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.
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 to . Southend Airport straddles the district's border with the City of Southend-on-Sea. The eastern part of the district is more sparsely populated.
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:[1] [2]
| Rochford District Council | |
| Logo Pic: | Rochford District Council logo.svg |
| Logo Res: | 200px |
| House Type: | Non-metropolitan district |
| Leader1 Type: | Chair |
| Leader1: | Sarah-Jane Page |
| Party1: | Liberal Democrat |
| Election1: | 21 May 2024[3] |
| Leader2 Type: | Leader |
| Leader2: | James Newport |
| Party2: | Liberal Democrat |
| Election2: | 21 May 2024[4] |
| Leader3 Type: | Chief Executive |
| Leader3: | Jonathan Stephenson |
| Election3: | 1 August 2021[5] |
| Members: | 39 councillors |
| Structure1: | Rochford_District_Council_2024.svg |
| Structure1 Res: | 250px |
| Political Groups1: |
|
| Last Election1: | 2 May 2024 |
| Next Election1: | 7 May 2026 |
| Session Room: | File:Civic Suite, 2 Hockley Road, Rayleigh, Essex.jpg |
| Meeting Place: | Civic Suite, 2 Hockley Road, Rayleigh, SS68EB |
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.[6]
The council has been under no overall control since 2023.[7] 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.[8]
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:[9]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| 1974–1976 | ||
| 1976–1990 | ||
| 1990–1994 | ||
| 1994–1998 | ||
| 1998–2002 | ||
| 2002–2023 | ||
| 2023–present | ||
The leaders of the council since 2004 have been:[10]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terry Cutmore | 22 Jun 2004 | 14 May 2019 | ||
| Mike Steptoe | 14 May 2019 | 9 Jul 2020 | ||
| Simon Wootton | 9 Jul 2020 | 23 May 2023 | ||
| John Mason | 23 May 2023 | 21 May 2024 | ||
| James Newport | 21 May 2024 | |||
Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council was:[11]
| Party | Councillors | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | |||
| 10 | |||
| 9 | |||
| 8 | |||
| 1 | |||
| Total | 39 | ||
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.[12]
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.[13]
The civic suite wing of Barringtons in Rayleigh, including the council chamber, was retained by the council and serves as the council's main meeting place. It closed in 2020 but reopened in 2024 after a period of uncertainty about its future.[14] [15] [16]
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]
The district is divided into 14 civil parishes. The parish council for Rayleigh takes the style "town council".[18] [19]
| 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. |
| Crest: | Issuant from an ancient crown Or a mount Vert thereon in front of a representation of Rayleigh windmill Proper a seaxe fesswise Proper. |
| Mantling: | Gules doubled Or. |
| Supporters: | On the dexter side a bull [guardant] Sable armed unguled and winged Or and sinister a wyvern Vert. |
| Badge: | A roundel barry dancetty of six Gules and Or a pale wavy Argent charged with two pallets wavy Azure. |
| Motto: | Our Heritage Our Future.[20] |
| Notes: | Granted 8 March 1975. |