SOUTHEND LABOUR

MANIFESTO FOR THE MAY

2016 LOCAL ELECTIONS

MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN
SOUTHEND

Introduction by the Leader

of the Labour Group,
Cllr Ian Gilbert
Southend is in many respects a great place to live
and work. We are on the coast, near to London,
have two rail links to the capital and our own
airport. We have proud communities, good
businesses and thriving culture.
Yet I have been spurred on by a sense that our town is nowhere near as
good as it could be. As a borough we have serious housing problems, both
in terms of lack of houses for young people looking to set up home, and
poor quality houses where areas are ruined by badly maintained property.
In Southend, as well as elsewhere in the country, homelessness is growing.
There is still much more we can do in terms of attracting investment to the
town. We must do more to promote the town and its businesses, and
challenge some negative perceptions. Whilst government policy is making
it extremely difficult, there is still more that can be done to make sure that
development in the town meets residents needs.
Crime and anti-social behaviour is a serious concern, as even the
Conservative Police & Crime Commissioner describes Essex Polices funding
situation as perilous. As a town, our skill levels lag behind those of other
similar places, and the gap in life expectancy between residents living in
the rich and poor areas of the town remains shockingly high.
Over fourteen years, the Conservatives failed to tackle these problems.
They have no answers left.
Since the Conservatives lost power, allowing a new non-Tory
administration to run the council, I believe we have started to take solid
steps in the right direction. Nevertheless there is much more to do, and this
document lists steps we seek to take over the coming year.

Deputy Leader of the Labour

Group,
Cllr Julian Ware-Lane
The elections in May are vitally important. As the
Joint Administration approaches its second birthday,
residents across the borough are already seeing what
a listening administration can do. To carry on the
good work we have to stay in control, otherwise we
will see a return of a wasteful Conservative administration hell-bent on
changing Southend-on-Sea for the worse.
We are in challenging times financially, and local authorities across the UK
are having to make some very tough decisions. We, in Southend-on-Sea,
are also faced with another year of Government cuts, and yet the local
Labour Party remains upbeat and ambitious.
It is worth reminding ourselves of Labour's achievements over the last two
years:
First council houses built in a quarter of a century in the borough.
All libraries still have full-time paid staff.
The roll-out of LED street lighting, rescuing the poorly financed
plans of the previous administration.
Repairs to many road surfaces.
New street cleaning and rubbish collection contract that is already
saving tax-payers a million pounds a year.
Queensway regeneration.
Action on the derelict buildings in Victoria Avenue.
Review of the previous administrations plans for the Shoebury sea
wall flood defences, which led to those plans being scrapped.
New pedestrian crossing at Kent Elms corner.
All decisions taken by the Joint Administration are carried because of a
strong and disciplined Labour presence. Without a strong Labour group in
the council chamber Southend-on-Sea cannot move forward.

A greener town
Continue, and where feasible speed up, investment in green technology to
the benefit of both the environment and the local economy, including
continuing to expand the installation of solar panels on council owned
buildings.
Push for new homes to be built to the highest environmental standards.
The council should continue to take a lead in this by ensuring new council
housing is built to the highest standards.
Preserve green spaces across the town. Plant more trees generally and
create a new urban wood in the borough.
Actively promote Southend Energy Company and build on the financial,
environmental and community benefits that it is already delivering
Cyclists need to be considered in any new housing and road improvements,
including new cycle paths in any new large-scale development. The
existing network should be improved, including making better use of wide
pavements for cyclists particularly around schools, making school journeys
healthier and safer. More dedicated cycle paths and stricter enforcement
should help reduce cycling on pavements.

Business and growth

Continue to push for the council to attract businesses to Southend,
including the implementation of cutting-edge digital strategy in a way that
makes super-fast broadband available to both the public and private sector.
Prioritise culture-led regeneration, building on our vibrant arts, music and
entertainment scene, attracting creative businesses and changing
perceptions of our town.
Aim to make Southend a Living Wage Borough (as defined by the Living
Wage Foundation - www.livingwage.org.uk) People are entitled to secure
employment and we will seek the eradication of zero-hour contracts at the
council and by its sub-contractors.
Keep the town centre vibrant and viable by bringing forward plans to
renew the High Street, giving consideration to the impact of other planned
or possible retail development in Southend.
Seek to increase revenue by making more use of council-run facilities and
we are committed to keeping the Pier properly maintained and under
council ownership.
Promote Southend at incoming air and rail transport hubs, building on our
previous manifesto commitment to form a partnership with businesses to
better market and promote the town.

Cleaner and safer

Build on the pilot street blitz schemes and develop a strategy to utilise
enforcement powers and community initiatives to restore pride in
Southends street scene.
Consider introducing an amnesty for the collection of large rubbish items,
timed to coincide with peak fly-tipping periods in a pilot area.
Make pavements more pedestrian friendly by repairing uneven pavements
and removing obstructions, tackling pavement parking and stopping
unreasonable expansion onto pavements by local traders.
Utilise the additional money in the councils budget for highways and
pavements to bring about major improvements in our street scene.
Maintain a public sector hub, in partnership with the police, for the
purposes of coordinating action on serious crime in the borough.
Build on the good work of the councils multi-agency anti-social behaviour
team to tackle it across the borough.
Promote neighbourhood watch and encourage its extension, and look to
extend powers to stop street drinking in known trouble spots.
Introduce a cap on sex entertainment licences and propose a limit on the
number of casinos and gambling establishments.

Children & schools

Protect the existing network of childrens centres which provide a vital
service for so many children in the borough.
Encourage Southend Schools to serve
Southend's residents, and also
encourage more utilization of unused
facilities in schools etc. out of hours
and during school holidays.
Protect adoption services and all
childrens social services in Southend,
and keep them fully in the public
sector.
Make sure priority is given to
preventing the evil of child sexual
exploitation, and stress the importance
of sex and relationship education.
Encourage the business community to
invest in further education and
continue to lead the way on
apprenticeships.

Stronger Communities
Keep leisure facilities accessible and affordable to all, consider extending
the use of discount schemes to make sure that no one is priced out.
Deepen the relationship of the council with charities and the voluntary
sector as we work together to strengthen the community.
Press ahead with plans to develop a new care campus, in order to maintain
excellent standards of care in the public sector. This will bring together
residential care and services for people with disabilities.
Maintain the Essential Living Fund as a vital safety-net for the most
vulnerable.
Look into creating parish and town councils for all areas of the borough.

Transport
Continue the councils successful record
in bidding for funds for road
improvements
We believe any new out of town
development should include proper
public transport provision, in particular
we will make traffic considerations in
respect of the new football stadium at
Fossetts Farm a priority.
Press for more real time information for
buses, and encourage bus companies to
look at creating more routes to better serve the whole borough. Consider
use of mobile phone apps etc in ticketing.
Park and Ride schemes have been successfully set up in other towns in
Essex and we will look into whether a scheme can be set up to make
journeys into our town centre easier.
Look to introduce a 20mph speed limit in appropriate residential streets.

Housing
Build more social housing. Improve standards in the town's large private
rented market. Take tough enforcement action on poor housing.
Bring empty properties back into circulation, especially any council-owned
properties
Bring together a full report on the effects of
additional planned or likely housing development
in the centre of town and any other areas of
possible high-density development, and act on
its findings.
Press ahead with the Queensway development
in a way that safeguards the rights of existing
tenants and prioritises the creation of a
sustainable community.

The 2016 elections

Polling day is on Thursday, 5th May 2016.
Polling stations will be open from 7am till 10pm.
The Police and Crime Commissioner election is
on the same day, so everyone in Southend will
have two votes. The Labour candidate is Chris
Vince.

Our candidates
Belfairs

DAVE ALSTON

Blenheim Park

MATT DENT

Chalkwell

TAYLOR BARRALL

Eastwood Park SEAN JONES

Kursaal

HELEN McDONALD

Leigh

MATT ZARB-COUSIN

Milton

Cllr JULIAN WARE-LANE

Prittlewell

MIKE FIELDHOUSE

Shoeburyness

MAGGIE KELLY

Southchurch

ROS SANDERS

St Laurence

REG COPLEY

St Luke's

D ONNA RICHARDSON

Thorpe

ROD BIRKS

Victoria

Cllr IAN GILBERT

Westborough

Cllr ANNE JONES

West Leigh

IAN POPE

Printed by SLCI and promoted by Martin Berry and Kevin Robinson on behalf of Labour Candidates
for Southend Council, all of 268 Sutton Road, Southend on Sea, SS2 5ET. 2016