In 2023, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) carried out a boundary review for North Northamptonshire with the aim to create equal numbers of voters per councillor in each ward. They changed most of the ward boundaries for North Northamptonshire Council (NNC).
Unfortunately, NNC’s boundary review also changed some Town and Parish boundaries, and LGBCE made no attempt to achieve electoral equality for the revised Town and Parish boundaries. As a result, this left Donne Close Ward in Rushden with 141 voters per councillor, whereas the Rushden South ward has 1297 voters per councillor. It also put areas within Rushden into Higham Ferrers wards.
When complaints were made to the LGBCE, their response was to recommend a “Community Governance Review”, i.e. a Town/Parish level boundary review. In effect, the LGBCE refused to fix the electoral inequality that they had caused, and asked NNC to fix it.
After several years of delay, NNC has now started a Community Governance Review. As part of the first stage of the Review, residents and interested parties are invited to submit suggestions for changes of parish/Town/ward boundaries.
Full details of the Community Governance Review can be found on the North Northants Council website where comments can be submitted. The closing date for comments is 12th March 2026.