As we all continue to navigate the Covid-19 outbreak, Basildon Council has enacted its protocols for urgent decision-making, put in place to enable the Council to continue to serve residents throughout the current crisis. The Conservative Group intends to play its full part, working with the Administration on a cross-party basis in the interests of the residents of Basildon Borough. Last week, the Government passed the Coronavirus Act (2020), which has introduced a raft of measures to give local authorities greater powers to deal with the rapidly changing situation, including regulations to enable the Council to hold remote meetings over the coming weeks and months, depending on how long the situation lasts. At present, your councillors can only vote in person at meetings but the regulations being introduced by the Act would change this.

In the meantime, a meeting of a small four-member, cross-party committee - comprised of the Leader of Basildon Council, Leader of the Opposition, and their respective deputies - has been scheduled for this Tuesday (you can see the agenda here). Our Leader, Cllr Andrew Baggott, has written to the Leader of the Council suggesting some additional items for discussion, including the possibility of a Council Tax holiday, the creation of a Civil Contingencies Fund, and other matters to combat this emergency.

Is there anything else you think your local leaders should be talking about? Contact Cllr Baggott at info@basildonconservatives.com.