The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, The Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, has announced that two new unitary councils will be created in Northamptonshire.
One Council will cover the districts of Daventry, Northampton and South Northamptonshire, and be called “West Northamptonshire Council”. This will include the Brixworth Parish.
The other Council will cover the districts of Corby, East Northamptonshire, Kettering and Wellingborough and be called “North Northamptonshire Council”.
The announcement will allow all local government bodies in the county, including parish and town councils, to plan and prepare with greater clarity and certainty.
Vesting Day for the new unitary councils was originally planned for 1 April 2020, but it will now be 1 April 2021. This longer longer timescale will provide opportunity for greater transformation of services before the unitary councils come into being.
The announcement included arrangements for local elections. All parish and town councils in Northamptonshire will hold elections on 7 May 2020. On the same day there will be elections to the shadow councils, the precursors of the unitary councils.
The full written statement is at https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-05-14/HCWS1556/.
