Editing Newark-on-Trent (section)

==Governance==
{{main|Newark (UK Parliament constituency)}}
The [[Newark (UK Parliament constituency)|parliamentary borough of Newark]] returned two [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Members of Parliament]] (MPs) to the [[Unreformed House of Commons]] from 1673. It was the last borough to be created before the Reform Act. [[William Ewart Gladstone]], later [[Prime Minister]], became its MP in 1832 and was re-elected in 1835, in 1837, and in 1841 twice, but possibly due to his support of the [[repeal]] of the [[Corn Laws]] and other issues he stood elsewhere after that time.

Newark elections were central to two interesting legal cases. In 1945, a challenge to [[Harold Laski]], the Chairman of the [[National Executive Committee of the Labour Party]], led Laski to sue the ''[[Daily Express]]'', which had reported him as saying Labour might take power by violence if defeated at the polls. Laski vehemently denied saying this, but lost the action. In the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]], Newark returned [[Fiona Jones]] of the Labour Party. Jones and her election agent Des Whicher were convicted of submitting a fraudulent declaration of expenses, but the conviction was overturned on appeal.

Newark's former MP [[Patrick Mercer]], [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27292214 |title=Helmer to fight Newark seat for UKIP |date=6 May 2014 |access-date=5 May 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210174625/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27292214 |archive-date=10 December 2014 |publisher=BBC News}}</ref> held the position of Shadow Minister for Homeland Security from June 2003 until March 2007, when he had to resign after making racially contentious comments to ''[[The Times]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |first=David |last=Byers |title=Tory front-bencher sparks race row with 'black bastards' gibe |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1484909.ece |work=The Times |location=London |date=8 March 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070320155041/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1484909.ece |archive-date=20 March 2007}}</ref>

At a by-election on 5 June 2014 after the resignation of [[Patrick Mercer]], he was replaced by the Conservative [[Robert Jenrick]], who was re-elected at the general election of 7 May 2015.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27711254 |title=Conservatives win Newark by-election |date=6 June 2014 |access-date=5 May 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012055430/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27711254 |archive-date=12 October 2016 |publisher=BBC News}}</ref>

Newark has three local-government tiers: Newark Town Council, [[Newark and Sherwood]] District Council and [[Nottinghamshire County Council]]. The 39 district councillors cover waste, planning, environmental health, licensing, car parks, housing, leisure and culture. It opened a national Civil War Centre and Newark Museum in May 2015. The area elects ten councillors to Nottinghamshire County Council.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/home/your_council/councillorsandtheirrole/councillors/whoisyourcllr/cllrs-bydistrict.htm?district=Newark%20and%20Sherwood |title=County Councillors by district – Nottinghamshire County Council |work=nottinghamshire.gov.uk |year=2011 |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112120010/http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/home/your_council/councillorsandtheirrole/councillors/whoisyourcllr/cllrs-bydistrict.htm?district=Newark%20and%20Sherwood |archive-date=12 January 2012}}</ref> It provides children's services, adult care, and highways and transport services. 

===Newark Town Council===
The town has an elected council of 18 members from seven wards: Beacon (5 councillors), Bridge (3), Castle (2), Devon (5), Magnus (1), Sleaford (1) and South (1).<ref>{{cite web |title=Your Councillors |url=https://www.newark.gov.uk/the-council/councillors/ |publisher=Newark Town Council |access-date=7 October 2024}}</ref>  Newark Town Council has taken on some responsibilities devolved by Newark and Sherwood District Council, including parks, open spaces and Newark Market. It also runs events such as the LocAle and Weinfest,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://newark.gov.uk/events/locale-weinfest.html |title=LocAle & Weinfest – Newark Town Council |work=newark.gov.uk |year=2011 |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331104953/http://newark.gov.uk/events/locale-weinfest.html |archive-date=31 March 2012}}</ref> a museum in the Town Hall,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://newark.gov.uk/museum/museum.html |title=Museum – Newark Town Council |work=newark.gov.uk |year=2011 |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110907014922/http://newark.gov.uk/museum/museum.html |archive-date=7 September 2011}}</ref> and allotments.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://newark.gov.uk/allotments/allotments-2.html |title=Allotments – Newark Town Council |work=newark.gov.uk |year=2011 |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807164905/http://newark.gov.uk/allotments/allotments-2.html |archive-date=7 August 2011}}</ref>

A new police station costing £7 million opened in October 2006.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/officers-could-leave-share-newark-3054024 |title=Officers could leave or share police station just 13 years after it was built |first=Matt |last=Jarram |date=5 July 2019 |website=nottinghampost}}</ref>