Canvey Island Independent Party

Political party in the United Kingdom

Canvey Island Independent Party

Leader| David Blackwell
Treasurer| Michael John Fuller
Nominating Officer| Robert James Ford
Founded| 22 April 2004
Headquarters| 96 Central Avenue
Canvey Island
Essex
Ideology| Localism
Separate local council for Canvey Island[1]
Castle Point Borough Council|

32 / 41

Essex County Council|

2 / 75

Website
http://ciip.org.uk

* Politics of the United Kingdom
* Political parties
* Elections

The Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP) is a local political party active on Canvey Island, in Essex, England.[2] It was established in 2004 to campaign for a separate district council for Canvey Island.

## Background[edit]

See also: Canvey Island § Governance

Canvey Island became a single civil parish in 1881, replacing 17 former divisions that had existed in broadly the same form since the Norman era.[3] In 1926, the parish was converted to the Canvey Island Urban District, which governed the island as a distinct entity. The urban district was dissolved along with the mainland Benfleet Urban District in the Local Government Act 1972 to form the local government district and borough of Castle Point, ending Canvey Island's existence as a separate entity in local government.[3]

The Canvey Island Independents were established in 2004 to campaign for a return to Canvey Island's autonomy, which had been abolished 32 years previously. They argued that the current local government arrangements – which saw more councillors elected to the borough council from the mainland – were unfair to the residents of Canvey Island.[4][5] They also campaigned for more power to be devolved to Canvey Island Town Council, a parish council subordinate to Castle Point which is responsible for limited services and facilities and on the island.[6]

## Election results[edit]

Since its formation the Canvey Island Independent Party has contested elections on a yearly basis, with representation at borough and county council level. It is also active at the parish level, with Canvey Island Independents sitting on Canvey Island Town Council.[7] The party does not contest Parliamentary elections.

### Borough Council elections[edit]

See also: Castle Point Borough Council elections

The Canvey Island Independents have been represented continuously on Castle Point Borough Council since their first election in 2004. They were consistently the second-largest group on the council, behind the ruling Conservatives until the 2022 elections, in which they came in first place after the Conservatives lost 6 seats.[8]

Year  | Councillors  | Control

|
|

2004[9] |

6 / 41

|  | Conservative
2006[10] |

11 / 41

|  | Conservative
2007[11] |

15 / 41

|  | Conservative
2008[12] |

15 / 41

|  | Conservative
2010[13] |

16 / 41

|  | Conservative
2011[14] |

16 / 41

|  | Conservative
2012[15] |

15 / 41

|  | Conservative
2014[16] |

16 / 41

|  | No overall control
2015 |

13 / 41

|  | Conservative
2016 |

14 / 41

|  | Conservative
2018 |

14 / 41

|  | Conservative
2019 |

16 / 41

|  | Conservative
2021 |

16 / 41

|  | Conservative
2022 |

16 / 41

|  | No overall control
2023[17] |

32 / 41

|  | No overall control

### County council elections[edit]

See also: Essex County Council elections

The Canvey Island Independents have been represented on Essex County Council since the 2009 election, having failed to secure either seat on Canvey Island at the elections in 2005. They won both Canvey Island seats at the 2021 election.

Year  | Councillors  | Control

|
|

2005 |

0 / 66

|  | Conservative
2009 |

1 / 66

|  | Conservative
2013 |

1 / 66

|  | Conservative
2017 |

2 / 66

|  | Conservative
2021 |

2 / 66

|  | Conservative

## References[edit]

1. ^ "First Catalonia, next Canvey Island".
2. ^ "Canvey Island Independent Party". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
3. ^ a b Robert Hallmann, "Essex History You Can See" (Tempus Publishing, 2006, ISBN 0 7524 3971 5)
4. ^ "Independence bid for Canvey 'is just political nonsense'". Basildon, Southend and Canvey Echo. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
5. ^ Mann, George (25 October 2017). "Canvey Island: Residents on why they want independence". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
6. ^ "Canvey Island pushes ahead with Catalonia-style bid for independence". Independent. 16 October 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
7. ^ "Councillors Contact Details". Canvey Island Town Council. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
8. ^ "Castle Point Borough Council: Tories lose control after nearly 20 years". BBC News. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
9. ^ "Castle Point : Council election results, June 10". Essex County Publications. NewsBank. 11 June 2004.
10. ^ "Local elections: Castle Point". BBC News Online. 4 May 2006. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
11. ^ "Voting for us was a matter of trust". Essex County Publications. NewsBank. 7 May 2007.
12. ^ "Castle Point". BBC News Online. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
13. ^ "Castle Point". BBC News Online. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
14. ^ "England council elections". BBC News Online. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
15. ^ "Councillors". Castle Point Borough Council. Archived from the original on 26 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
16. ^ "Castle Point". BBC News Online. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
17. ^ "Castle Point result - Local Elections 2023". BBC News. Retrieved 9 May 2023.

## External links[edit]

* Canvey Island Independent Party