Residents for Uttlesford (R4U) is the local political party formed by residents groups in north-west Essex. We provide a strong, independent voice for people that live in the Uttlesford council district. We love where we live and know it the best; so we believe that on local issues, locals should decide and not the national party whip. But that had increasingly not been happening in Uttlesford.
Residents for Uttlesford – delivering the best local results
To address this issue the residents groups stood and elected their own independent candidates in 2013. They then formed their own local political party in 2014, Residents for Uttlesford, which their independent councillors joined. In the 2015 district council elections R4U became the second party at Uttlesford District Council (UDC), in May 2019 was elected by a majority to lead UDC, and then again in May 2023.
The party has also led Saffron Walden Town Council since 2015, increasing he number of seats at each election. In May 2023 it gained all of the seats on the Town Council. It is a minority party on Great Dunmow Town Council, and retains 2 of the 4 Essex County Council seats in Uttlesford.
Election successes have been based on the desire for real bottom-up localism and the need to create and implement long range strategic plans that are suitable and sustainable for the local area.