# Northampton Borough Council elections

Northampton Borough Council was the local authority for Northampton in Northamptonshire, England and was elected every four years. From the last boundary changes in 1999, 47 councillors were elected from 23 wards. The borough council was abolished in 2021, with the area becoming part of West Northamptonshire.

## Political control

From the first election to the council in 1973 until its abolition in 2021, political control of the council was held by the following parties:
| Party in control | Years |
| Labour | 1973–1976 |
| Conservative | 1976–1983 |
| No overall control | 1983–1987 |
| Conservative | 1987–1991 |
| No overall control | 1991–1995 |
| Labour | 1995–2003 |
| No overall control | 2003–2007 |
| Liberal Democrats | 2007–2011 |
| Conservative | 2011–2021 |

### Leadership

The mayor of Northampton was the ceremonial figurehead for the borough council, and tended to be held by a different person each year. Political leadership was provided instead by the leader of the council. The leaders from 2002 until the council's abolition in 2021 were:
| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| Keith Davies | Labour | | 4 May 2003 |
| Phil Larratt | Conservative | 22 May 2003 | Jan 2006 |
| Tim Hadland | Conservative | 23 Jan 2006 | 24 May 2007 |
| Tony Woods | Liberal Democrats | 24 May 2007 | 26 Oct 2009 |
| Brian Hoare | Liberal Democrats | 26 Oct 2009 | 8 May 2011 |
| David Palethorpe | Conservative | 19 May 2011 | Nov 2011 |
| David Mackintosh | Conservative | 7 Nov 2011 | 10 May 2015 |
| Mary Markham | Conservative | 21 May 2015 | 17 Oct 2016 |
| Jonathan Nunn | Conservative | 7 Nov 2016 | 31 Mar 2021 |
Jonathan Nunn subsequently became the first leader of the replacement West Northamptonshire Council.

## Council elections

* 1973 Northampton Borough Council election
* 1976 Northampton Borough Council election
* 1979 Northampton Borough Council election (New ward boundaries)
* 1983 Northampton Borough Council election
* 1987 Northampton Borough Council election
* 1991 Northampton Borough Council election
* 1995 Northampton Borough Council election
* 1999 Northampton Borough Council election (New ward boundaries increased the number of seats by 4)
* 2003 Northampton Borough Council election
* 2007 Northampton Borough Council election
* 2011 Northampton Borough Council election (New ward boundaries)
* 2015 Northampton Borough Council election

## Borough result maps

* 1999 results map
* 2003 results map
* 2007 results map
* 2011 results map
* 2015 results map

## By-election results
### 1995-1999

Headlands By-Election 1 May 1997 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 1,435 | 38.5 | −4.4 |
| | Labour | | 1,235 | 33.1 | −2.2 |
| | Conservative | | 1,059 | 28.4 | +6.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 200 | 5.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,729 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
St Albans By-Election 1 May 1997 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 1,867 | 58.6 | −17.1 |
| | Conservative | | 841 | 26.4 | +10.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 407 | 12.8 | +4.5 |
| | UKIP | | 71 | 2.2 | +2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,026 | 32.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,186 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
South By-Election 1 May 1997 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 1,662 | 46.1 | −16.4 |
| | Conservative | | 1,307 | 36.2 | +9.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 640 | 17.7 | +7.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 355 | 9.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,609 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
St Crispin By-Election 11 June 1998 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | | 551 | 65.9 | −3.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 113 | 13.5 | −7.5 |
| | Conservative | | 96 | 11.5 | +1.9 |
| | Green | | 45 | 5.4 | +5.4 |
| | Independent | | 31 | 3.7 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 438 | 52.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 836 | 16.7 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### 2003-2007

Spencer By-Election 9 February 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roger Conroy | 635 | 42.2 | +16.7 |
| | Labour | Alan Scott | 546 | 36.3 | −7.2 |
| | Conservative | Laura Norman | 265 | 17.6 | −13.4 |
| | Green | Marcus Rock | 33 | 2.2 | +2.2 |
| | CPA | Antony Solomon | 25 | 1.7 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 89 | 5.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,504 | 28.5 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### 2007-2011

New Duston By-Election 22 January 2009 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Matthew Golby | 1,072 | 53.0 | +9.7 |
| | Labour | Geoff Howes | 322 | 15.9 | −1.3 |
| | Independent | David Huffadine-Smith | 320 | 15.8 | −3.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Marion Allen-Minney | 307 | 15.2 | +7.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 750 | 37.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,021 | 32.2 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### 2015-2021

Westone By-Election 21 July 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Markham | 583 | 49.7 | +36.4 |
| | Conservative | Gregory Lunn | 319 | 27.2 | −28.7 |
| | Labour | Toby Birch | 270 | 23.0 | −7.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 264 | 23.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1127 | 33 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Eastfield By-Election 28 September 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul Joyce | 493 | 50.5 | +13.5 |
| | Conservative | Pauline Woodhouse | 288 | 29.5 | −4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Sawyer | 195 | 20.0 | +16.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 205 | 20.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 980 | 27 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Nene Valley By-Election 28 September 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Luke Graystone | 803 | 52.5 | +11.7 |
| | Labour | Nikesh Jani | 343 | 22.4 | +7.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Hoare | 293 | 19.2 | +9.0 |
| | Green | Denise Donaldson | 91 | 5.9 | +5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1530 | 18.2 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Delapre and Briar Hill By-Election 29 November 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Emma Roberts | 914 | 43.4 | +15.6 |
| | Conservative | Daniel Soan | 549 | 26.0 | +1.3 |
| | Independent | Nicola McKenna | 417 | 19.8 | +19.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Maher | 133 | 6.3 | −10.4 |
| | Green | Denise Donaldson | 95 | 4.5 | +4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 365 | 17.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,108 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |