# Knutsford Town Council

Knutsford Town Council is the town council for the Cheshire Market Town of Knutsford. It was established in 1974 as a successor council to the Knutsford Urban District Council. The last full council elections were held in May 2023, four wards were uncontested whilst a poll was held in the fifth. The elections saw the Conservatives lose control of the council with 10 Independent councillors elected and five Conservatives. The council is split into five wards, Nether (3), Norbury Booths (3), St John's Wood (3), Cross Town (3) and Bexton and Town Centre (3).
In 2021, Town Clerk to Knutsford Town Council, Adam Keppel-Green, was named Clerk of the Year in the NALC Star Council Awards.

## Precursor

The Knutsford Urban District Council was an Urban District Council for the town of Knutsford, Cheshire from 1895 to 1974. It was established in 1895 following the establishment and dissolution of parish councils created under the Local Government Act 1894 for Nether Knutsford and Over Knutsford. The Urban District Council was dissolved in 1974 upon the creation of the Knutsford Town Council.

## Powers and functions

The Town Council derives the bulk of its powers from the Local Government Act 1972 and subsequent legislation. The Council adopted the General Power of Competence in 2013 giving it a greater range of powers in line with the Localism Act 2011. The Town Council is a Market Authority, operating an Indoor Market Hall and licensing other markets within its boundary, including a monthly Makers' Market of artisan and local producers. The Town Council operates public toilets, a cemetery and chapel, and Allotments and is seeking to take ownership of the Council Offices and certain open spaces from Cheshire East Council. The Town Council delivers a programme of community events and undertakes a range of initiatives to support the town centre.

## Town Mayor

At its inception the newly formed Town Council resolved that the Chairman be styled Town Mayor. The Mayor is elected annually at the Annual Council Meeting in May. The incumbent is Cllr Mike Houghton who took office in May 2022. The Mayor acts a Leader/Chairman of the Town Council and also undertakes an important ambassadorial role, attending community events, opening shops and businesses and acting as a representative of the town in neighbouring areas. The Mayor also hosts a number of fundraising events throughout the year raising money for chosen charities.

## Elections
### 2023 Election

Elections are due to be held on 4 May 2023 for the four wards of the Town Council on the same day as elections to Cheshire East Council. These are the first elections following a community governance review which changes the town boundary and modifies the number of wards. Four wards were uncontested returning councillors unopposed, Cross Town ward is contested and a poll will be held on 4 May 2023. The election sees the end of a Conservative majority.
Bexton and Town Centre Ward :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Conservative | Stewart Gardiner | unopposed |
| Independent | April Johnson | unopposed |
| Independent | Gus Watson | unopposed |
Cross Town Ward (3 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Conservative | Peter Coan | 393 | 23.25% |
| Independent | Lesley Dalzell | 473 | 27.99% |
| Independent | Rex Mears | 484 | 28.64% |
| Conservative | Tim Regan | 340 | 20.12% |
Nether Ward :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Independent | Bryan Hartley | unopposed |
| Independent | Scott Lowe | unopposed |
| Independent | Matthew Wood | unopposed |
Norbury Booths Ward :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Conservative | Christopher Gray | unopposed |
| Conservative | Matthew Robertson | unopposed |
| Independent | Su Russell | unopposed |
St John’s Wood Ward :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Independent | Colin Banks | unopposed |
| Independent | James McCulloch | unopposed |
| Conservative | Jennifer Forrest | unopposed |

### By-Elections 2019-2023

Two by-elections were held in May 2021. A by-election for Nether Ward was triggered in April 2020 following the resignation of Katherine Fletcher who had been elected as an MP in December 2019 whilst a by-election for Bexton Ward was triggered following the death of Cllr Barbara Hamilton Coan in November 2020. Both elections had been on hold until May 2021 due to the moratorium on elections under the Coronavirus Act 2020. In February 2023, Cllr Jan Nicholson resigned as Deputy Town Mayor and councillor, the vacancy was left unfilled until the May 2023 elections.
Bexton Ward - By-election 2021 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Amy Rosalind Hobson | 394 | 48.28 | |
| | Conservative | Millie Morris | 422 elected | 51.72 | |
Nether Ward - By-election 2021 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Conservative | Annie Greer | 319 | 37.09 |
| Independent | Scott Lowe | 379 elected | 44.07 |
| Liberal Democrats | Bill Tenger | 162 | 18.84 |

### 2019 Election

Elections were held for all four wards in May 2019. All elections were uncontested and one vacancy was left on Over Ward which was filled by co-option with Conservative Elizabeth Beswick.
Bexton Ward :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Conservative | Barbara Hamilton Coan | unopposed |
| Conservative | Mike Houghton | unopposed |
| Conservative | James Power | unopposed |
Nether Ward :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Conservative | Katherine Fletcher | unopposed |
| Conservative | Christopher Gray | unopposed |
| Conservative | Stewart Gardiner | unopposed |
Norbury Booths Ward :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Independent | Quentin Abel | unopposed |
| Conservative | Jan Nicholson | unopposed |
| Conservative | Matthew Robertson | unopposed |
Over Ward :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Conservative | Peter Coan | unopposed |
| Independent | Lesley Dalzell | unopposed |
| Conservative | Neil Forbes | unopposed |
| Conservative | James McCulloch | unopposed |
| Independent | Andrew Malloy | unopposed |
| | Uncontested | |

### By-Elections 2015-2019

A by-election was held for Norbury Booths ward on 5 April 2018 following the resignation of incumbent Independent Councillor Charlotte Greenstein
Norbruy Booths Ward - By-election 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Quentin Abel | 233 | 32.15 | |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Beswick | 496 elected | 67.85 | |
A by-election was held for Over ward on 4 May 2017 following the resignation of incumbent Independent Councillor Yvonne Bancroft
Over Ward - By-election 2017 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Independent | Rebecca O’Rourke | 364 | 30.30 |
| Labour | David Stephenson | 305 | 25.40 |
| Conservative | Jon Wells Bradshaw | 532 elected | 44.30 |

### 2015 Election

Elections were held on 7 May 2015 for the four wards of the Town Council on the same day as elections to Cheshire East Council and Tatton (UK Parliament constituency) Parliamentary seat. Bexton Ward was not contested with the three candidates being elected unopposed. Nether Ward ended in a dead heat between two candidates, settled by the drawing of lots.
Nether Ward :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Conservative | Christopher Gray | 690 elected | 24.25 |
| Conservative | Stewart Gardiner | 855 elected | 30.05 |
| Conservative | James Power | 650 elected | 22.85 |
| Independent | Julie Tempest | 650 | 22.85 |
Norbury Booths Ward :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Independent | Charlotte Greenstein | 802 elected | 23.55 |
| Conservative | Janet Nicholson | 970 elected | 28.48 |
| Conservative | Hayley Wells-Bradshaw | 870 elected | 25.54 |
| Conservative | Jon Wells-Bradshaw | 764 | 22.43 |
Bexton Ward :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Conservative | Tony Dean | unopposed |
| Conservative | Christine Gray | unopposed |
| Conservative | Simon Hutchence | unopposed |
Over Ward :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Independent | Yvonne Bancroft | 1209 elected | 15.70 |
| Conservative | Peter Coan | 886 elected | 11.51 |
| Conservative | Jonathan Farber | 905 elected | 11.75 |
| Conservative | Neil Forbes | 921 elected | 11.96 |
| Conservative | Jane Froehlich | 819 | 10.64 |
| Conservative | Julian Goodrich | 871 elected | 11.31 |
| Conservative | Michael Houghton | 811 | 10.53 |
| Independent | Andrew Malloy | 1278 elected | 16.60 |

### By-Elections 2011-2015

A by-election was held for Nether Ward on 13 November 2014 following the death of incumbent Conservative Councillor, Clive Nicholson.
Nether Ward - By-election 2014 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Conservative | Christopher Gray | 271 elected | 55.96 |
| Independent | Julie Tempest | 160 | 32.45 |
| Labour | Graeme Webster | 62 | 12.57 |
A by-election was held for Over Ward on 7 February following the resignation of incumbent Conservative Councillor Bernadette Emmett.
Over Ward - By-election 2013 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Independent | Yvonne Bancroft | 368 elected | 50.69 |
| Conservative | Paul Hamilton | 258 | 35.54 |
| UKIP | Gerald Norden | 100 | 13.77 |

### 2011 Election

Elections were held on 5 May 2011. Both Norbury Booths and Nether Wards were uncontested, returning three Conservative councillors each.
Bexton Ward 2011 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Liberal Democrats | Caroline Aldhouse | 341 | 19.92 |
| Liberal Democrats | Francis Aldhouse | 338 | 19.74 |
| Liberal Democrats | Barbara Austin | 454 | 26.52 |
| Conservative | Tony Dean | 579 elected | 33.82 |
| Conservative | Michael Houghton | 568 elected | 33.18 |
| Conservative | Simon Hutchence | 501 elected | 29.26 |
Bexton Ward 2011 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Conservative | Barbara Coan | 686 elected | 11.49 |
| Conservative | Peter Coan | 691 elected | 11.58 |
| Conservative | Bernadette Emmett | 771 elected | 12.92 |
| Conservative | Neil Forbes | 696 elected | 11.66 |
| Conservative | Julian Goodrich | 698 elected | 11.69 |
| Independent | David Heffernan | 645 | 10.81 |
| Liberal Democrats | Barbara Kay | 477 | 7.99 |
| Independent | Andrew Malloy | 665 elected | 11.14 |
| Conservative | Charles Mountain | 640 | 10.72 |
Nether Ward 2011 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Conservative | Vivien Davies | unopposed |
| Conservative | Stewart Gardiner | unopposed |
| Conservative | Clive Nicholson | unopposed |
Norbury Booths Ward 2011 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Conservative | Gary Lasham | unopposed |
| Conservative | Janet Nicholson | unopposed |
| Conservative | Peter Raynes | unopposed |