Conservatives on Basildon Council held their Annual General Meeting
Councillor Andy Barnes is elected Leader of the Conservative Group
The Basildon Council Conservative Group has held its Annual General Meeting early this year, due to Labour's cancellation of the local elections and the decision to move the Council AGM forward.
The purpose of the Group AGM is to elect Group Officers. On Tuesday night, Cllr Andy Barnes (Billericay East) was elected as the new Group Leader, in succession to Cllr Andrew Baggott (Burstead), who has held the post since 2018. Cllr Kevin Blake (Burstead) was re-elected Deputy Leader unopposed. Councillor Barnes has represented Billericay East since last year, having previously served as a councillor between 2015 and 2019, representing Laindon Park. Councillor Baggott received the thanks of the whole Group, after 7 years at the helm, including two terms as Leader of the Council (2018-19 and '21-24).
Councillor Blake has been Deputy Group Leader since 2022, having previously served in the role between 2014 and 2020.
Cllr Andy Barnes, Leader of the Conservative Group
A ballot was also held to select the Conservative Group nominees for the mayoralty and Cllr Danny Lawrence BEM (Billericay West) has been selected as the Group nominee for Mayor, along with Cllr Alex Myers (Castledon & Crouch), who was selected as the Group nominee for Deputy Mayor.
Cllrs Lawrence and Myers will be formally nominated for the positions at the Annual Meeting of Basildon Council scheduled for May 1st for election by the Full Council. Councillor Lawrence has represented Billericay West since 2012 and previously served as Deputy Mayor of Basildon under three Mayors: from 2013 to 2014 under Mayor Larkin, from 2015 to 2016 under Mayor Morris and from 2018 to 2019 under Mayor Dadds. Councillor Myers has represented Castledon & Crouch since 2024 and previously represented Wickford Castledon from 2022.
Cllr Stuart Allen (Castledon & Crouch) was also re-elected unopposed as our long-serving Group Secretary.
Councillor Barnes said: "I am honoured and humbled to have been elected Leader of the Basildon Conservatives and Leader of the Opposition at Basildon Council. I am looking forward to fighting for residents and holding the Labour Administration to account."