Local Elections 2026

The Local Election They Hoped Wouldn't Happen... 

Despite Labour's best efforts, Local Elections are on and that means the return of my much anticipated and widely read Runners & Riders blog

Basildon Council is holding what may be its final elections since the Council was created in 1973. The authority is due to be abolished in 2028, along with Essex County Council (ECC), and replaced by a single unitary council covering both the current Borough of Basildon and neighbouring Borough of Thurrock (a development to which I am strongly opposed). For now, Basildon Council has 42 councillors elected across 14 wards. 

Basildon Council has traditionally held elections three out of every four years, electing a third of the seats each time. The Labour Government - with the connivance of the Labour-led Administration at Basildon - tried to cancel these elections but, in the face of strong opposition, the Government performed a screeching U-turn and allowed them to proceed. Additionally, the ECC elections that were cancelled last year are now taking place this year. This means, confusingly, every elector across Basildon will have TWO VOTES; one for their borough councillor and one for their county councillor. 

As an added complication, the ECC elections are taking place on new boundaries because, even though ECC was already slated to be abolished, the Boundary Commission carried on regardless with a boundary review in 2024, which has altered the existing county electoral divisions. For our borough, this means we have gone from having five seats to nine, all of them electing one county councillor. Previously, all bar one of the five county seats covering our borough were two-member divisions. This means that the total number of county councillors elected from Basildon remains at nine. 

The current composition of ECC is 75 county councillors elected across 70 divisions. The number of councillors has been increased to 78, elected to single-member divisions. The Conservatives currently hold 52 seats and have controlled the Council since 2001. Indeed, apart from periods of No Overall Control (NOC), ECC has been essentially Tory-led since 1974.  

Here in Basildon, our council has been controlled for the past 2 years by an alliance between Labour and the so-called 'Independent and Non-aligned Group' (led by Cllr. Kerry Smith). The Council presently consists of 16 Labour, 13 Conservatives, 7 'Smithites', 4 Wickford Independents, 1 Reform UK and, as of recently, 1 former Reform councillor who has resigned from the party and now sits alone (the latter were both elected in recent by-elections). So, currently, the Labour-Independent Administration enjoys a working majority of four.

The magic number for an overall majority is 22 seats – this is the minimum number needed to command an overall majority and form an administration. As only a third of the seats are up, the ominous background to this election is that it is vanishingly unlikely that any one party will emerge with an overall majority. So, it is likely Basildon will remain in NOC, making some kind of coalition or agreement between one or more of the parties inevitable.  

Obviously, the national backdrop is not encouraging for Labour but, the Tories are also still struggling to regain lost ground from our colossal General Election defeat in 2024. Meanwhile, both major parties are being buffeted by growth in support for Reform UK and the Green Party. Even by Labour's dismal standards, this has been a horrible administration, because it is led by a narcissistic liar and a bully. It has been characterised by reckless spending, disingenuous claims, dire personal conduct by senior councillors, and a maniacal desire to despoil our Green Belt with ceaseless developments. The Conservative Group, now under the leadership of Cllr. Andy Barnes (Con, Billericay East), desperately hope to wrestle back control and restore sanity and good governance to the Council. This election is too close to call in many places, as we cannot be sure what impact Reform will have. It is incredible to think, given their current ascent in the polls, that at the last borough election in 2024, they only fielded a single candidate in Wickford. What is, perhaps, notable is that Reform only had two councillors on Basildon, both of whom won by-elections less than a year ago, and already they have split, with Cllr. Sarah Shields (n/a, Wickford Park) being de-selected and allegedly bullied out of the party. I simply note that, if the Conservative Group was halved nine months after an election, people would probably regard it as a poor reflection on us.

Basildon Conservatives are fielding a full slate of 23 candidates across all borough wards and county divisions, as are Labour, Reform and the Greens (I am pretty sure this is the first time the Greens have managed a full slate). The Lib Dems are fielding twenty (choosing not to contest Nethermayne, St. Martin's or Westley Heights). The Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition (TUSC) are fielding an impressive 12 candidates, which is a big increase on 2024, when they only fielded five. Kerry Smith is backing four nominally 'Independent' candidates (including himself) and there are a further four actual Independents, not connected to him. Finally, the Wickford Independents (Windies) are only contesting the two Wickford wards and are not fighting either Wickford county division. Finally, there is a solo British Democrat standing in Castledon & Crouch Ward.  

If you are not sure which ward you come under, click here and enter your postcode.

 Parties standing / No. of candidates

The Conservative Party x23

The Labour Party x23

Reform UK x23

The Green Party x23

The Liberal Democrats x20

The Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition x12

Independents (Smithites) x4

Independents (non-Smith) x4

The Wickford Independents x2

The British Democrats x1

Here are the runners and riders locally: Incumbents are marked with an ‘*’

BILLERICAY EAST WARD

• BUNYAN, Peter (Labour)
• CLARK, Laura (Liberal Democrat)
• GOSHAWK, Stewart (Green) 
  
• MARTIN, Denise (Reform)
• MORDECAI, Martyn (Conservative)* 

My ward colleague Martyn Mordecai is seeking re-election in Billericay East, following his election at the whole-council election in 2024. Prior to his election as a borough councillor, Mart served as a Billericay town councillor for the East Ward. He is also an ex-police officer. Peter Bunyan in standing here for Labour for the third time since 2022 (he contested Wickford Park in 2024). Former Lib Dem town councillor Laura Clark is standing here for the fourth time. Meanwhile, former Lib Dem turned Green, Stewart Goshawk, is standing for the second time, having previously contested Burstead on three occasions (as a Liberal). First-time candidate Denise Martin is standing for Reform.  

Mart is defending the our 58% share of the vote in 2024. NB: Martyn voted against cancelling these Local Elections and fought for them to go ahead. 

BILLERICAY WEST WARD

• BLACKMORE, Kevin (Green)
• HILTON, Tracey (Labour)
• KOLLABATHULA, Krupa (Reform)
• LAWRENCE, Daniel (Conservative)*
• MAY, Chris (Liberal Democrat) 

My colleague Danny Lawrence is seeking re-election in Billericay West for the fifth time. Danny has represented the seat since 2012 and is a three-time former Deputy Mayor of Basildon. He is heavily involved in community radio and was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for his community service. Kevin Blackmore is a first-time candidate for the Greens, while Tracey Hilton is standing here for Labour for the second time, having first contested the seat in 2021. She previously stood in Billericay West in 2019 and Crouch in 2022. Krupa Kollabathula is standing for Reform as a first-time candidate. Meanwhile, town councillor Chris May is standing for the Lib Dems for the third time. 

Danny is defending the Conservatives' 62% vote share from 2024. NB: Danny voted against cancelling these Local Elections and fought for them to go ahead.

BURSTEAD WARD

• BANKS, Leslie (Labour)
• BLAKE, Kevin (Conservative)*
• BRUCE, Phil (Reform)
• LANCASTER, Peter (Liberal Democrat)
• McGARRY, Daniel (Green)

My colleague Kevin Blake is seeking re-election in Burstead for the eighth time, having represented the seat since 2002. Kev was first elected to the Council in 1992, making him currently the longest-serving councillor in Basildon and jointly 'Father of the Council' with Cllr. Anthony Hedley (Con, Billericay West), alongside whom Kevin has served continuously since 2000. Kev is currently Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group. Labour's Les Banks is actually my best mate's dad and is standing again, having previously contested the seat in 2024. Phil Bruce is standing as a first-time candidate for Reform, while Peter Lancaster is also standing here for the first time, albeit in his fourth election campaign, having previously contested Billericay East and Pitsea South-East for the Liberals. Daniel McGarry is standing for the Greens again.

Kevin is defending the Conservatives' 62% vote share from 2024. NB: Kevin voted against cancelling these Local Elections and fought for them to go ahead.

BILLERICAY NORTH DIVISION

• BUNYAN, Peter (Labour)
• GOSHAWK, Stewart (Green)
• MARTIN, Denise (Reform)
• MAY, Chris (Liberal Democrat)
• TURNER, Phil (Conservative)

The new Billericay North Division replaces the old Billericay & Burstead Division and is made up of the entirety of Billericay West and half of Billericay East. My colleague Phil Turner, currently a West ward councillor since 2001 (and a former Leader of Basildon Council), is seeking election to County Hall for the first time. Both the incumbent Billericay & Burstead county councillors - Anthony Hedley and Richard Moore - are retiring from ECC at this election. The other candidates are all doubling up. Peter Bunyan, Stewart Goshawk and Denise Martin, who are all also fighting Billericay East, are standing here for Labour, the Greens and Reform respectively. Chris May, who is standing in Billericay West, is standing here for the Liberals.       

BURSTEAD DIVISION

• BANKS, Leslie (Labour)
• BRUCE, Phil (Reform)
• LANCASTER, Peter (Liberal Democrat)
• McDONALD, Elaine (Trade Unionist & Socialist) 
• McGARRY, Daniel (Green)
• SCHRADER, Andrew (Conservative)

The new Burstead Division replaces the old Billericay & Burstead Division and, whereas Billericay North covers the north of the town, Burstead is a sprawling area, taking in the remainder of southern Billericay, including the other half of Billericay East and the entirety of the south-western bit of town, the villages of Great Burstead & South Green, Little Burstead, and Steeple View, all of which come under the Burstead Ward. The Boundary Commission, in their infinite wisdom, chose to give the division the same name as the ward, but with different boundaries, which will not be confusing at all! Somewhat madly, the division crosses the A127 and takes in a single polling district of Laindon. Yours truly is standing as the Conservative candidate in succession to the current Billericay & Burstead county councillors, Anthony Hedley (my friend and mentor) and Richard Moore, who are both retiring from ECC at this election. As you all know, I have been a borough councillor in Billericay East for 12 years. Weirdly, my Labour opponent, Les Banks, is also my best mate's dad. I have known him for years and was a guest at his wedding, I seem to recall. He's a lovely fella'. We shan't fall out. More doubling up of candidates - in addition to Les, who is also standing in the Burstead Ward, Phil Bruce, Peter Lancaster and Daniel McGarry are all standing in both seats for Reform, the Liberals and the Greens respectively. We also have former Labour borough councillor, Elaine McDonald, standing for TUSC. Ms McDonald represented Lee Chapel North from 2018 to 2022 until she expelled from Labour during the Starmer purge of the Corbynistas. She is also standing in Lee Chapel North, so her decision to contest the Burstead county seat is curious.    

As Billericay North and Burstead replace the old Billericay & Burstead Division, it is hard to make any direct comparison, but Tony and Richard held their seats in 2021 with a combined 63% of the vote. NB: Both Phil and I voted against cancelling these Local Elections and fought for them to go ahead.

CASTLEDON & CROUCH WARD

• BATEMAN, Cris (British Democrat)
• BLACKETT, Stewart (Labour)
• COTTRELL, Mark (Conservative)
• GIDDENS, Maximillian (Green)
• HOCKTON, Zoe (Reform)
• MOTT, Stewart (Liberal Democrat)

The incumbent Conservative councillor, Stuart Allen, is standing down after 30 years as a councillor. Stuart fought his first election back in 1988 (when I was just 6 years old) in Fryerns Central, winning the seat on his fourth attempt in 1992. He lost his seat in 1996 but returned in 2000, representing Laindon. Boundary changes forced him to change seats and he was elected in the new Crouch Ward in 2002. The people of Crouch re-elected him five times before the seat was abolished in the latest boundary change in 2024, when he was elected to the new Castledon & Crouch seat. But, after three decades, Stuart is hanging up his spurs. Seeking to replace him is Mark Cottrell, currently a Noak Bridge parish councillor. This is Mark's fifth election, having previously contested seats in Basildon and Pitsea. He is now on home turf and hoping to carry on Stuart's legacy. Another Noak Bridge parish councillor, the rather unpleasant Cris Bateman, is standing here for the deeply odious British Democrats for the second time. Stewart Blackett, Maximillian Giddens and Zoe Hockton are all first-time candidates for Labour, the Greens and Reform respectively. I believe Ms Hockton is the Chairman of Basildon & Billericay Reform. Wickford town councillor Stewart Mott is standing here for the Liberals for the second time. It is his fifth election - having previously stood in the old Wickford Castledon seat and latterly in the Wickford Park by-election.  

Mark is notionally defending the Conservatives' 46% vote share from 2024, in what we anticipate to be a hotly contested seat.

CASTLEDON & CROUCH DIVISION

• BLACKETT, Stewart (Labour)
• BUCKLEY, Malcolm (Conservative)
• GIDDENS, Maximillian (Green) 
• HOCKTON, Zoe (Reform)
• MOTT, Stewart (Liberal Democrat)  

The new Castledon & Crouch Division replaces the old Wickford Crouch two-member division. Again, the Boundary Commission have helpfully given it the same name as the borough ward, but the boundaries are a bit different. The ward is entirely contiguous within the division, which also includes southwest Wickford and then crosses the A127 and takes in the Nevendon area of Pitsea. Seeking election as the Conservative candidate is outgoing Wickford Crouch county councillor Malcolm Buckley. He has been at County Hall since 2013 and was also previously one of the longest-serving borough councillors in the history of Basildon, representing Wickford South from 1988 to 2002 and then Wickford Castledon from 2002 to 2022 (with only a brief hiatus between 2014 and 2018). All told, Malcolm served 30 years on Basildon Council, seven of them as Leader of the Council between 2002 and 2009. He brings a wealth of experience and is a hardworking and active county councillor. More doubling up, as Stewart Blackett, Maximillian Giddens, Zoe Hockton and Stewart Mott are all standing in both borough and county seats for Labour, the Greens, Reform and the Liberals respectively. 

Again, with Castledon & Crouch replacing the old Wickford Crouch seat, it is hard to make a direct comparison, but in 2021 Malcolm and his division colleague, Tony Ball, held the old seat with a combined vote share of 64%. 

FRYERNS WARD

• BLAKE, Ann (Conservative)
• BREEDON, Simon (Independent)
• BROWN, Eileen (Reform)
• DONNE, Eleanor (Trade Unionist & Socialist) 
  
• GEORGE, Chelsea (Labour)
• HOWARD, Vivien (Liberal Democrat)
• SERINA, Rainbow (Green) 
  

The incumbent Labour councillor and current Mayor of Basildon, Allan Davies, is retiring after 24 years on the Council. Allan is currently the longest-serving Labour councillor, having represented Fryerns since 2007 (but was originally elected to Pitsea North-West in 2002). He is widely respected across the chamber and is regarded as having been a good mayor. He will be sorely missed on all sides. Allan is a thoroughly decent man, with whom I agree politically on almost nothing, but who has always treated me with courtesy and good humour (which makes him an increasing rarity in Basildon politics). I wish him well in his retirement. Standing to replace him for Labour is first-time candidate Chelsea George. Our candidate is Ann Blake, wife of Kevin Blake and a former Conservative councillor herself (Pitsea South-East, 2002-12). Simon Breedon's political odyssey continues, fighting his sixth election in his fifth ward since 2018. Mr. Breedon started life as UKIP but now stands as an Independent. Most recently he stood in the St. Martin's by-election last year, and previously he stood twice in Pitsea South-East. Eileen Brown is a first time candidate for Reform (presumably no relation to Labour's Adele Brown), whereas Eleanor Donne stood here for TUSC last time. Meanwhile, plucky perennial Lib Dem candidate Viv Howard is fighting her eighteenth election since 1998 (her sixth in Fryerns). This is the second election for the Green's Rainbow Serina. They fought Pitsea North-West in 2023. 

Ms George is notionally defending Labour's 76% vote share from 2024. Fryerns is usually insanely safe for Labour.  

 LAINDON PARK WARD

• GARDNER, Darren (Reform) 
• HENRY, Jeff (Conservative)
• McCARTHY, Stephen (Liberal Democrat)
• MILNE, Wayne (Labour)
• WHITEHEAD, Jessica (Green)

The incumbent Labour councillor, Terry Webb, is not seeking re-election in Laindon Park and is instead returning to fight re-election in Lee Chapel North, the ward he previously represented until 2024. Councillor Webb was briefly Labour Group Leader until he was ousted by Maryam Yaqub - a placeholder for Gavin Callaghan. Representing the 'Old Labour' wing of the Group, Councillor Webb was unceremoniously shunted out of Lee Chapel North at the 2024 whole-council elections and moved into Laindon Park, presumably on the assumption that he would not win. But he did win, and is seemingly now being rewarded for his docility on the backbenches by being allowed to creep back over and contest his home ward again. His replacement in Laindon Park is Wayne Milne, a first-time candidate but already noted as a Callaghan loyalist. Our candidate is former Conservative councillor Jeff Henry, who previously represented Laindon Park from 2018 until 2024 and is currently also the local county councillor. Darren Gardner is a first-time candidate for Reform, while Steve McCarthy is standing here for the fifth time for the Liberals. Sadly, not joined by his son, Eugene, who has previously contested the same seat for the Greens. McCarthy the Younger is replaced by first-time candidate Jessica Whitehead.

Mr. Milne is notionally defending Labour's 45% vote share from 2024, in what is traditionally regarded as a key marginal seat. 

GLOUCESTER PARK DIVISION

• ADESHILE, Yetunde (Conservative)
• CALLAGHAN, Emma (Labour)
• CHANDLER, Mike (Liberal Democrat)
• DONNE, Eleanor (Trade Unionist & Socialist) 
  
• FOWLER, Chloe (Green)
• GARDNER, Darren (Reform)  
  

The new Gloucester Park Division partially replaces the old Laindon Park & Fryerns Division, currently represented by the Tories' Jeff Henry and Labour's Pat Reid. The new division includes most of Fryerns (except Craylands), a small bit of Lee Chapel North, and the Nortlands area of Pitsea. Emma Callaghan, wife of Gavin Callaghan and also a borough councillor for Pitsea North-West, currently represents the old Pitsea Division at County Hall. She is standing here for Labour. She may be one of the most malevolent people I have ever met. The Conservative candidate, on the other hand, is the thoroughly delightful former Tory Vange councillor and Deputy Mayor of Basildon, Yetunde Adeshile. Lib Dem regular Mike Chandler is standing for them here, as is Eleanor Donne for TUSC (she is also standing in Fryerns). Chloe Fowler is standing for the Greens as a first-time candidate. Darren Gardner is standing here for Reform, and also contesting Laindon Park. 

LAINDON TOWN DIVISION

• BROWN, Adele (Labour)
• HENRY, Jeff (Conservative)
• KOLLABATHULA, Krupa (Reform) 
• McCARTHY, Stephen (Liberal Democrat)
• MURRAY, David (Trade Unionist & Socialist)
• WHITEHEAD, Jessica (Green) 

Incumbent Tory county councillor for the old Laindon Park & Fryerns Division, Jeff Henry, is seeking re-election to County Hall in the new Laindon Town seat. Jeff has been on ECC since 2017 and was re-elected in 2021. The whole of the Laindon Park Ward is contiguous in the division, except a small part in the northeast around St. Nicholas' Church that comes under Burstead. It also contains most of Lee Chapel North as well as the Ghyllgrove area of Basildon. With extraordinary chutzpah, Fryerns Labour councillor Adele Brown is standing here for Labour. Councillor Brown was previously elected in Laindon Park & Fryerns in 2021 (when she narrowly beat the second Tory challenger; some drongo named Schrader) but resigned and triggered a by-election in 2023, after it had been widely noted that she had been a less than 'active' county councillor. Oddly, Krupa Kollabathula, who is standing for Reform in Billericay West, is also standing here. Steve McCarthy, who is standing for the Liberals in Laindon Park, is also standing for the county seat. Perennial hard-left candidate Dave Murray is standing for TUSC (strangely, he is not standing anywhere for borough). 

As Gloucester Park and Laindon Town imperfectly replace Laindon Park & Fryerns, it is hard to make direct comparisons but Jeff is nominally defending the 45% of the vote he and I secured in the old seat in 2021, in which Jeff topped the poll, 538 votes ahead of Councillor Brown. NB: As a borough councillor and member of the Cabinet, Councillor Brown voted to request these Local Elections be cancelled.

LANGDON HILLS WARD

• ALLEN, Chris (Conservative) 
• BROWN, Walter (Independent)*
  
• BUTTON, Brian (Labour)
• LEWIS, Damion (Reform)
• MURRAY, Ian (Green) 
• NICE, Stephen (Liberal Democrat)  
• X, None Of The Above (n/a)

Smithite incumbent Walter Brown is seeking re-election in Langdon Hills for the second time. He has represented the seat since 2022. His Conservative opponent is former Tory Langdon Hills councillor Chris Allen, who briefly represented the seat in 2021/22, having won it in a by-election only to lose it to the cult of Smith the following year. This was a great pity because during his brief time as a Langdon Hills councillor, Chris worked his butt off, racking up a huge amount of casework. Brian Button is standing here for Labour, having previously contested Billericay West in 2024. Damion Lewis and Ian Murray are both first-time candidates for Reform and the Greens respectively, whereas this is Steve Nice's sixteenth election (his second in Langdon Hills), standing for the Liberals. None Of The Above X (better known as former boxer Terry Marsh), who changed his name by Deed Poll in protest at there not being an abstention option on the ballot, is standing here for the third time (his seventh election).  

Councillor Brown is defending the Smithites' 66% vote share from 2024. NB: Councillor Brown voted to throw out a debate opposing the cancellation of Local Elections and allowed the decision to be delegated to the Labour-dominated Cabinet, who ultimately voted to cancel them. 

LEE CHAPEL NORTH WARD

• BLACKMORE, Emma (Green) 
• CHANDLER, Mike (Liberal Democrat)
• KATTADY, Jose (Reform)
• McDONALD, Elaine (Trade Unionist & Socialist) 
• SHUKLA, Deepak (Conservative)
• WEBB, Terry (Labour)

The Labour incumbent, Aidan McGurran, is sadly standing down. This is a great shame, as I missed the pleasure of seeing him lose his previous seat in Vange back in 2021 because of Covid restrictions at the count. I had been rather looking forward to seeing him lose Lee Chapel North but, alas, he has taken the coward's way out and retired. Boo! I do not say this lightly, but McGurran is easily one the most ghastly people I have ever met. His conduct has been consistently deplorable (including, but not limited to, blood-libelling my late grandfather as a 'Nazi'). His departure from elected office, at a stroke, considerably elevates standards in public life in Basildon. Standing for Labour in Lee Chapel North instead is current Laindon Park Labour councillor and ex-Labour Group Leader Terry Webb, who previously represented the seat between 2021 and 2024, when he was unceremoniously shunted into Laindon Park - a move widely believed to be prompted by Gavin Callaghan's desire to get rid of him, in the belief that Labour would not pick up all three Laindon seats. In the end, they did, and Councillor Webb has sat quietly on the Labour backbenches ever since and is now being permitted to slink back to his home seat. Local resident, Deepak Shukla, is standing here for the Conservatives for the fourth time. Emma Blackmore is a first-time candidate for the Greens (presumably related to Kevin Blackmore, their candidate in Billericay East). Mike Chandler is standing here for the Liberals for the sixth time, while Jose Kattady is a first-time candidate for Reform. Elaine McDonald was a Labour councillor for Lee Chapel North from 2018 to 2022, until she was expelled from the party as part of the Starmer purge of the Corbynistas, since when she has stood here for TUSC. Curiously, she is also contesting the Burstead county seat. 

Councillor Webb is notionally defending Labour's 67% share of the vote from 2024, in what is traditionally a very safe Labour seat.   

 

NETHERMAYNE WARD

• ADESHILE, Yetunde (Conservative) 
• BENN, Elsa (Labour)
• HORNSBY, Matthew (Green)
• HUGGINS, Chris (Trade Unionist & Socialist)
• LOWTHER, Wayne (Reform)
• MURPHY, Eddie (Independent)* 

Incumbent Smithite councillor Eddie Murphy (sadly, not the Hollywood film star of Beverley Hills Cop fame!) is seeking re-election following his winning the seat in the 2024 whole-council election. Standing here for the Conservatives is former Vange Tory councillor and Deputy Mayor Yetunde Adeshile, who previously represented Vange between 2021 and 2024. Elsa Benn, Matthew Hornsby, Chris Huggins and Wayne Lowther are all first-time candidates for Labour, the Greens, TUSC and Reform respectively.   

Councillor Murphy is defending the Smithites' 72% vote share from 2024 in what is traditionally regarded as the personal fiefdom of Kerry Smith. We shall see how far his writ still runs here. NB: Councillor Murphy voted to throw out a debate opposing the cancellation of Local Elections and allowed the decision to be delegated to the Labour-dominated Cabinet, who ultimately voted to cancel them. 

WESTLEY HEIGHTS DIVISION

• ALLEN, Chris (Conservative)
• BUTTON, Brian (Labour) 
• ENGLAND, Sam (Green)
  
• HUGGINS, Chris (Trade Unionist & Socialist) 
• NICE, Steve (Liberal Democrat) 
• PALMER, Nick (Reform) 
• SMITH, Kerry (Independent)*
• X, None Of The Above (n/a)  

The man himself, Kerry Smith, Leader of the misleadingly-named Independent and Non-Aligned Group of Labour lackeys on Basildon Council, is seeking re-election to his county seat, which he has held with an iron grip since 2013. Councillor Smith's platform will undoubtedly major on his titanic efforts to abolish ECC. As an Independent, Councillor Smith wields little influence at County Hall, which is principally why he hates the place. At Basildon, he has spent a decade as the 'kingmaker', helping to prop up minority Labour administrations during periods of NOC. At County Hall, on the other hand, he is widely derided as an oddball crank, who turns up to meetings late, sleeps through most of them, makes the occasional highly eccentric, rambling speech, and rarely returns after they break for lunch. Nobody takes him seriously there, so consequently he uses it as a whipping boy, blaming County for anything and everything. The boundaries of the Westley Heights Division have changed very little, as it was the only single-member county division we had. Langdon Hills is entirely contiguous and it also includes the Kingswood area of Basildon. Chris Allen, former Tory borough councillor for Langdon Hills, in addition to standing in his old ward, is also standing for the county seat too. Likewise, Brian Button and Steve Nice are both standing here and in Langdon Hills for Labour and the Liberals respectively, while Chris Huggins is standing for TUSC both here and in Nethermayne. Sam England and Nick Palmer are both first-time candidates for the Greens and Reform respectively. None Of The Above X (ne Terry Marsh) is standing as an unofficial abstention option.  

Councillor Smith is defending his 61% vote share from when he was last re-elected in 2021 (with a majority of 2,251 votes over his Conservative opponent). NB: Councillor Smith sits in the Cabinet and notably voted against authorising the Labour Leader to request a postponement of these Local Elections, but presumably with dispensation from the Leader due to political considerations, and it is worth noting that when the Conservatives tried to move a debate at Full Council to challenge the Cabinet's decision, he voted with Labour to block it. 

 PITSEA NORTH-WEST WARD

• HOWARD, Martin (Liberal Democrat)
• NOBLE, Jeff (Reform) 
• REID, Pat (Labour)*
• SAVAGE, Michelle (Green)
• SURRIDGE, Sine (Trade Unionist & Socialist) 
• TERSON, Stuart (Conservative) 

Labour incumbent Pat Reid is defending her seat, which she won in 2019 and to which she was re-elected in 2023 and then again in the whole-council election in 2024. Councillor Reid is notable for having previously been a perennial paper candidate - having stood in no less than 16 elections since 1998, mostly in Billericay East - before being elected in Pitsea North-West. She has gone to be a widely respected borough and county councillor. Former Tory councillor Stuart Terson previously represented Pitsea North-West between 2021 and 2024. He worked tirelessly across the ward and built up a reputation as a diligent ward councillor, but it was not enough to save him from the collapse of the Tory vote in 2024. Liberal Martin Howard is back again, breaking all records, having stood in more elections (unsuccessfully) than any other candidate in Basildon history. This is his 22nd election since 1973 and his seventeenth go at Pitsea North-West. Meanwhile, Jeff Noble, Michelle Savage and Sine Surridge are all first-time candidates for Reform, the Greens and TUSC respectively.  

Councillor Reid is defending Labour's 58% vote share from 2024. NB: I've a lot of time for Pat, but it should be noted that she voted to throw out a debate opposing the cancellation of Local Elections and allowed the decision to be delegated to the Cabinet, who ultimately voted to cancel them.

 

PITSEA SOUTH-EAST WARD

• ABRAHALL, David (Reform)
• HUGGINS, Jack (Trade Unionist & Socialist)
• McDONALD, Ryan (Labour)
• RIMMER, Craig (Conservative)
• SPOWART, Steven (Liberal Democrat)
• WILLIS, Steven (Green)

The incumbent up this year, Ben Westwick, is quietly standing down. As I understand it, he is Gavin Callaghan's personal trainer (or something like that) and was elected in 2024 as a Labour councillor, but lost the whip last year due to some issues with unsavoury historic posts on social media. His mate Gavin threw him under the bus, but Kerry Smith scooped him up and he has subsequently sat as an 'unaligned' member of the Independent Group. He, nevertheless, remained slavishly loyal to Callaghan and there was speculation he might be rehabilitated, but he has instead been replaced as the Labour candidate by another young man named Ryan McDonald, who is standing for election for the first time. Standing for the Conservatives is former Tory councillor Craig Rimmer, who represented the seat between 2018 and 2024 and was a tenacious advocate for Pitsea. Although he lost his seat in 2024, Craig has remained active in the Party and is currently Chairman of Essex Area Conservatives. In a major 'blast from the past', David Abrahall is standing here for Reform, 12 years after losing his seat. Mr. Abrahall (also known professionally as 'David Alacey', Frank Sinatra impersonator) was a Labour councillor for Pitsea West between 1995 and 2002, when he switched seats to Vange. In 2006, he defected to the Conservatives and sat as a Tory councillor for Pitsea South-East until he lost his seat. So, his allegiances have always been somewhat fluid. Jack Huggins stood for TUSC in Pitsea North-West in 2024 and is now switching to the South-East seat. Steven Spowart and Steven Willis both stood here in 2024 for the Liberals and Greens respectively.   

Mr. McDonald is nominally defending Labour's 41% vote share from 2024, in what is traditionally regarded as a key marginal.

ST. MARTIN’S WARD

• ATKINSON, Elizabeth (Labour)
• BUXTON, Andrew (Trade Unionist & Socialist)
• JOURNET, Sam (Reform)*
• MATTHEWMAN, Ellie (Green) 
  
• ROY, Deepak (Conservative)

Reform Group Leader Sam Journet is seeking re-election in St. Martin's, which he won in a by-election following the resignation of Labour's Maryam Yaqub last year, after she unceremonious ejection from the Cabinet by Gavin Callaghan (she he could promote his wife in her place). It would be fair to say that Councillor Journet has gone on to be a controversial and polarising character on Basildon Council. Whatever else he may or may not have achieved, I can confirm that he has fully renovated and taken up a permanent tenancy in Gavin Callaghan's head. Standing here for the Conservatives is local resident Deepak Roy, a successful local businessman and community volunteer. Elizabeth Atkinson, who was Labour's candidate in the by-election, is standing here again. Andrew Buxton was the TUSC candidate in the by-election and previously a Labour councillor for St. Martin's between 2015 and 2019. He was another left-winger drummed out of the party in the Starmer purge. In fact, the memo clearly went out that we were putting the band back together, because Ellie Matthewman was also the Green candidate in the by-election. She previously stood here in 2024 as well.

Councillor Journet is defending his 45% vote share from last year (maj. 224). NB: Councillor Journet supported the Conservative motion opposing the cancellation of these Local Elections.     

PITSEA DIVISION

• HUGGINS, Jack (Trade Unionist & Socialist)
• REID, Pat (Labour)
• SAVAGE, Michelle (Green)
• SPOWART, Steven (Liberal Democrat) 
• TERSON, Stuart (Conservative)
• TRUMAN, Sue (Reform)  

The new Pitsea Division replaces the old larger division of the same name. Somewhat ridiculously, Pitsea has been carved up across five different county divisions. Although most of the town comes under this division, bits have been hived off - Nevendon to Castledon & Crouch, Northlands to Gloucester Park, Bardfield to Vange and Bowers Gifford to the new Wickford East & Bowers Gifford seat. Pat Reid, the outgoing Labour county councillor for the now defunct Laindon Park & Fryerns Division, who is also a Pitsea North-West borough councillor, is standing here for Labour. Councillor Reid actually represented the old Pitsea Division between 2017 and 2021, but lost her seat. She returned to County Hall in 2023 when she won the Laindon Park & Fryerns by-election. This meant, somewhat oddly, that she represented a county division that contained no part of her borough ward. Unsurprisingly, therefore, she is now seeking election in the new Pitsea seat. Standing for the Conservatives here is former Pitsea North-West Tory councillor Stuart Terson. Jack Huggins and Steven Spowart, who are also both fighting Pitsea South-East, are standing for TUSC and the Liberals respectively, along with Michelle Savage for the Greens, who is also contesting Pitsea North-West. Sue Truman is a first-time candidate for Reform.  

VANGE DIVISION

• BUXTON, Andrew (Trade Unionist & Socialist)
• CALLAGHAN, Gavin (Labour)
• COJOCARU, Iurie (Independent) 
• HORNSBY, Matthew (Green) 
• JOURNET, Sam (Reform UK)
• KURRA, Jyothi (Liberal Democrat) 
  
• ROY, Deepak (Conservative)

The new Vange Division (which resurrects the name of Vange following the abolition of the borough ward of that name in 2024) is a bit of a chimera of a division. It takes in Craylands from Basildon, Bardfield from Pitsea, and then the lion's share of Nethermayne and St. Martin's. Unsurprisingly, Labour Leader Gavin Callaghan has chosen to contest this seat himself. There is, therefore, likely to be something of a battle royale here, as Reform Leader Sam Journet is also standing here. So, they shall be going mono a mono. Standing for the Conservatives shall be Deepak Roy, who is also contesting the St. Martin's borough seat. Former Labour councillor turned TUSC Andrew Buxton is standing here as well as in St. Martin's, along with Matthew Hornsby for the Greens, who is also fighting Nethermayne. First-time candidate Jyothi Kurra is standing for the Liberals.  

The boundary changes make direct comparison impossible, but in 2021 the old two-member Pitsea Division returned one Tory and one Labour. I would say the new boundaries for Pitsea and Vange now work very much more in Labour's favour but there is all to play for.   

WICKFORD NORTH WARD

• HAMMOND, Trevor (Wickford Independent)*
• HOAD, Nicola (Liberal Democrat)
• MERRIN, Billy (Conservative)
• MORRIS, Viviane (Labour)
• SWABY, Steven (Reform)
• WRIGHT, Penny (Green)

The incumbent Wickford Independent (Windie), Trevor Hammond, is fighting re-election. I cannot say much about him, as he is not much of a talker at council. The Conservative candidate is Wickford town councillor Billy Merrin, a eager young guy, fighting his first election. He would work hard for the town. Nicola Hoad is standing here for the Liberals for the fourth time. Similarly, Penny Wright stood here last time for the Greens, while Viviane Morris and Steven Swaby are both first-time candidates for Labour and Reform respectively.  

Councillor Hammond is nominally defending the Windies' 44% vote share from 2024. NB: To be fair, Councillor Hammond is another one who did support the Conservative motion opposing the cancellation of these Local Elections. 

WICKFORD PARK WARD

• HOOPER, Luke (Conservative)
• MUNDY, Sean (Wickford Independents) 
• PETERS, John (Reform)
• SHARPE, Dean (Labour) 
• SHIELDS, Sarah-Jane (Independent)*
• TWIGG, Sam (Green)
• WOODS, Mike (Liberal Democrat) 

This stands to be quite an interesting fight. The incumbent councillor is Sarah Shields, who won a by-election last year following the death of Wickford Independents Leader David Harrison and was elected as Basildon's first ever Reform councillor. She was joined a short time later by Sam Journet, who was elected in a by-election in St. Martin's later the same year. Sadly, the working relationship between the two appears not to have been harmonious. I served on the Standards Committee with Councillor Shields (until I resigned from it) and she seemed pleasant enough, but some colleagues nicknamed her 'Silent Sarah', as in the nine months following her election, she spoke barely a word at council. Recently, Councillor Shields announced on Facebook that she had been de-selected as a candidate by Basildon Reform and has since accused Councillor Journet of 'bullying'. Reform has now selected first-time candidate John Peters as their candidate in Wickford Park and Councillor Shields is standing as an Independent. There were rumours that she might stand as a Windy, but they have selected Sean Mundy, also a first-time candidate. So, it looks like Councillor Shields will go head to head with her erstwhile comrades. Standing once again for the Conservatives is the excellent Lewis Hooper. He would make such a good councillor, it is unreal. Dean Sharpe is standing here for Labour, having previously contested Langdon Hills. Sam Twigg is a first-time candidate for the Greens, whereas perennial Lib Dem candidate Mike Woods is back, fighting his eighth election campaign since 1996, and his fifth shot at Wickford Park (the first time he has stood here since 2010).  

Councillor Shields is defending her 41% vote share from the by-election last year. She was only 82 votes ahead of Lewis, so I think there is everything for him to play for this time around. 

WICKFORD EAST & BOWERS GIFFORD DIVISION 

• BALL, Tony (Conservative)
• HOAD, Nicola (Liberal Democrat)
• MORRIS, Viviane (Labour)
• SWABY, Steven (Reform)
• TWIGG, Sam (Green) 

The new Wickford East & Bowers Gifford Division is, as you can see from the map, completely monstrous. It is a sprawling area, taking in the entirety of Wickford North and part of The Wick to the east, and Bowers Gifford & North Benfleet south of the A127. Tony Ball, one of the sitting Wickford Crouch councillors, has been selected to contest this new division. Tony has been a county councillor since 2017 but, prior to that, he was a Basildon borough councillor 16 years, representing Wickford North from 1998 to 2014, when he lost his seat. At the time, he had been Leader of the Council since 2002. At County Hall, Tony has been a staple of their frontbench, most recently as Cabinet Member for Education. Nicola Hoad is the Liberal candidate, also standing in Wickford North, as is Viviane Morris for Labour and Steven Swaby for Reform. Sam Twigg is also standing in Wickford Park.  

These division boundaries are so different, there can be no meaningful comparison with previous results, by Tony will doubtless be hoping to replicate the 64% vote share the Conservatives achieved in the old Wickford Crouch seat back in 2021.   

TRIVIA

We have a several married couple standing this year: Kevin & Ann Blake (Con, Burstead Ward and Fryerns), Gavin & Emma Callaghan (Lab, Vange and Gloucester Park), Martin & Viv Howard (Lib-Dem, Pitsea North-West and Fryerns) and possibly Kevin and Emma Blackmore (Green, Billericay West and Lee Chapel North). 

I do not know but I think Chris and Jack Huggins (Green, Nethermayne/Westley Heights and Pitsea South-East) must be related.  

Martin Howard (Lib-Dem, Pitsea North-West) is fighting his 22nd election - more than any other candidate. He first stood for Basildon Council in 1973 and holds the dubious distinction of having fought both the most elections and the most elections without ever winning a seat.

We have nine former councillors seeking to re-join Basildon Council: David Abrahall (Ref, Pitsea South-East), Yetunde Adeshile (Con, Nethermayne/Gloucester Park), Chris Allen (Con, Langdon Hills/Westley Heights), Ann Blake (Con, Fryerns), Andrew Buxton (TUSC, St. Martin's/Vange), Jeff Henry (Con, Laindon Park/Laindon Town), Elaine McDonald (TUSC, Lee Chapel North/Burstead), Craig Rimmer (Con, Pitsea South-East), and Stuart Terson (Con, Pitsea North-West/Pitsea)  

We have 35 candidates who, to the best of my knowledge, are fighting their first election campaigns.

We have four councillors standing down this year – Stuart Allen (Con, Castledon & Crouch), Allan Davies (Lab, Fryerns), Aidan McGurran (Lab, Lee Chapel North), and Ben Westwick (n/a, Pitsea South-East). 

One, Terry Webb (Lab, Lee Chapel North) is seeking re-election in a different wards to the one he represents now (Laindon Park). Meanwhile, Sarah Shields (n/a, Wickford Park) is standing in the same ward but now as an Independent.