Rayleigh & Rochford Liberal Democrats

30/09/2026

Rochford District Council is proposing a change to your garden waste collections. What do you think?

On Thursday 1 October, the Environment Committee will consider introducing a pilot that would move garden waste collections from weekly to fortnightly.

Under the proposals:

🗑️ Garden waste collections would move to fortnightly during the pilot.

📅 The pilot would start in November/December 2026.

💷 The Council estimates a permanent change could save around £150,000 a year.

📢 Residents would be consulted in January and February 2027, after the pilot has started.

🔄 Weekly collections would return by 31 March 2027 while councillors consider what happens next.

The report confirms that no public consultation has yet taken place.

Rayleigh Liberal Democrats want to hear what YOU think.

Should residents be consulted BEFORE changes to their services are introduced, rather than AFTER the pilot has already started?

And what do you think about the proposal itself?

👍 Keep weekly garden waste collections

🔄 Move to fortnightly collections

💬 Tell us what you think in the comments.

Link to the report in the comments below

20/09/2026

FALLING BEHIND SHOULDN’T MEAN BEING PUSHED FURTHER INTO DEBT. 💷

Another Liberal Democrat and Independent Group motion has been PASSED at Rochford District Council. 🔶

Our motion calls for a fairer approach to Council Tax debt collection, with greater focus on supporting residents experiencing genuine financial difficulty.

Proposed by Liberal Democrat Cllr Michael Hoy - Hullbridge and seconded by Independent Cllr Lisa Newport - Sweyne Park & Grange, it recognises that how the Council deals with residents struggling to pay matters.

The Council needs to collect Council Tax. But early intervention, affordable repayment arrangements and appropriate support should come before financial problems spiral.

This is about collecting what is owed while treating people fairly.

Another positive result from the Liberal Democrat and Independent Group.

Now we need to turn the decision into action.

20/09/2026

🚶‍♀️🚲 We need safer and better ways to walk and cycle around Rayleigh and across the Rochford district.

For too many residents, busy roads, missing cycle routes and poor connections make leaving the car at home difficult.

We want to see proper investment in walking, wheeling and cycling, with new developments linked to existing communities and the infrastructure to support them.

This is especially important as our district faces significant housing growth. New homes must come with the infrastructure needed to help people get around safely.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for long-term investment to make this happen.

Read more 👇

Liberal Democrats believe active travel is not just transport policy - it is preventive healthcare, environmental action, and economic common sense.

14/07/2026

Empty shops. Unfair estate charges. Council tax debt escalating too quickly.

On Tuesday 14 July, Liberal Democrat councillors are bringing three practical motions to Rochford District Council.

� High Street Rental Auctions

We want the Council to identify commercial properties left empty for more than 12 months, seek Government funding and prepare to use new powers to bring vacant units back into use across Rayleigh, Rochford and Hockley.

� Public open spaces and play areas

Residents on new estates should not pay private management charges on top of their Council Tax for parks, play areas and communal green spaces.

Our motion asks the Council to make public adoption the preferred approach where practical, use planning agreements to secure proper funding and review existing estates where transfer may be possible.

� Fairer council tax support

Missing a payment should not trigger rapid escalation, court costs and enforcement before someone has had a fair chance to seek help.

We are calling for:

• At least two months before the full annual balance becomes due
• Recovery costs capped at £100
• Affordable repayment plans
• Earlier support for residents facing hardship

Rochford should adopt these fairer principles now, rather than waiting until April 2027.

These motions focus on practical action.

Stronger high streets.
Fairer housing estates.
More compassionate support for residents.

Do you support them? Share this post and let councillors know.

Link to the full motions in the comments

Watch live via the Rochford District Council YouTube channel

14/07/2026

Empty shops. Unfair housing estate charges. Council tax debt escalating too quickly.

On Tuesday 14 July, the Liberal Democrat & Independent group councillors are bringing three practical motions to Rochford District Council.

🟠 High Street Rental Auctions
We want the Council to identify commercial properties left empty for more than 12 months, seek Government funding, and prepare to use new powers to bring vacant units back into use across Rayleigh, Rochford, and Hockley.

🟠 Public open spaces and play areas
Residents on new estates should not pay private management charges on top of their Council Tax for parks, play areas, and communal green spaces.
Our motion asks the Council to make public adoption the preferred approach where practical, use planning agreements to secure proper funding, and review existing estates where transfer may be possible.

🟠 Fairer council tax support
Missing a payment should not trigger rapid escalation, court costs, and enforcement before someone has had a fair chance to seek help.

We are calling for:
• At least two months before the full annual balance becomes due
• Recovery costs capped at £100
• Affordable repayment plans
• Earlier support for residents facing hardship
Rochford should adopt these fairer principles now, rather than waiting until April 2027.

These motions focus on practical action.

✅Stronger high streets.
✅Fairer housing estates.
✅More compassionate support for residents.

Do you support them? Share this post and let councillors know.

14/07/2026

13/07/2026

🏗️ Significant planning applications will be considered by Rayleigh Town Council’s Planning Committee tonight.

The agenda includes proposals for:

🏘️ Up to 381 new dwellings across three sites
🏡 21 mobile homes at Wildwood Farm
☕ New tearoom and café facilities at two Hambro Hill sites

📅 Monday 13 July 2026
🕢 7:30pm
📍 The Pavilion, King George V Playing Field, Bull Lane, Rayleigh, SS6 8JD

Members of the public and press are welcome to attend.

Link in the comments to the full agenda:

Rayleigh Town Council will agree its consultation response to each application. Final planning decisions are made by Rochford District Council.

28/06/2026

The NHS wants to hear from Rochford residents — and the deadline is 30 June.

NHS Essex is running a survey to shape health and care priorities for the next five years. Nearly 1,500 people across Essex have already responded, but they're keen to hear from people in our area specifically. Rochford district has one of the oldest populations in Essex, which means what happens to local health services matters more here than most places.

The survey covers things like GP waiting times, mental health, cost of living impacts on health, and how well different services communicate with each other and with patients.

It takes a few minutes. Your answers will directly influence what the NHS focuses on locally.

👉 Take the survey here: https://virtualviews.essex.icb.nhs.uk/help-shape-the-future-of-nhs-services-in-essex

If you know someone who'd want to have their say — a neighbour, family member, carer — please share this post. The more people from our area who respond, the stronger our local voice.

We are developing a five-year plan to help improve health and care services across Essex. The plan is shaped by national NHS priorities and what residents, staff and community groups in Essex have already told us. Previous feedback highlighted the importance of care