BASILDON Borough Council's leader has called for an end to Essex County Council's influence over the town to remove "outdated attitudes and structures" to create "meaningful change." 

Basildon Council leader Gavin Callaghan is continuing to demand that the borough becomes a unitary authority, which would make it almost entirely separate from Essex County Council. Mr Callaghan said this would stop "sluggish bureaucracy" and prevent "too much of Basildon's cash and energy leaving the borough." 

It comes as bosses from Essex County Council, Thurrock Council, Southend Council, and a number of other councils across Essex wrote to the Government to express an interest in discussing a devolution deal.

Cllr Callaghan says the devolution deal he wants would allow Basildon Council to keep more than £160 million in council tax which instead could be used to boost the borough.

It comes after the Government progressed plans for devolution, which would mean shifting power out of Westminster to local councils – with Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer saying his "fundamental belief" is that people on the ground in local areas know what is best for their areas.

But Cllr Callaghan has called for action now, saying: "When you dig beneath the flowery language of three Essex council leaders about devolution, you get very little sense they're ready and willing to make the changes we need.

"People reading about devolution in Essex need to know that it could massively improve their lives, their prospects and their children's aspirations.

"It should be about journeys getting easier, the infrastructure leading to more and better homes and health landing quicker, local communities skilling up for the jobs of the future.

"But there's a risk – a big one – that the current plans will lead to more of the same: a sluggish bureaucracy, too much of Basildon's cash and energy leaving the borough and the major businesses who choose to headquarter here wondering why we're playing games rather than making the change that they can invest in.

"The current system of districts and a big remote county holds us back. In Basildon borough we collect £165million in council tax, but only £22.5million stays in your borough; the rest is hoovered up in Chelmsford.

"Our roads and our regenerations, our skills and our schools could all be better but are held back by red tape and delays. The idea we add a third tier of local government on the top and give the taxpayers of Basildon even less of a say is absurd.

"The ambitions set out by councillors Bentley, Cowan and Kent are laudable, and I share them, but unless we set aside outdated attitudes and structures and embrace meaningful change, we will simply not achieve those ambitions."

In a joint statement, councillors Kevin Bentley, leader of Essex County Council, John Kent, leader of Thurrock Council, and Daniel Cowan, leader of Southend City Council, said: "Essex County Council, Southend City Council, Thurrock Council and the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, backed by most of the district, city and borough councils across greater Essex, have formally submitted an expression of interest to the Government to discuss a devolution deal.

"We are at the heart of two nationally significant growth corridors – the Thames Estuary and UK Innovation Corridor.

"We are a major trading and international gateway, with two freeports and two international airports. We have a large number of outstanding schools and FE colleges across the region, and global reach through our higher education institutions. We are also pioneers in key growth sectors such as construction, retrofit, clean energy, DigiTech and creative industries.

"Giving local residents and businesses the power to grow Essex's economy through devolution can of course only benefit the wider national economy. It will also help address some of the greatest challenges we face, such as productivity. We believe the potential is there to significantly accelerate the growth and productivity of our economy. It will help generate high-value jobs, and strengthen our ability to shape our communities by creating inspiring places with robust public infrastructure."