local hedgehog hospital. It has also helped fund a defibrillator for the Rushden Historical Transport Society and supported the Kettering Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas concert.

The revised fund simplifies the application process, making it quicker and more efficient to get funding to where it’s needed most. Clearer guidance has been introduced to help both Councillors and community groups understand how the fund works, what it can be used for, and how decisions are made.

This updated policy is a real win for our communities. It gives our Councillors more flexibility to support the projects that matter most to local people, whether that’s improving a community space, funding a local event, or helping a voluntary group make a difference.

I know from experience, working collaboratively with other ward Councillors to deliver schemes has proven incredibly popular and effective within our communities. By moving to a ward-based approach, we’re encouraging collaboration, improving transparency, and making sure funding decisions are more closely aligned with the needs of our residents. It’s about making a bigger impact, together.
Cllr Martin Griffiths, Leader of the Council.

The new policy will be reviewed annually to keep it up to date and responsive to any future changes. 

If you have a project that could benefit your local area and need financial support, speak to your local North Northamptonshire Councillor, who can submit an application.