I have visited many businesses in Clacton itself since being elected — both large and small — and there is one thing that comes up in conversation time and time again.

Clacton needs its own Town Council. 

Many local residents find it illogical that Holland-on-Sea, Clacton and Jaywick do not have their own town council, while Frinton and Walton do.

There are many areas of local governance such as parking, grass-cutting and bylaws for beaches that ought to be dealt with at a genuinely local level.

Clacton deserves to have these powers for itself. 

Right throughout the country, there are many changes happening with devolution and local government.

It seems that the model of a district council and county council may no longer survive, and we can already see that mayoral elections are planned for counties such as Lincolnshire very soon.

Will Essex follow soon?

Clacton needs a town council, not just for the everyday running of the town, but especially in terms of how we manage the busy tourist season.

Equally, we need an insurance policy against the big changes in local government that I think have now become inevitable. 

In addition to businesses and residents, it also appears as though there is now political resolve for this change.

At the last full meeting of Tendring Council, a vote was passed to put forward a public consultation on this issue. 

A town council for Clacton makes sense, it is overdue, and there is huge demand for it.