Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire (abbreviated Northants or N'hants) is a landlocked county in central England with a population of 629,676 (2001 census). It has borders with Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Cambridgeshire (including Peterborough), Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire (including Milton Keynes (borough)). Oxfordshire and England's shortest county boundary (19 metres), with Lincolnshire. The county town is Northampton.

Politics

National representation

Northamptonshire returns six members of Parliament. Following the 2005 general election, two of these were members of the Labour Party, the other four belonging to the Conservative Party.

Related Topics:
Members of Parliament - 2005 general election - Labour Party - Conservative Party

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Local government

Like most English shire counties, Northamptonshire has a two-tier structure of local government. The county has an elected county council based in Northampton, and is also divided into seven districts each with their own district councils.

Related Topics:
Local government - County council - Northampton - Districts

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These districts are : Corby, Daventry, East Northamptonshire, Kettering, Northampton, South Northamptonshire, Wellingborough (see map). The district council offices for East Northamptonshire are based in Thrapston, and those for South Northamptonshire are based in Towcester.

Related Topics:
Corby - Daventry - East Northamptonshire - Kettering - Northampton - South Northamptonshire - Wellingborough - Thrapston - Towcester

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The County Council is presently controlled by the Labour Party, whereas the Conservative Party has a majority on most of the District Councils. The County Council uses a leader and cabinet executive system, currently led by Roy Mayhew. The County Council has six area committees - four for Northampton and one each corresponding to the other districts.

Related Topics:
Leader and cabinet - Roy Mayhew - Area committee

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Elections for the entire County Council are held every four years - the next are due to be held on 5 May 2005. Each of the 73 electoral divisions in the county elects a single councillor. Northamptonshire also has a number of civil parishes.

Related Topics:
5 May - 2005 - Electoral division - Civil parishes

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Northamptonshire County Council has been held by the Labour Party since 1993; before then it had been under no overall control since 1981. The councils of the rural districts — Daventry, East Northamptonshire, and South Northamptonshire — are strongly Conservative, whereas composition in the urban districts is more mixed. At the 2003 local elections, Labour lost control of Kettering, Northampton, and Wellingborough, retaining only Corby.

Related Topics:
1993 - No overall control - 1981

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Northampton itself is somewhat unusual in being the most populous urban district in England not to be administered as a unitary authority (even though several smaller districts are unitary). During the 1990s local government reform, Northampton Borough Council petitioned strongly for unitary status, which led to fractured relations with the County Council.

Related Topics:
Unitary authority - 1990s local government reform

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Northamptonshire is policed by Northamptonshire Police, and is covered by Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Related Topics:
Northamptonshire Police - Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service

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Before 1974, the Soke of Peterborough was considered part of Northamptonshire for ceremonial purposes, although it had had a separate county council since the 19th century, and separate Quarter Sessions courts before then. It is now usually considered to be a part of the ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire.

Related Topics:
1974 - Soke of Peterborough - Ceremonial purposes - 19th century - Quarter Sessions - Cambridgeshire

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