FORMER council leader Gavin Callaghan has made a triumphant return to Basildon and is vowing “to undo the mistakes” of the previous Tory administration after Labour made gains at the election.

Mr Callaghan was re-elected to the council on Thursday and will now represent the St Martin’s ward, two-and-half years after he quit the council with immediate effect.

Announcing his bid to return to the the council earlier this year, Mr Callaghan - who was first elected as Labour leader of the council in 2017 - claimed the council “has lost its way”.

Mr Callaghan will represent the St Martin’s ward alongside current Labour leader Maryam Yaqub as the pair join forces in the town centre ward and upon his election he vowed to “undo the generational scars of the Conservatives” and usher in "a more hopeful future".

Joining Mr Callaghan on the council is his wife, Emma Callaghan, who was elected in the Pitsea North West ward.

Despite Labour having 18 seats on the council, the party fell short of the 22 seats needed to have an overall majority and Mr Callaghan said the party will now consider its options in forming an administration with the 11 independent councillors.

He said: “This election was ultimately a referendum on the bins and this Tory administration has lost everything over it, it is a rejection of everything I was working for previously, which was empathetic.

“They have been tone deaf and this election has humiliated them.”

Mr Callaghan stated that his most important aim is supporting residents during the cost-of-living crisis and keeping costs as low as possible for all those living in the borough.

Speaking of what inspired him to make his return to the political world, Mr Callaghan said: “In Basildon you have such a great amount of people who find living to be a struggle, with the cost-of-living crisis and everyday costs.

“People in Basildon are sick of being fleeced, seeing how much the Conservatives can take out of them, when it costs £70 to get your grass cut but they can afford £1.7 million for golden handshakes.

“This is a once is a generation result that has humiliated the Conservatives.”

After the Labour party made gains across south Essex and the country, Mr Callaghan insisted the party is “stronger than ever” and he believes the party is now best suited to running Basildon Council and “delivering change”.

He said: “This is the most committed the Labour Party has ever been, it is dynamic and we have chief executives, teachers and business people in our group.

“We are going to try and hit the ground running, from the word go and even though we don’t have a majority, we will be moving on change as quickly as possible.”