Northampton Borough Council

Last updated

Northampton Borough Council
Arms-Northampton.png
Type
Type
History
Succeeded by West Northamptonshire Council
Northampton Town Council
Elections
Last election
 7 May 2015
Meeting place
Northampton Guildhall01.JPG
Guildhall, St Giles Square, Northampton
Website
www.northampton.gov.uk

Northampton Borough Council was the local authority for Northampton in Northamptonshire, England. Northampton had a council from medieval times, which was reformed on numerous occasions. From 1974 until its abolition in 2021, the council was a non-metropolitan district council. The council was based at Northampton Guildhall. In 2021 the council was abolished and succeeded by West Northamptonshire Council, a unitary authority, and Northampton Town Council, a parish council.

Contents

History

Northampton was an ancient borough. It was granted its first municipal charter in 1189 by Richard I. The borough was given the right to appoint a mayor in 1215 by King John. [1] The borough was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, which standardised how most boroughs operated across the country. It was then governed by a body formally called the "Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Northampton", which was generally known as the corporation, town council, or borough council. [2]

When elected county councils were established in 1889 under the Local Government Act 1888, Northampton was considered large enough for its existing borough council to provide county-level functions, and so it was made a county borough, independent from Northamptonshire County Council. It comprised 6 wards from 1898, 9 wards from 1900 and 12 wards from 1911. [3] The borough boundaries were enlarged several times as the town grew. [4]

County boroughs, including Northampton, were abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. A non-metropolitan district called Northampton was created instead, subordinate to Northamptonshire County Council. The new district covered the area of the former county borough plus adjoining areas within the designated area for the New Town expansion of Northampton. [5] [6] The district was granted borough status from its creation, allowing the council to take the name Northampton Borough Council and letting the chair of the council take the title of mayor, continuing Northampton's series of mayors dating back to 1215. [7] [8]

Many former county boroughs regained their independence from county councils during local government reforms in the 1990s by being made unitary authorities. Northampton Borough Council also sought to be made a unitary authority at that time, but was unsuccessful. It was decided that "the separation of Northampton from its county would have a significant and detrimental effect." [9] [10] [11] [12]

In March 2018, an independent report commissioned by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, proposed structural changes to local government in Northamptonshire. These proposals saw the existing county council and district councils abolished and two new unitary authorities created in their place. [13] One authority would consist of the existing districts of Daventry, Northampton and South Northamptonshire and the other authority would consist of Corby, East Northamptonshire, Kettering and Wellingborough districts. [14]

In 2021 the council was abolished and succeeded by West Northamptonshire Council, a unitary authority, and Northampton Town Council, a parish council. This was done, in part, due to failing a corruption probe into the disappearance of over £10 million. [15]

Political control

Political control of the council from the 1974 reforms until the council's abolition in 2021 was as follows: [16] [17]

Party in controlYears
Labour 1974–1976
Conservative 1976–1983
No overall control 1983–1987
Conservative 1987–1991
No overall control 1991–1995
Labour 1995–2003
No overall control 2003–2007
Liberal Democrats 2007–2011
Conservative 2011–2021

Leadership

The mayor of Northampton was the ceremonial figurehead for the borough council, and tended to be held by a different councillor each year. Political leadership was provided instead by the leader of the council. The leaders from 2000 until the council's abolition in 2021 were:

CouncillorPartyFromTo
John Dickie [18] Labour May 2000
Keith Davies [18] [19] Labour 25 May 2000May 2003
Phil Larratt [20] Conservative 2003Jan 2006
Tim Hadland [21] Conservative 20062007
Tony Woods [22] Liberal Democrats 200726 Oct 2009
Brian Hoare [23] Liberal Democrats 26 Oct 2009May 2011
David Palethorpe [24] [25] Conservative May 201126 Oct 2011
David Mackintosh [26] [27] Conservative 7 Nov 2011May 2015
Mary Markham [28] [29] Conservative May 2015Oct 2016
Jonathan Nunn [30] Conservative Oct 201631 Mar 2021

Jonathan Nunn subsequently became the first leader of the replacement West Northamptonshire Council. [31]

Arms

Coat of arms of Northampton Borough Council
Notes
Recorded at the 1617 visitation. [32]
Escutcheon
Gules on a mount Vert a tower triple-towered Argent the portcullis raised Or supported by two lions rampant guardant of the last.
Motto
Castello Fortior Concordia (Peace Is Stronger Than A Fortress)

See also

References

  1. ↑ Page, William (1930). "The Borough of Northampton". A History of the County of Northampton. London: Victoria County History. pp. 1–26. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  2. ↑ Municipal Corporations Act. 1835. p. 457. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  3. ↑ "British History".
  4. ↑ "Northampton Municipal Borough / County Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  5. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 12 June 2025
  6. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 3 March 2023
  7. ↑ "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . 28 March 1974. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  8. ↑ "Table III(a)". Local Government in England and wales. a Guide to the New System. London: HMSO. 1974. pp. 15–109. ISBN   0117508470.
  9. ↑ Meikle, James (27 September 1995). "Councils fight on for unitary status: Three authorities miss out on all-purpose target". The Guardian.
  10. ↑ Schoon, Nicholas (20 December 1995). "Nine cities 'need greater powers'". The Independent.
  11. ↑ LGCE. Final Recommendations on the Future Local Government of: Basildon & Thurrock, Blackburn & Blackpool, Broxtowe, Gedling & Rushcliffe, Dartford & Gravesham, Gillingham & Rochester Upon Medway, Exeter, Gloucester, Halton & Warrington, Huntingdonshire & Peterborough, Northampton, Norwich, Spelthorne and the Wrekin. December 1995.
  12. ↑ "Local Government: Structure". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . House of Lords. 14 March 1996. col. WA71–WA74.
  13. ↑ "Troubled council 'should be scrapped'". BBC News. 15 March 2018.
  14. ↑ "Northamptonshire County Council 'should be split up', finds damning report".
  15. ↑ "Northampton Town and the missing millions: A timeline of events". BBC News. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  16. ↑ "Northampton". BBC News Online . Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  17. ↑ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Northampton" in search box to see specific results.)
  18. 1 2 "Council's new leader pledges to help people achieve their best". Northampton Chronicle and Echo. 26 May 2000. p. 12. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  19. ↑ Freeman, Sarah (9 May 2003). "Facing up to life after the polls". Northampton Chronicle and Echo. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  20. ↑ West Northamptonshire Development Corporation Annual Report and Accounts (PDF). 2006. p. 7. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  21. ↑ "Your Council, Your Questions". BBC News. 18 January 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  22. ↑ Baugh, Emma (8 October 2009). "'Astragate' council leader quits". BBC News. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  23. ↑ "About Brian Hoare". West Northamptonshire Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  24. ↑ "Northampton Council elects David Palethorpe as leader". BBC News. 19 May 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  25. ↑ "Northampton council leader resigns over 'disloyalty'". BBC News. 26 October 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  26. ↑ "Northampton Council's leader outlines plans for cabinet". BBC News. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  27. ↑ Gosling, Francesca (8 May 2015). "General Election 2015: Former council leader David Mackintosh says he is "looking forward to challenges ahead" after winning Northampton South". Northampton Chronicle and Echo. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  28. ↑ "Borough Council election - 7th May 2015". Northampton Conservatives. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  29. ↑ "Leader of Northampton Borough Council to resign". Northampton Chronicle and Echo. 15 October 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  30. ↑ "New Northampton Borough Council leader: 'I have learned lessons from my company going into liquidation'". Northampton Chronicle and Echo. 27 October 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  31. ↑ "Council minutes, 20 May 2021". West Northamptonshire Council. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  32. ↑ "East Midlands Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
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