Essex County Council elections take place on Thursday, May 6.

There are a total of 75 seats in this election.

The parties contesting the election tell us what they think the main issues are.

These statements have been provided by the parties.

Conservative Party

"The Conservatives run Essex County Council (ECC) and the four Uttlesford candidates have played a major part in its success and have been dedicated in their community work.

"ECC is responsible for Adult and Children’s Care, Education, Environment, Health and Well-Being, Highways and more. For most of these services ECC is nationally acclaimed as an exemplar.

"In other areas such as Highways, following a wet Spring and late frosts, there is a major programme of repair to be conducted over the summer.

"ECC have delivered significant support during the pandemic for the vaccination programme, business recovery, schools, including with laptops, free school meals and vacation programmes and to those most in need."

Dunmow Broadcast: Dunmow: Susan Barker (Conservative Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionDunmow: Susan Barker (Conservative Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Conservative Party)

Dunmow Broadcast: Saffron Walden: John Moran (Conservative Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionSaffron Walden: John Moran (Conservative Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Conservative Party)

Dunmow Broadcast: Stansted: Raymond Gooding (Conservative Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionStansted: Raymond Gooding (Conservative Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Conservative Party)

Dunmow Broadcast: Thaxted: Simon Walsh (Conservative Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionThaxted: Simon Walsh (Conservative Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Conservative Party)

Dunmow Broadcast: Three Fields with Great Notley: Graham Butland (Conservative Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionThree Fields with Great Notley: Graham Butland (Conservative Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Conservative Party)

Green Party

"Time is running out to avert the environmental crisis while the cruelty of social injustice has been exposed. It is time to build back better.

"Essex needs passionate Green councillors who will take immediate action to reduce carbon dependency.

"A Green Future includes improved clean, active and public transport, better air quality and public health, schools that inspire and motivate young people, social services that are properly valued, lively libraries and a vibrant culture!"

Dunmow Broadcast: Dunmow: Madeleine Radford (Green Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionDunmow: Madeleine Radford (Green Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Uttlesford Green Party)

Dunmow Broadcast: Saffron Walden: Edward Gildea (Green Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionSaffron Walden: Edward Gildea (Green Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Uttlesford Green Party)

Dunmow Broadcast: Stansted: Debra Gold (Green Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionStansted: Debra Gold (Green Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Uttlesford Green Party)

Dunmow Broadcast: Thaxted: Paul Allington (Green Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionThaxted: Paul Allington (Green Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Uttlesford Green Party)


Labour Party

"In these elections Labour has five key pledges to improve the county.

"Repairing your roads, footpaths and cycleways: Labour would spend the huge £986,000 underspend and re-evaluate the contract with Ringway Jacobs;

"Improving public transport: Bringing in bus franchising so bus companies work for the customer, not solely for profit;

"Re-connecting communities: Commissioning work on isolation for the most vulnerable;

"Tackling the Climate Emergency: A focus on sustainable transport and making the council carbon-neutral;

"Protecting your library services: No library will close or see reduced hours."

Dunmow Broadcast: Dunmow: Gerard Darcy (Labour Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionDunmow: Gerard Darcy (Labour Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Labour Party)

Dunmow Broadcast: Saffron Walden: Andrew Sampson (Labour Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionSaffron Walden: Andrew Sampson (Labour Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Labour Party)

Dunmow Broadcast: Stansted: Samantha Naik (Labour Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionStansted: Samantha Naik (Labour Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Labour Party)

Dunmow Broadcast: Thaxted: Alex Young (Labour Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionThaxted: Alex Young (Labour Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Labour Party)

Dunmow Broadcast: Three Fields with Great Notley: Jack Coleman (Labour Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionThree Fields with Great Notley: Jack Coleman (Labour Party) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Labour Party)


Liberal Democrats

"Liberal Democrats want Essex to be a greener, fairer and more caring place.

"Liberal Democrats have proved we can achieve that. Four out of the top five councils, nationally, for household recycling are Lib Dem-led.

"Our Essex-wide campaign saved local libraries from cuts and closure. We challenged plans for £46m of unspecified budget cuts.

"Residents deserve clear budgets that show how money is spent.

"We are campaigning at Essex County Council, against opposition, to allocate £2.5m to clear the backlog of repairs to roads, pavements and drainage."

Dunmow Broadcast: Dunmow: Lorraine Flawn (Liberal Democrats) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionDunmow: Lorraine Flawn (Liberal Democrats) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Liberal Democrats)

Dunmow Broadcast: Saffron Walden: Simon Ede (Liberal Democrats) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionSaffron Walden: Simon Ede (Liberal Democrats) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Liberal Democrats)

Dunmow Broadcast: Stansted: Ayub Khan (Liberal Democrats) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionStansted: Ayub Khan (Liberal Democrats) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Liberal Democrats)

Dunmow Broadcast: Thaxted: Richard Silcock (Liberal Democrats) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionThaxted: Richard Silcock (Liberal Democrats) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Liberal Democrats)


Residents for Uttlesford

"ECC taxes Uttlesford residents £50m a year but more than 70 percent of residents surveyed rate them as failing on highways, schools, and floods.

"We believe it is time for change. If elected R4U will hold them to: prioritise our highways; make developers pay; restore education choice; make school buses safe again; focus on our environment; make good on social care commitments; deliver superfast rural broadband; protect our libraries; provide a better funding deal for Uttlesford."

Dunmow Broadcast: Dunmow: Geoff Bagnall (Residents for Uttlesford) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionDunmow: Geoff Bagnall (Residents for Uttlesford) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Residents for Uttlesford)

Dunmow Broadcast: Saffron Walden: Paul Gadd (Residents for Uttlesford) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionSaffron Walden: Paul Gadd (Residents for Uttlesford) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Residents for Uttlesford)

Dunmow Broadcast: Stansted: Bianca Donald (Residents for Uttlesford) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionStansted: Bianca Donald (Residents for Uttlesford) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Residents for Uttlesford)

Dunmow Broadcast: Thaxted: Martin Foley (Residents for Uttlesford) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionThaxted: Martin Foley (Residents for Uttlesford) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Residents for Uttlesford)

Independent candidate

Michael Staines is standing as an independent candidate. He is a Director of Parishes Against Incineration (PAIN) which continues to oppose the proposed waste incinerator at Rivenhall Airfield.

Michael believes that County Hall needs to change policy towards high levels of recycling.

Michael is keen to promote sustainable rural tourism, local businesses and strongly supports protecting rural areas from unsustainable development. He campaigned against “garden” communities and is working to oppose the plans for massive gravel extraction. He wants to separate HGV traffic from tourist traffic.

Dunmow Broadcast: Three Fields with Great Notley: Michael Staines (Independent candidate) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council electionThree Fields with Great Notley: Michael Staines (Independent candidate) is standing as a candidate in the Essex County Council election (Image: Michael Staines)


Here's who is standing for election

Dunmow: Susan Barker (Conservative Party), Geoff Bagnall (Residents for Uttlesford), Gerard Darcy (Labour Party), Lorraine Flawn (Liberal Democrats), Madeleine Radford (Green Party).

Saffron Walden: Simon Ede (Liberal Democrats), Paul Gadd (Residents for Uttlesford), Edward Gildea (Green Party), John Moran (Conservative Party), Andrew Sampson (Labour Party).

Stansted: Bianca Donald (Residents for Uttlesford), Debra Gold (Green Party), Raymond Gooding (Conservative Party), Ayub Khan (Liberal Democrats), Samantha Naik (Labour Party).

Thaxted: Paul Allington (Green Party), Martin Foley (Residents for Uttlesford), Richard Silcock (Liberal Democrats), Simon Walsh (Conservative Party), Alex Young (Labour Party).

Three Fields with Great Notley: Graham Butland (Conservative Party), Jack Coleman (Labour Party), Graham Sheppard (Liberal Democrats), Michael Staines (Independent).