Mayor of Basildon dies following a short illness

The Pitsea councillor announced his cancer diagnosis last month

 
Cllr Luke Mackenzie - devoted public servant

It is with great sadness that all of us at Basildon Borough Conservatives learned of the tragic passing of our dear friend and brother, Cllr Luke Mackenzie, following a short illness. He was 37.

It was only last month that Mayor Mackenzie announced publicly that he had been diagnosed with cancer, taking his lead from His Majesty the King in making his diagnosis public. He was optimistic for his treatment and confronted his illness with fortitude and his customary positivity right to the very end. All of us in the Conservative family are devastated that he has been taken from us far too soon.

"Luke was a son of Basildon and an Essex boy through and through."

Luke was a son of Basildon and an Essex boy through and through. He loved the town and had enormous faith in the people of this borough and our potential to succeed and do great things. He was a man of sound principles and strong convictions and joined the Conservative Party at a young age, becoming an active recruiter for the Party, particularly our youth wing. He continued, throughout his life, to encourage young people to take an interest in and to become active in politics. He was not a cynic, and believed in the transformative potential of politics and in the essential ability of people to enter a life of public service and make a difference to their communities.

Luke contested his first election in Vange in 2007, when he was only 21, winning the seat the following year. He served for 4 years on Basildon Council, during which time he rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming Assistant to the Leader under Tony Ball. He lost his seat in 2012 and went on to other things. Having worked for many years in the office of our local MP, Stephen Metcalfe, he went on to become a Senior Researcher to the Conservative Group on the London Assembly, specialising in policing policy. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of the Metropolitan Police and was a staunch advocate of strong policies on law and order.

In 2018, Luke returned to Basildon Council representing Pitsea South-East, alongside his good friend, Cllr Craig Rimmer. In 2021, he was also elected to Essex County Council, representing the Pitsea Division. That same year, he became Deputy Mayor. He was subsequently re-elected in Pitsea South-East in 2022 and was voted as the 7th Mayor of Basildon that year. He was voted back in for a second mayoralty last year. By common consent, he has been a highly capable and distinguished mayor, having served throughout the tumult following the death of the late Queen Elizabeth and the accession and coronation of King Charles III. As First Citizen of the Borough, Mayor Mackenzie represented us with great dignity.

"Luke was a dedicated public servant, becoming a councillor at a very young age. He served his local community with pride..." ~ Cllr Baggott

Cllr Andrew Baggott, Leader of Basildon Council, said: "Luke shocked us all when he announced his cancer diagnosis earlier this year, and his loss will be felt tremendously by members and officers across the Council. Luke was a dedicated public servant, becoming a councillor at a very young age. He served his local community with pride... Luke will be remembered with great fondness, as someone who put other people first and took his responsibilities as Mayor incredibly seriously. He supported others entering the world of local politics and delivered his role with the greatest integrity. I speak on behalf of the whole of Basildon when I offer my sincerest condolences to Luke’s family, his loved ones and all those who had the privilege of working with him. We will miss him dearly."

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Leader of Essex County Council, added: “I was deeply saddened to hear the news of the very sad and untimely death of Cllr Luke Mackenzie yesterday... His 38th birthday would have been next week. He was a highly regarded and well-liked colleague, especially by our members from Basildon Borough, and his loss will be keenly felt. He will be much-missed, and we offer our condolences to his family and friends.”

Luke was a good friend to many, a dedicated and exceptionally hardworking public servant, a supporter of numerous charities and good causes, who believed passionately in Basildon and in the potential of all the people who live here. His loss will be sorely and sincerely felt by all who knew him and he will be profoundly missed by his many friends.

Our thoughts are with his family at this incredibly difficult time.

R.I.P.