Political Viewpoint

BY Enzo Harrison, Independent Candidate for Leigh Ward.
It isn’t often these days that you see candidates interacting so candidly with their electors.
As an independent, there are not many levers I can pull to promote my candidacy. It requires a bit of thinking outside of the box. With droves of colleagues willing to canvass each doorstep, I could cover Leigh Ward in only a couple of days. Instead, the idea of reverse canvassing has come as a surprise to many.
(Enzo sets up a desk in the middle of the Leigh Broadway crossing island to field opinions from the local community and have a casual chat with residents about any issues and concerns.)
This is my third time sitting at the crossing island, listening to the concerns of Leigh on Sea’s residents and I have to say it was the most enjoyable. It resulted in many warm interactions, fruitful debate as well as some helpful advice from people already in politics.
Many spoke of the new Leigh Marina development as an entrepreneurial, ‘Get Britain Growing’ success; contrary to what councillors from the Green, Liberal Democrat and Conservative Parties have stated. Many also shared a disdain for the new wheelie bins and would appreciate the option to return to a sack collection.
Still, my campaign didn’t begin in March. It began late in the summer of 2025 where I and many other others were personally frustrated by the new wheelie bin scheme.
Copied and pasted from Chelmsford’s system, our councillors thought it needed little to no changes to work in our city. Anyone that lives in Leigh knows that it has tight pavements, little front garden space and only a lucky few are blessed with a driveway.
While I’ll do my best to let people decide what they’ll have in their driveway, that isn’t the point. These crucial conditions should have factored into our councillors’ reasoning and decision-making.
Beyond our doorsteps, Leigh is increasingly being seen as a fashionable place to be – not dissimilar to a West London borough or our coastal cousins in Whitstable and Margate. Who has generated this image? I’d credit our creative young entrepreneurs and independent business owners – both of which are sorely under-represented in the chamber.
A brighter future for Leigh and Southend is possible if we infuse a council chamber with the kind of positivity and talent that is evidently abundant in our town.
Of course, running as an independent candidate means fielding questions about where I sit on the political spectrum. But these labels are broken, especially when it comes to local politics. The idea of there being an ‘ideology’ behind my position on waste management or the cleanliness of our river would be odd. However, here’s what I believe:
First, Leigh on Sea lives and dies by the independent shops that populate our beautiful high street. Policies and schemes that compromise these entrepreneurs would lead to a downturn in our area. Sometimes that isn’t in keeping with the wishes of the residents. But it’s for the good of the whole town. They would miss the shops if they were to leave us.
Second, I believe it’s the right of every Leigh on Sea resident to swim in our river. For too long, water companies have taken advantage of their position and soiled the river that many of us swim and bathe in. We must work with them to resolve the issues. But when they step out of line – as they have done – they must be held accountable.
And lastly as an independent, I believe that working across the aisle is the best way to affect positive change in any system.
I would never rule out working with any party. Progress rarely comes from division alone; it is built through dialogue, co-operation and a willingness to find common ground. In that spirit, time will tell what we can achieve together.
Leigh: you are a thoughtful, engaged and well-informed community. If I am elected to serve you, I promise to give my absolute best. Over the coming weeks, in the run up to 7 May, you’ll be seeing much more of me and I look forward to speaking with as many of you as possible.
If you believe in standing up for independent shops, for local voices and for our community, vote independent.
Picture: Enzo Harrison – Desk chat.
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