Pitsea Market is acquired by Basildon Development Corporation. The market in Station Lane, which had been in private ownership since opening in the 1920s, was sold as the corporation had plans to relocate it as it was currently on land proposed for a new flyover for the South Mayne 'feeder road', linking Basildon Town Centre with Pitsea.

Basildon Samaritans founded. The charitable organisation, dedicated to preventing suicide, open a small branch at 35A The Fremnells on the Fryerns 7 housing estate. The single storey detached building, located between residential properties 35 and 37, would remain their headquarters until a permanent move to 16 Little Lullaway, Lee Chapel North in 1973. The Fremnels building still exists though has been unoccupied for many years.

Yardley of London cosmetics factory at Miles Gray Road becomes fully operational. This all new purpose built factory at 4 Miles Gray Road on the No. 2 Industrial Estate (now Pipps Hill), took over as the company's production headquarters following a decision taken some years earlier to relocate to Basildon from their former home at Stratford, east London. The entire site, covering around 19 acres, included outdoor recreational facilities, a boiler house and associated landmark chimney and an extensive car park. A four storey office block was later added in 1969. The company, famous for its English Lavender line of perfumes, had begun migrating its staff to Basildon the previous year, with many moving into recently completed housing estates around the town.

March

David H. Taylor is appointed as the second Town Manager of Basildon Urban District Council. He succeeds the late Alma Hatt who briefly held the post to December, 1965.

31st March

Eric Moonman (40,013) is elected Labour Member of Parliament for the Billericay constituency including Basildon. Mr. Moonman, who was born in Liverpool, won with a majority of 1,642 over his Conservative opponent Edward Gardner, who had held the seat since 1959. He was standing in his second general election having previously fought the Essex seat of Chigwell in 1964; losing to Conservative Jim Biggs-Davison by 3,721 votes. The Labour Party won the general election. This election was notable locally in that it was the first time the count was carried out in Basildon; all previous counts in recent times having taken place in Billericay.

31st March

Basildon Development Corporation 17th annual report for the period 1st April 1965 to 31st March 1966 announces their house building programme has exceeded 14,000 units. The building programme had commenced in 1950 with the first properties at Redgrave Road in Vange ready for occupation by June the following year.

22nd April

Laindon Garage traffic police headquarters opened at Chaplin Close, Laindon. The new purpose built facility off Church Road replaces the previous Arterial Road base, which had become cramped and out-of-date. Built at a cost of £68,000 it includes full workshop facilities and has a staff of around 25 officers of various rank. During the Fire Brigades Union strike of 2002/2003 a British Army Bedford RLHZ 'Green Goddess' was stationed there for up to eight days.

28th April

Graham Bonney becomes the first Basildon pop artist to have a hit record. His recording of the song "Super Girl", released by Columbia records (DB 7843) on 18th February, spent five weeks in the UK top 40 peaking at No.19. The song was co-written with Barry Mason and backed by Johnny Scott and His Orchestra. This was the singer's second solo record having previously played guitar in various local bands including the Espresso Five, who held the residency at the newly opened Mecca run Locarno Ballroom in Basildon and The Embers. He was also a founding member of the Riot Squad in 1964 playing on their first three single releases. His subsequent releases failed to chart, but the former Basildon boy, born Graham Bradly in 1943, who once lived at 50 Beeleigh East on the Fryerns 6A housing estate, continues to be successful on the continent, particularly in Germany where the song made No.1 with sales of around a million.

August

Basildon Development Corporation revised Master Plan for a Basildon population of 140,000 by 2001 is submitted to the Minister of Housing and Local Government, Mr Anthony Greenwood. It was prepared by the corporation's chief architect planner Douglas Galloway in association with the chief engineer Mr. H.F. Bryant and the chief finance officer, Mr G.R. Rawes.

1st September

Chowdhary County Infant School in Markhams Chase, Laindon opened. Mrs. V.P. Griffiths is appointed as the schools first Headmistress. The school is named after a popular local doctor Dharm Sheel Chowdhary (1902-1959), who for over 25 years kept a practice at High Road, Laindon. In 1979 the infant and junior schools merged becoming Chowdhary County Primary.

6th September

Bardfield County Primary School in Clay Hill Road, Vange, opened. Miss I. Whenn is the first appointed Headmistress at the school which has two infant and two junior classes for the 117 children, many of whom transferred from Swan Mead and Pitsea schools. For many years the school was run as an infant and junior until January 2002 when the school became a primary again after the infant and junior schools amalgamated.

16th November

The number of electoral Wards within the Basildon district is increased from 9 to 14. The number of elected councillors to serve on Basildon Council is also increased from 29 to 46. (County of Essex (Basildon Urban District - Wards and Councillors) Order, 1966). The first elections were held on 20th May, 1967.