A FORMER Labour council leader has revealed he wants to make a comeback in next month’s Basildon elections which will see all 42 seats up for grabs.

Due to boundary changes, the number of wards on the council is being slashed from 16 to 14 and all 42 council seats are up for election.

Typically, Basildon Council elections take place in thirds but the boundary charges have led to a “reset” which mean every sitting councillor will have to defend their seat on the council.

One stand-out name on the list of candidates is Gavin Callaghan, who was the former leader of Basildon Council and leader of the town’s Labour party.

Mr Callaghan, who represents the Labour Party, stepped down in June 2021 with immediate effect due to “pursuing other interests both at home and abroad”.

In a statement this week, he has now confirmed he will be standing again at the Basildon Council elections as he claims “the council has lost its way”.

The former council leader added: “No one should be being asked to pay the highest level of council tax in the authority’s history but live in conditions like this, which we saw on our rounds today.

“Sadly it has been symptomatic of the scenes we have seen all across the borough over the last ten weeks.

“The council has badly lost its way. It’s letting people down. We need a new administration, far more accountability and fresh leadership for our borough.”

Due to the boundary there is no longer Vange, Wickford Castle, or Crouch wards, and a new ward - Castledon and Crouch - is being created.

Those previously representing those wards are now standing in different areas.

Melissa McGeorge, Labour councillor for Vange, will stand for the Lee Chapel North ward, and Yetunde Adeshile, Tory councillor for Vange, will stand for the Pitsea South East ward.

Don Morris, Tory councillor for Wickford Castledon, will run in Wickford North ward, and Alex Myers, Tory councillor for Wickford Castledon, is hoping to be elected for the Castledon and Crouch ward.

Terri Sargent, Tory councillor for Crouch, has moved to Castledon and Crouch, while Stuart Allen, Tory councillor for Crouch, is also running for the Castledon and Crouch ward.

A number of councillors are also stepping down at the elections, including Conservative Stuart Sullivan, Labour David Kirkman, and non-aligned Caira-Neeson.

Conservative councillor Andrew Baggott, current leader of Basildon Council, explained why all councillors are now standing this year.

He said: “There was a boundary change, for the first time in more than 20 years.

“So, as a result of that the boundary commission said due to the number of councillors we had, there will be an equal spit of councillors with 14 wards and three in each.

“They call that a substantial changes, so as a result there is an all-in election and reset.”