Basildon MP constituencies: Tories set to oppose major shake-up

Residents in Vange will now be split and will vote for a different MP at the next general election, if Government plans are given the green light.

Part of Vange will be placed under the control of John Baron, MP for Basildon and Billericay, instead of Stephen Metcalfe MP.

Basildon’s Tory group is now considering whether to officially oppose the plans.

Senior councillor Craig Rimmer, in charge of the leisure and environment committee, said: “We’re still digesting it at this stage, and whether we need to take it any further.

“It’s a shame and disappointing that Vange has been split like this.

“It needs to kept under one MP, and Steven specifically.

“Thankfully all of our MP’s work well together and so did their teams in dealing with residents enquiries.

“They also work well with Jackie Doyle-Price MP in Thurrock.”

Across south Essex, five Tory MP’s swept home with huge majorities at the last general elections.

In Basildon, three MP’s represent residents, John Baron, Stephen Metcalfe, and Mark Francois.

Kerry Smith, councillor of the Nethermayne ward in Basildon, who represents part of Vange, slammed the proposals, adding: “Residents will be split down the middle and are being torn apart.

“It will just leave residents confused, and not know who their MP is.

“It’s barking mad if you ask me.

“I will be suggesting that if they are to split Vange up, they do it by postcode.

“SS16 could stay with Stephen Metcalfe, while SS14 could go to John Baron.

“Residents or councillors haven’t been consulted. If they had done, they would have realised it would be too confusing.

“Even at the moment, I’m not always the right councillor to go to for Vange, so I have to get the map out to find the right councillor.

“This will make it even worse.”

Vange is represented by three council wards, Netheymayne, Pitsea south east, and Vange itself.

John Baron and Stephen Metcalfe MP were contacted for comment.