A proposal for four unitary councils in Greater Essex, to replace the current 15 councils, has been submitted to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
The proposal, put forward by Thurrock Council, carefully considers data, evidence, insight and residents’ views, to strike the right balance of councils that are both financially sustainable and close to communities.
Thurrock’s Cabinet approved the proposal unanimously on 17 September. It was developed following months of discussion, debate and engagement – including with Thurrock residents through a summer programme of online and in-person events which have been led by the Leader of the Council.
Cllr Lynn Worrall, Leader of Thurrock Council said: “I said at the Cabinet meeting last week that I believe that we have put forward a very carefully developed and fully costed proposal that has value-for-money and good services for local residents as a priority.
“To get us to this important decision, we were proud to launch a summer engagement campaign that involved hundreds of residents, our councillors and local stakeholders. I want to thank all the residents, elected Members and partners who devoted their time to helping shape the future of local government. Residents in Thurrock and across Greater Essex have told us their priorities – and our proposal reflects these and is stronger for it.
“Thurrock’s challenging recent history means that we bring the sharpest possible focus to the key questions of how the council should be run and financed. We believe that efficiency and value-for-money are mission critical. That’s why our proposal is prudent and is carefully costed, without promising savings that will tie the hands of new councils before they have even begun.
“We have also heard how important it is to local people to protect their local identity and keep decision-making close to communities. Our proposal strikes the right balance with councils that are large enough to deliver value for money, but small enough to understand and be responsive to residents’ needs.
“We hope the Government will see the benefits of our carefully thought through proposal that is based on the evidence and responds to the things local people in Greater Essex care most about.”
More information can be found on the Local Government Reorganisation pages of our website.