Protest held against WNC's decision to evict town council from historic Guildhall in Northampton

Councillors protested against plans to kick Northampton Town Council (NTC) out of the historic Guildhall by March 2025.

The decision to remove NTC from The Guildhall was made by the Conservative-led West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) at a cabinet meeting on January 16.

WNC leader Jonathan Nunn said the move is expected to save taxpayers at least £350,000 a year initially. NTC said it only pays £85,000 a year in rent.

WNC added that it has identified it has “significantly more office space than it requires”, along with a need to “change how it uses its buildings to better support residents”.

However, Labour-led NTC has been fighting back ever since, with the latest action being a protest outside The Guildhall before a WNC meeting on Thursday (February 22).

Leader of Labour Group at NTC, Jane Birch said: “The Guildhall has been the home to the town council in its various guises over the years since 1833, and we feel this is the heart of Northampton.

“If we move away from The Guildhall… we feel we’re going to lose the voice of Northampton, the symbolism of The Guildhall.

“The history of the town is written in the stonework and the paintings of the building and as the Town Council we feel we’re the curators of that and we hold the story for the people of the future, for the next generation. If we move, all that gets lost.

“We are a new council but we have roots way back into the 19th Century. This is the traditional home of the administration of the town.

“We feel it is wrong that we are going to be moved out in March 2025, and we can’t see any reason for it. Logical or financial. Why is WNC doing this? I’ve never had any answer, they’ve never consulted with us.

“All of our former mayors and aldermen and freemen are outraged. The history and the heritage of the town council at The Guildhall will be fragmented, diluted. It will be no longer.

“It’s really important the citizens have their town hall and that the NTC is there to support them.

“We’d like to have some negotiations. We haven’t had any. We’ve just been told that we will vacate in March 2025. We’d like to keep the historic town hall, which we were promised by the borough. It was passed at full council and a lot of the current cabinet at WNC were there and agreed to it at the time in 2021. We want to stay with the mayoralty. We want to continue our work in the town centre. The Guildhall belongs to the people of Northampton.”

WNC has been contacted for comment.

Former Borough and County Councillor, Former Member of Parliament, Northampton South, Tony Clarke wrote a letter to WNC outlining his concerns and outrage at the proposal.

Mr Clarke said: “I have deep concerns and outrage regarding the potential decision to evict the Mayor and the Town Council from the historic building they occupy. A building that belongs to the people of Northampton.

“As a member of the local community and a passionate advocate for preserving our cultural heritage, I strongly urge WNC to reconsider this unjust action. The Mayoralty and seating of Northampton's Local Governance have been an integral part of our Town community for hundreds of years, contributing significantly to the preservation and promotion of our local history and heritage.

“I therefore implore you to explore alternative solutions that allow both the Mayor and Town Council to remain in their current location as per the promises made in previous decisions and motions agreed to by various councils prior and post local government reorganisation.

“I would urge WNC to renegotiate their future terms of occupancy. The Mayor and Town Council must be able to continue its valuable work without disruption and without deadline or threat of eviction.

“For generations the people of Northampton have been able to escort visitors into the building to show them the wonders that exist inside and take pride in our local history and Civic life. It is nothing other than administrative malice to continue to deny access to the public into a building that belongs to them, and to deny them and the Mayor and Town Council free access to view the wonderful rooms inside.

“By even considering the eviction of our Mayor and Town Council from the Guildhall, you are not only harming a vital community institution but also neglecting your responsibility to safeguard our cultural heritage for future generations.

“I would therefore urge you to act swiftly to reverse this reported intention and work collaboratively with the Mayor and Town Council to find a mutually beneficial solution.

“Our community's history and identity are at stake, and it is imperative that we take a stand to protect them. There was much anger expressed at the meeting I attended as to the behaviour of WNC, an authority with no history and no geographical integrity, let alone individual community identity, and many of those present expressed a willingness to do all we can, including physical obstruction to prevent any eviction taking place.

“As guardians of our local government past we have a duty to future generations to prevent such a calamity and crime being inflicted on our town.

“WNC has the opportunity to choose between resolution of this issue to the benefit of future relationships between all involved, or conflict and dishonour if you choose to continue with this folly.

“If you choose dishonour, I can only promise you my total resistance and determination to see justice done.”