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MP Column May 9: Alex Burghart MP, Brentwood and Ongar

This week, Alex discusses the results of the recent local elections

Nicola Lloyd

InYourArea Community, Nicola Lloyd

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MP Column May 9: Alex Burghart MP, Brentwood and Ongar

BRENTWOOD AND ONGAR MP: Alex Burghart

Written by Alex Burghart MP, Brentwood and Ongar

My congratulations to all those involved in the local elections this week, from candidates and their agents to the campaigners and canvassers, to the council staff who organised and counted so efficiently across Brentwood and Ongar.

The four Epping Forest District Council wards in my constituency have all remained Conservative but, in Brentwood, the Conservatives lost three seats. The current tally of councillors is standing at 17 Conservatives, 17 Liberal Democrats, two Labour and one independent.

I am sad to see the Conservatives lose overall control of Brentwood Borough Council but look forward to working closely with the new administration whatever form it may take.

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The outgoing council, led by councillor Chris Hossack, deserves to be congratulated for the superb job it did through Covid, as well as for seeing the Brentwood Local Plan 2016-2033 through to adoption last year and bringing forward some innovative ideas to give new life and a cinema to the Baytree Centre.

As always, it is sad to see councillors who have worked so hard in recent years, lose their seats. I must mention Noelle Hones, a former Mayor of Brentwood, who just missed out on being re-elected in Ingatestone having been a wonderful representative and advocate for the village since 2007.

All seats on Brentwood Borough Council will be up for election in 2024, a move away from the current system of one-third of councillors being elected for three years out of four, so many more elections to come.

Last week's column

Good luck to all new councillors and commiserations to those who worked hard but did not become a councillor this time. Onwards and upwards.

The Brentwood Gazette covers areas including but not limited to Billericay, Brentwood, Hutton, Shenfield and Wickford in Essex.

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