Residents could be given the chance to elect all 42 councillors at once at one South Essex council as reforms are proposed to the processes of elections. Basildon Council is proposing to move to a system of all-out elections where all of the councillors for the authority would be chosen at the same time.
The Labour council leader, councillor Gavin Callaghan, announced the plans in a Facebook live video said it was in response to a change by the Boundary Commission. The changes are set to take effect at the same time as all councils are set to be abolished under major shakeups of local council structures across England.
This could mean the change to council structures would remove the need for the electoral change, as the Basildon Council would be shut down, and a new council with the area and others could be created.
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Councillor Callaghan said: “We are going to be debating whether or not to move Basildon to all-out elections every four years beginning in May 2028; at the moment, we elect the council by thirds, and we have a fallow year where we have Essex County Council elections.
“What we are now looking to do is move Basildon in line with most councils in the country and elect through all-out elections. You will remember back in May this year, we had all-out elections for all 42 councillors because we had a boundary review, and we are looking at making that the new norm.
“There’s a consultation we have to start and run through. The Boundary Commission recommended to Basildon a year ago that we move to all out elections, the recommendation was never put before councillors or the public for a vote, I believe it should have been and that’s why I am bringing that vote for councillors.”