Newark and Sherwood

Newark and Sherwood is a local government district in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest district by area in the county. The council is based in Newark-on-Trent, the area's largest town. The district also includes the towns of Southwell and Ollerton along with a large rural area containing many villages. Much of the district lies within the ancient Sherwood Forest and there are also extensive forestry plantations in the area.

Newark and Sherwood
Non-metropolitan district
From left to right: Top: Sherwood Forest Middle 1st: Ollerton parish church and Rufford Abbey Middle 2nd: RAF Syerston at Syerston and Newark on Trent market place with the parish church and spire Lower: Southwell Minster
Shown within Nottinghamshire
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	East Midlands
Administrative county	Nottinghamshire
Admin. HQ	Newark-on-Trent[1]
Government
• Type	Newark and Sherwood District Council
• MPs:	Robert Jenrick, Michelle Welsh
Area
• Total	251 sq mi (651 km2)
• Rank	52nd
Population  (2022)
• Total	125,089
• Rank	Ranked 192nd
• Density	500/sq mi (190/km2)
Ethnicity (2021) [2]
• Ethnic groups	List 96.3% White 1.1% Asian 1.5% Mixed 0.7% Black 0.5% other
Religion (2021) [2]
• Religion	List 54.5% Christianity 43.7% no religion 1.2% other 0.6% Islam
Time zone	UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
ONS code	37UG (ONS) E07000175 (GSS)
Ethnicity	98.5% White

The neighbouring districts are Rushcliffe, Gedling, Ashfield, Mansfield, Bassetlaw, West Lindsey, North Kesteven, South Kesteven and Melton. In 2021 it had a population of 123,383.

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:^[3]

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

The new district was initially named Newark, after its largest town.^[4] The name was changed to Newark and Sherwood in 1985.^[5]

Governance

Newark and Sherwood District Council
Type
Type	Non-metropolitan district
Leadership
Chair	Linda Tift, Labour since 20 May 2025[6]
Leader	Paul Peacock, Labour since 23 May 2023
Chief Executive	John Robinson since 23 July 2018[7]
Structure
Seats	39 councillors
Political groups	Administration (19)   Labour (10)   Liberal Democrat (3)   Independent (6) Other parties (20)   Conservative (12)   Green (2)   Independent (6)
Elections
Voting system	First past the post
Last election	4 May 2023
Next election	6 May 2027
Meeting place
Castle House, Great North Road, Newark, NG24 1BY
Website
www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk

Map of Newark and Sherwood district.

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.^[8]

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.^[9]

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:^[10][11]

Party in control		Years
	Labour	1974–1976
	Conservative	1976–1979
	No overall control	1979–1991
	Labour	1991–1999
	No overall control	1999–2007
	Conservative	2007–2023
	No overall control	2023–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2003 have been:

Councillor	Party		From	To
Tony Roberts[12]		Conservative	2003	15 May 2012
Roger Blaney[12][13]		Conservative	15 May 2012	May 2018
David Lloyd[14][15]		Conservative	May 2018	May 2023
Paul Peacock[16]		Labour	23 May 2023

Composition

Following the 2023 election,^[17] and subsequent changes of allegiance up to May 2025, the composition of the council was:

Party		Councillors
	Conservative	14
	Labour	10
	Independent	10
	Liberal Democrats	3
	Green	2
Total		39

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.^[18] The next election is due in 2027.^[19]

Elections

See also: Newark and Sherwood District Council 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.^[20]

The district is covered by two parliamentary constituencies: Newark, created in 1885, which has been represented by Robert Jenrick, a Conservative, since 2014;^[21] and has been held by the Conservative Party since 2001;^[22] 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.^[23]

Kelham Hall: Council's headquarters 1974–2017

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.^[24][25][26]

Settlements

Ollerton, the second largest settlement in Newark and Sherwood

Southwell, home of Southwell Minster and the third-largest settlement in the district

Edwinstowe, a village which legends link with Robin Hood

The whole district is divided into civil parishes. The parish councils for the three parishes of Newark, Ollerton and Boughton, and Southwell have declared^[when?] their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council".^[27]

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, ^[28] BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and ITV Yorkshire can also be received from the Belmont TV transmitter. ^[29]

Radio

Radio stations that broadcast to the area are:. ^[30]

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) ^[31]
• Bowe Radio (for Ollerton and Edwinstowe)^[32]