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Braintree District

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Braintree District
Non-metropolitan district
Braintree. the administrative centre of the district and one of the three towns
Braintree. the administrative centre of the district and one of the three towns
Braintree shown within Essex
Braintree shown within Essex
Map
Interactive map of Braintree District
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
CountryEngland
RegionEast of England
Non-metropolitan countyEssex
StatusNon-metropolitan district
Admin HQBraintree
Incorporated1 April 1974
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan district council
 • BodyBraintree District Council
 • LeadershipLeader & Cabinet (Conservative)
 • MPsJames Cleverly
Priti Patel
Area
 • Total
236.18 sq mi (611.71 km2)
 • Rank58th (of 296)
Population
 (2024)
 • Total
164,304
 • Rank130th (of 296)
 • Density695.67/sq mi (268.60/km2)
Ethnicity (2021)
[1]
 • Ethnic groups
List
Religion (2021)
[1]
 • Religion
List
Time zoneUTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code22UC (ONS)
E07000067 (GSS)
OS grid referenceTL7522

Braintree District is a local government district in Essex, England. The district is named after the town of Braintree, where the council is based. The district also includes the towns of Halstead and Witham and surrounding rural areas.

The neighbouring districts are Colchester, Maldon, Chelmsford, Uttlesford, South Cambridgeshire, West Suffolk, and Babergh.

History

[edit]

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 as one of 14 districts within Essex. The new district covered the area of five former districts, which were all abolished at the same time:[2]

The new district was named Braintree, after the area's largest town.[3]

Witham was originally planned to be in Maldon district, it was later decided to place it in Braintree district.[4]

Under upcoming local government reform plans the area of the district will be combined with the Colchester and Tendring districts to form the new North East Essex unitary authority from 2028.[5]

Governance

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Braintree District Council
Logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1974
Leadership
Richard van Dulken,
Conservative
since 28 May 2026[6]
Tom Cunningham,
Conservative
since 28 May 2026
Dan Gascoyne
since September 2022[7]
Structure
Seats49 councillors
Political groups
Administration (25)
  Conservative (25)
Opposition (24)
  Labour (9)
  Independent (7)
  Green (4)
  Halstead RA (3)
  Reform (1)
Length of term
Whole council elected every four years
Elections
Last election
4 May 2023
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
Causeway House, Bocking End, Braintree, CM7 9HB
Website
www.braintree.gov.uk

Braintree District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Essex County Council. Much of the district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[8]

Political control

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The council has been under Conservative control since 2007.

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][10]

Party in controlYears
No overall control1974–1976
Conservative1976–1979
No overall control1979–1995
Labour1995–2003
No overall control2003–2007
Conservative2007–present

Leadership

[edit]

The leaders of the council since 1995 have been:

CouncillorPartyFromTo
John Gyford[11]Labour19959 Oct 2000
Ian Pointon[12]Labour9 Oct 2000May 2003
David Finch[13]Conservative21 May 200328 Apr 2004
Graham Butland[14][15][16]Conservative28 Apr 200428 May 2026
Tom Cunningham[17]Conservative28 May 2026

Composition

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Following the 2023 election,[18] and a subsequent change of allegiance in February 2025, the composition of the council was:[19]

Party Councillors
Conservative 25
Labour 9
Independent 8
Green 4
Halstead Residents 3
Total 49

The Greens and seven of the independent councillors sit together as the "Independent and Green Group".[20]

Premises

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The council has its headquarters at Causeway House on Bocking End in Braintree. The building was purpose-built for the council and opened in 1981.[21]

Halstead, one of the three towns of the district
Witham, one of the three towns of the district

Elections

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Since the last full review of boundaries in 2015, the council has comprised 49 councillors representing 26 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[22]

Wards

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The wards are:[22]

  • Bocking Blackwater
  • Bocking North
  • Bocking South
  • Braintree Central & Beckers Green
  • Braintree South
  • Braintree West
  • Bumpstead
  • Coggeshall
  • Gosfield & Greenstead Green
  • Great Notley & Black Notley
  • Halstead St Andrew's
  • Halstead Trinity
  • Hatfield Peverel & Terling
  • Hedingham
  • Kelvedon & Feering
  • Rayne
  • Silver End and Cressing
  • Stour Valley North
  • Stour Valley South
  • The Colnes
  • Three Fields
  • Witham Central
  • Witham North
  • Witham South
  • Witham West
  • Yeldham

Towns and parishes

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There are 63 civil parishes in the district. The former Braintree and Bocking Urban District, covering the town of Braintree itself, is an unparished area. The parish councils for Halstead and Witham are styled "town councils".[23]

Arms

[edit]
Coat of arms of Braintree District
Notes
Granted 15 October 1974.[24]
Crest
On a wreath of the colours on a mount Vert in front of a garb Or a boar passant Azure crined and unguled Or supporting with the dexter fore-hoof a Maltese cross Gules.
Escutcheon
Gules a pale Or between two seaxes in pale points upward Argent hilts pommels and quillons Or over all a fess wavy Argent charged with a bar wavy Sable in chief a lion rampant Azure a like lion in base.
Supporters
On either side a lion Sable gorged with a riband Argent pendent therefrom by a ring a mullet Argent surmounted of a pentagon Or fimbriated and charged with a fleur-de-Lys Vert and holding in the month a shuttle erect threaded Proper.
Motto
By Wisdom And Foresight.
Badge
A mullet Argent surmounted of a pentagon Or fimbriated and charged with a fleur-de-Lys Vert.

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Braintree Local Authority (E07000067)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
  3. ↑ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
  4. ↑ "Non-Metropolitan Districts". Hansard. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  5. ↑ "Local Government Reorganisation Statement made on 25 March 2026". UK Parliament. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
  6. ↑ Suslak, Anne (29 May 2026). "New chairman and vice-chairman elected at Braintree Council". Braintree and Witham Times. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "Braintree District Council appoints Dan Gascoyne as new Chief Executive". Braintree District Council. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  8. ↑ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  9. ↑ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Braintree" in search box to see specific results.)
  10. ↑ "Braintree". BBC News Online. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  11. ↑ "Braintree: Council leader change". Daily Gazette. 4 October 2000. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  12. ↑ Maxam, Juliette (2 May 2003). "Braintree council leader defeated". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  13. ↑ Council minutes. Braintree District Council. 21 May 2003.
  14. ↑ Council minutes. Braintree District Council. 28 April 2004.
  15. ↑ "Councillor Graham Butland". Braintree District Council. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  16. ↑ Bradley, Claudia (7 April 2026). "Braintree Council leader to step down after 22 years". Braintree and Witham Times. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  17. ↑ Bradley, Claudia (3 June 2026). "Braintree Council new leader promises 'delivery and change'". Halstead Gazette. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  18. ↑ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
  19. ↑ "Braintree". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  20. ↑ "Councillors". Braintree District Council. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  21. ↑ Plaque in building's porch reads: "This building was opened on 25th April 1981 by Councillor R. E. W. Hawkins / Chairman, Braintree District Council / Chief Executive P. W. Cotton / Project Manager D. J. Brisley"
  22. 1 2 "The Braintree (Electoral Changes) Order 2014", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2014/3335, retrieved 2 June 2023
  23. ↑ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  24. ↑ "East of England Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
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51°52′55″N 0°33′09″E / 51.8819°N 0.5525°E / 51.8819; 0.5525

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