Conservative Group at
Colchester City Council
Cllr Paul Dundas, Leader of the Council & Conservative Group Leader
Cllr Sara Naylor, Deputy Group Leader
Cllr Robert Davidson, Chairman
Cllr Rhys Smithson, Secretary and Whip
Cllr Leigh Tate, Treasurer
The current political make-up of the Council after the elections on 7th May 2026 is:
- Conservative 18
- Liberal Democrats 12
- Labour 9
- Reform 5
- Independent 4
- Green 3
Colchester City Conservatives in Coalition talks.
Colchester City Conservatives are in detailed talks to run Colchester City Council in conjunction with the Liberal Democrats after a deal was agreed.
After neither a Conservative minority administration or a Lib Dem / Labour minority administration won sufficient support at the Council’s meeting on May 27th the Council was left in danger of the Government sending in external commissioners to run the Council outside of local control.
Cllr Paul Dundas, Leader of the Conservative Group on the Council said: “At last week’s meeting Colchester City Council failed to elect an administration which leaves the Council unable to function. Planning applications cannot be decided, licensing decisions are unable to be issued, spending plans are on hold and no strategy can be implemented.
“This situation cannot be allowed to continue. As by far and away the two largest groups on the Council and the only combination of which can form a majority the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats both feel we have a responsibility to step up and get the Council up and running again.
“To that end we have entered negotiations to form a stable coalition and have reached an outline deal, the details of which will be finalised over the coming days with an aim to form a working administration by Wednesday this week (3rd June 2026). We are doing so with a positive attitude working in good faith and a “Colchester First” mantra. This is not about us, but about Colchester and its 200,000 residents – we must put aside political differences to put them first and that is exactly what we plan to do.”
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Promoted and published by Jim Musk, on behalf of the Conservative Councillors elected to Colchester City Council.
All at Conservative City Councillors' Support Office, Unit-G, East Gores Farm, Salmons Lane, Colchester, CO6 1RZ
