District in England
Unitary authority area in England
West Northamptonshire
is a
unitary authority area
covering part of the
ceremonial county
of
Northamptonshire
,
England
, created in 2021.
[6]
By far the largest settlement in West Northamptonshire is the
county town
of
Northampton
. Its other significant towns are
Daventry
,
Brackley
and
Towcester
; the rest of the area is predominantly agricultural villages though it has many lakes and small woodlands and is passed through by the
West Coast Main Line
and the
M1
and
M40
motorways. The district includes the site of the Roman town of
Bannaventa
,
[7]
and the grade I
listed
Althorp House
and its estate.
[8]
History
[
edit
]
West Northamptonshire was formed on 1 April 2021 through the merger of the three
non-metropolitan districts
of
Daventry
,
Northampton
, and
South Northamptonshire
, it absorbed the functions of these districts, plus those of the abolished
Northamptonshire County Council
.
In March 2018, following
financial and cultural mismanagement
by the cabinet and officers at Northamptonshire County Council, the then Secretary of State for Local Government,
Sajid Javid
, sent commissioner Max Caller into the council, who recommended the county council and all-district and borough councils in the county be abolished, and replaced by two unitary authorities, one covering the West, and one the North of the county.
[9]
These proposals were approved in April 2019. It meant that the districts of Daventry, Northampton and South Northamptonshire were merged to form a new unitary authority called West Northamptonshire, whilst the second unitary authority
North Northamptonshire
consists of the former
Corby
,
East Northamptonshire
,
Kettering
and
Wellingborough
districts.
[10]
[11]
Governance
[
edit
]
West Northamptonshire Council provides both
county-level
and
district-level
services. The whole area is also covered by
civil parishes
, which form a second tier of local government.
[16]
Political control
[
edit
]
Since its creation in 2021, the
Conservatives
have held a majority of the seats on the council:
[17]
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.
[18]
Composition
[
edit
]
Following the
2021 election
and subsequent changes up to May 2024, the composition of the council was:
Four of the six independents sit together as the 'Independent Group'.
[20]
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.
[21]
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.
[22]
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.
[23]
Demographics
[
edit
]
Population
[
edit
]
The West Northamptonshire population was estimated to be around 406,733 people in 2020, in 2011, off of previous administrative boundaries, the population of the West Northamptonshire area was around 375,101 people, with it being 345,589 people in 2001.
[24]
Gender
[
edit
]
In 2020, there was around an estimated 202,004 men and 204,729 women.
[24]
Ethnicity
[
edit
]
Ethnic Group
|
1991
[25]
|
2001
[26]
|
2011
[27]
|
Number
|
%
|
Number
|
%
|
Number
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
White
: Total
|
301,940
|
96.1%
|
326,513
|
94.5%
|
336,933
|
89.8%
|
White:
British
|
?
|
?
|
315,127
|
91.2%
|
314,924
|
84%
|
White:
Irish
|
?
|
?
|
4,996
|
|
4,011
|
|
White:
Gypsy or Irish Traveller
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
214
|
|
White:
Other
|
?
|
?
|
6,390
|
|
17,784
|
|
Asian or Asian British
: Total
|
6,268
|
2%
|
7,224
|
2.1%
|
16,063
|
4.3%
|
Asian or Asian British:
Indian
|
2,918
|
|
3,915
|
|
6,471
|
|
Asian or Asian British:
Pakistani
|
563
|
|
915
|
|
1,789
|
|
Asian or Asian British:
Bangladeshi
|
1,215
|
|
1,818
|
|
3,474
|
|
Asian or Asian British:
Chinese
|
847
|
|
1,495
|
|
2,005
|
|
Asian or Asian British: Other Asian
|
725
|
|
576
|
|
2,324
|
|
Black or Black British
: Total
|
4,746
|
1.5%
|
5,078
|
1.5%
|
11,598
|
3.1%
|
Black or Black British:
Caribbean
|
2,877
|
|
3,077
|
|
6,837
|
|
Black or Black British:
African
|
513
|
|
1,465
|
|
3,298
|
|
Black or Black British:
Other Black
|
1,356
|
|
536
|
|
1,463
|
|
Mixed or British Mixed
: Total
|
?
|
?
|
4,412
|
1.3%
|
8,823
|
2.4%
|
Mixed: White and Black Caribbean
|
?
|
?
|
2,009
|
|
3,819
|
|
Mixed: White and Black African
|
?
|
?
|
353
|
|
1,241
|
|
Mixed: White and Asian
|
?
|
?
|
1,130
|
|
1,947
|
|
Mixed: Other Mixed
|
?
|
?
|
920
|
|
1,816
|
|
Other: Total
|
1,283
|
0.4%
|
867
|
0.3%
|
1,684
|
0.4%
|
Other: Arab
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
579
|
|
Other: Any other ethnic group
|
1,283
|
0.4%
|
867
|
|
1,105
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
314,237
|
100%
|
345,589
|
100%
|
375,101
|
100%
|
Age structure
[
edit
]
Age distribution of West Northamptonshire in 2020
[24]
0-9 years
|
10-19 years
|
20-29 years
|
30-39 years
|
40-49 years
|
50-59 years
|
60-69 years
|
70-79 years
|
80+ years
|
52,453
|
48,857
|
45,494
|
52,919
|
54,387
|
57,322
|
43,181
|
34,676
|
17,865
|
Media
[
edit
]
In terms of television, West Northamptonshire is served by
BBC East
and
ITV Anglia
with television signals received from the
Sandy Heath
transmitter.
[28]
However, some southwestern parts of the area such as
Brackley
is served by
BBC South
and
ITV Meridian
broadcasting from the
Oxford
TV transmitter.
[29]
Radio stations for the area are:
The area is served by these local newspapers:
Northampton Chronicle & Echo
,
Daventry Express
and
Banbury Guardian
which covers
Brackley
.
Settlements and parishes
[
edit
]
For a county-wide list for Northamptonshire see
List of places in Northamptonshire
West Northamptonshire is entirely covered by
civil parishes
, of which there are 166.
[30]
- Abthorpe
,
Adstone
,
Althorp
,
Arthingworth
,
Ashby St Ledgers
,
Ashton
,
Aston le Walls
,
Astrop
,
Aynho
- Badby
,
Barby
,
Blakesley
,
Blisworth
,
Boddington
,
Boughton
,
Brackley
,
Bradden
,
Brafield-on-the-Green
,
Braunston
,
Brington
,
Brixworth
,
Brockhall
,
Bugbrooke
,
Byfield
- Caldecote
,
Canons Ashby
,
Castle Ashby
,
Chacombe
,
Chapel Brampton
,
Charlton
,
Charwelton
,
Chipping Warden
,
Church Brampton
,
Church Stowe
,
Clay Coton
Clipston
,
Cogenhoe
,
Cold Ashby
,
Cold Higham
,
Cosgrove
,
Coton
,
Cottesbrooke
,
Courteenhall
,
Creaton
,
Crick
,
Croughton
,
Culworth
- Daventry
,
Deanshanger
,
Denton
,
Dodford
,
Draughton
- East Farndon
,
East Haddon
,
Easton Neston
,
Edgcote
,
Elkington
,
Evenley
,
Everdon
,
Eydon
- Farthinghoe
,
Farthingstone
,
Flore
,
Fawsley
- Gayton
,
Grafton Regis
,
Grange Park
,
Great Brington
,
Great Oxendon
,
Greatworth
,
Greens Norton
,
Grimscote
,
Guilsborough
- Hackleton
,
Hanging Houghton
,
Hannington
,
Harlestone
,
Harpole
,
Hartwell
,
Haselbech
,
Hellidon
,
Helmdon
,
Hinton-in-the-Hedges
,
Holcot
,
Holdenby
,
Hollowell
- Kelmarsh
,
Kilsby
,
King's Sutton
,
Kislingbury
- Lamport
,
Lilbourne
,
Litchborough
,
Little Brington
,
Little Houghton
,
Long Buckby
,
Lower Catesby
- Maidford
,
Maidwell
,
Marston St. Lawrence
,
Marston Trussell
,
Middleton Cheney
,
Milton Malsor
,
Moreton Pinkney
,
Moulton
- Naseby
,
Nether Heyford
,
Newbottle
,
Newnham
,
Northampton
,
Norton
- Old
,
Old Stratford
,
Overthorpe
,
Overstone
- Passenham
,
Pattishall
,
Paulerspury
,
Pitsford
,
Potterspury
,
Preston Capes
- Quinton
- Radstone
,
Ravensthorpe
,
Roade
,
Rothersthorpe
- Scaldwell
,
Shutlanger
,
Sibbertoft
,
Silverstone
,
Slapton
,
Spratton
,
Stanford-on-Avon
,
Staverton
,
Stoke Bruerne
,
Sulby
,
Sulgrave
,
Syresham
- Teeton
,
Thenford
,
Thornby
,
Thorpe Mandeville
,
Tiffield
,
Towcester
- Upper Catesby
,
Upper Heyford
,
Upper Stowe
- Wappenham
,
Walgrave
,
Warkworth
,
Watford
,
Weedon Bec
,
Weedon Lois
,
Welford
,
Welton
,
West Haddon
,
Weston
,
Whilton
,
Whiston
,
Whitfield
,
Whittlebury
,
Wicken
,
Winwick
,
Woodend
,
Woodford Halse
- Yardley Gobion
,
Yardley Hastings
,
Yelvertoft
Arms
[
edit
]
Coat of arms of West Northamptonshire
- Notes
- Granted in May 2023.
[31]
- Motto
- Ambition, Pride, Unity, Prosperity
|
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Councillors and democracy"
.
West Northamptonshire Council
. Retrieved
12 February
2024
.
- ^
"Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022"
.
Office for National Statistics
. 26 March 2024
. Retrieved
3 May
2024
.
- ^
"Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022"
.
Office for National Statistics
. 26 March 2024
. Retrieved
3 May
2024
.
- ^
a
b
UK Census
(2021).
"2021 Census Area Profile ? West Northamptonshire Local Authority (E06000062)"
.
Nomis
.
Office for National Statistics
. Retrieved
12 February
2024
.
- ^
a
b
Fenton, Trevor (25 April 2023).
"Regional gross domestic product: local authorities"
.
Office for National Statistics
. Retrieved
12 February
2024
.
- ^
"Northampton's parks and historic buildings may be managed by another council after unitary changes"
.
Northampton Chronicle
. 17 September 2018
. Retrieved
27 July
2020
.
- ^
Historic England
.
"Site of Bannaventa (1003879)"
.
National Heritage List for England
. Retrieved
28 August
2023
.
- ^
Historic England
.
"Althorp House (1356626)"
.
National Heritage List for England
. Retrieved
28 August
2023
.
- ^
"Northamptonshire County Council: statement"
. 27 March 2018
. Retrieved
13 June
2018
.
- ^
"Northamptonshire: Unitary authorities plan approved"
.
BBC News
. 14 May 2019
. Retrieved
18 August
2020
.
- ^
"AT LAST! Northamptonshire's new unitary councils are made law by parliament"
. Northampton Chronicle. 14 February 2020
. Retrieved
18 August
2020
.
- ^
"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
.
- ^
a
b
c
"West Northamptonshire (Unitary District, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location"
.
www.citypopulation.de
. Retrieved
24 June
2022
.
- ^
1991 census data taken from
NOMIS
which was extracted using the 'local authorities: district / unitary (prior to April 2015)' geography type.
- ^
"Office of National Statistics; 2001 Census Key Statistics"
.
webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk
. Retrieved
7 September
2021
.
- ^
"2011 Census: Ethnic Group, local authorities in England and Wales"
.
webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk
. Retrieved
15 December
2021
.
- ^
"Full Freeview on the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmitter"
.
UK Free TV
. 1 May 2004
. Retrieved
22 April
2024
.
- ^
"Full Freeview on the Oxford (Oxfordshire, England) transmitter"
.
UK Free TV
. 1 May 2004
. Retrieved
22 April
2024
.
- ^
"West Northamptonshire - with parishes"
. City Population
. Retrieved
29 January
2024
.
- ^
"Coat of Arms"
. West Northamptonshire Council
. Retrieved
20 May
2023
.
External links
[
edit
]
|
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Unitary authorities
| |
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Major settlements
(cities in italics)
| |
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Rivers
| |
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Canals
| |
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Topics
| |
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