Rochford District

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Rochford District
Non-metropolitan district
Aerial View of Rochford - geograph.org.uk - 2176414.jpg
Rochford, the administrative centre and one of the towns of the district
Rochford UK locator map.svg
Rochford shown within Essex
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
Region East of England
Non-metropolitan county Essex
Status Non-metropolitan district
Admin HQ Rochford
Incorporated1 April 1974
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan district council
 • BodyRochford District Council
 • LeadershipAlternative - Sec. 31 (No overall control)
 •  MPs James Duddridge
Mark Francois
Area
 • Total65.44 sq mi (169.49 km2)
 • Rank156th (of 296)
Population
 (2022)
 • Total87,216
 • Rank272nd (of 296)
 • Density1,300/sq mi (510/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
[1]
 •  Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
[1]
 •  Religion
List
Time zone UTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code 22UL (ONS)
E07000075 (GSS)
OS grid reference TQ876904

Rochford is a local government district in Essex, England. It is named after one of its main settlements, Rochford, where the council is based. The largest town in the district is Rayleigh. Other places in the district include Hockley, Ashingdon, Great Wakering, Canewdon and Hullbridge.

Contents

The district borders Maldon District to the north, the City of Chelmsford to the north-west, the Borough of Basildon to the west, the Borough of Castle Point to the south-west, and the City of Southend-on-Sea to the south. To the east, it has a stretch of coast at Foulness Island.

Most of the built-up areas are in the western part of the district, along the railway line from Shenfield to Southend Victoria. Southend Airport straddles the district's border with the City of Southend-on-Sea. The eastern part of the district is more sparsely populated.

History

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the whole area of two former districts, which were abolished at the same time: [2] [3]

Governance

Rochford District Council
Rochford District Council logo.svg
Type
Type
Leadership
Sarah-Jane Page,
Liberal Democrat
since 21 May 2024 [4]
James Newport,
Liberal Democrat
since 21 May 2024 [5]
Jonathan Stephenson
since 1 August 2021 [6]
Structure
Seats39 councillors
Rochford District Council 2024.svg
Political groups
Administration (21)
  Liberal Democrats (11)
  Independent (9)
  Green (1)
Other parties (18)
  Conservative (10)
  Rochford Residents (8)
Elections
Last election
 2 May 2024
Next election
7 May 2026
Meeting place
Rochford District Council offices - geograph.org.uk - 923338.jpg
Council Offices, South Street, Rochford, SS4 1BW
Website
www.rochford.gov.uk

Rochford District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Essex County Council. The district is also entirely covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government. [7]

Rayleigh, one of the towns of the district and its largest settlement Rayleigh Windmill - geograph.org.uk - 2935459.jpg
Rayleigh, one of the towns of the district and its largest settlement

Political control

The council has been under no overall control since 2023. [8] Following the 2024 election a coalition of the Liberal Democrats, Green Party and independents formed to run the council, led by Liberal Democrat councillor James Newport. [9]

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: [10]

Party in controlYears
No overall control 1974–1976
Conservative 1976–1990
No overall control 1990–1994
Liberal Democrats 1994–1998
No overall control 1998–2002
Conservative 2002–2023
No overall control 2023–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2004 have been: [11]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Terry Cutmore Conservative 22 Jun 200414 May 2019
Mike Steptoe Conservative 14 May 20199 Jul 2020
Simon Wootton Conservative 9 Jul 202023 May 2023
John Mason Rochford Resident 23 May 202321 May 2024
James Newport Liberal Democrats 21 May 2024

Composition

Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council was: [12]

PartyCouncillors
Liberal Democrats 11
Conservative 10
Independent 9
Rochford Resident 8
Green 1
Total39

The Green councillor sits with the independents as the "non-aligned group", which forms the council's administration with the Liberal Democrats. The next election is due in May 2026. [13]

Premises

The council has its main offices on South Street in Rochford. When the council was created it inherited the former Rochford Rural District Council's offices at Roche House, 7 South Street, Rochford and the former Rayleigh Urban District Council's offices at Barringtons, 2 Hockley Road, Rayleigh. Both buildings were converted houses. The council acquired other properties along South Street in Rochford and combined them with Roche House to form the council's headquarters. [14] The council used a modern extension to Barringtons in Rayleigh as an area office and civic suite, containing the council chamber, until 2023 when the building was closed. [15] [16]

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2016 the council has comprised 39 councillors representing 13 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four for a third of the council at a time. Elections to Essex County Council are held in the fourth year of the cycle when there are no district council elections. [17]

Parishes

Hawkwell, one of the villages of the district Hawkwell, Essex - St.Marys Church.jpg
Hawkwell, one of the villages of the district

The district is divided into 14 civil parishes. The parish council for Rayleigh takes the style "town council". [18] [19]

Arms

Coat of arms of Rochford District
Notes
Granted 8 March 1975.
Crest
Issuant from an ancient crown Or a mount Vert thereon in front of a representation of Rayleigh windmill Proper a seaxe fesswise Proper.
Escutcheon
Chequy of twelve Or a rose Gules barbed and seeded proper charged with a like rose Argent barbed and seeded Proper and Gules a garb Or.
Supporters
On the dexter side a bull [guardant] Sable armed unguled and winged Or and sinister a wyvern Vert.
Motto
Our Heritage Our Future. [20]
Badge
A roundel barry dancetty of six Gules and Or a pale wavy Argent charged with two pallets wavy Azure.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rochford</span> Town in England

Rochford is a town and civil parish in the Rochford District in Essex, England, 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Southend-on-Sea, 43 miles (69 km) from London and 21 miles (34 km) from Chelmsford. At the 2011 census, the civil parish had a population of 8,471.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rayleigh, Essex</span> Town in Essex, England

Rayleigh is a market town and civil parish in the Rochford District in Essex, England; it is located between Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea, 32 miles (51 km) east of central London. It had a population of 32,150 at the census in 2011.

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Hockley is a large village and civil parish in Essex in the East of England located between Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea, or, more specifically, between Rayleigh and Rochford. It came to prominence during the coming of the railway in the 1890s and at the 2001 census had a population of 13,616 people, reducing to 9,616 at the 2011 Census,. The parish of Hockley itself had a population of 8,909 at the, while the urban area runs into the neighbouring parish of Hawkwell. Hockley railway station serves the village.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rayleigh (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1997–2010

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southend East and Rochford (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1997 onwards

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Rochford Rural District was a rural district with an area of 146.01 square kilometres in the county of Essex, England. It was created in 1894, in 1897 the parish of Leigh was removed to create the Leigh-on-Sea Urban District. In 1926 the parish of Canvey Island was removed to create the Canvey Island Urban District. In 1929 the parishes of Hadleigh, South Benfleet and Thundersley were removed to create the Benfleet Urban District, at the same time the parishes of Rayleigh and Rawreth were removed to create the Rayleigh Urban District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashingdon</span> Village and civil parish in Essex, England

Ashingdon is a village and civil parish in Essex, England. It is located about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Rochford and is 13 miles (21 km) southeast of Chelmsford. The village lies within Rochford District and the parliamentary constituency of Rayleigh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hullbridge</span> Human settlement in England

Hullbridge is a village and civil parish in the Rochford district of Essex in England. Bordered to the north by the River Crouch, as well a distance from Hockley and Rayleigh. Hullbridge had a population of 6,527 at the Census 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rayleigh and Wickford (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2010 onwards

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canewdon</span> Village and civil parish in Essex, England

Canewdon is a village and civil parish in the Rochford district of Essex, England. The village is located approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of the town of Rochford, while the parish extends for several miles on the southern side of the River Crouch.

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References

  1. 1 2 UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Rochford Local Authority (E07000075)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics . Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
  3. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
  4. ↑ "Election of new Chairman for Rochford District Council". Rochford District Council. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  5. ↑ "New administration appointed at Rochford District Council". Rochford District Council. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  6. ↑ Ferris, Mick (29 July 2021). "Joint chief executive appointed to oversee Brentwood and Rochford councils". Yellow Advertiser. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  7. ↑ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  8. ↑ Dedman, Simon (24 February 2023). "Tories lose control of council after three quit". BBC News. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  9. ↑ "New administration appointed at Rochford District Council". Rochford District Council. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  10. ↑ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  11. ↑ "Council minutes". Rochford District Council. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  12. ↑ Lee, Matt (3 May 2024). "Essex local elections 2024: Rochford results in full as council remains in political limbo". Essex Live. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  13. ↑ "Rochford". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  14. ↑ "Rochford Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan". Rochford District Council. April 2006. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  15. ↑ Emes, Toby (12 October 2021). "Protest held over plans to build on Civic Suite, Rayleigh". Southend Echo. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  16. ↑ "Council's Rayleigh reception moves to Mill Arts and Events Centre". Rochford District Council. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  17. ↑ "The Rochford (Electoral Changes) Order 2015", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2015/1860, retrieved 8 June 2023
  18. ↑ "Parish and Town Council Clerks". Rochford District Council. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  19. ↑ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  20. ↑ "East of England Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 9 March 2021.

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