2025 West Northamptonshire Council election

Last updated

2025 West Northamptonshire Council election
Arms of West Northamptonshire.svg
←  2021 1 May 2025 (2025-05-01)2029 →
76 seats on West Northamptonshire Council
39 seats needed for a majority
 
Cllr Adam Brown.jpg
Cllr Wendy Randall.jpg
LeaderAdam BrownWendy Randall
Party Conservative Labour
Leader since16 May 2024
Leader's seatBugbrooke [a] Daventry West [b]
Last election66, 50.60%20, 24.45%
Current seats5920
Seats neededSteady2.svgIncrease2.svg19
 
Cllr Sally Beardsworth.jpg
LeaderSally Beardsworth
Party Liberal Democrats Independent
Leader's seatKingsthorpe South
Last election5, 16.28%2, 2.89%
Current seats67
Seats neededIncrease2.svg33Increase2.svg32

The 2025 West Northamptonshire Council election is due to take place on 1 May 2025, alongside nationwide local elections. 76 councillors are due to be elected in a total of 35 wards which will determine the composition of the unitary authority of West Northamptonshire Council, which runs local government services for West Northamptonshire within the United Kingdom.

Contents

Background

West Northamptonshire Council was created in 2021 following a brief existence as a "shadow authority", with its first elections held in May 2021. Following the 2021 West Northamptonshire Council election, the Conservative Party won an overall majority on the new council. The 2021 election was held as part of the 2021 local elections, in which the Conservatives won multiple elections after a "vaccine bump". [1]

The Conservative group, led by Adam Brown, [2] currently have 59 seats, [2] following the resignation of the former leader Jonathan Nunn following claims of abuse, [3] [4] and other members leaving. The West Northamptonshire Liberal Democrats gained an additional seat after winning a by-election in East Hunsbury and Shelfleys ward in February 2024. [5] The Labour group, led by Wendy Randall, [2] gained an additional councillor in November 2024, [6] [7] and lost a councillor in December 2024. [8]

The 7 independent councillors are formed of 3 "Aligned" Independents and 4 "Non-Aligned" Independents, with the aligned independent group being led by Ian McCord and the Non-Aligned independents not having a leader. [2]

Electoral system

Registered voters are eligible to vote for candidates within the ward in which they reside, with each voter being entitled to 1–3 votes depending on the number of councillors that are allocated to that ward. Voting registration will close on 11 April 2024. [9]

Ward changes

A total of 76 councillors are to be elected, a reduction from the previous number of 93 in 2021 following a review of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, as the wards used in 2021 were a duplication of Northamptonshire County Council, meaning many were outside of the range as they were originally created in 2012 for the 2013 Northamptonshire County Council elections. 13 wards will elect 3 councillors each, 15 wards will elect 2 councillors each, and 7 wards will elect 1 councillor each, [10] on a total of 35 wards, an increase from the previous number of 31 3-member wards. [11]

2021-25 changes

Councillor party changes
Party beforeCouncillorDateReasonParty after
ConservativeIan McCord11 May 2021Did not rejoin after being suspendedIndependent
ConservativePaul Clark7 June 2023Claims of silencing [12] Independent
ConservativeSuresh Patel15 December 2023Resigned from council, Ill health [13] (vacant)
(vacant)Carl Squires9 February 2024Won by-election from seat vacated by Suresh Patel [14] [15] Liberal Democrat
ConservativeJonathan Nunn18 April 2024Claims of domestic abuse [3] [16] Independent
ConservativeRichard Solesbury-Timms22 April 2024Left following Nunn abuse claims [4] Independent
ConservativeLouisa Fowler27 August 2024Unspecified incident [17] Independent
ConservativeLizzy Bowen7 November 2024Resigned from council, [c] work commitments abroad [18] [19] (vacant)
IndependentSue Sharps15 November 2024Joined Labour [6] [7] Labour
LabourPaul Joyce4 December 2024Left after being deselected as Labour candidate [8] Independent

By-election

2024 East Hunsbury and Shelfleys by-election

A by-election was held on 8 February 2024 following the resignation of Cllr Suresh Patel due to ill health. [20] In 2023 it was found that he had not updated his register of interests in line with the authorities 28 day timescales, [21] and links to the David Mackintosh scandal as a prosecution witness. [22]

East Hunsbury and Shelfleys [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Carl Squires 820 38.8 Increase2.svg 15.8
Conservative Daniel Soan74635.3Decrease2.svg 16.2
Labour Co-op Clare Robertson-Marriott54725.9Increase2.svg 0.4
Majority743.5
Rejected ballots80.37
Turnout 2,12323.6−9.4
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +16.0

Council composition

After 2021 electionBefore 2025 election2025 election result
PartySeatsPartySeatsCh.PartySeats
Conservative 66 Conservative 59Decrease2.svg7 Conservative
Labour 20 Labour 20Steady2.svg Labour
Liberal Democrats 5 Liberal Democrats 6Increase2.svg1 Liberal Democrats
Independent 2 Independent 7Increase2.svg5 Independent

Campaign

The pre-election period officially began on 14 March 2025, when the notice of election was published.

Daventry

The Conservatives launched their campaign in Daventry announcing the cancellation of controversial plans to build on the Eastern Way Playing Fields in Daventry following a local campaign involving several petitions, meetings and gatherings. [24] The plan was originally launched by the Conservative administration in their 2024 'Masterplan'. [25] The Conservative administration announced the reversal of the plan on 28 February [26] and the Conservatives were delivering leaflets the next day declaring the cancellation to be a success. [27]

List of results by ward

Abington & Phippsville (2 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Zoe Smith
Labour Bob Purser
Liberal Democrats Ana Savage Gunn
Liberal Democrats James Tarry
Billing (2 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Janice Duffy
Liberal Democrats Russell Ellis
Blackthorn & Rectory Farm (2 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Taylor Cowley-Coulton
Brackley (3 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Sue Sharps
Labour Scott Langford
Labour Simon Weaver
Liberal Democrats Hazel Hewison
Liberal Democrats Kate Nash
Braunston & Crick (2 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Rosie Humphreys
Liberal Democrats Andrew Simpson
Conservative Alan Chantler
Conservative Stephen Kerr
Brixworth (1 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Harris
Campion (2 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Adam Brown
Conservative Philip Bignell
Labour Clive Millman
Labour Shirley Waterhouse
Liberal Democrats Grant Simpson
Liberal Democrats Nigel Strang
Castle (3 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Cogenhoe & The Houghtons (1 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Kerry Coupe
Dallington Spencer (3 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Sally Keeble
Liberal Democrats Michael Beardsworth
Daventry North East (1 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Laura Davies
Conservative Peter Matten
Liberal Democrats John Tippett
Daventry North West (1 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Alan Knape
Labour Nigel Mercer
Conservative Jake Roberts [d]
Daventry South (3 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Athena Fenn
Conservative Rebecca James
Conservative Philip Silk-Neilsen
Labour Stephen Dabbs
Labour Laura Davies
Labour Wendy Randall
Liberal Democrats John Butlin
Liberal Democrats Julia Clark
Liberal Democrats Ed Norris
Deanshanger & Paulerspury (2 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour James Soper
Liberal Democrats Michael Leggett
Duston (3 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Reform UK Vincent Clive
Labour Sandie Maitland
Liberal Democrats Rosemary Tolley
Far Cotton, Delapre & Briar Hill (3 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Nick Smith
Reform UK Anthony Owens
Hackleton & Roade (2 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Fiona Cole
Conservative Andrew Grant
Liberal Democrats Mark Allen
Headlands (3 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats David Garlick
Liberal Democrats David Woodbridge
Liberal Democrats Brian Markham
Hunsbury (3 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Carl Squires
Liberal Democrats Brendan Glynane
Liberal Democrats Lucy Newbury
Conservative Pinder Chauhan
Conservative Andre Gonzalez De Savage
Conservative Daniel Soan
Kingsley & Semilong (2 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Titus Ajayi
Labour Farzana Aldridge
Liberal Democrats Martin Taylor
Liberal Democrats Marianne Taylor
Kingsthorpe North (3 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Sally Beardsworth
Liberal Democrats Tom Lawler
Liberal Democrats Chris Leggett
Conservative Mobola Bakare
Conservative Mike O'Connor
Conservative Laura Stevenson
Kingsthorpe South (2 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Eluned Lewis Nicol
Labour Harry Barrett
Liberal Democrats Tony Woods
Liberal Democrats Geri Banfield
Long Buckby (2 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Mark Thomas
Liberal Democrats Nicholas Watts
Middleton Cheney (2 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Martin Johns
Liberal Democrats Justin Nash
Moulton (3 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Anna Hughes
Liberal Democrats Will Hughes
Liberal Democrats Rupert Knowles
Naseby (1 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Christine Ware
Conservative Richard Auger
Nene Valley (3 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Nick Sturges-Alex
Conservative Phil Larratt
Conservative Dan Smith
Liberal Democrats Jill Hope
Liberal Democrats Thomas Ridley
Liberal Democrats Aaryan Sharma
Labour Peter French
Green
Reform UK Craig Morris
Parklands (1 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Paul Schofield
Rural North East (1 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Cecile Irving-Swift
Liberal Democrats Tony Nixon
Rural South Northamptonshire (3 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Justine Leggett
Talavera (2 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Glodi Ntoya
Liberal Democrats Martin Sawyer
Towcester (3 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Harry Minns
Liberal Democrats David Tarbun
Liberal Democrats Stewart Tolley
Upton (2 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Patrick Julius
Liberal Democrats Rona Meredith
Weston Favell & Abington Vale (2 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Clare Robertson-Marriott
Labour Jamal Alwahabi
Liberal Democrats Alastair Thomson
Reform UK David Lea
Woodford and Weedon (2 member) [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Gordon
Green Ed
Liberal Democrats Chris Lofts
Liberal Democrats Robert Symons

Notes

  1. ↑ Prior to election. As Bugbrooke will be abolished as a ward, Brown is seeking election in Campion ward.
  2. ↑ Prior to election. As Daventry West will be abolished as a ward, Randall is seeking election in Daventry South ward.
  3. ↑ No by-election held, as resignation took place within 6 months of the next elections
  4. ↑ Prior to the 2025 election Roberts is a councillor in Duston.

References

  1. ↑ Mayes, Joe (7 May 2021). "U.K.'s Johnson Wins Historic By-Election on Brexit, Vaccine Bump". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "WNC Councillors by Political Party". West Northamptonshire Council. Archived from the original on 27 April 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  3. 1 2 Heath, Martin (16 May 2024). "Northants council at centre of abuse claims 'stuck in 1950s'". BBC News. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  4. 1 2 Heath, Martin (22 April 2024). "Northants Conservative quits party over Jonathan Nunn abuse claims". BBC News. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  5. ↑ Lincoln, Nadia (9 February 2024). "Liberal Democrats take East Hunsbury and Shelfleys seat winning nearly 40 percent of votes". Northampton Chronicle and Echo. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  6. 1 2 Odell, Carly (15 November 2024). "Independent Northamptonshire councillor joins Labour party in a bid to 'secure ward's brighter future'". Northampton Chronicle & Echo . Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  7. 1 2 Grant, James (18 November 2024). "West Northamptonshire councillor joins Labour". BBC News. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  8. 1 2 Grant, James (3 December 2024). "Mayor of Northampton leaves Labour party to sit as an Independent". BBC News. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  9. ↑ "West Northants voters encouraged to prepare for May elections". BBC News. 23 February 2025. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  10. ↑ "New electoral arrangements for West Northamptonshire Council" (PDF). The Local Government Boundary Commission for England. 1 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  11. ↑ "Standing as a candidate | West Northamptonshire Council". www.westnorthants.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  12. ↑ "'Gagged' Northamptonshire councillor quits Conservative group". BBC News. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  13. ↑ Lincoln, Nadia (15 December 2023). "Key prosecution witness in Mackintosh trial stands down as councillor due to ill health". NN Journal. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  14. ↑ Lincoln, Nadia (9 February 2024). "Liberal Democrats take East Hunsbury and Shelfleys seat winning nearly 40 percent of votes". Northampton Chronicle & Echo . Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  15. ↑ "Liberal Democrats win West Northamptonshire Council by-election". BBC News. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  16. ↑ Shepka, Phil; Ironmonger, Jon (18 April 2024). "Jonathan Nunn: Conservative council leader resigns over abuse claims". BBC News. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  17. ↑ MacLeod, Logan (27 August 2024). "Mystery surrounds councillor's departure from Tory party after 'incident' as leader keeps details quiet". Northampton Chronicle & Echo . Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  18. ↑ Grant, James (6 November 2024). "Former deputy leader of Northamptonshire County Council resigns". BBC News. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  19. ↑ Odell, Carly (6 November 2024). "Long-standing Northamptonshire Conservative councillor resigns due to 'increasing work commitments abroad'". Northampton Chronicle & Echo . Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  20. ↑ "Liberal Democrats win West Northamptonshire Council by-election". BBC News. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  21. ↑ "Northampton councillor who receives £14,000 a year to oversee standards appears to have broken rules". Northampton Chronicle and Echo. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  22. ↑ Journal, N. N. "Key prosecution witness in Mackintosh trial stands down as councillor due to ill health". www.nnjournal.co.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
  23. ↑ "Election results for East Hunsbury and Shelfleys, 8 February 2024". www.westnorthants.gov.uk. 8 February 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
  24. ↑ "Daventry residents' campaign forces playing field housing U-turn". Daventry Express. 3 March 2025. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
  25. ↑ "Scrapping plan to sell Daventry playing field 'a setback'". BBC News. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  26. ↑ "Campaigners celebrate U-turn on Daventry playing field sale". BBC News. 3 March 2025. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
  27. ↑ "West Northants voters encouraged to prepare for May elections". Daventry Express. 23 February 2025. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 "West Northamptonshire Council Elections, 1 May 2025 – West Northamptonshire Council".
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