West Northamptonshire Council
West Northamptonshire Council | |
|---|---|
 Coat of Arms of West Northamptonshire Council | |
 Logo of West Northamptonshire Council | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Anna Earnshaw since 2020[3] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 93 councillors |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 6 May 2021 |
Next election | 1 May 2025 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| One Angel Square, 4 Angel Street, Northampton, NN1 1ED[4] | |
| Website | |
| westnorthants | |
West Northamptonshire Council is the local authority for West Northamptonshire, a local government district in the ceremonial county of Northamptonshire, England. It is a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council. The whole area is also covered by civil parishes, which form a second tier of local government.[5]
Political control
[edit]Since its creation in 2021, the Conservatives have held a majority of the seats on the council:[6]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 2021–present | |
Leadership
[edit]The leader of the council from its first meeting following its creation in 2021 was Jonathan Nunn, who was the last leader of the old Northampton Borough Council. Ian McCord, outgoing Conservative leader of the old South Northamptonshire District Council, had served as leader of the shadow authority set up to oversee the transition to the new arrangements.[7]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Nunn[8] | Conservative | 20 May 2021 | 18 April 2024 | |
| Adam Brown | Conservative | 16 May 2024 | ||
Composition
[edit]Following the 2021 election and subsequent changes up to December 2024, the composition of the council was:
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 59 | |
| Labour | 20 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 6 | |
| Independent | 7 | |
| Total | 92[a] | |
Three of the seven independents sit together as the 'Independent Group'.[9] The next election is due in 2025.
Elections
[edit]Elections for a shadow authority were due to be held on Thursday 7 May 2020 but were postponed until 6 May 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. New ward boundaries have been drawn up to take effect from the 2025 elections, which will reduce the number of councillors from 93 to 76, to be elected from 35 wards each electing one, two or three councillors. From 2025 elections will be held every four years.[10]
Premises
[edit]Council meetings are generally held at Northampton Guildhall, with the nearby former Northamptonshire County Council offices at One Angel Square serving as the council's headquarters.[11] The council also inherited offices at The Forum in Towcester from South Northamptonshire District Council and Lodge Road in Daventry from Daventry District Council. The Forum continues to be used as additional offices and for some council meetings, whilst Lodge Road has closed, being replaced by a smaller area office in Daventry.[12]
Arms
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Notes
[edit]- ^ Not including an unfilled vacancy
See also
[edit]- 2019–2023 structural changes to local government in England
- West Northamptonshire Council elections
- North Northamptonshire Council, another unitary authority created in Northamptonshire in April 2021.
References
[edit]- ^ "West Northamptonshire Council welcomes new Chairman". West Northamptonshire Council. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ Lincoln, Nadia (17 May 2024). "New leader of West Northamptonshire Council officially voted in at annual meeting". Northampton Chronicle and Echo. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ Calkin, Sarah (11 August 2020). "Shadow unitary appoints first chief". Local Government Chronicle. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ Council, Northampton Borough. "Councillors agree next steps towards shadow authority preparations". www.northampton.gov.uk.
- ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- ^ Area, West Northamptonshire Council-Northampton. "7 May 2020 Elections". www.northampton.gov.uk.
- ^ "Northamptonshire councillor wins appeal over Conservatives expulsion". BBC News. 29 April 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ Lincoln, Nadia (24 April 2024). "Conservative HQ responds to calls to remove whip from former West Northamptonshire Council leader". Northamptonshire Telegraph. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
- ^ "Your councillors by party". West Northamptonshire Council. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
- ^ "The West Northamptonshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2024", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2025/65, retrieved 24 January 2024
- ^ "Contact us". West Northamptonshire Council. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ Heath, Martin (22 January 2024). "Office move 'will save £350k per year' - West Northants Council". BBC News. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ "Coat of Arms". West Northamptonshire Council. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
- ^ "Coat of arms (crest) of West Northamptonshire". Heraldry of the World. 7 January 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "CIVIC HERALDRY OF ENGLAND AND WALES - EAST MIDLANDS REGION". www.civicheraldry.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ Holland, Kris (23 May 2023). "West Northamptonshire Council: New coat of arms". BBC News. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "West Northamptonshire Council unveiled its new Coat of Arms | West Northamptonshire Council". www.westnorthants.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
