Basildon Council plans to shift to all-out elections for councillors, aiming for a more streamlined voting process.
Basildon: Big changes are brewing for local elections. The council is thinking about letting residents vote for all 42 councillors at once. This would be a shift to all-out elections, which means everyone gets chosen at the same time.
The Labour council leader, Gavin Callaghan, shared this news during a Facebook live session. He mentioned that this move is in response to a recommendation from the Boundary Commission. These changes are expected to roll out alongside a major overhaul of local councils across England.
Interestingly, if the council structure changes, it might make this electoral shift unnecessary. Basildon Council could be replaced by a new council that includes the area and others.
Callaghan explained that they’re looking to start all-out elections every four years from May 2028. Right now, they elect councillors in thirds, which means there’s a year without local elections when Essex County Council elections happen.
He added, “We want to align Basildon with most councils in the country. Remember back in May when we had all-out elections due to a boundary review? We’re aiming to make that the standard practice.”
There’s a consultation process that needs to kick off. A year ago, the Boundary Commission suggested moving to all-out elections, but that recommendation never made it to a vote. Callaghan believes it should have, and he’s pushing for that vote now.
