Calls for probe into 10,000 new homes plan
Southend and Rochford councils in Essex submitted a joint "expression of interest" to the government for the development of land off Bournes Green Chase, in Shoebury, to the River Roach, in Rochford.
However, local Reform UK and Conservative councillors have demanded a debate of the scheme at an extraordinary council meeting.
Leader of Labour-led Southend on Sea City Council, Daniel Cowan, said the councils were "happy" to have the debate.
The expression of interest was submitted to the government's New Towns Taskforce, which has been asked to make recommendations to ministers about the location and delivery of new towns.
Councils were invited to submit proposals that were "regionally significant for both housing numbers and economic growth" in November and December.
Southend and Rochford's joint submission, with landowners and developer Bellway, said it would be an "infrastructure-led" scheme which could begin as early as 2027, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The councils said the proposal was already being considered as part of the Local Plan process. They added that a similar submission was made by them, as well as Essex County Council, for the area to be considered a new Garden Community in 2018.
However, they noted "significant infrastructure would also be needed" if the proposal went ahead.
Reform UK councillors, Tony Cox and Darryl Jones along with Conservatives James Moyies and Daniel Nelson and Independent Stephen Aylen, said the proposal was made without their knowledge leading to their demand for a debate.
They also put forward a motion asking the chief executive to carry out a full investigation into the process.
Cox, leader of Southend Reform UK, said he was "horrified" by the proposal.
Moyies, councillor for West Shoebury Ward, added he was "shocked and appalled" and the "consequences" of the proposal could be "catastrophic".
Cowan said Labour were happy for a debate on the plans arguing that "Southend needs infrastructure".
He hit back at the Reform UK and Conservative councillors and added: "They will claim they are protecting our city, yet they want us to lose the only leverage we have to demand new infrastructure."
Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Detailed plan for homes on farmland expected soon
Essex housing target increases by 37%
Plan for new flats approved despite parking fears
Southend on Sea Council
Rochford District Council
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
'We're really excited about votes for 16 and 17-year-olds'
The Government has announced plans for 16 and 17-year-olds will be allowed to vote across the UK, by the next general election. The move is among changes to the voting system announced last week, which - subject to approval in Parliament - will form the biggest electoral shake-up since 1969. Labour says the proposal is "only fair", while the Liberal Democrats describe it as a "no-brainer". However, the Conservatives say the plan is "hopelessly confused". But what do teenagers make of it? 'I want a say on how my taxes are spent' Noah, 16, is the treasurer of Skipton's Youth Council. He says he is "really excited" for people who will be able to vote in the next general election as a result of the proposed change. "A 16-year-old can pay taxes, join the armed forces, get married with consent, and that is a lot of responsibility," he says. "I am starting an apprenticeship in September. I will pay my national insurance, I will pay my tax. "I want to get involved with how the country is going to evolve in the future." He says being over the age of 18 does not necessarily mean you know more about politics. "You could say that anybody is not mature enough to vote," he adds. "There are many adults out there who are not as well-educated as others." 'It's important we're heard' Rosie, 18, is part of a youth group in Leeds and says she would have voted in 2024 if the rules had changed sooner. She says she would have done extra research to learn about the political parties. "Lots of people are worried about people that are uneducated voting but I think there won't be much of a problem with that," she says. Albert, 17, agrees, adding: "I think it's really important for younger people to have their voice heard, in a way that isn't just protesting." "The people who would vote would be conscious of the decision they're making and how it impacts people." 'It will tackle low turnout' Anna Calvert, who lives near Skipton in North Yorkshire, missed out on voting at the 2024 general election by less than three months. "I was a bit gutted that I wouldn't have a say on who would be looking after my constituency for the next five years," she says. Anna, now 18, is a member of the UK Youth Parliament, which has campaigned for the voting age to be lowered since its creation, 25 years ago. "The group chats were all going mental when the plans was announced," she said. "We were just all so surprised." She is hoping that politicians will focus more on issues that matter to young people during the next election campaign, as she says the generation currently feels "ignored". Anna believes that engaging young people in politics will also help to tackle low voter turnout. "If you start getting people interested in politics young, you'll have voters for life." 'We need to be informed' Will, 15, York's member of the UK Youth Parliament, believes 16-year-olds are "mature enough, but possibly not informed enough" to vote. However, he says that is not the fault of young people and he hopes education about politics will improve as a result of changes to the voting age. "At the moment, people turn 18 and learn about politics online, which can be good but also can be difficult, because you can't help the spread of misinformation," he says. "Or they're voting with their parents and that can lead to tribalism, and that's just not a true democracy." Young people need to be taught how to identify misinformation online in time for the next general election, he adds. 'Policies affect my future' Lucas, 16, is says he is pleased with the proposed change as "a lot of the new terms and policies affect me as a young person". However, he says he feels many people his age would not be able to make an "informed vote", because of a lack of teaching about the "current state of the UK" in schools. Meanwhile, Charlie, 15, says he reads the news and added: "I look at some of the parties now and then but I wouldn't look too greatly into them." Evie, 14, says a lot of young people she knows are "particularly interested" in the possibility that they will soon be able to cast their ballot. "I think it's a great idea and I'm really looking forward to my first vote," she says. Voting age to be lowered to 16 by next general election Which parties could benefit from lower voting age? How will votes at 16 and changes to voter ID work? Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. More on this story Voting age to be lowered to 16 by next general election Should 16-year-olds be able to vote? How will votes at 16 and changes to voter ID work? Related internet links UK Youth Parliament
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Workers to be forced to save more into pensions under Labour shake-up
Millions of workers will be asked to pay more into their pension pots as part of a Labour scheme to tackle Britain's retirement savings crisis. Under a pension commission launched on Monday ministers will attempt to rewrite the UK's retirement savings rules in an effort to compel people to save more in future. Just one in two workers are currently saving for old age, raising fears that millions of workers will be left with only the basic state pension when they retire. Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, said the three-member taskforce, led by trade unionist and Labour peer Baroness Jeannie Drake, would 'tackle the barriers that stop too many saving in the first place'. She said: 'People deserve to know that they will have a decent income in retirement – with all the security, dignity and freedom that brings. But the truth is, that is not the reality facing many people, especially if you're low paid, or self-employed.' Under the plan, workers could potentially be forced to pay thousands of pounds more in savings every year – funnelling more of their wages into stocks and shares run by money managers in the City of London. Companies are also likely to be asked to fork out millions more in worker pension contributions to match the employee increases. Under the current system, at least 8pc of salaries are paid into pension pots with employees required to save a minimum 5pc and companies paying 3pc. The Government has committed to not increasing the rate paid by employers during this Parliament, meaning any increase is likely to come in effect gradually during the 2030s. Sir Steve Webb, the former pensions minister, warned higher contribution rates were needed to to stave off a retirement crisis. He said: 'There is simply not enough money going into private pension saving. Without a timetable for a significant increase in contributions, millions of workers face an inevitable choice between working until they drop or eking out a meagre retirement.' According to a pension industry source, the 'common consensus' is a savings rate of 12pc, matching the current level in Australia. 'The thinking is we need to move over time from 8pc to 12pc – and the role of this Commission will be to set out a guide path about how we get there in the next few years,' they said. Whitehall sources stressed it was too early to discuss the new level of contributions but there was growing consensus people needed to save more overall. Alongside Lady Drake, Sir Ian Cheshire, the former chairman of Debenhams and Barclays, and academic Professor Nick Pearce will also serve on the Commission. Backed by both the Confederation of British Industry, as well as the Trades Union Congress, the Commission will give equal prominence to business and union voices in an attempt to create a consensus for what could become a punishing new strain on businesses' wage bills. The policy push has been spearheaded by Ms Kendall, Torsten Bell, the pensions minister and Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor. Auto-enrolment, the name for automatically deducting cash from wages to pay into a pension, was rolled out in 2012 after a recommendation by an original Pensions Commission. Led by Lord Adair Turner, the group was appointed by Sir Tony Blair's Labour government to encourage a basic level of savings. While groundbreaking at the time, the 8pc contribution rate has since been seen as too low to give people a comfortable retirement. Under the new Commission, self-employed workers and women, who are more likely to work part-time with lower pay, are likely to see radical changes to their pension contribution rates because they are not currently in the scope of the UK's auto-enrolment scheme. Workers earning less than £10,000 and companies with fewer than 10 staff – such as sole traders or small enterprises – are not obliged to make any pension savings under the current system. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
5 hours ago
- Bloomberg
Britain's Economic Arbiters Put Reeves on the Spot
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is in a mess of her own making, trapped between the rock of growing establishment disapproval versus the force of left-wing Labour backbenchers heady on their victory blocking welfare cuts. Don't mistake the understated politeness of recent messaging from the august institutions central to economic policymaking: There is a clear but firm pushback at the direction of the year-old Labour government.
