| Castle Point | |
| Settlement Type: | Non-metropolitan district and borough |
| Official Name: | Borough of Castle Point |
| Mapsize: | 200px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United Kingdom |
| Subdivision Type1: | Constituent country |
| Subdivision Name1: | England |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | East of England |
| Subdivision Type3: | County |
| Subdivision Name3: | Essex |
| Government Type: | Alternative s.31 |
| Leader Title: | MPs |
| Leader Name: | Rebecca Harris (Conservative) |
| Established Title1: | Established |
| Established Date1: | 1 April 1974 |
| Seat Type: | Admin HQ |
| Seat: | Thundersley |
| Area Land Km2: | 45.08 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Footnotes: | 2021 Census |
| Population Total: | 89,591 |
| Population Est: | 89,591 |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Density Km2: | 1921.2 |
| Demographics Type1: | Ethnicity (2021) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Ethnic groups |
| Demographics Type2: | Religion (2021) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Religion |
| Timezone1: | Greenwich Mean Time |
| Utc Offset1: | +0 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | British Summer Time |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | +1 |
| Coordinates: | 51.54°N 0.58°W |
Castle Point is a local government district with borough status in south Essex, England, lying around 30miles east of London. The borough comprises the towns of South Benfleet, Hadleigh and Thundersley (where the council is based) on the mainland, and the adjoining Canvey Island in the Thames Estuary, which is connected to the mainland by bridges.
The borough borders the City of Southend-on-Sea to the east, Rochford District to the north, the Borough of Basildon to the west, and the Thurrock unitary authority area to the south-west, across Holehaven Creek.
Castle Point was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, as one of 14 non-metropolitan districts within Essex. The new district covered the areas of the former urban districts of Benfleet and Canvey Island, both of which were abolished at the same time.[1]
The district was named "Castle Point", combining references to landmarks in both of the former urban districts: Hadleigh Castle in Benfleet and Canvey Point at the eastern tip of Canvey Island.[2]
The district was granted borough status with effect from 1 February 1992, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[3]
| Castle Point Borough Council | |
| Logo Pic: | File:Castle Point Borough Council logo.svg |
| Logo Res: | 200px |
| House Type: | Non-metropolitan district |
| Leader1 Type: | Mayor |
| Leader1: | Lynsey McCarthy-Calvert |
| Party1: | PIP |
| Election1: | 17 May 2023[4] |
| Leader2 Type: | Leader |
| Leader2: | Dave Blackwell |
| Party2: | CIIP |
| Election2: | 18 May 2022 |
| Leader3 Type: | Chief Executive |
| Leader3: | Angela Hutchings |
| Election3: | 1 July 2022[5] |
| Members: | 39 |
| Structure1: | United Kingdom Castle Point Borough Council 2024.svg |
| Structure1 Res: | 300px |
| Last Election1: | 2 May 2024 |
| Next Election1: | 4 May 2028 |
| Session Room: | File:Castle Point Council Offices - geograph.org.uk - 747098.jpg |
| Meeting Place: | Council Offices, Kiln Road, Thundersley, Benfleet, SS71TF |
Castle Point Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Essex County Council.[6] Canvey Island is a civil parish with a town council, forming a third tier of local government in that part of the borough. The mainland part of the borough (the former Benfleet Urban District) is an unparished area.[7]
Following the 2024 election, a majority of the seats on the council were held by local party the People's Independent Party, which won all the seats on the mainland part of the borough, but did not contest any seats on Canvey Island. All the seats on Canvey Island were won by another local party, the Canvey Island Independent Party. The two parties had been running the council as coalition since the 2022 election, when the council had been under no overall control.[8] Despite holding all the council's seats between them following the 2024 election, the two parties agreed to continue to form a joint administration.[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] [11] [12]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| 1974–1976 | ||
| 1976–1995 | ||
| 1995–2003 | ||
| 2003–2014 | ||
| 2014–2014 | ||
| 2014–2022 | ||
| 2022–2024 | ||
| 2024 | ||
The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Castle Point. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2014 have been:[13]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pam Challis | 25 May 2014 | |||
| Colin Riley | 4 Jun 2014 | 16 May 2018 | ||
| Norman Smith | 16 May 2018 | 15 Mar 2021 | ||
| Jeffrey Stanley | 15 Mar 2021 | 9 May 2021 | ||
| Andrew Sheldon | 19 May 2021 | 8 May 2022 | ||
| Dave Blackwell | 18 May 2022 | |||
Following the 2024 election the composition of the council was:[14]
| Party | Councillors | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | |||
| 15 | |||
| Total | 39 | ||
Notably, Castle Point is currently the only council in England where no seat is held by the Labour Party, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats or the Green Party.[15] The next election is due in May 2028.
The council is based at the Council Offices on Kiln Road in Thundersley.[16] The building was built in 1962 as the headquarters of the former Benfleet Urban District Council.[17]
Since the last boundary changes in 2024, the council has comprised 39 councillors representing 13 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[18] [19]
The national land use tables published by MHCLG show that in 2017, 56.6% of the borough was covered by green spaces including agriculture, forest and open land, water and outdoor recreation spaces. Close to one-fifth (18.2%) was accounted for by residential gardens.[20]
Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, but despite adequate rainfall all year-round it is on average the driest part of the UK. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate/Oceanic climate).[21]
The median age of Castle Point's residents at the 2011 census was 45, compared to a regional average of 39 and national average of 40.[22]
Castle Point has several estates laid out as seaside resorts for retirement, which is reflected in 7% of its population at the time of the 2011 census being aged 75 to 84, compared to 5.5% nationally.[22]
The A13 crosses Castle Point and the A127 skirts it to the north, providing direct links to both Southend and London.
The only station in the borough is Benfleet railway station on the London, Tilbury and Southend line from London Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness, operated by c2c.
Castle Point has an extensive bus network operated by the First Essex and Arriva Shires & Essex, with services across the borough and to Southend, Basildon, Lakeside Shopping Centre and Rayleigh. Weekday services by Stephensons of Essex also travel to London, Southend and Thurrock College and Regal Busways offers a six-day-a-week service to Chelmsford.
Waterside Farm Sports Centre, on Canvey Island is set in 88acres of parkland and has a range of indoor and outdoor facilities, including a 25-metre swimming pool, a learner pool and facilities for badminton, squash, netball, basketball, trampolining and gymnastics. The centre also includes an outdoor 6 lane, 400-metre athletics track. Opposite the sports centre is the Castle Point Golf Course, an 18-hole par 71 public pay-and-play course with a 17-bay floodlit driving range.[23]
Runnymede Pool is situated behind the Council Offices in Kiln Road. It has a 25-metre pool and a learner pool and is home to Runnymede Swimming Club.[24]
Castle Point is twinned with three towns and counties:[25]
Hadleigh Castle is preserved as an ancient monument from the 13th century, forming the most important historic site in the borough and the most important late medieval castle in Essex. The Dutch Cottage Museum contains a variety of exhibits that illustrate the history of Canvey Island, and the Castle Point Transport Museum, also situated on Canvey in the retired District bus depot, features a display of over thirty old buses, coaches and commercial vehicles.
| Escutcheon: | Per chevron embattled per pale Gules and Vert and barry wavy Argent and Azure in chief two ancient crowns Or and in base on a lozenge Vert a mound of earth issuant from its base and thereon a representation of a Canvey Island Dutch cottage Proper. |
| Crest: | On a wreath Or Gules and Vert within a circlet of oyster shells Proper and between two stalks of wheat leaved Or a tower triple towered Gold. |
| Motto: | Societas Florebit (Fellowship Will Blossom)[26] |
| Notes: | Granted 30 September 1987. |