Rayleigh and Wickford’s MP Mark Francois recently visited the Leader and Chief Executive of Basildon District Council (BDC), Cllr Tony Ball and Bala Mahendran, to reacquaint himself with the work of the council, following the incorporation of Wickford into his new Rayleigh and Wickford constituency.
Wickford, which comes within the BDC area, was until the General Election a part of the Billericay seat represented by John Baron MP. However it has now been joined with Rayleigh to form the new Rayleigh and Wickford seat, for which Mark is the MP.
During his visit Mark discussed a variety of issues with Cllr Ball and Mr Mahendran, including Council Tax, housing and regeneration, travellers and also the Council’s bid to make Basildon a Borough. Following his meeting Mark also met with the heads of the Council’s various departments, to discuss some of these issues in greater detail.
Speaking about his visit to Basildon Council, Mark Francois said:
""I started my political career as a Councillor for the Langdon Hills ward of Basildon District Council in the early 1990’s and so in many ways it was a pleasure to go back and visit the Council which I first served on nearly twenty years ago. Basildon District Council has an important effect on the lives of my constituents in Wickford so as their MP I feel it is important to work with the leadership and senior officers of the Council. Having visited them personally I am now looking forward to doing this in the months and years ahead.”