5-council model supported for Essex

The South Woodham Ferrers Residents' Party has reaffirmed its support for a five council unitary model for Essex in the latest proposals for Local Government reorganisation.

Its members met early in the new year to discuss the proposals in detail and officially decided to back the five-council model, over other proposals for three and four council systems backed by some other Essex councils.

The five unitary model would replace the current two tier system with five new unitary authorities.  Under the proposal, South Woodham Ferrers would be likely to become part of a new 'Mid-Essex Council' stretching from our town to Brentwood, Chelmsford and Maldon. The new council would have a population of around 331,000 people which is about double the number of people represented by our current Chelmsford City Council. Council leaders from Basildon, Brentwood, Castle Point, Chelmsford, Colchester, Harlow, Maldon, Southend-on-Sea, Tendring and Uttlesford support the proposal, making it the most  backed of all the proposals for local government in Essex.

Keith Bentley, Leader of the South Woodham Ferrers Residents' Party, said: "The five unitary council model is a model which enables stronger community engagement and gives the opportunity for neighbourhood empowerment and therefore meets our criteria best as a local independent party which represents the community of South Woodham Ferrers.

"The other options, for fewer councils, will be too large to be close to their communities, leaving the residents of the authority politically disengaged and without a voice."

The government consultation on Local Government Reorganisation in Greater Essex closes on Sunday 11 January 2026. You can respond here: https://consult.communities.gov.uk/.../essex-southend-on.../

You can find out more about the different proposals, including the 'five-council' one backed by the Party here: https://www.essexlgrhub.org/stronger-greater-essex

A decision on the new unitary council structure is expected from the Secretary of State in Spring 2026, with new councils expected to go live in April 2028.

More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/.../summary-of-the-local-government...

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