The 2021 West Northamptonshire Council election took place on 6 May 2021, alongside nationwide local elections. The election was originally due to take place in May 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A total of 93 councillors were elected, with the 31 wards electing 3 councillors each. The election was held concurrently with the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner election.
Background Following the insolvency of Northamptonshire County Council, local government in Northamptonshire was reorganised, with two Unitary authorities, West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire, replacing the preceding County Council, and Borough and District councils. The first election to the new authorities was due to take place in May 2020, but was postponed for a year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in England.
Campaign
The election was initially supposed to occur in 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Conservatives launched their campaign on 30 March, declaring that the new Councils would "give everyone in Northamptonshire a fresh start." The Liberal Democrat campaign launch was delayed by the death of the Duke of Edinburgh and promised a "listening, caring and competent council."
There were several controversies during the campaign. The Conservatives were criticised for a mistake on a leaflet in Silverstone ward, which had not been adapted from the standard template. This caused embarrassment, as the stock promise was '[insert prominent local pledges here, e.g. save our libraries]' despite local anger at Conservative plans to close twenty-one libraries in the previous council. The Conservatives, in turn, criticised the Liberal Democrats for a leaflet in the style of a tabloid newspaper, though the Labour Party and the Greens both defended the leaflet. The Labour candidate for Sixfields, Graham Croucher, was expelled from the party after standing against the official Labour candidate in the Northampton Town Council election.
Results Polling was open from 07:00 until 22:00 on 6 May 2021, with the Conservative Party winning a majority of 66 of the 93 seats (71% of seats) on 51% of the overall votes. This resulted in a Gallagher index score of 16.8, meaning the council is highly disproportionate.
The turnout of the election was at 29.98%, which was suggested to be low due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Summary of seats returned
Gains and losses calculated from nominal results of the 2017 Northamptonshire County Council election, which used the same electoral divisions.
List of results by ward
Daventry
Northampton
South Northamptonshire
Changes 2021–2025 May 2021: Ian McCord was suspended from the Conservatives. He subsequently won an appeal against his expulsion but continued to sit as an independent. June 2023: Paul Clark left the Conservatives to sit as an independent. December 2023: Suresh Patel (Conservative) resigned due to ill health, with a by-election held in February 2024. February 2024: Carl Squires (Liberal Democrats) gained the East Hunsbury and Shelfleys seat from the Conservatives. April 2024: Jonathan Nunn left the Conservatives to sit as an independent following allegations of domestic abuse. May 2024: Richard Solesbury-Timms was listed as a member of the Independent Group. August 2024: Louisa Fowler left the Conservatives to sit as an independent. November 2024: Lizzy Bowen (Conservative) resigned due to work commitments abroad and the seat remained vacant until the 2025 election; Sue Sharps, who had been sitting as an independent, joined Labour. December 2024: Paul Joyce left Labour to sit as an independent after being deselected as a candidate. March 2025: Nigel Hinch (Conservative) resigned and the seat remained vacant until the 2025 election.
By-elections
East Hunsbury and Shelfleys
The by-election followed the resignation of Conservative councillor Suresh Patel due to ill health.
Notes
References