Council

By-election called for Loatland Ward

An election is to be held for a Councillor for Desborough Town Council Loatland Ward.

Nomination papers for the election may be obtained from the Clerk to the Town Council or from the office of the Returning Officer, Kettering Borough Council, Municipal Offices, Bowling Green Road, Kettering NN15 7QX.

Nomination papers must be delivered by hand to the Returning Officer at Kettering Borough Council, Municipal Offices, Bowling Green Road, Kettering, NN15 7QX on any working day from the date of publication of this notice (excluding bank holidays) but no later than 4pm on Friday 27th September 2019.

If the election is contested the poll will take place on Thursday 24th October 2019.

September 19, 2019 in Council

Notice of Vacancy in the Office of Councillor, Loatland Ward

Pursuant to Section 87(f) of the Local Government Act 1972, a vacancy now exists in the office of Councillor for the Loatland Ward of the Town Council. 

If, within fourteen working days* of the date of this notice, a request for an election to fill the vacancy is made in writing to either: 

– the Returning Officer at Kettering Borough Council or

– the Town Clerk at Desborough Town Council

by TEN electors for the Ward, an election will be held to fill the vacancy. If no such request is received the Town Council may fill the vacancy by co-option. 

A copy of the formal notice is here.

*30/08/2019

August 8, 2019 in Council

The Brexit effect – change of date Annual Town Meeting

Owing to the UK’s (very likely) involvement in the European Parliamentary elections on 23 May 2019, the date of the Annual Town Meeting has had to be changed.  The meeting will be postponed by one week to 30 May 2019.

If any local organisation would like to make a report or presentation to the meeting please get in touch with the Town Clerk as soon as possible.

April 26, 2019 in Council

Want to be a Councillor?

Have you got what it takes to be a Town Councillor?

  • Do you want to serve our community?  
  • Do you have time or expertise which could benefit our community?  
  • Do you want to make a difference to all those around you?
  • Are you concerned about our local area?
  • Do you want to represent the views of local people?

If you would like to make a difference, and be involved in shaping the future of our local community, why not step forward and apply to become a Desborough Town Councillor?

The Council has a vacancy for a Councillor (Loatland Ward) and is looking for people to put themselves forward.  There is a short form to fill in and send to the Town Clerk.  The form is on the website here, and is available from the Council’s office in the library building.

The closing date for the receipt of signed forms by the Town Clerk is 5 o’clock on 3 April 2019.

Meetings of the Council are held in the Library on the third Thursday of each month at 7 o’clock, except August when there’s no meeting and December when the meeting is a week earlier.

To qualify to be co-opted you must:-

  • be a British subject over 18 years old
  • be listed on the current electoral register
  • live in Desborough, or within 3 miles of its boundary, or occupy as owner/tenant any land/premises therein or have a principal place of work within the Parish
  • not be disqualified from holding office as a Councillor.

If you are interested, would like more information, or an application form, please contact the Town Clerk, Graham Thomson.

March 22, 2019 in Council

Notice of Vacancy in the Office of Councillor, Loatland Ward

Pursuant to Section 87(f) of the Local Government Act 1972, a vacancy now exists in the office of Councillor for the Loatland Ward of the Town Council. 

If, within fourteen working days* of the date of this notice, a request for an election to fill the vacancy is made in writing to either: 

– the Returning Officer at Kettering Borough Council or

– the Town Clerk at Desborough Town Council

by TEN electors for the Ward, an election will be held to fill the vacancy. If no such request is received the Town Council may fill the vacancy by co-option. 

* 30/08/2019

February 28, 2019 in Council

Membership of the Council

Eamon Gilbey has ceased to be a member of Desborough Town Council (DTC) by reason of non-attendance at meetings over a six month period (as outlined by statute). Ordinarily the Town Council would have declared the vacancy and would move to advertise it. This allows any ten electors to requisition a poll (a by-election). If no by-election is called then DTC can seek to co-opt.

However, in the six months prior to the date of an ordinary election (originally scheduled for May 2019) there is no provision for a by-election to be held, so the Council would move straight to co-option.

The six month period referred to above began at the start of November 2018. However the Northamptonshire (Changes to Years of Elections) Order 2018 came into force in January 2019 and the consequence of this was that it moved the election date back twelve months. However, the Order was silent on the impact of this change on the six month rule as outlined above.

This situation affects all Councils named in the Order. Therefore, colleagues at the Borough Council have requested guidance on behalf of all District/Borough Councils (and by implication the Parish/Town Councils in their areas) in the North Northamptonshire area from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) which is the Government department responsible for drafting the Order referred to above. Although this was requested in mid-January, no advice has yet been received. Therefore the MHCLG has again been requested as a matter of urgency to outline what course of action should be taken by all affected Councils in Northamptonshire when a vacancy arises.

Until the advice is received from MHCLG, it is unclear whether the vacancy can be filled by election, or must be filled by co-option. Colleagues at KBC have assured DTC that they are pressing MHCLG for an urgent response to this issue so that it is clear what the correct process is and to ensure all such vacancies are filled in accordance with the law.

February 15, 2019 in Council