Newark and Sherwood

History

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering three former districts which were all abolished at the same time:

• Newark Municipal Borough
• Newark Rural District
• Southwell Rural District

The new district was initially named Newark, after its largest town. The name was changed to Newark and Sherwood in 1985.

Governance

Labour Labour ;Administration (19) : :
;Other parties (20) : : :

Newark and Sherwood District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Nottinghamshire County Council. The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.

Political control

The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election, being run by a partnership of Labour, the "Independents for Newark and District" group of independent councillors, and the Liberal Democrats.

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Since 1974 political control of the council has been as follows:

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2003 have been:

Composition

Following the 2023 election, and subsequent changes of allegiance up to May 2025, the composition of the council was:

Of the ten independent councillors, six sit together as the "Independents for Newark and District" group, which forms part of the council's administration with Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Another two independents form the "Newark and Sherwood District Independents" group, and the other two do not belong to any group. The next election is due in 2027.

Elections

Since the last full review of boundaries in 2015 the council has comprised 39 councillors representing 21 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.

The district is covered by two parliamentary constituencies: Newark, created in 1885, which has been represented by Robert Jenrick, a Conservative, since 2014; and has been held by the Conservative Party since 2001; and Sherwood Forest, created in 1983, represented by Michelle Welsh, a Labour MP, elected in 2024.

Premises

The council is based at Castle House, on Great North Road in Newark, adjacent to Newark Castle Railway station. The building was purpose-built for the council and opened in 2017.

The council was previously based at Kelham Hall in the village of Kelham, which had been purchased early in 1974 as part of preparations for the local government reorganisation later that year.

Settlements

The whole district is divided into civil parishes. The parish councils for the three parishes of Newark, Ollerton and Boughton, and Southwell have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council".

Newark-on-Trent, together with Balderton, forms the largest urban area in the district. Newark-on-Trent has many important historic features including Newark Castle, St Mary's Magdalene Church, Georgian architecture and a defensive earthwork from the British Civil Wars. Other important towns in the district include Ollerton and Southwell which is home to Southwell Minster and Southwell Racecourse. Other settlements in the district include:

:Averham :Balderton, Bathley, Beacon, Bilsthorpe, Blidworth, Boughton, Bridge, Brough :Carlton-on-Trent, Castle, Caunton, Clipstone, Collingham, Cromwell :Devon :Eakring, Edingley, Edwinstowe, Egmanton :Farndon, Farnsfield, Fernwood, Fiskerton :Gunthorpe :Halam, Halloughton, Hawton, Hockerton :Kelham, Kirklington, Kirton, Kneesall :Laxton, Little Carlton, Lowdham :Magnus, Maplebeck, Morton :North Muskham, Norwell :Ossington, Oxton :Perlethorpe :Rainworth, Rolleston :Sleaford, South Muskham, Sutton-on-Trent :Thurgarton :Upton :Walesby, Wellow, Weston, Winkburn

Media

Television

The area is served by BBC East Midlands and ITV Central with television signals are received from the Waltham TV transmitter, BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and ITV Yorkshire can also be received from the Belmont TV transmitter.

Radio

Radio stations that broadcast to the area are:.

BBC Local Radio

• BBC Radio Nottingham Independent Radio
• Capital East Midlands
• Smooth East Midlands
• Greatest Hits Radio Midlands
• Lincs FM (covering Newark) Community Radio
• Radio Newark (serving Newark)
• Bowe Radio (for Ollerton and Edwinstowe)

References

References

1. "Castle House". Newark and Sherwood District Council.
2. "Newark and Sherwood see Local Authority".
3. {{cite legislation UK. (1972)
4. {{cite legislation UK. (1973)
5. "Historical information on changes to electoral arrangements of Local authorities, Parliamentary areas and European Parliamentary boundaries". Ordnance Survey.
6. (22 May 2025). "Linda Tift, of the Rainworth North and Rufford ward, voted new chairman of Newark and Sherwood District Council, with Dover Beck ward member Roger Jackson as vice chairman". Newark Advertiser.
7. (6 April 2018). "New chief executive for district council". Newark Advertiser.
8. {{cite legislation UK. (1972)
9. (24 May 2023). "Labour's Paul Peacock appointed as executive leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council after shock election saw Conservatives lose majority". Newark Advertiser.
10. "Compositions Calculator". University of Exeter.
11. "Newark & Sherwood". [[BBC News Online]].
12. (18 April 2012). "Leader takes a back seat". Newark Advertiser.
13. "Roger Blaney".
14. (24 May 2018). "Use the three Ls for priorities". Newark Advertiser.
15. (24 May 2023). "Labour's Paul Peacock appointed as executive leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council after shock election saw Conservatives lose majority". Newark Advertiser.
16. "Council minutes, 23 May 2023".
17. "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
18. "Your Councillors by Party".
19. "Newark and Sherwood". Thorncliffe.
20. {{cite legislation UK. (2014)
21. (2014-05-13). "Newark by-election candidate names confirmed". BBC News.
22. (2011-10-15). "Electdata 2001".
23. (5 September 2017). "New Council Offices to open 25th September". Radio Newark.
24. (14 January 1974). "Kelham Hall bid accepted". Nottingham Evening Post.
25. (2014-11-27). "Grade I-listed Kelham Hall conversion 'will create 80 jobs'". BBC News.
26. (2014-06-25). "Kelham Hall sale confirmed by Newark council". BBC News.
27. "Parish and Town Councils".
28. (1 May 2004). "Full Freeview on the Waltham (Leicestershire, England) transmitter".
29. (1 May 2004). "Belmont (Lincolnshire, England) Full Freeview transmitter".
30. "Local news and radio". Nottinghamshire County Council.
31. "Radio Newark".
32. "Bowe Radio".