Browsing: Local News

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.

Major Better Queensway infrastructure works are now underway in Southend, including new underground attenuation tanks able to hold up to 750,000 litres of water to help protect seafront businesses from flooding while supporting future regeneration.

New analysis published by Climate Emergency UK shows that English councils with higher spending power tend to perform better on climate action, while stronger public support has an even greater impact on success.

Southend-on-Sea has retained its Purple Flag status for 2026, recognising the city as a safe, welcoming and well-managed evening and night-time destination for residents and visitors alike.

The Green Party in Southend is calling for urgent action over failing local bus services, saying unreliable, expensive, and overcrowded buses are making it harder for residents—and especially students—to get around the city.

Concerns have been raised over proposals that could see Southchurch Library close and services moved elsewhere. Questions have been asked about repair costs, council priorities, and whether maintaining existing buildings would be a better option than replacing them.

At a Glance Since the first Water Quality Summit in April 2022, the conversation around Southend’s waterways has broadened significantly.…