Tag: Reform UK

You Say You Want a Devolution

James Piers TaylorLeave a comment

This week, the Greater Essex devolution consultation opened – part of the fast-track reorganisation of local governance. The consultation concerns the proposal to form a Mayoral Combined County Authority for the local government areas of Essex County Council, Thurrock Council and Southend-on-Sea City Council. An area it calls ‘Greater Essex’ but once was just called Essex. The first election for a Mayor is scheduled to take place in May 2026 – in 15 months.

The consultation does not concern the proposals for new unitary local government replacing the existing two-tier system, where services are split between a county and district council. This seems like replacing one two-tier system with another one: county & districts replaced with mayoralty & unitary authorities. Suffice it to say, they are not taking a bioregional approach.

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The Reformation

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Thursday 5th December was the deadline for electors to request a ballot to fill the empty seats on Burnham-on-Crouch Town Council (BTC). I’ve seen a couple of people online saying they would be requesting one for the sake of democracy and to avoid the remaining councillors co-opting whoever they please. There’s still no news about the result and whether elections will be forthcoming. I suspect enough folk will have asked for an election to get one, but not enough people will stand for there to be a contest—certainly in the North Ward.

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We shall encounter, counting, face to face

James Piers Taylor1 Comment

Thoughts on the General Election and Reform UK in Maldon constituency.

Last Thursday, I stayed up all night for the first time in years. It was the UK General election of course and despite the perils of displaced slumber I was minded to burn the midnight oil and watch the disgraced fall. I didn’t have the comforts of home and TV to assuage the sleep deprivation, however, because I had a formal role to play as a ‘counting agent’ invigilating the manual tallying in my constituency. We got the last bus to Maldon, had a drink in the Queen’s Head and walked down to the Blackwater Leisure Centre as the sunlight disappeared.

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