Browsing: Council News & Politics

Music in the Park returns to Priory Park from Saturday 11 April to 27 September, bringing free live music performances to the Bandstand across weekends and bank holidays.

Residents in Southend-on-Sea are being urged to register to vote by midnight on Monday 20 April ahead of the local elections on Thursday 7 May, with reminders also issued for postal votes, proxy votes and photo ID requirements.

The inaugural board meeting of NHS Essex Integrated Care Board will take place online on 1 April, marking the start of its work to improve health and care services across Essex.

Southend-on-Sea City Council has responded to the Government’s decision to create five new unitary councils across Greater Essex, confirming that a new South East Essex Council will replace the current authority from April 2028, with services continuing as normal during the transition.

Julie Cushion has been selected as the Conservative candidate for Chalkwell, bringing decades of community involvement, charity work and public service experience to the upcoming local elections.

A round-up of 12 egg-cellent Easter holiday activities taking place across Southend, from family theatre and breakfast events to outdoor adventures, markets, space sessions and creative fun.

Residents across Southend say they feel excluded from council decisions and frustrated by limited opportunities to engage. Green Party candidates say they want to restore trust through greater transparency, better communication, and resident-focused decision making.

Southend-on-Sea has officially landed its own MONOPOLY board, featuring more than 30 local landmarks and organisations, with Southend Pier and Southend United taking the top dark blue spots.

Southend-on-Sea City Council is introducing free peak bus travel from 6am for residents with disabled concessionary bus passes from 1 April 2026, alongside wider accessibility improvements and £8.5 million in dedicated bus funding.

Two major sites have been removed from Southend’s Dirty Dozen list following significant progress, as the council adds new locations and reinforces its zero-tolerance approach to long-term neglect.