Basildon council news
Basildon council news, newest first: decisions, budgets, council tax, bins and services, each linked to the council's own papers.
Top story
Billericay East By-Election: Conservative Wins by 1,088
Conservative Gavin Taylor won the Billericay East town council seat with 1,640 votes to Reform UK's 552. Turnout was 23.6%. The full declaration.
More stories
Local Plan
Basildon Local Plan Withdrawal Vote Set for 26 October
Councillors vote on 26 October on withdrawing Basildon's Local Plan. Cabinet has backed a legal challenge to the 31 December deadline and set aside £500,000 for appeals.
Council
Basildon Cabinet to Discuss Local Plan Judicial Review
Basildon Cabinet takes a Local Plan judicial review in private on 15 October and adopts a new animal charter. Plus why leisure centre visits fell 9.9%.
Billericay
Lake Meadows Parking Not Enforced, 50p Hour From 13 Nov
Lake Meadows car park in Billericay is not being enforced for now. A 50p charge, 2pm to 3pm on weekdays only, is due 13 November; objections close 12 November.
Basildon
Towngate Theatre Bids for £315,000 for a New Sound System
The Towngate Theatre is through to the final round for up to £315,000 of Arts Council money. Its 2008 sound system is failing; the full bid is due 23 October.
Billericay
Billericay By-Election 22 October: Conservative Wins Seat
Conservative Gavin Taylor won the Billericay East by-election on 22 October with 1,640 votes to 552. Why ten electors forced a poll, and the dates that applied.
Council
Basildon and Thurrock Merger Withdrawn After Legal Advice
The government has withdrawn the March decision that would have merged Basildon with Thurrock in 2028, after updated legal advice. May 2027 elections go ahead.
Council
Basildon £100,000 Community Grants Open: Up to £5,000 Each
Basildon groups can apply for up to £5,000 from a new £100,000 fund. Every bid needs a ward councillor's backing, and the first panel sits in mid October.
Council
Basildon Council Reserves: £41m Could Fall to £1m by 2030
Basildon's own report says reserves would fall from £41m to £977,000 by 2029/30 if this year's £3.4m overspend and the budget gap come out of them.
Housing
Basildon Council Homes: 158 Empty, 2,376 Waiting
Basildon owns 10,863 council homes. On 31 March 2025, 158 stood empty, 68 of them for more than six months, while 2,376 households sat on the housing register.
Bins
Basildon Bin Collection Days: Everything Weekly But Glass
Basildon collects rubbish, food, plastics and card every week. Only glass is fortnightly. Your bin day, the bank holiday rule, garden waste at £50 and the tips.
Parking
Parking in Basildon: Which Car Parks Are Free at Weekends
Council car parks in Billericay and Wickford went free at weekends in April 2026. One did not. Tariffs, the new Westgate prices, permits and PCN costs.
Council Tax
Basildon Council Tax Bands 2026/27: Band D Is £2,314.35
The full A to H table for 2026/27, all nine parish charges, and where the money goes. Basildon froze its own share at £304.56 while the bill still rose £82.26.
Bins
Basildon Christmas Bin Collections 2026/27: What to Expect
Basildon's 2026 Christmas bin dates are not out yet. Last year rounds from Christmas Day ran up to four days late, back to normal 19 January.