Reform candidates in Leigh by-elections 'fight against homes'

Ahead of the October 3 by-elections, Alex Pink is running to be elected in the Elms Ward and Sandra Bennett in the Highlands ward for Reform.

Southend Reform leader Tony Cox - who quit the Tories after an attempt to oust him as leader - is promoting both candidates and has slammed Leigh Town Council for its alleged “complete silence” on the proposed development on farmland owned by the Salvation Army next to Hadleigh Country Park, close to the Leigh boundary.

The land was put forward by the Salvation Army to provide “much-needed homes” in Castle Point Council’s consultation on proposed sites for the local plan.

St Clements ward Leigh town councillor, Carole Mulroney, has refuted the accusations of silence and said the land will be discussed by councillors at a meeting on Tuesday.

Mr Cox said: “The first thing is there has been complete silence on the Hadleigh farmland situation, where have they been on this and why haven’t they spoken on this and done the consultation?

“It has a direct impact on Leigh, homes will have an impact.

“These are things that are pressing and that matter and the one thing we can safely say, when we formed Reform, is it will campaign on the issues people do care about.

“We are hearing there is a lot of support for Reform and this is the first time we have stood candidates in local elections “The membership base has galvanised residents and members and where there has been inertia over green belt, they are thankful.”

Ms Mulroney believes that Reform has “latched onto a bandwagon” and doesn’t know “how much they care about development in the area.”

She said: “I wrote a report on this last week, we have been talking about it and we have had discussions.

“We have been far from inactive, people are doing things and Tony Cox knows this, Reform has latched onto a bandwagon.

“They are opportunists.”

The latest town council by-elections were prompted by a flurry of resignations from Tory town councillors.