New North Northants Council chairman elected as leaders reflect on first year
North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) has elected its new chairman for the next civic year at its annual meeting, as political leaders reflected on the first year of the new Reform administration.
Barton Seagrave and Burton Latimer councillor Maurice Eglin was voted into the civic role at the meeting on Thursday (May 21), graduating from his former position as deputy chair of the council.
The Reform UK councillor, who was elected to NNC in the May 2025 local elections, said accepting the role was a “tremendous honour and a responsibility that I do not take lightly”.
“Coming into local government, I never imagined that I would one day have the privilege of chairing this council,” he continued.
“I hope my appointment shows that in North Northamptonshire whatever matters is your commitment to serve, your integrity, your willingness to work for the community. We are all here for the same purpose: to make a positive difference for the residents we represent.
“I will do my utmost best to serve this council and our communities with fairness, professionalism, humility and pride.”
The chair is responsible for presiding over full council meetings, representing the authority at civic and ceremonial events, and supporting community organisations and local events across North Northamptonshire. They play a crucial role in steering the council’s business and enforcing the constitution at meetings and should serve as a politically impartial figure.
Cllr Eglin announced that Wicksteed Park and SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, will be his charities for this year.
Outgoing chair Cllr Helen Campbell (Reform UK, Kingswood) said it had been an “absolute honour” to represent NNC at events and celebrate the traditions, culture and communities in the area.
Cllr Andy Sims (Reform UK, Finedon) also took his seat on the full council top table, having been voted in as the newest deputy chair of the council for the 2026/27 year.
During the meeting, the executive and their portfolios for 2026/27 were approved, with Cllr Martin Griffiths continuing as leader. Cllr Graham Cheatley (Kingswood) was confirmed to have taken over from outgoing executive member Cllr Eddie McDonald (Gretton and Weldon) as deputy leader of NNC.
This followed changes made at the party’s annual group meeting last month, which saw Cllr McDonald mount a failed leadership challenge. His executive portfolio for adult social services has since been taken over by Cllr Chris Kellett (Rothwell and Mawsley).
Reflecting on the last year in his leader’s address, NNC leader Cllr Grififths congratulated all members who were new to the council for their first year in office and listed off a number of successes, including unanimously approving the corporate plan and setting out an annual delivery plan, changing the layout of full council to make it less adversarial, reducing staff turnover, and delivering improvements to the planning service.
He said: “I stood here, recently elected last year, and set out my ambition for this council. Our residents have heard words and promises before, but we must now deliver on the corporate plan we have all agreed.
“We are a council that is not just saying that we are achieving, but are delivering day in and day out. I will relentlessly seek to raise this council’s profile to go on and do great things.”
Leader of the Conservative opposition group, Cllr Helen Harrison, added that it was nice to see most councillors still in the chamber and working hard a year on from the elections last year, “even if a few of us have played musical chairs over the year”.
Since the local elections, NNC has seen one Reform UK councillor resign for another to be elected in the same ward, two Conservative councillors become Independents and another Tory make the move over to Reform UK, and a Reform councillor defect to the Restore Britain party.
Cllr Emily Fedorowycz, leader of the Greens, said she had hoped to see “a real change in culture” and “more focus on practical solutions rather than party politics” since the massive political shake-up.
She continued: “Last year, people voted for change. They wanted a council run in the interests of local people, not directed by national agendas or politcal brands, yet too often it has felt like the Reform UK Ltd company has been running this council rather than the people elected into this chamber to serve residents.
“That does not mean that this cannot change. There are many people in this room who genuinely want to improve North Northamptonshire and I believe that we can, but only if we leave the ‘big P’ politics at the door and focus on evidence, practicality and long-term thinking.
“Let this civic year be a new chapter, let us focus less on division and more on delivery.”
Deputy leader of the Labour group, Cllr David Baker, addressed the Reform UK administration, saying they had given the new council time to adjust, but that they would now be judging them on the implementation of policies and promised change going forward.
“While we will of course work with you where there is collective agreement, which we have done to date, it is also our role to hold you to account, to challenge and to oppose when we think that’s appropriate,” he explained.
Cllr Jim Hakewill, leader of the Communities Alliance, also complimented the council for a year of cross-party working, adding that it had been “one of the most arduous, hard-working years, but one of the most satisfying”.