Mat CourtReally good evening at the Community Centre last night, thank you to everyone who took time out of their lives to come along. We had around 30-35 people there, which was really good, but what really stood out was just how passionate people are about the area. There was a really positive, constructive vibe in…
One of the things I hear most often when speaking to people locally is simple. “We don’t really know what’s going on.” That came up again recently at a tea and coffee drop in at Elmstead Market. It was a great session, but a common theme in the conversations was just how little information people…
What this election is actually for With the Essex County Council election coming up on 7 May 2026, I’ve spoken to a lot of people across Brightlingsea, Thorrington, Alresford, Elmstead Market and Great Bentley. One thing that comes up again and again is a simple question: What does this election actually decide? Fair question. Local…
My Plan to Improve Transport Across Brightlingsea, Alresford, Great Bentley, Elmstead Market and Thorrington Over the past year I have spoken with many residents across Brightlingsea, Alresford, Great Bentley, Elmstead Market and Thorrington (BAGBEMT) about the everyday challenges of getting around. The same issues come up again and again. These are not complicated problems. They…
Whenever large developments are proposed, the promotional images always look the same. Like this: Wide streets. Trees everywhere. People walking. Cyclists riding through sunshine. Maybe someone pushing a pram or using a wheelchair. What you never see are cars. Yet in the real world, developments like this will obviously contain a lot of cars. People…
Tendring District Council’s (TDC) consultation on the Local Plan continues until 23rd March. The plan proposes 325 new homes for Brightlingsea, primarily through Site SAH4 (Land East of Church Road, on Samson’s Road opposite the old church, see map). The Council justifies this by claiming Brightlingsea “benefits from a range of existing infrastructure and facilities”:…
There’s something interesting about our part of Essex. Thorrington, Brightlingsea, Elmstead Market, Alresford and Great Bentley have never been represented by an independent councillor at County Hall. Representation has always come from someone aligned with one of the main political parties, often part of the governing administration at the time. That is not a criticism…
The Tendring Local Plan Review proposes around 300 homes on land at the north end of Samsons Road, known as Site SAH4. Together with smaller allocations in the town, this would result in around 325 additional homes in Brightlingsea. That represents roughly a 10% increase in the size of the town in a single allocation.…
There is always a temptation in elections to focus on opponents. To criticise.To respond.To escalate. I’m not going to do that. This area deserves better than personality politics. Over the coming months, I’m making a clear commitment: I will not say anything negative about other candidates. Not because I don’t disagree with people.Not because I…
Over the past few weeks over 100 people across the division/area have completed my listening and support form. Firstly, thank you. It genuinely helps. A few early patterns are emerging. The strongest themes so far are: • Roads, potholes and day to day transport• Housing and infrastructure pressure• Speeding and road safety• Access to health…
