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2025 West Northamptonshire Council election

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See also: West Northamptonshire Council elections
2025 West Northamptonshire Council election
← 2021 1 May 2025 (2025-05-01) 2029 →
76 seats on West Northamptonshire Council
39 seats needed for a majority
 
Leader Adam Brown Wendy Randall
Party Conservative Labour
Leader's seat Bugbrooke Daventry West
Last election 66, 50.60% 20, 24.45%
Current seats 59 20
 
Leader Sally Beardsworth
Party Liberal Democrats Independent
Leader's seat Kingsthorpe South
Last election 5, 16.28% 2, 2.89%
Current seats 6 7

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.

Background

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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]

Ward changes

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A 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,[9] on a total of 35 wards.

2021-25 changes

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Councillor party changes
Councillor Date Reason
Paul Clark 7 June 2023 Claims of silencing[10] Ind
Suresh Patel 15 December 2023 Resigned from council, Ill health[11]
Carl Squires 9 February 2024 Won by-election from seat vacated by Suresh Patel[12][13] LD
Ian McCord Ind
Jonathan Nunn 18 April 2024 Claims of domestic abuse[3][14] Ind
Richard Solesbury-Timms 22 April 2024 Left following Nunn abuse claims[4] Ind
Louisa Fowler 27 August 2024 Unspecified incident[15] Ind
Lizzy Bowen 7 November 2024 Resigned from council,[a] work commitments abroad[16][17]
Ind Sue Sharps 15 November 2024 Joined Labour[6][7] Lab
Lab Paul Joyce 4 December 2024 Left after being deselected as Labour candidate[8] Ind

By-elections

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2024 East Hunsbury and Shelfleys by-election
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A by-election was held on 8 February 2024 following the resignation of Cllr Suresh Patel due to to ill health.[18] In 2023 it was found that he had not updated his register of interests in line with the authorities 28 day timescales.[19]

East Hunsbury and Shelfleys
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Carl Squires 820 38.8 Increase 15.8
Conservative Daniel Soan 746 35.3 Decrease 16.2
Labour Co-op Clare Robertson-Marriott 547 25.9 Increase 0.4
Majority 74 3.5
Turnout 2,123 23.6 −9.4
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +16.0

Council composition

[edit]
After 2021 election Before 2025 election 2025 election result
Party Seats Party Seats Ch. Party Seats
Conservative 66 Conservative 59 Decrease7 Conservative
Labour 20 Labour 20 Steady Labour
Liberal Democrats 5 Liberal Democrats 6 Increase1 Liberal Democrats
Independent 2 Independent 7 Increase5 Independent

Notes

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  1. ^ No by-election held, as resignation took place within 6 months of the next elections

References

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  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. ^ a b c "WNC Councillors by Political Party". West Northamptonshire Council. Archived from the original on 27 April 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b Heath, Martin (16 May 2024). "Northants council at centre of abuse claims 'stuck in 1950s'". BBC News. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  4. ^ a b 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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b Grant, James (18 November 2024). "West Northamptonshire councillor joins Labour". BBC News. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  8. ^ a b Grant, James (3 December 2024). "Mayor of Northampton leaves Labour party to sit as an Independent". BBC News. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  9. ^ "New electoral arrangements for West Northamptonshire Council" (PDF). The Local Government Boundary Commission for England. 1 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  10. ^ "'Gagged' Northamptonshire councillor quits Conservative group". BBC News. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ "Liberal Democrats win West Northamptonshire Council by-election". BBC News. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  14. ^ Shepka, Phil; Ironmonger, Jon (18 April 2024). "Jonathan Nunn: Conservative council leader resigns over abuse claims". BBC News. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ Grant, James (6 November 2024). "Former deputy leader of Northamptonshire County Council resigns". BBC News. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  17. ^ Odell, Carly (6 November 2024). "Long-standing Northamptonshire Conservative councillor resigns due to 'increasing work commitments abroad'". Northampton Chronicle & Echo. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  18. ^ "Liberal Democrats win West Northamptonshire Council by-election". BBC News. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  19. ^ "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.
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