Reform UK has won the Brightlingsea division seat on Essex County Council.
Aimee Keteca, who lives in Colchester and is also a Tendring district councillor for The Bentleys and Frating, will now represent the division for the next two years. She was also standing for a Colchester City Council seat in Tiptree, where she lost to the Conservative candidate by one vote.
2026 Results were:
- Mat Court, Independent – 1671
- Gary Scott Liberal Democrat – 1354
- Aimee Keteca, Reform UK – 2198
- Ric Morgan, Conservative Party – 903
- Oli Mupenda, Labour – 211
- Ben Harvey, Green Party – 504
Turnout: 45.73%
The result showed a dramatic decline in the Conservative vote compared with the last county election in 2021. Then, Alan Goggin won for the Conservatives with 2,426 votes. More votes were cast this time around – 6,841 against 5438. All eight county seats in the Tendring district were won by Reform UK.
This election saw boundary changes to the Brightlingsea division to balance voter numbers. Elmstead became part of the division, which also includes Great Bentley, Thorrington and Alresford. St Osyth and Point Clear were moved to a new Clacton West and St Osyth division.
County councillors would usually serve for four years, but newly elected councillors will only be in office for two years because ECC will be abolished in 2028 when five new unitary authorities will formed. Elections for those authorities will take place in May 2027 and members will form a “shadow authority” for one year, preparing for the launch of the new councils while the old councils still exist.
The usual four-year term was further reduced after the 2025 county council elections were cancelled – ostensibly to avoid new councillors having to deal with the reorganisation process – and then reinstated for this year.
