Essex five-council model branded 'soulless' and 'not local'

The government has announced their plans for Local Government Reorganisation adopting the five-council model for Essex.

This means Colchester will now be in an authority with Braintree and Tendring in the new North East Essex Council.

Essex County Council supported a three-council model.

Colchester High Steward and former Liberal Democrat MP Sir Bob Russell said five unitary councils in Essex is better than the alternative three-council proposal.

But he said merging with Tendring Council and Braintree Council would mean the end of more than 900 years of Colchester having its own council administering local self-governance.

He said: “The soulless named North-East Essex Unitary Council will have a population of 510,000 – five times the population of Jersey, ten times the population of Greenland.

“A council stretching 40 miles from Jaywick to Wethersfield is not local.”

He further said the current 51 city councillors and nine county councillors form Colchester would be reduced to 37 by April 2028.

Sir Bob Russell said it was important Colchester retain its city status and its historic office of Mayor, established in 1636.

He said the merger of councils across England was being forced by the Government and that it was not in Labour’s Manifesto at the 2024 General Election.

He added: “Colchester Council has not asked to merge with Tendring and Braintree Councils.

"I have yet to meet anyone from Colchester who wants to see such a merger.

“It is a black day for Colchester, for local democracy and for local decision-making."

Approved - The five council model has been approved (Image: Essex County Council)

Sir Bob Russell further said he was involved in the last major local government change when Colchester merged with other such as Wivenhoe, West Mersea and Lexden in 1974.