Friday brief: Local Green Party leader claims thousands in allowances while on foreign travel adventure
Traveller Emily Fedorowycz tells us she will be donating the money to good causes, plus other news from across the county
The leader of the Green Party group on North Northamptonshire Council has collected thousands of pounds in expenses while taking three months out to travel abroad.
Cllr Emily Fedorowycz, who was re-elected to NNC in May, jetted off to unknown climes in November and does not plan to return until March.
However she did not tell her residents she would be spending a significant amount of time away from Kettering and has collected her allowances despite her absence. Councillors are paid allowances in order to compensate for the time it takes to carry out their public duties. The allowance at NNC is £15,383 per year for each councillor and Cllr Fedorowycz also receives an additional allowance of around £4,470.
When NN Journal contacted Cllr Fedorowycz yesterday she said she needed to take a break after three years of intense local politics.
She said:
“Since becoming the Mayor [of Kettering] in 2023, running for MP in 2024 and then growing our team exponentially in 2025 I haven’t had a proper break in over three years.
“I adore being a local councillor and spend most waking moments at community events or thinking about community problems and how we can solve them, working with local people on projects and will be helping run the Kettering Spring Clean again this 21st March.
“I have the full support of my incredible team who have all stepped up to allow me some time to recharge, Cllr Towns as official acting leader and my fellow councillors have been especially amazing, supporting our shared constituents and making sure everyone is looked after.
“During this time I am donating the whole of my allowance to Kettering projects and causes for the continued betterment of the town. I truly can’t wait to bring my refreshed energy back to pour even more love back into my hometown.”
She would not confirm her location but it is rumoured among local political circles that she is travelling in South America.
Her meeting attendance rate since the end of August is 55 per cent. As well as being leader of the Green group she also sits on a number of committees and is on the police and crime panel.
Cllr Fedorwycz, along with Dez Dell and paper candidate Sarah Tubbs were the first green councillors ever elected in Northamptonshire in 2021 and the party went on to capitalise on its gains this May, when it took its number to eight, making it the third party on the council behind the Conservative opposition and the Reform UK administration.
The Green Party also runs Kettering Town Council after wiping out the Conservatives in May and winning 19 of the 20 seats.
NNC said the councillor had informed it of her absence.
It said:
“North Northamptonshire Council have been made aware of a period of leave and apologies of absence have been properly recorded. Councillors are not required to provide a reason for absence and we are anticipating Councillor Fedorowycz to return by the March Full Council meeting.
“Cllr Fedorowycz is in receipt of her allowances and received an allowance payment in December and January.
“Councillors are entitled to an allowance during their term of office, this includes periods of leave. It is a matter for councillors to determine how the allowance is to be used.”
Kettering Town Council said Cllr Fedorwycz had also let them know she would be away, but did not make a public statement in the chamber before she departed.
By Sarah Ward
News round up
One man was killed and another is in a critical condition after a fight at a Northampton skatepark.
A murder investigation has been launched after the horrific incident in Ringway, Briar Hill area of the town on (Wednesday, February 18).
The man, in his 20s who has not been named, died at the scene and the teenager was airlifted to hospital.
Four people - two teenage boys, a man and a woman all from Northampton - have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Witnesses or anyone with information can call Northamptonshire Police on 101 or alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting incident number 26000098294.
Major plans to redevelop Billing Aquadrome and allow almost 1,000 caravans to be used as permanent homes on the site have been approved at committee.
Permission has been given to Billing Aquadrome’s owners, Meadow Bay Villages, to station 996 static caravans at the holiday park that will be used for over-50s living. According to planning documents, levels on the site would be raised so that the residences are located in the lowest flood risk area.
Wider regeneration plans approved for the site would also cut the maximum number of static caravans from 3,104 to 2,239. A further 1,223 static holiday caravans, 20 floating lodges and an area for the stationing of touring caravans and tents were also proposed on top of the permanent lodges.
The delivery of the 121-hectare site will come forward in multiple phases, with the first promising 110 static residential caravans and the demolition of some existing buildings on the site.
Other planned works include a new lake, the refurbishment of the existing family entertainment building with restaurant services, an outdoor canopied seating area, and an extension to the swimming pool.
At the planning meeting, Labour councillor Sally Keeble (Dallington Spencer) raised concerns that marketing the two-bedroom accommodation in the area would attract low-income families hoping to use the second room as a children’s room. She said that there was not enough infrastructure built into the site to support multi-generational families, in what is essentially a “village of 996 homes”.
Geoffrey Smith, CEO of Meadow Bay Villages, told members that the holiday park had faced many years of underinvestment before they acquired it in 2024 and that they were aware of over 1,200 families living there, despite the 25-day ‘close period’.
He added:
“Our intention, which we’re happy to commit, is it will be an over 50s residential park with new units. The holiday park will be a holiday park where people come for short break holidays and leave and go back to their permanent addresses.
“This is only the first phase in a long term commitment that will reach £100m. Over the past two years, we have worked closely with West Northamptonshire Council and the Environment Agency to create a robust framework that will see Billing Aquadrome become a leading resort for the region.
“We formally acknowledge the historical concerns some residents and councillors have raised about site management and flood risk. The park had become synonymous with repeated flooding and seasonal restrictions that were almost impossible to enforce.
“This application provides a clear, phased pathway to resolve those issues. Crucially, the regularisation of the residential occupation will generate the revenue needed to fund the major flood alleviation works that will make the site safer than it has ever been.”
The Environment Agency, which is responsible for flood management, has said it is supportive of the proposals “to make the site safer in times of flood and to reduce the number of static caravans”.
It is still reviewing the flood model, however the recommendation suggested by WNC officers states that permission would only be allowed subject to the agreement and recommendations of the Environment Agency.
The plans were approved by the committee, noting the condition that only people over 50 would be able to live in the permanent homes and the completion of a Section 106 agreement, including healthcare provision.
Report by Nadia Lincoln, local democracy reporter
Council tax bills for everyone in North Northamptonshire will go up from April, as the maximum increase has been approved by the unitary authority.
North Northants Council (NNC) will be increasing its share of the council tax bill by 4.99 per cent in 2026/27. This includes a 2.99 per cent increase in the basic council tax precept and a two per cent increase for the adult social care precept.
This will see the average council tax bill for a band D property rise to £1,918.23, which is an annual increase of £91.17. People’s council tax bill will also include other contributions to parish and town councils and a precept to the police and fire services, which are set separately.
Proposing the budget to the chamber, Cllr Graham Cheatley, cabinet member for finance, said:
“Even with the pressures we face, this budget still puts money into the services that matter most for our residents.
“This budget is not simply a collection of numbers, it is a statement of our priorities, our responsibilities and our commitment to the people we serve. It balances today’s pressures with tomorrow’s opportunities, it protects vital front-line services while driving transformation.
Police have still not released the name of a woman murdered in Chelveston.
James Bird, 50, of High Street, Chelveston was arrested earlier this month for the attempted murder of the woman, but she died from her injuries a week after the attack.
Plans for a controversial bioenergy plant near a rural village have been approved for the second time on a split decision, after the chair was forced to cast the deciding vote.
The proposals for the renewable energy development near Evenley were first approved in September 2025, but were called back into West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) this week after concerns were raised that planning law was not properly followed.
The facility, known as Astwick Green, will use an anaerobic digester to transform feedstock into biomethane, which is a renewable gas. The applicant, Acron Bioenergy Ltd, said the process would use around 21,000 tonnes of farmyard manure and dairy slurry, 41,000 tonnes of maize and 21,000 tonnes of straw every year.
They said this would generate enough energy to heat more than 8,000 homes.
The LDRS understands that the review of the application came about after a third party threatened to take the council to judicial review over its decision, after it emerged that council officers had not considered the plans against the Northamptonshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan (NMWLP), which would breach planning law.
The updated officer report acknowledges that the application should have been assessed against the council’s waste policies, given its use of farmyard manure, but insists that the plans ultimately comply with the NMWLP.
Speaking in objections to the plans, Cathy Ellis, chair of Evenley Parish Council, told planning committee members:
“All we have asked is that the country’s democratic process be followed. We were right all along that this application should have been tested against West Northamptonshire Council’s own waste and minerals plan.
“Today, you have an officer’s report that tries to justify those serious errors. Whether it’s one tonne or 22,000 tonnes, it’s waste and the management of this is dirty, nasty and extremely dangerous.
“It’s not in an industrial location or in the waste central spine area, but [the council] can argue why this green field site, just 300 metres from residents’ homes, can fit.
“You have now reached a critical crossroads. At the very least, follow the policies of this council and disallow all waste activity at this site.”
Sebastian Charles, who said he was acting as a solicitor on behalf of the objectors, also raised concerns about the catchment area for sourcing feedstock and the potential for waste to be exported long distances to the site.
He added:
“If it was a small facility to serve a farm, or even a local group of farms, that would be one thing, but this is a huge industrial facility.
“An industrial-scale waste plant should be in an industrial location.”
However, local farmer Laura Weston spoke in support of the plans, saying her family would benefit from supplying the facility with elements for the feedstock and receiving digestate, which is a fertiliser created as a byproduct of anaerobic digestion.
She said:
“The future of family farming in Northamptonshire is at risk unless we take steps to support those who provide our food.
“That’s where Astwick Green comes in. It allows us to change to survive – still growing Britain’s food, but with stable income, local fertiliser, and better rural job prospects.
“The proximity to local farms is essential, the crops we supply and the fertiliser we receive won’t travel far on local roads. That is why it needs to be located here, in the heart of our farming community.”
Daniel Lambert, who spoke on behalf of Acorn Bioenergy, told councillors: “The proposals themselves have not changed, every benefit which you assessed at the last committee remains.
“We’ll take agricultural material from local farms, providing those who supply us with 25 years of guaranteed income. We’ll turn those inputs into renewable fuel, green gas to heat homes and power vehicles, and green CO2 to replace fossil fuels in the UK industry.
“Our application has stringent safeguards to ensure that Astwick Green can be delivered without harm to our neighbours – no smell, no dust, no noise nuisance.
“Astwick Green is a renewable energy proposal, not a waste management development.”
The planning committee asked for extra conditions to be applied to the facility, which would ensure that a minimum of 50 per cent of the feedstock used came from within 15km of the site, and a limit on the peak vehicle movements to account for seasonality over the harvest period.
Going to the vote, four members voted in favour of the development and another four members voted against. The casting vote went to the chair of strategic planning, Cllr Scott Packer, to break the deadlock.
He voted in favour of the application, meaning WNC once again granted the site permission, subject to conditions and the completion of a Section 106 agreement.
By Nadia Lincoln
A non-partisan group on North Northamptonshire Council has said it will use the experience of its councillors to provide opposition.
The Communities Alliance is now three members strong, with independent Cllr Jim Hakewill (Rothwell and Mawsley), Liberal Democrat Cllr Simon Fairhall (Oundle) and newly independent Cllr Scott Brown (Earls Barton).
Cllr Jim Hakewill, who is the longest serving councillor on the authority after several decades in local politics said:
“We do tend to leave our politics at the door. When it comes to North Northants, the issues are so significant that we don’t waste our time on national political battles, but we’ll work with anyone who wants to improve life in North Northants.”
He added that the main goal of the alliance is to scrutinise the administration and be vocal about where improvements could be made.
“I think the main opposition party has not got over the fact that it lost control last May and they’re still trying to find their feet and organise some opposition,” he explained.
“I think the Green party mainly are very new to the council. The Labour party obviously was very much depleted in the last May elections.
“I think it’s reasonable to say that the three of us, with our knowledge and our experience, can hold the administration to account and work with them to get things done for our residents at a greater scale than the traditional parties on the council.”
The Communities Alliance is now three members strong, with independent Cllr Jim Hakewill (Rothwell and Mawsley), Liberal Democrat Cllr Simon Fairhall (Oundle) and newly independent Cllr Scott Brown (Earls Barton).
While the members come from different political backgrounds, they say what ties them together is representing three similar rural wards on the edge of the authority, looking at cross-border issues, and a commitment to engaging with town and parish councils and supporting other community groups.
Speaking about their new addition, Cllr Hakewill said:
“I have known Scott for several years and have always been impressed by his commitment to improving the lives of the people he represents. He is not afraid to take on major issues and speak out about things he is passionate about.
“I am looking forward to the team of three of us working together to identify the aspirations of our communities and finding ways for the council to improve services for residents and businesses.”
Speaking about his decision to join the alliance, Cllr Brown said:
“This partnership will enable me to contribute to and learn from their extensive experience and knowledge, enabling me to work even more effectively as the councillor for Earls Barton ward, and gain greater influence in terms of committee membership, putting the needs of local residents first and delivering pragmatic, resident-focused outcomes.
“My values haven’t changed. Leaving the Conservatives came about because of a very specific policy change, but also the direction of the party is a direction that I could no longer support.
“I thought if I’m somewhat disappointed with the party locally and somewhat disappointed with the party nationally, I should not be in the party any longer.
“We have a better opportunity to be a critical friend [to the administration].
“We’ve not got our hands tied in the way a Labour or Conservative group would. We can look at things in the cold light of day and when the administration is doing good we can say that without fear or favour, and when they need to do better we can say that as well.”
A volunteer-run pizza project in Corby has donated all its profits to charity.
Run by local founders Adam Cherry and Matthew Attfield, The Good Slice of Pizza held monthly community pizza nights throughout 2025. It has given away £10,000 to local causes including Cransley Hospice Trust, Corby Warriors FC, Corby Foodbank, Lakelands Hospice, and Be More Fab.
With all the issues ongoing in Kettering, disappearing for such a long period is out of order. If she needed such a long holiday she should not have stood for office.
Oh the irony, these Green fundamentalists telling me not to take airplanes and follow all their net zero and other nonsense, but its fine to head off to South America for weeks, acceptable for me not for thee.
As for not attending council I am sure that is helpful as the others do have to endure the nonsense, hypocrisy and double standards.