Wicksteed (Kettering BC Ward)

Wicksteed Ward: (Kettering Borough Council)

Wicksteed within Kettering Borough

Kettering Borough within Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire within England

Wicksteed was a former ward within Borough of Kettering (Northamptonshire, England, UK) from 1974 until 2021.

The two-seat ward was traditionally regarded as a Labour safe seat, owing to the presence of the Highfield Road Council Estate. It later became a marginal seat between Labour and the Conservatives in the 2003 Borough Council elections. After the resignation of the sole Conservative councillor in the autumn of 2005, the seat was recaptured by the Labour Party in a by-election.

Wicksteed was merged with another ward and became the three-seat St Michaels & Wicksteed ward in 2007. In the 2007 Kettering Borough Council election, all three seats went to Conservative candidates.[1]

Northamptonshire County Council became insolvent in March 2018 and was abolished. All of its seven district councils were then dissolved, including the Borough of Kettering. Northamptonshire was further reorganized as part of the broader 2019–2023 structural changes to local government in England. Kettering fell under the unitary authority of a new North Northamptonshire Council as of 1 April 2021, and new elections took place in May 2021 within that structure.[2]

Wicksteed has since been a one-seat ward within the current Kettering Town Council.

Councillors before 2007 merger

Wicksteed Ward by-election: 6 October 2005

Replacing Cllr. Derek Darby (Conservative)

Kettering Borough Council elections 2003

Kettering Borough Council elections 1999

Election results

Wicksteed Ward by-election: 6 October 2005

  • Cause: Resignation of Cllr. Derek Darby
  • Holding party: Conservative
Kettering Borough Council by-election, Wicksteed Ward: 6 October 2005
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lynsey Tod 464 49.7 +0.3
Conservative Scott Edwards 374 40.0 −9.4
Liberal Democrats Chris McGlynn 96 10.3 +10.3
Majority 90 9.6
Turnout 934 35.4 +4.8
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +5.4

Electorate: 2638

Kettering Borough Council elections 2003

Kettering Borough Council elections 2003: Wicksteed Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Derek Darby 427 25.7
Labour Alex Gordon 426 25.6
Conservative Paul Marks 413 24.9
Labour Roy Mayhew 395 23.8
Ward summary
Party Votes % votes Seats Change
Conservative 420 50.6 1 +1
Labour 411 49.4 1 -1
Total votes cast 831
Electorate 2,715
Turnout 30.6%

(Vote count shown is ward average.)

See also

References

  1. ^ "BBC NEWS | Election 2007 | Local Council Elections | Kettering council". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  2. ^ "Northamptonshire: Unitary authorities plan approved". BBC News. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)