Cross-party MPs back five-council model for Essex

Conservative Sir Bernard Jenkin (left), Lib Dem Marie Goldman (centre), Labour's Bayo Alaba (right) were part of a group of seven MPs who supported a new five-council model.

A group of seven MPs from different political parties have declared support for five new all-purpose councils within their county.

Proposals to scrap the current 15 local authorities in Essex - and replace them with either five, four or three unitary councils - were being considered by the government.

In a joint statement, the group of Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs said the option for five councils was "the only one" they would support.

But Essex County Council leader Kevin Bentley was pushing for three unitary authorities, arguing: "More councils would mean less money for the excellent care services currently provided."

Under local government reorganisation, the existing two layers of local government in Essex would be abolished.

Currently, district councils collect household waste and pass it on to the county council to process.

Street cleaning and car parks were dealt with at a district level, while pothole repairs and social care were overseen by the county council.

The new unitary councils would provide all of these services in their respective areas.

Modelling suggests having fewer councils could save money.

Bayo Alaba, Labour MP for Southend East and Rochford, said: "The five-council model put forward by the majority of councils across Essex will best protect local services."

Marie Goldman, Liberal Democrat MP for Chelmsford, argued the model of five is the only one that "comes close to retaining a strong sense of community and place, while also allowing new unitary councils to be agile and responsive to residents' needs".

'Smaller is better'

Some Conservative MPs have been sceptical about council reorganisation in Essex.

Sir Bernard Jenkin said: "The great disadvantage of this whole project, apart from the massive administrative disruption caused by the reorganisation, is that much of local government will become more remote from the citizen."

However, the Tory MP for Harwich and North Essex said: "The five-unitary proposal mitigates this as far as possible. Smaller is better: closer to the citizen and will drive greater accountability."

The seven MPs who have announced they support the five-unitary council option are:

• Bayo Alaba MP, Labour, Southend East and Rochford

• David Burton-Sampson MP, Labour, Southend West and Leigh

• Pam Cox MP, Labour, Colchester

• Marie Goldman MP, Liberal Democrat, Chelmsford

• Sir Bernard Jenkin MP, Conservative, Harwich and North Essex

• Chris Vince MP, Labour, Harlow

• Sir John Whittingdale MP, Conservative, Maldon

Ten of the 15 existing councils back the five-unitary model.

Rochford and Thurrock councils proposed a system of four unitary authorities, while Conservative-led Braintree and Epping Forest councils support the county council's preference for three.

The government is set to choose which options to put forward for public consultation before Christmas, with a final decision made in the spring.