Hello, I’m Russ Savage, standing for The Peoples Independent Party borough, asking for your vote in this years ECC elections. When I was first elected for CP for PIP in 2021, myself and the two other newly elected councillors we’re looking at a budget for Castle Point that was in deficit to the tune of £1.2 million and a forecast to go over £2 million that year. We looked through that budget and noted around seven financial irregularities. For example: significant payments for section 106 infrastructure money not paid by developers, nearly £1.5 million., Irregularities in senior officer staff payments, that were never sanctioned by full council to the tune of over a million. As a council, from 2012, the then Conservative administration could have implemented the Community Infrastructure, but they chose not to, you may ask yourself why? To save their developer friends additional building cost perhaps? This was an estimated loss to our community of over £10million in that period. We implemented it as soon as we took control of the council. And let’s not forget the loss of over £5m in failed local plan attempts because the Conservatives didn’t speak to their residents. When I look at what the major parties have to offer us in this ECC Election for Castle Point, their leaflets suggest the following: Reform - will stop the boats Conservatives - the same, plus some additional National Policies Labour - BUILD BUILD BUILD, they have just passed the 850 houses at Bowers Gifford in Basildon, and the Liberals - well they don’t really know themselves. Let’s not forget the Greens, who still want to ban the bomb, not a bad shout in these uncertain times, but as with the other National Parties, they are not really achieving much for our local residents. Now unlike my Conservative opposition, you won’t see me in a high viz jacket, peering into holes for a photo opportunity or following our MP around. So what will you get from me and my PIP colleagues? We have already proved that we can manage budgets efficiently whilst delivering capital projects, being one of the only councils in Essex with a balanced budget and no debt. We have funded major projects to rehouse our own residents in need of emergency accommodation which will save us over £1m shortly. We have put aside over £3m funding to upgrade our parks and open spaces across the borough. I was personally instrumental as Cabinet member for People And Communities in securing over £1m in grant funding for the new CCTV project for CP, which will be installed from June onwards. So why is this election so important. As we went into the period of local government reorganisation, your conservative County Councillors put forward a proposal for a 3 unity model. We are on the other hand proposed a five unitary model. The reason we did this was because we didn’t want to align ourselves with the debt of both Basildon and Thurrock which amounts to over £1.5billion. Even after the Secretary of State stated that he was going to proceed with our choice of the five unitary model, Essex County Council conservatives are stating that they will make a legal challenge. All of your current conservative counsellors, Andrew Sheldon Beverly Eagan or Gillian Reeves voted to block your democracy last year because they wanted to push the three unitary. There is nothing to suggest that they wouldn’t vote that way again given the chance. Do you want to be a part of the poorly run councils in Basildon and Thurrock? If not please vote PIP, as we have every intention of standing and winning control of the new South East Essex Council . We do not need National Party Political dogma to do this. Please vote PIP at the next ECC elections. Thank you .