West Northamptonshire Council Election 2021: Live from the count
The Chron news team - reporting live from The Wing complex at Silverstone Circuit - will bring you all the latest news, results and reaction throughout the day and into the evening as counting gets under way on this historical day (May 7).
Polling stations across the county closed at 10pm last night and the election will see candidates across the 31 wards in Northampton, Daventry and South Northamptonshire come together to form the new West Northamptonshire Council unitary authority.
Follow all the action here live with the Chron. Keep refreshing for all the latest updates.
West Northamptonshire Council Election 2021: Live updates, results and reaction
Key Events
- The first elections for the new unitary authority
- Chronicle & Echo reporters are at the count throughout the day
Duston West & St Crispin:
Jake Roberts - Con: 1,135
Julia Lynne Georgiou - Lib Dem: 529
Matthew John Golby - Con: 1,515 ELECTED
Stephen John Harley - Lib Dem: 354
Mike Hills - Lab: 868
Mike Ingram - Independent: 312
Anna King - Con: 1,352 ELECTED
Scott Skye Mabbutt - Green: 596
With the Boothville & Parklands results, the Conservatives now have 49 seats, Labour nine, Lib Dems three, Labour and Co-operative Party three and Independent, two. Forty-seven seats was the target to gain overall control of the council.
Boothville & Parklands:
Ray Beasley - British National Party: 92
Christine Louisa Fitchett - Lab: 848
Mike Hallam - Con: 2,107 ELECTED
Terrence Anthony Roy Haynes-Smith - Lab: 716
Jamie William Lane - Con: 1,660 ELECTED
Irene Patricia Markham - Lib Dem: 431
Laura Emily Stevenson - Con: 1,517 ELECTED
Roger Ward - Lab: 868
Edward Phillip Ian Whittaker - Independent: 158
Turnout: 37.72%
Boothville and Parklands: Elected Mike Hallam Junior, Jaime Lane, Laura Stevenson - all Conservative. That takes the Conservatives over the figure needed to have overall control of the council,
The leader of Northampton’s former Borough Council expressed sadness at creation of Northamptonshire’s new unitary councils - but stressed it was time to “get behind it”.
Jonathan Nunn led the former council as it voted to dissolve itself last year ahead.
Now, after securing one of Nene Valley’s ward seats, he said it was past time to “embrace” the new structure.
He said: “My heart was very much in the borough. I put so much of myself into it. In a way it took over my life. But now we’ve got to get our heart into this.
“This has to be the new show in town that we are committed to.
“We need to get this council going. There’s some uncertainty among residents about it and we need to give people that security and insure there’s a sense of unity.
“We’ve been working on delivering this unitary council for a number of years and we promised we would end up with something that was better. And we have to show it as better in the every day - be it potholes or whatever.”
However, the low voter turnout for West Northamptonshire - just 29.98 per cent - pointed to residents having trouble engaging with the two new larger councils that were thrust upon them this election.
When asked about this, Councillor Nunn said Covid-19 restrictions also played a part.
He said: “I do think if you spoke to residents a lot will say they have not had that instance of someone knocking on their door, and that makes a difference
“The reason some weren’t enthusiastic at the idea of being a unitary was because of the perception that you can be closer to your community as a local councillor.
“But I think we’ve got to embrace it. It’s here and we’ve now got to make the best of it.
“We’ve got to work with colleagues and have a sense of ambition across the whole area.”
Pinder Chauhan, Conservative councillor for East Hunsbury and Shelfleys, said: “It’s amazing, brilliant that I have been reelected after a lot of hard work. It’s nice to be able to represent again.
“The Sixfields ward and this one go into each other so I will be doing much of the same.
“It’s also good to get more women into local Government too.
“I want to listen to the residents and make sure their priorities are being listened to first of all.
“I’m keen to have more fitness events for children and families in parks, which have been important during lockdown and to connect the community together.
“I’m looking forward to getting to work. We all work together as councillors and we have known each other for some time, but we will all bring something different.”
Brackley:
Tony Baget-Webb - Con: 1,698 ELECTED
Fiona Elizabeth Baker - Con: 2,105 ELECTED
Richard John Butler - Independent: 1,179
Graham Terence Judd - Lab and Co-op: 651
Jason Richard Kew - Con: 1,216
Kate Nash - Lib Dem: 536
Arthur Peter Rawlinson - Independent: 673
Zana Salipur Brittain - Lab and Co-op: 706
Sue Sharps - Independent: 1,220
Luke Michael Young - Lab and Co-op: 722
Turnout: 33.68%
Woodford and Weedon:
John Henry Butlin - Lib Dem: 349
Zbigniew Chetnik - Lib Dem: 525
Alan George Faiers - Lib Dem: 511
Rupert Frost - Con: 2,063 ELECTED
Jo Gilford - Con: 2,048 ELECTED
Rebecca Lillian Phipps - Independent: 327
Victoria Reszeter - Lab: 758
Clare Patricia Slater - Green: 826
David James Smith - Con: 1,778
Turnout: 38.96%
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