Should Essex have 3 or 5 councils? Thousands of Essex residents have already responded to a survey from a group of councils backing a proposal for 5 councils, and you can too over the next few days.
National government wants fewer councils
The Government in Westminster says the current Essex system of 12 districts with Essex County Council, plus Southend and Thurrock, must go. From 2028, there will be fewer councils in Essex and the Government wants these to be larger than they are now. They’re asking existing local authorities to propose what this might look like.
‘5 council’ proposal for Essex
A group of councils including Basildon, Brentwood, Castle Point, Chelmsford, Colchester, Maldon, Southend, and Uttlesford is seeking to understand residents’ views on their relationship with local councils as it draws up a proposal for 5 unitary authorities.
More than 4,000 people have already responded to the ‘5 council’ consultation on the future of local authorities in Essex with around a week to go before the survey ends. The proposal is to set out a case in favour of 5 new councils in Greater Essex. Essex County Council is working on proposals for 3 large authorities.
The ‘5 council’ proposal would see existing councils joining together with one or two of their closest neighbours to form 5 new areas, serving somewhere between 326k and 510k people. Those backing the ‘5 council’ option believe that representing smaller populations is more democratic and closer to residents. The vision behind this proposal is to balance the Government’s requirement for increased size with a geography that people understand.
Other proposals to back fewer councils
The Essex County Council proposal for 3 new councils would create new unitary authorities by putting around five current council areas together. This option would result in the largest new councils of all the proposals on the cards, each serving somewhere between 570k and 730k people – creating 3 of the 5 largest councils in England.
Consultation to inform ‘5 council’ proposal
The ‘5 council’ group launched a consultation on 25 June to give residents and businesses in Essex a chance to share their thoughts before this proposal is sent to the Government. With exact details yet to be released about other options being considered, the survey is intended to introduce residents to changes the Government wants, and capture hopes for the future.
Cllr Daniel Cowan, Southend-on-Sea City Council’s Leader and Chair of the ‘5 council’ group said:
“The Government wants larger, more sustainable local authorities. There isn’t an option to stay as we are now, but there is chance to influence what comes next. We believe the ‘5 council’ proposal offers the best opportunity to retain a strong local identity and deliver effective local services in Essex for generations to come. Five is the right number to balance sustainability with a sense of place and democratic accountability.
“Local authorities are more than administrative areas – they are tied to the identity of the places they serve with specialist knowledge of their communities. We don’t want to lose this local service delivery with a small number of mega councils, detached from the communities that elect them. Our vision for five councils is that they work in harmony with our residents’ lives and stay as local as possible.”
Cllr Stephen Robinson, the group’s Deputy Chair and Leader of Chelmsford City Council said:
“Taking part in our consultation is the first time many people will have heard about the changes coming to Essex, and we understand this can be unsettling. Across England, local government is changing. We can’t keep the status quo, but with your help, we can make the ‘5 council’ proposal the most informed case possible for the future of Essex.
“These will be your new councils, delivering your local services. We’re grateful to everybody who has completed our consultation, and you don’t have to be an expert in local government to share your views. We want everyone to have a chance to tell us what really matters before our proposal is finished and sent to the Government.”
How to take part
People can share their thoughts until 5pm on 20 July 2025 by visiting a consultation page hosted by Southend-on-Sea City Council on behalf of the group of local authorities developing the proposal: https://shorturl.at/hapld.