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
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