THE district of Tendring is an area of opposites. Mainly rural, it is the home to one of Britain's most “genteel” seaside resorts, Frinton on Sea, and yet also areas of great deprivation.

By Roddy Ashworth

THE district of Tendring is an area of opposites. Mainly rural, it is the home to one of Britain's most “genteel” seaside resorts, Frinton on Sea, and yet also areas of great deprivation. The shanty-like former holiday village of Jaywick, with its dilapidated wooden chalets and un-made up roads, lies just west of Clacton on Sea, itself a once-thriving seaside resort that has since fallen on harder times. The docks of Harwich, on the northern tip of the peninsula, once provided dependable employment to many in the town, but while awaiting the construction of a new container port there is little local industry. Also on the coast, while the town itself still boasts a pier, fun fair and other colourful amusements, the backwaters of Walton on the Naze - made famous by Arthur Ransome in his classic children's book Swallows and Amazons - provide an idyllic and tranquil haven for nature.

Unfortunately, things have not been quite so tranquil recently in the town hall. Run by a joint administration made up of Tories, Liberal Democrats, and independent members, Tendring District Council had been politically stable for eight years. All that changed, however, in February, when internal party matters caused havoc for the local Conservative association. Terry Allen, the then Tory leader of the council, was suspended as a Conservative by his central office, along with two other members, and after appealing unsuccessfully against the decision resigned to set up - with the bulk of the administration - a new political group, called Tendring First. The group has already picked up two seats in these elections by default - no other candidate stood - and is hoping their populist and ultra-local approach will win it votes. Well known faces on the Clacton political scene - including Mr Allen and county councillor Pierre Oxley - will be taking on their former Tory colleagues at the district ballot box. Whether one side will out, or whether they will split the former Tory vote, allowing other parties to sneak to victory through the middle, remains to be seen.

Members of Tendring First insist their determination to resist county council pressures to conform to a more regionalised agenda will play in their favour. But while they themselves see their stance as fiercely protective, the regrouped Conservatives see it as an example of siege mentality. Neil Stock, leader of the Tory hopefuls, believes the party will end up being able to form an administration on May 4.

“For a decade now Tendring has had a “hung council” which has meant weak leadership and ineffective accountability,” he said.

“A small group of people have run the council as an elite country club. They have put themselves first and ignored the people - it's time for change.

“It is time for Tendring to be led by a team of councillors who can work together for the good of the whole district with a clear vision of what they want to achieve. Only Tendring Conservatives can offer that leadership and that vision.

“The Conservative candidates are not professional politicians - they are all local people who care about their communities and they are all committed to our manifesto full of real promises that we will deliver.

“We want to support our businesses, bring back free parking, help our workforce to become more employable and ensure that our assets are well managed for everyone.

“We want the council to be more open and accountable. We will also keep council tax low.

“Tendring cannot afford another four years of weak leadership - a vote for the Conservatives on May 3 is a vote for change.”

Mr Allen, however, sees the collection of hopeful new Tories - who include some existing councillors - as “opportunist carpet-baggers” determined to farm out Tendring's autonomy to those outside its boundaries.

“Tendring First is made up of many of the senior members of the current administrative group that brought Tendring District Council from a heavily indebted position in 1999 to its strong financial situation today, all the while improving and widening its services to the local community in direct response to their demands and all achieved with by far the lowest district council tax - including parish precepts - in Essex,” he said.

“Tendring First came about by the refusal of these people to cede control of local affairs to Essex County Council, a probability introduced by the new White Paper which intends to strip away a level of local government in the coming years.

“Unfortunately, this seemed not to suit the plans of Essex Area Conservatives and many sitting councillors were replaced as prospective candidates by opportunists.

“Following mass resignations by ordinary Conservative party members, the councillors felt little alternative but to follow suit, forming Tendring First in the process.

“Already with two district councillors and two county councillors, Tendring First has established itself as an organisation free from outside interference, whether from Colchester or Chelmsford, and one which will continue to serve the needs of Tendring residents alone.”

Labour and Co-operative candidates, while enjoying the chaos local Tories have found themselves in, are also concerned about the way in which finances are directed in Tendring.

The feeling they share is that most of the investment from the town hall is funnelled into Clacton, Walton and Frinton while Harwich and Dovercourt receive little.

Labour group leader Les Double said: “One of our big arguments is we have seen an unfair financial distribution over the last eight years. I think Harwich, Manningtree, Brightlingsea and the like are not getting anything.

“We feel very much like the poor relations, and we want an equitable distribution.

“If the Labour group was in charge of the council we would reinstate fairness across the district.

“We understand that Tendring is very diverse and leadership across the district is key.

“The provision of services would be at the utmost importance on our agenda.

“We would not want to spend ratepayers' money on the bureaucracy of keeping statistics looking good. We would see cutting down on waste on bureaucracy as a very major role.

“We would reorganise the district council so that we can deliver frontline services most effectively. They would be the best that Tendring has had for some time.

“We would look to work strongly with partners and not just pay lip service, which has happened for the last eight years.

“We would not just use words but instead we would invest in resources that everyone wants to see.

“Partnerships with voluntary organisations would be important.

“We want to be in partnership with the people of Tendring and deliver the services they want.”

The Liberal Democrats, however, also pledge to provide for the entire populace of the district.

Group leader Ann Bevan said: “Liberal Democrat councillors will work for the good of the whole community.

“We would seek to enhance the attractiveness and vitality of our town centres.

“Because fear of crime is a major issue in Tendring, we would like to improve community safety and reduce opportunities for crime.

“We would continue weekly rubbish and recycling collections and look for further opportunities to increase recycling.

“Green spaces are an important feature of our landscape. We do not wish to see our towns and villages become one large urban sprawl.

“Local people should have a bigger say about their own areas. It is important to tell residents what is happening, so we would continue with our regular Focus leaflet.

“Job opportunities would need to be encouraged, so we would do all we can to bring investment into our district.

“Every member of our community is of value and we want to improve services, especially for vulnerable people and the older residents of Tendring.

“Money doesn't grow on trees, so we would look to achieve value for money.

“It is important for councillors to work together for the good of all and our group would bear that in mind when making important decisions.”

Steve Henderson of the Community Representatives group said his party wanted to increase its numbers on the council.

“This is the second full district and town council elections that the CRP have fought.

“Four years ago we made history by taking 4 district seats and five town council seats. We are now fielding more candidates, and especially pleased that a number of our candidates are women.

“Many parties endeavour to have women candidates, but fail.

“We want to include the youth in the policy making process at local level talking to them and not down to them. Why should a member of the local schools not sit in on our meetings and have a say?

“We are strong on disability rights and question why the local Guildhall discriminates against those with a disability and will campaign for those with disabilities to have inclusive rights to all public places, including our local swimming pool gym.

“The important thing is that people use their vote on May 3.”

UKIP are also fielding two candidates, advocating independence from bodies such as the East of England regional Assembly, which has the power to force through development in Tendring, and bringing the police under local control.

And the Green Party is also putting up two candidates, who are campaigning for more social housing, more public transport and the promotion of local renewable energy.

Ten independents are standing for election and one candidate, Philip Sherman, standing in Clacton's Peter Bruff ward, is standing with no party affiliation specified.