A GROUP of seven residents have vowed to fight a major £1billion town centre overhaul by forming a new political party.

Basildon Community Residents Party has been formed to fight Basildon Council’s huge proposals.

The party was created by candidates Phil Rackley who is standing for Vange and Jake Hogg who is standing for Pitsea North West.

The town centre is set for a major £1billion overhaul with 4,000 new homes. Plans also show the over-capacity Towngate Theatre is set for an expansion.

This will include new studios, a café and bar as part of a “broadened cultural programme” which would allow it to become “cultural anchor for the town centre”.

Phil’s wife Pat Rackley who is standing for St Martin’s said the party aims to fight the plans for the people.

Mrs Rackley said: “I have lived in the borough for 35 years and always been involved in the community.

“I have done lots including volunteering and think our name goes before us.”

She stood as a Labour councillor for St Martin’s for eight years and was expelled from the party in 2013 after a row.

She added: “I then stayed on as an Independent councillor for the ward and I came off the council in 2015.

“I have stood in two elections.

“The response to the party and the fact that I am standing has been amazing.

“The main aim is opposing the Basildon Masterplan.

“One of the concerns I have is how expensive all these homes will be - for most people to buy a home they need about nine times their income.

“These will be glorified bedsits and there’s no social housing being included.”

She said the party also wants to see more transparency in the council and she’s also concerned about a lack of housing for people in these flats to move on to.

She added: “It’s time residents come together against this as it’s not what we want for the town.”

The election candidates for the borough:

Billericay East Ward

Tracey Hilton - Labour

Karen Manterfield - Lib Dems

Susan McCaffery - UKIP

Stuart Sullivan - Conservative

Billericay West

David Goddard - Labour

Edward Sainsbury - Lib Dems

Philip Turner - Conservative

Burstead

Laura Clark - Lib Dem

Richard Moore - Conservative

Malcolm Reid - Labour

Crouch

Stuart Allen - Conservative

Sean Barlow - Independent

Mark Burton-Sampson - Labour

Neil Huntley - Reform UK

Fryerns

Adele Brown - Labour

Jim Howard - Basildon Community Residents Party

Vivien Howard - Lib Dems

Sandeep Sandhu - Conservative

Max Woodrow - Reform UK

Laindon Park

Christopher Bateman - The For Britain Movement

Mark Dale - Basildon Community Residents Party

Tony Low - Independent

Stephen McCarthy - Lib Dems

Fred Southgate - UKIP

Angela Stanbrook - Labour

Kevin Wingfield - Conservative

Langdon Hills

Christopher Allen - Conservative

Walt Brown - Independent

Derrick Fellowes - Independent

Clarence Machipisa - Labour

Timothy Nicklin - Lib Dems

Val Robbins - Independent

Charlie Sansom - Conservative

Lee Chapel North

Michael Chandler - Lib Dems

Lewis Fripp - Reform UK

Alex Harrison - Labour

Kay Quested - Basildon Community Residents Party

Deepak Shukla - Conservative

Nethermayne

Michael Baker - Labour

Mark Cottrell - Conservative

Hazel Green - Independent

Norman Saggers - Reform UK

Lauren Whitwell - Basildon Community Residents Party

Pitsea North West

Stuart Terson - Conservative

Gavin Callaghan - Labour

Jake Hogg - Basildon Community Residents Party

Martin Howard - Lib Dems

Pitsea South East

Andrew Ansell - Labour

Simon Breedon - Independent

Gary Cranham - Conservative

Peter Lancaster - Lib Dems

Daniel Tooley - Reform UK

St Martin`s

Davida Ademuyiwa - Conservative

David Burton-Sampson - Labour

Philip Jenkins - Lib Dems

Pat Rackley - Basildon Community Residents Party

Vange

Yetunde Adeshile - Conservative

Aidan McGurran - Labour

Phil Rackley - Basildon Community Residents Party

Peter Smith - Lib Dems

Wickford North

Alan Ball - Wickford Independents

Nicola Hoad - Lib Dems

Carole Morris - Conservative

Gillian Palmer - Labour