City’s Labour Coalition

LABOUR may lead another coalition administration after becoming the largest party following the local elections on May 4.

Labour came out as the majority with 20 seats, which was an increase of four.

There was no change for Lib Dems who ended the night with four seats, but the Green Party saw its seats double after an impressive win for Stuart Allen in the Leigh ward, taking 1,725 votes compared to 342 Tory votes.

Labour’s 20-seat triumph also included Nadeem Shahid, who unseated Conservative children’s services portfolio holder Helen Boyd in Blenheim Park ward, securing 1,089 votes compared to Ms. Boyd’s 677 votes.

In Westborough ward, Labour’s Pamela Kinsella emerged victorious with a decisive majority following the deselection of Aston Line.

Similarly, Sam Allen secured an easy win in Milton ward after the removal of former leader Stephen George.

Further successes for Labour included Irene Ferguson’s victory in Tricia Cowdrey’s former Kursaal Ward seat, while Ms. Cowdrey, having relocated to Shoebury ward to run as an independent, faced defeat.

Daniel Cowan, leader of the Labour Group, said: “We had an objective to replicate what we’ve done at a national level, which is to become the biggest party in local government.

“We wanted to become the biggest party and the biggest group in Southend and we’ve done that.

“We’d have liked to have won some more. We got very, very close and we made very big gains in some wards. What it shows is that people were buying into the vision we had with our five-point plan to build a city to be proud of and now we have to find a way to do that moving forward, possibly with some partners.”

The Conservatives were left with 18 seats, with a loss of four of the 11 the party contested.

Former councillor Judith McMahon returned to the council following a win for the Tories in Shoebury, whilst former Tory cabinet member Lesley Salter won in West Leigh.

James Moyies won in West Shoebury having switched from neighbouring Shoebury.

Tony Cox, leader of the Conservative Group said: “It was an interesting set of results. Working on the national picture we were predicted to lose six to eight seats. We lost four, but interestingly we won more ward contests this year than we did last year.

“Politics was very divided in Southend and it shows it still is as divided. We had 22 and now we have 18 seats.”

Independent, including Independent/Residents First and Non-aligned were left with seven seas, making a loss of one.

Turnout was slightly up at 30.74 per cent this year compared to last year’s 30.47 per cent.

Picture: Coun Daniel Cowan

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