Council takes action to help communities stay safe in the extreme heat
24 June 2026
With both amber and red alerts for extreme heat across the area this week, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is taking measures to help its residents and staff stay safe during the severe weather.
Supporting vulnerable people
SWEP - The Council today activated its Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) across West Northamptonshire in response to the high temperatures.
For at least the next 3 days, people who are sleeping rough in the area will be advised about accessing shelter during the daytime until 8pm. In Northampton, The Hope Centre will be open until 8pm on Wednesday and Thursday evening. All WNC managed libraries in West Northamptonshire will be provided with bottled water to provide to rough sleepers during this time.
During this time, our Street Outreach team will be out in the area engaging with those sleeping rough, carrying out welfare checks and distributing sun cream and bottled water. They can be contacted directly by emailing [email protected]. Residents who know someone sleeping rough in the West Northants area and require further information, should advise them to contact the team on 0300 126 7000.
Welcoming spaces - residents struggling with the heat can attend a number of public and community buildings with air conditioning or fans, which can be accessed during opening hours. Please visit the heatwave services update page for a list of these spaces including contact details.
Hot weather health advice - residents are urged to find out more about how to stay safe and healthy during the heat on the Council’s website, with a Heat Health toolkit providing key advice and top tips.
Met Office weather warnings will allow them to stay up to date with heat warnings across West Northamptonshire.
Stay updated on service changes
The Council has made changes to how it is operating some of its services to prioritise welfare as temperatures continue to soar across the area over the coming days.
Residents are asked to check the Council’s heatwave services update page and social media channels to find out more about which services are impacted, but currently include the following:
Bin collections - waste and recycling crews are starting their rounds earlier during the hot weather, with residents advised to put their bins out the night before collection to avoid it being missed. Normal shift patterns are expected to resume early next week when the weather cools.
Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) – opening times will be limited on Thursday and Friday (24 & 25 June) to 10am until 1pm to maximise public safety, whilst the high temperatures make containers, ramps and railings hot to touch. Those residents who had already booked for after 1pm are being contacted to move their slot to the morning or a different day. The revised opening times will be kept under review and may be extended if the extreme heat continues.
Highways – surface temperatures are expected to reach up to 60 degrees Celsius during the heat wave and highways crews have been dust dressing roads to help deal with the extreme temperatures, but motorists are advised they could experience issues with melting tarmac.
People are urged to try and avoid journeys at peak temperatures and take extra care if they absolutely must drive somewhere.
Highways contractors will be working more flexibly and will be avoiding excessive temperatures this week, which could lead to an extended completion time for some network projects, such as the Abington Active Travel scheme. Emergencies will still be responded to as normal.
School closures – WNC continues to monitor school closures across the area and provide support and advice on the extreme weather. It is the responsibility of the school or academy to notify the Council of closure. Parents and guardians have been advised to check directly with schools about whether they are impacted.
Family Hubs – some sessions at the Family Hubs may be cancelled due to weather conditions. Residents who have booked a session this week are asked to check their email for any updates.
Full Council meeting postponed – The Council meeting scheduled to take place in the Guildhall on Thursday, 26th June has been postponed due to the extreme heat. The decision follows a meeting between the Council’s Chairman and representatives of all political groups this afternoon who considered that, with internal temperatures likely to exceed 30 degrees, the Great Hall would be uncomfortably hot for councillors, officers and members of the public. The meeting will now take place on Monday 13 July at 5pm.
Workforce guidance – staff across the organisation have received guidance on working in the hot weather, including those who may work outside on common sense steps they can take to stay safe during the extreme heat.
Councillor Mark Arnull, Leader of the Council, said: “With excessive temperatures and West Northants under a national red alert for extreme heat, the welfare of our residents and workforce is our priority for us and we are taking steps to support their safety and wellbeing. We are also working closely with our other partners including the police, fire and NHS to keep residents updated on the latest advice for coping during the heatwave. I would urge people to keep updated on the latest service news and wellbeing information our website and social media channels.”