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 West Northamptonshire Council.
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76 seats on West Northamptonshire Council 39 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Background
editWest 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 Conservatives 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 Liberal Democrats gained an additional seat after winning a by-election in East Hunsbury and Shelfleys ward in February 2024.[5]
Ward changes
editA total of 76 councillors are to be elected, a reduction from the previous number of 93 in 2021. 13 wards will elect 3 councillors each, 15 wards will elect 2 councillors each, and 7 wards will elect 1 councillor each,[6] for a total of 35 wards.
2021-25 changes
edit| Councillor | Date | Reason | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Clark | 7 June 2023 | Claims of silencing[7] | Ind | |
| Suresh Patel | 15 December 2023 | Resigned from council, Ill health[8] | ||
| Carl Squires | 9 February 2024 | Won by-election from seat vacated by Suresh Patel[9][10] | LD | |
| Ian McCord | Ind | |||
| Jonathan Nunn | 18 April 2024 | Claims of domestic abuse[3][11] | Ind | |
| Richard Solesbury-Timms | 22 April 2024 | Left following Nunn abuse claims[4] | Ind | |
| Louisa Fowler | 27 August 2024 | Unspecified incident[12] | Ind | |
| Lizzy Bowen | 7 November 2024 | Resigned from council,[a] work commitments abroad[13][14] | ||
| Ind | Sue Sharps | 15 November 2024 | Defected to Labour[15][16] | Lab |
Council composition
edit| After 2021 election | Before 2025 election | 2025 election result | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Seats | Party | Seats | Ch. | Party | Seats | |||
| Conservative | 66 | Conservative | 59 |  7
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Conservative | ||||
| Labour | 20 | Labour | 21 |  1
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Labour | ||||
| Liberal Democrats | 5 | Liberal Democrats | 6 | 1
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Liberal Democrats | ||||
| Independent | 2 | Independent | 6 | 4
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Independent | ||||
Notes
edit- ^ No by-election held, as resignation took place within 6 months of the next elections
References
edit- ^ Mayes, Joe (7 May 2021). "U.K.'s Johnson Wins Historic By-Election on Brexit, Vaccine Bump". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
- ^ "WNC Councillors by Political Party". West Northamptonshire Council. Archived from the original on 27 April 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
- ^ a b Heath, Martin (16 May 2024). "Northants council at centre of abuse claims 'stuck in 1950s'". BBC News. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
- ^ a b Heath, Martin (22 April 2024). "Northants Conservative quits party over Jonathan Nunn abuse claims". BBC News. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "New electoral arrangements for West Northamptonshire Council" (PDF). The Local Government Boundary Commission for England. 1 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
- ^ "'Gagged' Northamptonshire councillor quits Conservative group". BBC News. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Liberal Democrats win West Northamptonshire Council by-election". BBC News. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ Shepka, Phil; Ironmonger, Jon (18 April 2024). "Jonathan Nunn: Conservative council leader resigns over abuse claims". BBC News. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Grant, James (6 November 2024). "Former deputy leader of Northamptonshire County Council resigns". BBC News. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ Odell, Carly (6 November 2024). "Long-standing Northamptonshire Conservative councillor resigns due to 'increasing work commitments abroad'". Northampton Chronicle & Echo. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Grant, James (18 November 2024). "West Northamptonshire councillor joins Labour". BBC News. Retrieved 18 November 2024.