Joint Administration Anniversary - Leigh-on-Sea

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Leigh On Sea News: Joint Administration Anniversary – LETTER from Coun Paul Collins, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Southend City Council.

Joint Administration Anniversary - LETTER from Coun Paul Collins, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Southend City Council.

LETTER from Coun Paul Collins, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Southend City Council.

SIR, I am pleased to report that after one year of the new joint administration that controls Southend City Council, the Liberal Democrat Group continues to exercise our influence on the ambitions and success we see across our city in the last civic year.

The many new planted trees in our streets and parks are showing that we really do care for our environment.

Further to this, as we hold the cabinet post for Finance, Investments & Public Transport, we have influenced and directed new and expanded bus services across Southend, with more to come. In the last year, we have helped support new bus services from the Hospital area to Leigh, a new service for Campfield Road & the Garrison Estate in Shoeburyness.

We are working very hard, with success for the re-introduction of a council backed ‘North to South’ bus link from the Airport and the Airport Business Park to Leigh station, through Eastwood, Belfast and Blenheim Park areas.

This will really help residents in Southend to make that modal shift away from cars to other sustainable forms of transport.

The public finances are never far from our minds, as we continue to battle with the rising costs of our statutory obligations for social care. However we are ambitious and we are pleased to be part of the significant investments to improve the fabric of our City and public realm.

For example, £8m going into new footways and roads this financial year and £1m going to new play park equipment in four of our community parks across the City.

Your Liberal Democrat councillors are very well regarded by our peers, and we chair important committees for the Council. Coun Rob McMullan chairs our Audit committees and Coun Carole Mulroney chairs our Place Oversight & Scrutiny committee.

We also sit on important committees, such as Corporate Parenting Board & Planning – and we endeavour to work for all of Southend in these roles.

As Liberal Democrats, we align ourselves with progressive politics in our city and will always stand up to closed minds and rhetoric from those in our society that demonises those it regards as not ‘one of us’ and uses them for their own political gain. We are proud of our presence within the joint administration, with Labour and Independent councillors.

We know what we stand for and we will continue to put our community first and work for a better quality of life for all.

Picture: Coun Paul Collins, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Southend City Council.

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