Browsing: Local News

Uber has chosen to surrender its Private Hire Operator Licence in Southend just weeks after it was formally granted. Southend-on-Sea City Council says all operators must meet the same standards and safeguards, with further engagement planned as part of a wider taxi and private hire policy review.

Young artists from Southend secondary schools are invited to take part in a live portrait competition at The Royals Shopping Centre as part of City Day 2026, with £300 in prizes awarded per year group winner.

Residents in Leigh and Hadleigh continue their determined fight to protect Greenbelt land, urging the Salvation Army to rule out development on the historic Hadleigh Farmland and calling for a clear public decision that reflects strong local opposition.

Southend’s hidden brooks flow largely unseen beneath the city, but recent investigations along Prittle Brook reveal worrying levels of pollution, blockages and neglect. Campaigners are calling for urgent action to protect this forgotten blue space and restore its environmental health.

Concerns have been raised over Southend Council’s Councillor Declaration of Interest procedures, with claims that missing and incomplete forms undermine transparency compared to neighbouring councils. The article questions whether weaker safeguards leave the authority exposed to conflicts of interest and calls for stronger accountability measures.

Illegal tobacco, vapes and unsafe children’s toys worth £12,000 have been seized in a joint operation by Southend Neighbourhood Policing Team and Trading Standards as part of a wider crackdown on shoplifting and criminal trading in the city.

The decision to close the University of Essex’s Southend campus has sent shockwaves through the city, raising serious concerns about access to higher education, regional inequality and the futures of students and staff. In Parliament, the human impact of the closure has been brought into the national spotlight, alongside calls for long-term, sustainable solutions to support higher education in Southend and beyond.

Young people across Southend are being encouraged to have their say as the Make Your Mark youth ballot returns for 2026. The national campaign gives 11 to 18 year-olds the chance to vote on the issues that matter most to them, with real local change already delivered following record turnout in 2024.

Residents, community groups and local businesses in Leigh, West Leigh, Belfairs and Eastwood Park can now apply for funding through the Big Sparks small grants scheme.

Cllr Kathy Murphy has endorsed Tilly Hogrebe as the Green Party candidate for St. Luke’s in May’s local elections, praising her commitment to the community and saying the ward will be in “very safe hands.” Tilly says she wants to give residents a strong voice and tackle the real causes of the cost of living crisis.