Essex County Council#cite note-comp-3

Elected county councils were created under the Local Government Act 1888, taking over many administrative functions that had previously been performed by magistrates at the Quarter Sessions. The first elections were held in January 1889, and the council formally came into being on 1 April 1889. The council held its first official meeting on 2 April 1889 at the Shire Hall in Chelmsford. The first chairman of the council was Andrew Johnston of Woodford, a Liberal, who held the post for 27 years until he stood down in 1916.{{cite news |title=Essex County Council: First statutory meeting |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=12 June 2023 |work=Chelmsford Chronicle |date=5 April 1889 |page=6}}{{cite news |title=Andrew Johnston: County tribute of respect |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=12 June 2023 |work=Chelmsford Chronicle |date=10 March 1922 |page=2}}

The area governed by the county council (called the "administrative county" until 1974) excluded county boroughs, which were towns considered large enough to provide their own county-level services. When the county council was established in 1889 there was one county borough within the wider county of Essex, at West Ham.{{cite web |title=West Ham County Borough |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10025904 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=12 June 2023}} Other county boroughs were subsequently created, removing them from the administrative county, being Southend-on-Sea in 1914 and East Ham in 1915.{{cite web |title=Southend-on-Sea County Borough |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10135618 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=12 June 2023}}{{cite web |title=East Ham County Borough |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10034449 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=12 June 2023}} The administrative county was further reduced in 1965 under the London Government Act 1963 which transferred Barking, Chingford, Dagenham, Hornchurch, Ilford, Leyton, Romford, Walthamstow, and Wanstead and Woodford to Greater London.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=London Government Act 1963|year=1963|chapter=33|access-date=12 June 2023}}

The county was reconstituted in 1974 as a non-metropolitan county under the Local Government Act 1972, which reformed the council's powers and responsibilities and saw it regain jurisdiction over Southend-on-Sea. The county was divided into 14 non-metropolitan districts at the same time, forming a lower tier of local government.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1972|year=1972|chapter=70|access-date=12 June 2023}} In 1998 two of the districts, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock were made unitary authorities, removing them from the area controlled by Essex County Council and transferring county-level services to those councils.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Essex (Boroughs of Colchester, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock and District of Tendring) (Structural, Boundary and Electoral Changes) Order 1996|year=1996|number=1875|access-date=26 May 2023}} For certain services, Essex, Southend and Thurrock co-operate through joint arrangements, such as the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service.

At the 2011 census Essex County Council served a population of 1,393,600, making it one of the largest local authorities in England. County council functions include social care, transport, education and many others.{{Cite web |title=Education Access Coordinator |url=https://jobs.localgov.co.uk/job/183405/education-access-coordinator |website=localgov.co.uk|date=25 July 2024 }}

As part of proposed structural changes to local government in England that were set out in the English devolution white paper of December 2024, it was proposed that the Essex, including the unitary authority areas of Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea, be re-organised into two or three local authorities.{{Cite news |last=Kendix |first=Max |date=20 December 2024 |title=Taxpayers could be liable for £43bn of debts in council mergers |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/taxpayers-could-be-liable-for-43bn-of-debts-in-council-mergers-x3dwn7cxq |access-date=21 December 2024 |work=The Times}} Essex County Council leader Kevin Bentley confirmed that his council would ask the government to postpone local elections for the unitary and two-tier authorities of Essex to prepare for the county's reorganisation.{{Cite news |last=Calkin |first=Sarah |last2=Ventura |first2=Tiago |last3=Weakley |first3=Kirsty |date=18 December 2024 |title=Three counties set to postpone elections |url=https://www.lgcplus.com/politics/governance-and-structure/three-counties-set-to-postpone-elections-18-12-2024/ |access-date=21 December 2024 |work=Local Government Chronicle}} Essex was accepted on to the priority programme in February 2025.{{cite news |last1=England |first1=Sophie |title=Public invited to have their say on potential devolution of Greater Essex |url=https://www.halsteadgazette.co.uk/news/24941764.essex-county-council-announces-consultation-devolution/ |access-date=3 March 2025 |work=Halstead Gazette |date=22 February 2025 |language=en}}

The council has had a Conservative majority since 2001.

Political control of the county council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:{{cite web |title=Compositions Calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/composition_calc.html |access-date=21 May 2025 |website=The Elections Centre |publisher=University of Exeter}} (Put "Essex" in search box to see specific results.)

The leaders of the council since 1993 have been:

Following the 2021 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to May 2025, the composition of the council was as follows:{{cite web |title=Essex |url=https://www.localcouncils.co.uk/councils/?council=essex |website=Local Councils |publisher=Thorncliffe |access-date=28 May 2025}}

The Canvey Island Independents, Green, Loughton Residents, Residents for Uttlesford, Rochford Residents and the three independent councillors all sit together as the "Non-aligned Group".{{cite web |title=Councillors |url=https://cmis.essex.gov.uk/essexcmis5/Councillors/tabid/62/ScreenMode/Party/Default.aspx |website=Essex County Council |access-date=13 June 2023}} In February 2025, the government postponed the elections that were due to take place in May 2025 for a year, to allow for alternative local government structures for the area to be considered.{{cite news |last1=Whannel |first1=Kate |title=Council shake-up sees elections delayed in nine areas |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9qjdex1ed8o |access-date=7 February 2025 |work=BBC News |date=5 February 2025}}

{{see also|Essex County Council elections}}

Since the last boundary changes in 2005 the council has comprised 75 councillors representing 70 electoral divisions, each electing one or two councillors. Elections are held every four years.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The County of Essex (Electoral Changes) Order 2004|year=2004|number=2813|access-date=12 June 2023}}

File:Shire Hall, Chelmsford.jpg

The council is based at County Hall on Market Road in Chelmsford.{{cite web |title=Council meetings |url=https://www.essex.gov.uk/running-council/get-involved/council-meetings |website=Essex County Council |access-date=13 June 2023}}

From its creation in 1889 until 1938 the council met four times a year at Shire Hall in Chelmsford but met at other times at premises near Liverpool Street station in London, which was more accessible by train to the majority of councillors. In 1909 the council built itself an office building on Duke Street in Chelmsford with a view to later extending the building to include a council chamber, before deciding against the extension on grounds of cost.{{cite news |title=Forty thousand pounds for new county offices? |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=13 June 2023 |work=Chelmsford Chronicle |date=3 April 1914 |page=5}} The council's London premises moved several times, finally settling in 1931 at a building called Essex House at 26 Finsbury Square, which included offices, a council chamber and committee rooms.{{cite news |title=Court and social |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=13 June 2023 |work=Chelmsford Chronicle |date=20 November 1931 |page=7}}

A new County Hall was built between 1929 and 1939 between Market Road, Threadneedle Street and Duke Street in Chelmsford, adjoining the 1909 office block. The new County Hall included a council chamber, which was formally opened on 23 September 1938.{{NHLE|num=1391892|desc=Blocks C & D, County Hall|accessdate=13 June 2023}}{{cite news |title=The County Hall |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=13 June 2023 |work=Chelmsford Chronicle |date=30 September 1938 |page=9}} The council's London premises at Finsbury Square were destroyed in the Blitz during the Second World War.{{cite book |last1=Aitken |first1=Rosalind |title=Finwell House, Finsbury Square, London: Method Statement or Written Scheme of Investigation for an archaeological watching brief |date=2010 |publisher=London Borough of Islington |page=5 |url=https://planning.islington.gov.uk/NorthgatePublicDocs/00187183.pdf |access-date=13 June 2023}} Further extensions were added to County Hall in the 1950s and 1960s, particularly along Market Road.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z3FN4VL5lEwC&pg=PA209|title=Essex (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)|year=2007|first1= James |last1=Bettley |first2=Nikolaus |last2=Pevsner|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0300116144|page=210}}

Essex County Council operates the Young Essex Assembly, an elected youth council comprising 75 members aged between 11 and 19, or 11 and 25 if they have additional needs, who aim to represent young people across Essex.{{Cite web |date=2022 |title=Young Essex Assembly candidate pack 2022 |url=https://www.young-essex-assembly.org.uk/media/1428/ds22_7580-ys-yea_candidate_pack_digital.pdf |access-date=27 January 2025 |website=Young Essex Assembly}} The initiative seeks to engage younger people in the county, with the youth councillors working with schools and youth centres to improve youth services in Essex and help voice concerns of younger people. The Youth Assembly also sends representatives to the UK Youth Parliament.{{cite web |title=Young Essex Assembly |url=https://www.young-essex-assembly.org.uk/ |access-date=12 June 2023}}

• Sir Sydney Walter Robinson (1876–1950), briefly Liberal member of parliament for Chelmsford
• Major-General Lord Edward Hay (1888–1944)
• Beryl Platt, Baroness Platt of Writtle, Chairman 1971–1980
• Robert Dixon-Smith, Baron Dixon-Smith, Chairman 1986–1989
• Paul White, Baron Hanningfield, Chairman 1989–1992, Leader 2001–2010
• Angela Smith, Baroness Smith of Basildon, member 1989–1993, later member of parliament for Basildon and a peer since 2010

• Essex Act 1987
• [https://www.southessex.org.uk/ The Association of South Essex Local Authorities]

{{Reflist}}

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{{County councils of England}}

{{Local authorities in Essex}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Local government in Essex

Category:County councils of England

Category:Local authorities in Essex

Category:1889 establishments in England

Category:Local education authorities in England

Category:Major precepting authorities in England

Category:Leader and cabinet executives