Essex County Council

At the time of the 2011 census it served a population of 1,393,600, which makes it one of the largest local authorities in England. As a non-metropolitan county council, responsibilities are shared between districts (including boroughs) and in many areas also between civil parish (including town) councils. Births, marriages/civil partnerships and death registration, roads, libraries and archives, refuse disposal, most of state education, of social services and of transport are provided at the county level.[2]

The county council was formed in 1889, governing the administrative county of Essex. West Ham, otherwise part of Essex at the time, was a county borough and therefore outside the area of responsibility for the county council. Southend-on-Sea (1914) and East Ham (1915) were also removed. In 1965 Barking, Chingford, Dagenham, Hornchurch, Ilford, Leyton, Romford, Walthamstow, and 'Wanstead and Woodford' were transferred to Greater London. The county council was reconstituted in 1974 as a non-metropolitan county council, regaining jurisdiction in Southend-on-Sea, however the non-metropolitan county was reduced in size in 1998 and the council passed responsibilities to Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Thurrock Council in those districts. For certain services the three authorities co-operate through joint arrangements, such as libraries and, until 2017, the Essex fire authority.

Following the 2013 County Council elections the Conservative Party retained overall control of the council, but their majority fell from twenty-two to 7 councillors. UKIP, Labour and the Liberal Democrats all won nine seats. Of the three second-placed parties who won nine seats, UKIP gained the largest share of the county-wide vote, more than 10% ahead of the Labour party.^[3] The Liberal Democrats remained as the official Opposition, despite winning fewer votes.^[3] The Green Party gained two seats on the Council, despite its overall share of the vote falling. The Independent Loughton Residents Association and the Canvey Island Independent Party both returned one member and an Independent candidate representing a residents' association, was also elected. In the 2017 election, 56 Conservatives were elected, 7 Liberal Democrats, 6 Labour, 2 Canvey Island Independent party, 1 Loughton Residents Association, 1 Green and 2 independents. The independents and minor parties have since 2006 generally formed themselves into a political group, known as the Non-aligned group, and duly did so again on 9 May 2017. The Group Leaders are Mike Mackrory (LD), Ivan Henderson (Lab) and Chris Pond (NAG). All 75 members of the Council are thus members of a political group. However, one Conservative was suspended by the national party and thus from the Annual Council Meeting of 2018 sat as an independent. In 2019, another conservative resigned and sat as an independent.

The next election will be in 2021. However these may be the last of their kind as the Conservative government is proposing potential reorganisation of local government in the near future. Discussions are currently underway between interested parties to consider restructuring the county into several Unitary authorities, and the abolition of the County Council.

The county of Essex is divided into 12 district and borough councils with 2 unitary authorities (Southend on Sea and Thurrock). The 12 councils manage housing, local planning, refuse collection, street cleaning, elections and meet in their respective civic offices. The local representatives are elected in parts in local elections, held every year.

The County Council has no say in the work of the two unitary authorities, but works closely with them.

In late January 2019, Essex County Council was criticised and accused of bigotry for using a picture of a person removing a wig to depict transgender people. The image was placed on a consultation document regarding library cuts.[3][4][5][6]

As of 5 May 2017, the composition of the council is as follows:

• Sir Sydney Walter Robinson (1876–1950), briefly Liberal member of parliament for Chelmsford
• Major-General Lord Edward Hay (1888–1944)
• Beryl Platt, Baroness Platt of Writtle, Chairman 1971–1980
• Robert Dixon-Smith, Baron Dixon-Smith, Chairman 1986–1989
• Paul White, Baron Hanningfield, Chairman 1989–1992, Leader 2001–2010
• Angela Smith, Baroness Smith of Basildon, member 1989–1993, later member of parliament for Basildon and a peer since 2010

• Essex Act 1987

• Official website