Political Viewpoint

BY Southend Council’s Liberal Democrat Group Leader and Councillor for Eastwood Park Ward, Coun Paul Collins.

Voters have changed the political map of the United Kingdom, and the complexion of the Houses of Parliament moved politically towards the left of centre politics.  The Labour Party took control with a commanding majority, with both Southend Parliamentary seats changing hands from Conservative to Labour.

Liberal Democracy in our country was also boosted by a splendid evening of wins and gains, increasing the presence of the Party to 72 Members of Parliament. A record number for the Liberal Democrats and the party became the third largest party at Westminster again.

These record wins included an Essex gain in Chelmsford, seeing Councillor Marie Goldman win that seat for the Liberal Democrats.

I want to publicly thank our two splendid candidates in Southend, who stood for the first time at a general election, Stephen Cummins in Southend West and Leigh, with James Allen in Southend East and Rochford.  They attended many hustings and answered numerous questions from the public, and is it great to see democracy well served in Southend.

Your local Liberal Democrat Councillors continue to help influence the direction of Southend Council and our group signed up the Joint Administration Agreement, along with Labour and Independent Councillors and this agreement of our combined ambitions for Southend may be found on the Southend City Website.

I rejoined the Cabinet, after an absence of a year, to take up again to be Cabinet Member for Finance, Assets, Investments and for the first time, Public Transport. Coun Carole Mulroney has become chair of the Place Scrutiny Committee, Coun Robert McMullan took on the Chair of our Audit Committee. Coun Dave Poulton became Vice Chair of the People Scrutiny Committee.

In my role, the addition of the Public Transport portfolio, I have taken on with a keen sense of wanting to improve this for all our residents in Southend. Already, I was pleased to see the role out of enhancements that Southend Council have agreed to fund from the Bus Improvement Service Plan as follows:

Arriva have been funded to extend service 6 to Southend Leisure Centre/ Garons Park, seven days a week.

Arriva have been funded to increase the evening service on the 29 to Belfairs through Fairfax Drive and Blenheim.

Arriva have been funded to increase the 9 to four buses an hour on a Saturday on the core route.

There are bigger plans to look at linking up the Airport area directly with Leigh through the St. Laurence, Eastwood and Belfairs areas and there will be more on this ambition as the year progresses.

To have a successful and thriving City, people need to be able to move around easier, for work, education and leisure and this will be my aim whilst I hold this role, to enable them to use Public Transport as a viable option, which will benefit our environment.

The Investment part of my cabinet role, will recommence, as we look to progress to conclusion the Leigh Port renewal with the previous governments’ levelling up funding  , along with rejuvenation of our Cliffs Pavilion and the remodelling of the City Beach area, close to where Southchurch Avenue meets the Seafront.  Our budgets remain under pressure, but with good organisation and the willingness to change our processes, we will be a City that people will be proud to live, learn and work in, with their families.

Liberal Democrats understand that people’s ambitions and concerns are real – and we fully stand behind our leader Sir Ed Davey who says in parliament, the Liberal Democrats aim to be a “constructive opposition” and to force the government to listen “by the strength of our arguments”.

Picture: Coun Paul Collins

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