HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? COUNCILLORS AND ELECTIONS Parish councils are funded by a “precept”, The new parish of Wellingborough is which is an amount factored into the divided into 9 wards with a total of 23

year’s council tax for each property in the councillors for the whole town council. The parish area. As part of the order making names of the wards and number of the town council, a first year anticipated councillors for each ward (as agreed precept was set at £306,372. This would be following the Community Governance a cost of under £20 per household per Review consultation) are below:

year, or £0.38 per week. 1) Brickhill ‐ 2 councillors

This figure was reached as an estimation of 2) Croyland ‐ 3 councillors some of the services that the new town 3) Hatton ‐ 2 councillors council could deliver, including town 4) Isebrook ‐ 1 councillor 5) Queensway ‐ 3 councillors centre environmental services and 6) Redwell ‐ 3 councillors management, the market, war memorials, 7) Rixon ‐ 3 councillors CCTV, community buildings, and events like Party in the Park and the Carnival. 8) Swanspool ‐ 3 councillors 9) Victoria ‐ 3 councillors

The disaggregation of services from the Elections will be held for these councillors INFORMATION ON borough council to the town council will be on Thursday 7 May 2020. A map of the considered by councillors ahead of the creation of the town council in May 2020. parish boundary and wards is below: THE NEW

It will be up to the town council to set the TOWN COUNCIL BOUNDARY AND WARDS WELLINGBOROUGH precept each year. The best way you can

influence this is to become a councillor and TOWN COUNCIL stand for election, or to vote for someone who wants to do the things for the community that you agree with!

QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions then please don’t hesitate to contact the elections team on [email protected] or by calling 01933 231513. BACKGROUND will be disaggregated (split) across the two HOW DO I STAND FOR ELECTION? In 2018, Borough Council of new unitary councils. There are lots of different qualifications to Wellingborough undertook a Community allow you to stand for election: If there was no town council in Governance Review (CGR) with a view to Wellingborough, that would mean that create a town council for Wellingborough. ‐ You are a registered local Wellingborough would no longer have government elector for the parish A public consultation was carried out representation specifically focussed on – and will continue to be for the between July and October 2018, with over Wellingborough. Councillors voted duration of your term of office – 80% of responses in agreement that following the Community Governance from the day you are nominated Wellingborough should have a town Review to establish a town council so that ‐ You have occupied (as owner or as council. residents could continue to have local a tenant) any land or other representation. premises in the parish area a full year before the day you’re TOWN AND PARISH COUNCILS The town of Wellingborough was the only nominated and polling day Town and parish councils are the “grass area in the borough which did not have ‐ Your main or only place of work roots” first tier of local government. They representation at this level. represent their communities and provide for the full year before the day services for them. that you’re nominated, and polling WHEN WILL THE TOWN COUNCIL START? day, has been in the parish area Decisions taken by local authorities vitally The first elections to Wellingborough Town ‐ You have lived in the parish area – affect the quality of life within their area Council will be held in May 2020. or within three miles of it – for a and the role of the local council is of critical full year before the day the day concern to the community it represents. Once residents have voted the first that you’re nominated and polling meeting of the Town Council will be held day. within fourteen days of the election. WHY NOW? You will need to submit your nomination Local government in is Wellingborough Town Council will then be papers in person roughly a month before changing. The district and borough councils an autonomous authority like any other polling day – specific dates will be available of Wellingborough, , and parish council in the area, and will hold closer to the time but the deadline is likely will be dissolved public meetings and begin to look at to be 7 April 2020. and will be formed into a new North services that it could deliver for the Northamptonshire Unitary Council. residents of the town. , and South FURTHER INFORMATION Northants will form a new West This will give a year of the town council The Electoral Commission offer lots of Northamptonshire Unitary Council. running alongside Borough Council of really good resources for candidates on Wellingborough before the new unitary their website: Northamptonshire County Council will also authorities are officially created (1 April www.electoralcommission.org.uk cease to exist, and the services it delivers 2021).