West Northamptonshire

West Northamptonshire is a unitary authority area covering part of the ceremonial county of Northamptonshire, England, created in 2021.[2] 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,[3] and the grade I listed Althorp House and its estate.[4]

This article is about the district. For the development corporation, see West Northamptonshire Development Corporation.

West Northamptonshire
Unitary authority area
Northampton, Daventry, Brackley and Towcester
Official logo of West Northamptonshire
West Northamptonshire within Northamptonshire
West Northamptonshire within Northamptonshire
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionEast Midlands
Ceremonial countyNorthamptonshire
Established1 April 2021
Government
 • TypeUnitary authority
Area
 • Total532 sq mi (1,377 km2)
 • Rank16th
Population
 (2021)
 • Total426,462
 • Rank15th
 • Density800/sq mi (310/km2)
  • Rank216th
Time zoneUTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
ONS codeE06000062 (GSS)[1]

History

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.[5] 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.[6][7]

The council uses the former Northamptonshire County Council's offices at One Angel Square, 4 Angel Street, Northampton as its headquarters, but also continues to use the offices inherited from the three former district councils at Northampton Guildhall (from Northampton Borough Council), The Forum in Towcester (from South Northamptonshire District Council) and Lodge Road in Daventry (from Daventry District Council).

Council
West Northamptonshire Council
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Jonathan Nunn,
Conservative
since 20 May 2021[8]
Chief Executive
Anna Earnshaw
Structure
Political groups
Administration (66)
  Conservative (66)

Opposition (27)

  Labour (20)
  Liberal Democrats (5)
  Independent (2)
Elections
Last election
6 May 2021
Meeting place
One Angel Square, 4 Angel Street, Northampton, NN1 1ED[9]
Website
https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/
See also: 2021 West Northamptonshire Council election

Elections for a shadow authority were due to be held on Thursday 7 May 2020 but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These elections were held on 6 May 2021 with the Conservatives winning an overall majority.

The Council comprises 93 councillors elected across 31 wards.[10] As a result of the 2021 elections, the Conservatives hold 66 seats, the Labour Party hold 20, the Liberal Democrats hold 5 and there are 3 independent councillors.

Population pyramid in 2020

Demographics

Population

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.[11]

Gender

In 2020, there was around an estimated 202,004 men and 204,729 women.[11]

Ethnicity
Ethnic Group 1991[12] 2001[13] 2011[14]
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
Age distribution of West Northamptonshire in 2020[11]
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

Settlements and parishes

For a county-wide list for Northamptonshire see List of places in Northamptonshire

Arms
Coat of arms of West Northamptonshire
Notes
Granted in May 2023.[15]
Motto
Ambition, Pride, Unity, Prosperity

See also

References
  1. "Local Authority Districts (April 2021) Names and Codes in the United Kingdom". geoportal.statistics.gov.uk.
  2. "Northampton's parks and historic buildings may be managed by another council after unitary changes". Northampton Chronicle. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  3. Historic England. "Site of Bannaventa (1003879)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  4. Historic England. "Althorp House (1356626)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  5. "Northamptonshire County Council: statement". Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  6. "Northamptonshire: Unitary authorities plan approved". BBC News. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  7. "AT LAST! Northamptonshire's new unitary councils are made law by parliament". Northampton Chronicle. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  8. "Council minutes, 20 May 2021". West Northamptonshire Council. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  9. Council, Northampton Borough. "Councillors agree next steps towards shadow authority preparations". www.northampton.gov.uk.
  10. Area, West Northamptonshire Council-Northampton. "7 May 2020 Elections". www.northampton.gov.uk.
  11. "West Northamptonshire (Unitary District, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  12. 1991 census data taken from NOMIS which was extracted using the 'local authorities: district / unitary (prior to April 2015)' geography type.
  13. "Office of National Statistics; 2001 Census Key Statistics". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  14. "2011 Census: Ethnic Group, local authorities in England and Wales". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  15. "Coat of Arms". West Northamptonshire Council. Retrieved 20 May 2023.

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