West Northants Council's new chair, Cllr Fiona Baker, and vice chair, Cllr Anthony Lock.

Councillors elect new chair of West Northamptonshire Council

The Reform UK-led West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has elected a new Conservative chair for full council at its Annual Meeting this week.

Nadia Lincoln Local Democracy Reporter | Friday 22nd May 2026 10:33am

Brackley councillor Fiona Baker took over the civic role at the unitary council from Cllr Alison Eastwood (Conservative, Rural South Northamptonshire) last night (Thursday, May 21), saying that she was “enormously proud” to accept the position.

“I was a cabinet member at the very start of this particular journey and I had a role to play in shaping the council, and I am very invested in the success of this council,” Cllr Baker said.

“I must offer a vote of great thanks to my friend, Councillor Alison Eastwood, for the dedication she’s shown, sometimes in really difficult circumstances, to this council. She has done us proud at every level.”

Cllr Baker previously held the position of cabinet member for children under the previous Tory administration for the full term.

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 West 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.

Leader of WNC, Cllr Mark Arnull, proposed Cllr Baker as the new chairman for his administration in 2026/27, after thanking Cllr Eastwood for her dedication to the role and help with Reform UK’s “successful integration into public and civic life”.

He added: “Now we look forward to Cllr Baker taking the chair for the ensuing year, and for those of us who were aware of public life beforehand saw the work that Cllr Baker did in South Northants, certainly the year that she was the chairman there as well.”

Outgoing chair Cllr Eastwood told the chamber that her time in the role had been an “honour and privilege”.

She continued: “It has been an extraordinary 11 and a half months of service to the community, most of which has been shared by my husband Tim. I have enjoyed every moment and I am deeply grateful for having being elected to stand.

“[Cllr Baker is] not unknown to any of us as she has played a key role of late on the opposition bench. She is superbly well-suited to guide you into the second year of the current council.”

Cllr Anthony Lock (Reform UK, Daventry South) has also been voted in as vice chair for the year. His nomination was backed by Labour group leader Cllr Sally Keeble, who said it was important for the council to reach a cross-party agreement on who would be chairing their meetings and “behave like grown-ups”.

Usual convention sees the vice chair of the previous year transition to the role of chair, however both councillors stepping into the civic roles this year have come from the chamber floor.

This follows calls earlier this year for the outgoing vice chairman, Cllr Peter York, to be removed from the running for the position of chairman after he made a sexist comment at the council’s International Women’s Day event in March, and was later ruled likely to have breached the code of conduct. He has since apologised, saying he recognised that the words he used were “inappropriate and capable of causing offence”.

The new chair has selected Spring Community Hub and New Leaf Learning as her chosen charities for the forthcoming civic year, adding that they match with her “desire to improve the lives of children in our district”.

Mark Arnull remains leader of the council, while Cllr Charlie Hastie (Woodford and Weedon) has taken over from Cllr James Petter (Far Cotton, Delapre and Briar Hill) as deputy leader.

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