Yesterday, the Deputy Prime Minister announced that Essex would be one of the County Councils in the first phase of the proposed Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).
The Government has stated their intention that all County Councils would undergo similar reorganisation during the life of this parliament.
As part of the first phase Essex should have more influence on how the future unitary councils would be structured. Later phases would have their reforms enforced.
The new structure would create (probably) three or four ‘unitary’ councils instead of the current fifteen district and county councils, plus a ‘Mayor of Essex’ to be elected in May ‘26.
The Mayor would be able to request funding directly from the government and bring huge benefits to infrastructure, jobs, skills, transport and planning.
The decision to postpone County Council elections was also made by HM Government. Had the elections continued, then councillors would be unable to take part in any discussions and negotiations due to the ‘pre-election’ legal restrictions.
The decision to seek early LGR was agreed by all Essex’s district and unitary councils; it wasn’t taken lightly, it was a question of seeking to get the best outcome for residents from the Government, rather than having their solution forced on us.
Bob Massey
City Councillor - South Woodham Ferrers, Chetwood & Collingwood
