Reform UK has gained political control of Essex County Council (ECC) following last weeks local elections – and has wasted no time in pledging to fight plans for local government re-organisation (LGR) due to take place in 2028.
Calling the plans – which would see 15 councils in Essex merged into five unitary authorities – “ill-thought, expensive, purely ideological” the Reform UK group says it has instructed lawyers to “utilise all resources at our disposal to challenge and resist LGR”.
The new leader of the council, Peter Harris, who is also a Tendring District councillor for Weeley and Tendring, has written to the Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, stating that the administration is “unequivocally opposed to the principle of your proposals”.
Peter Harris – new Essex County Council leader
Claiming that the plans “seek to create further democratic distance between the people of Essex and their elected local politicians”, Cllr Harris added: “This direction of travel is the very opposite of the localism agenda that I and my party support. This is unacceptable to us and Reform UK, in now running Essex County Council, have a clear mandate to convey these intentions to you.”
Reform took power by winning 53 in the county election, unseating the 25-year rule of the Conservatives. The election saw Aimee Keteca win the Brightlingsea division, one of eight members of Reform to be elected across the Tendring district.
The political makeup of the ECC is now:
- Reform UK – 53
- Conservative Party – 13
- Liberal Democrats – 5
- Independent – 2
- Green Party – 1
- Labour Party – 1
- Residents for Uttlesford – 1
- The People’s Independent Party – 1
Voter turnout across the county was 43.6%, the highest it has been for decades, and 42% across Tendring.
• Reform UK councllor Andy Gordon, has stepped down from Brightlingsea Town Council after joining the body following an unopposed election in February this year. His resignation means there are two vacancies on the council, the other caused by the removal of long-standing menber Michael Judson after he failed to attend a meeting in six months.
