(2) Paragraph (1) does not prevent a shadow executive from requesting its shadow authority to discharge any function specified in a notice given by the shadow executive to the proper officer of the shadow authority, and the shadow authority must comply with any such request within such period as the shadow executive may specify. 

## ELECTORAL MATTERS 

## PART 4 

## Cancellation of elections to the North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire Councils 

19. —(1) Notwithstanding section 7(8) and (9) of the 1972 Act (elections of councillors)— 

(a) ordinary elections are not to be held in 2020 for the return of councillors to any of the North Northamptonshire councils or the West Northamptonshire councils( a ); and 

(b) the term of office of councillors serving as councillors of any of those councils ends on 1st April 2021. 

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), nothing in section 89 of the 1972 Act (filling of casual vacancies in case of councillors) authorises the holding of an election to fill a casual vacancy in the office of councillor of any of the North Northamptonshire councils or the West Northamptonshire councils where that vacancy arises after 30th September 2020 and before 1st April 2021. 

(3) Where, on the occurrence of a vacancy mentioned in paragraph (2) or in the case of a number of simultaneous vacancies, the total number of unfilled vacancies in the membership of one of the North Northamptonshire councils or one of the West Northamptonshire councils (as the case may be) exceeds one third of the whole number of members of that council an election to fill the vacancy shall be held in accordance with section 89 of the 1972 Act. 

(4) Where, in the circumstances mentioned in paragraph (3), the declaration mentioned in section 89(1)(a) of the 1972 Act has been made or the notice in writing mentioned in section 89(1)(b) of the 1972 Act has been given within thirty-five days of 1st April 2021 (computed in accordance with section 243(4) of the 1972 Act) an election shall not be held and any proceedings required by the Local Elections (Principal Areas) (England and Wales) Rules 2006( b ) shall not be commenced. 

## Election of councillors of North Northamptonshire Council and West Northamptonshire Council in 2020 and subsequent years 

20. —(1) Whole council elections of councillors of North Northamptonshire Council and West Northamptonshire Council are to be held— 

(a) on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2020; 

(b) on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2025; 

(c) every fourth year thereafter. 

(2) For the purposes of the elections of councillors of North Northamptonshire Council— 

(a) North Northamptonshire is to be divided into wards; 

(b) the names of the new wards are those indicated in column 1 of the table set out in Part 1 of the Schedule to this Order; 

