Residents in Clacton-on-Sea, Holland-on-Sea, and West Clacton and Jaywick Sands have shown strong support for creating three new local councils to represent their areas. A recent public consultation held by Tendring District Council found that between 85 and 93 per cent of people who responded want to see these new community bodies established.
Currently, these three areas are the only parts of the district that do not have their own parish or town council. This arrangement dates back to 1974, when the former local urban district council was abolished and no successor was put in its place, leaving the areas to be administered directly by the district council.
The proposed plan would create three distinct authorities: a town council for Clacton-on-Sea with 25 councillors, a village council for Holland-on-Sea with 15 councillors, and a community council for West Clacton and Jaywick Sands with 12 councillors. The latter area includes Jaywick Sands, which has been identified by the government as the most deprived neighbourhood in England and is currently the focus of a long-term £126m regeneration plan.
The final decision on whether to form these councils rests with the full district council, which is set to meet on 2 June 2026. If the proposal is approved, the new councils would come into effect on 1 April 2027, with the first elections for community councillors taking place a month later.
This local governance change comes ahead of a broader reorganisation of local government in Essex. On 25 March 2026, the government confirmed that the county will move to a system of five new unitary authorities in April 2028, at which point the current district council structure will be replaced. Supporters of the new local councils argue that they would provide a direct layer of representation for residents before these larger changes take effect.
In terms of costs for local taxpayers, the average council tax charge for parish or town councils in this district is currently just under £76 per year, or roughly £1.46 per week.
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