Looking into the future
We are already working hard on our top 5 commitments for 2025, addressing issues that matter most to our community.
We’ve fixed the bins. Whilst others said it couldn’t be done, we’ve prioritised the return of weekly black bin collections, which restarted across Basildon on 28th April. Less than 12 months after returning to power, the unpopular sacks have gone. Instead, we’ve reintroduced the easy, reliable collections that local people want.
We know the success of our towns is important to all of us who live here, so we have plans to regenerate our town centres. We’re investing in major regeneration projects, including (a new Community Diagnostic Centre in Pitsea and a new hospital at the old Debenhams in the Eastgate Centre).
We’re building new council homes for local people, and ensuring that Basildon people get first dibs on all houses built by developers. We’re also helping more people get a foot on the property ladder with our First Time Buyers Mortgage Guarantee Scheme.
We’re serious about making our communities safer. This includes committing to getting street lights back on all night, every night and working with partners to keep young people safe and off the streets.
And we’re backing Basildon businesses. We’ve launched the Basildon Business Awards and Basildon Construction Academy, ensuring our plans for regeneration provide jobs for local people.
Top 5 priorities in 2025
- Fixing the bins
- Regenerating our town centres
- Building homes for Basildon people
- Making communities safer
- Backing Basildon business
Fixing the bins
Thousands of Basildon residents told us they were dissatisfied with their fortnightly bin collections. That’s why we’re investing £1.9 million in 2025 into reintroducing weekly black bin collections across Basildon.
The new collections began on 28th April, making bin collections more straightforward and meeting the needs of our residents. This change is happening less than a year after this administration was elected to run the council.
To make this possible, we’ve doubled the number of refuse crews and vehicles. Our waste collection services will be simpler and more reliable., with a black bin collection for every house, on every road, every week.
Regenerating our town centres
Over the next 12 months, Basildon will see significant transformation, with major regeneration projects coming forward across our borough · These include a masterplan for the former Westgate shopping centre, a new Community Diagnostic Centre in Pitsea and a new hospital on the former Debenhams site in the Eastgate Centre.
Alongside the new Town Centre Advisory Board, work is underway on a full retail strategy for Basildon and Laindon town centres. · We’ve already invested £190,000 on improvements to Basildon town centre’s public realm, including lighting, wayfinding and urban greening.
Basildon Borough Council has also submitted the Phase 1 Westgate redevelopment application, which includes a mix of hotel, retail, and residential development. By December 2025, we’ll submit the next phase of the plan— including a new arena and modern office space, adding vibrancy and opportunity to the heart of Basildon town centre.
Basildon Borough Council is also progressing at pace with the development of the new draftLocal Plan. Round 3 of the Regulation 18 consultation will occur by the end of 2025 with progress towards the Regulation 19 consultation in Spring 2026. This will include a comprehensive Infrastructure Map to ensure the borough’s growth is well-supported.
Building new homes for local people
Basildon residents deserve good quality homes, whether they are privately owned, privately rented or council properties. Basildon has an ambitious target to deliver 27,000 new homes over the next five years, including an additional 300 Council homes to boost our own stock.
For council tenants, the Council is investing an additional £16 million into repairing and maintaining our council properties. £15 million has also been secured to install energy efficiency measures to over 1500 council homes by 2028. For those looking to get on the property ladder, we have amended the Basildon First Charter, requiring developers to market homes to Basildon residents for 12 months.
Making communities safer
Basildon Council has a duty to do what we can to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, and it’s a responsibility we take seriously.
We’re using strategically placed CCTV cameras across Basildon to help make our communities safer. We have over 400 cameras, all monitored centrally from The Basildon Centre.
We will work with Essex County Council to turn the streetlights back on all night across our borough from autumn 2025. And a new dedicated community safety team is already at work.
The former Wickford Police Station will reopen as a Community Safety Hub this year, making it easier to access support and enforcement services. We’ve implemented a Women’s Safety Charter, supporting women and girls to feel safe at home and in the community.
We’ve trained council staff to recognise the signs of domestic abuse and help survivors to access support.
Backing Basildon Business
The scale of regeneration in Basildon, with new homes to build and town centres to regenerate, we are supporting jobs for life for Basildon’s construction workers. To support that, in 2025 we are launching Basildon Construction Academy.
We will support the next generation to develop the skills they need to secure a job for life. We’re putting our money where our mouth is when it comes to local businesses. This means spending council money in the local economy, supporting jobs and businesses.
We’ve delivered over £2 million in social value through Sempra Homes by using local contractors, supply chains and apprentices. We’re providing opportunities for local people to connect with local employers through jobs fairs and skills shows.
We’re championing those leading businesses responsibly through the Good Business Charter and bringing businesses together to share information and celebrate success.
