It isn't just Labour which needs to regroup, but the Conservatives too. Essex County Council has been taken over by Reform from the Conservatives. I can't ever see any party except the Conservatives taking it back.
Strangely, a number of the new Reform councillors are former Conservatives. They actually seem more competent than many of the other Reform councillors. For example, they've scrapped the library charge for reserving books from other libraries, which was hugely unpopular. I have no idea how that will be funded, but it does show a degree of competence ie responding to what voters want.