A clear distinction between the past and the future was the sentiment Louise McKinlay seemed keen to impress during our interview.
"It is not about the numbers, it's about the right people" the leader of Brentwood Borough Council told me.
Her response came in reference to the Conservative party majority, that of the administration, dropping to just five. It was a considerably healthier 21 at the beginning of the year.
Four Tory members - namely Russell Quirk (Hutton North), William Lloyd (Warley), Phil Baker (Shenfield) and Nigel Clarke (Brentwood West) - resigned the whip last week, becoming independent and effectively opposition members in the chamber.
Given the leader's "Christmas has come early" comment to [the Brentwood Gazette] at the time, the definition of opposition is nothing more than a chromatic one to Mrs McKinlay it seems.
"Certain members been very destructive and caused a lot of upset – that is as far as I will go, I do not get involved in tit for tat politics of a personal nature" she said, acknowledging with a nod that Christmas had indeed come early for her.
"It's not just been a difficult year, they've been rumbling for the past four years, its easy to just snipe from the side lines but putting yourself forward, putting your head on the block, having the courage to do that is something else entirely.
"Let's be clear, Russell, [former mayor and Brentwood West ward member] Joan [Holmes], William, all rejected from being county candidates, Joan lost her seat – she lost it by 300 or something.
"I guess what I'm saying is the group is stronger, we're down on numbers but we've never been so strong and focused and clear on what we want to achieve, the group meeting I had last week was the best I've had in two years. There was very much a feeling of onwards and upwards."I want a group that is united, is hard working, with councillors who attend committees and council meetings." Talking of the how a smaller majority would affect the administration, Mrs McKInlay said: "Absolutely, we can still run a council, it's not just about numbers, we've got a majority of five, but having a united group means you can actually achieve more and means you're not being waylaid and having your attention pulled elsewhere." And should the Conservatives group lose more members? Whispers of the formation of a 'coalition council' whistling through the corridors at the town hall had not escaped her. Is she worried? Mrs McKinlay said: "From the converstations I've had with people in my group NO, we're resolute." Shenfield has been an unlikely battle ground this year. The Conservatives lost two seats to the Liberal Democrats, first in May with the defeat of the incumbent Margaret Brehaut to Graeme Clarke and this month, with the bi-election victory for the yellows' Liz Cohen, who pushed Tory Steve May into second place.
The defection of Mr Baker, who was re-elected to the seat in 2011, means the age-old Tory stronghold can no longer be painted blue on the map.Mrs McKinlay said: "Obviously it's disappointing losing seats. Divided parties lose seats, that's a fact.
"In May there were concerns about the residency of our candidate. Selection is stronger, the whole selection process has been reviewed and updated."BOCA (Brentwood and Ongar Conservative Association) and the whole set up is far more rigorous than it has been before.
"[The defeat] isn't a reflection on Steve at all, he works exceptionally hard in the community and he's still out there doing stuff in the community, through his Crossrail action group he's keen to really move that forward, very much a community campaigner.
"For me it's about the team, if you've got a team that's disjointed, and fractious, it's not good for residents. Voters don't like to see a fractured group that is fighting itself.
"The Liberals chose a good candidate this time, she had local support from the school and that went a long way." Another war, fought between councillors across the chamber, has been over the William Hunter Way development. Demands for transparency have been shouted from all corners of the chamber.
"It's a difficult one to explain" Mrs McKinlay began "There is a lot of commercial sensitivity to the deal at the moment, and I am in regular conversations with the MD of [developer] Stockland and I'm heartened by the progress that has been made.
"The deal, which has never changed, is that they have to fill about 60 per cent of the retail space before construction can begin.
"Marks and Spencer are filling the majority of it, but Stockland are in negotiations with another big retailer, which will be great for Brentwood."
Commercial sensitivity, I was told, is the reason the identity of this second large retail firm cannot be made public, and hence why the project has not begun.
Mrs McKinaly said: "If [the council] released commercially sensitive information, nobody would do business with us.
"For some councillors it is a case of not liking the situation, not understanding the situation or just not wanting to understand it.
"The fact is they've had it explained to them numerous times , they've seen the paper work, what more do they what , what more do they need?
"I find it quite disappointing for the borough [that the work has not started] but it's not between the council and the retailer, it's between Stockland and the retailer. It's not the council's scheme to deliver, it's the developer's.
"When we've got the final proposal, it will go back to full council."
Talking of accusations that the so-called "long stop" date, which would allow the council to walk away from the deal, had moved from December this year to December 2013, Mrs McKinaly said: "Nothing has changed. "Last year it went to full council, it was agreed to extend the development agreement by a year, which took us through to December this year. "Within that development agreement it states that if certain conditions haven't been met, one of which is the pre-letting, then another year will be given, taking us to 2013. "There's a lot of confusion amongst the public, but they still want a cinema, there is frustration which I share, of course I wish it had been delivered by now, but the economic situation is what it is. "Hopefully come the new year I'll be in a position to announce the next stage. "Our car parks aren't affected by this. Our car park pricing strategy is as it is, as of Feb next year the new charges will come in that will see the first two hours reduced. "The WHW car park is part of that overall package and there is an option for the council to take that on assuming that our bid, so to speak, works, or the private sector could take it on. "Market forces will affect the price of a private car park, if for example, it's 70p to park in Chatham Way."
