Residents, businesses and local organisations are being asked to share their views on the future of councils in Essex.
A public consultation to give people a chance to have their say has been launched by a number of authorities to guide their proposed vision for new unitary councils across Greater Essex.
The group, which includes Basildon, Brentwood, Castle Point, Chelmsford, Colchester, Maldon, Southend and Uttlesford, is developing a proposal for five new future councils. The Government has asked councils in the area to propose options to reduce the current number of local authorities in Essex and replace them with bigger unitary councils, which will deliver most local services to their residents.
Earlier this year, Essex councils sent an interim proposal to the Government, which indicated some councils had a preference for five new unitary authorities, each based around the largest towns and cities in Essex. Some local authorities in the county are working on different proposals for how new councils should be configured, which are expected to propose fewer than five councils.
Councils are changing
Greater Essex currently comprises 15 councils serving nearly 1.9 million residents. Southend and Thurrock operate as unitary authorities, meaning they manage most local services independently. In contrast, the rest of Essex follows a two-tier system: district councils like Basildon, Castle Point and Chelmsford handle local services such as waste collection, street cleaning, and leisure facilities, while Essex County Council oversees broader services including highways, adult social care, and special educational needs.
As part of the Government’s devolution agenda aimed at streamlining local governance, these 15 councils are set to be replaced within the next three years by a smaller number of new unitary authorities. These new bodies will consolidate responsibilities, delivering all local services except those managed by town and parish councils, which will remain unaffected.
Public consultation to gather views across Essex
This engagement exercise offers people a valuable opportunity to share their views at an important stage, helping to shape the final ‘five council’ proposal over the summer. It will outline the creation of five new unitary councils, formed by neighbouring existing councils joining together to create larger authorities that retain a strong local identity and sense of place.
Once the survey has ended, the councils will use the feedback gathered to refine their bid before submitting a final proposal at the end of September. The Government will then consider all the submissions it receives, before deciding how councils should be structured in Essex. New councils are planned to be in place from April 2028.
Page last reviewed: 26 June 2025