Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council
Type
Type	Unitary authority
Leadership
Mayor	Cllr Margaret Borton, Labour ; since 20 May 2021
Leader of the Council	Cllr Ian Gilbert, Labour ; since 3 June 2019
Chief executive	Alison Griffin ; since 3 July 2017
Structure
Seats	51 councillors
Political groups	Administration (28) Labour (14) Independent (9) Liberal Democrats (5) Opposition (23) Conservative (20) Independent (3)
Elections
Voting system	First-past-the-post
Last election	2 May 2019
Next election
Website
	www.southend.gov.uk

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council is the local authority of Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It is a member of the East of England Local Government Association.

Politics[]

Seventeen wards each return three councillors, a total of 51. Councillors serve four years and one third of the council is elected each year, followed by one year without election. The current composition of the council is (as of 5 May 2019):^[1]

Affiliation		Councillors
	Conservative	20
	Labour	14
	Independent	12
	Liberal Democrat	5

The council is currently run by a rainbow coalition of Labour, Independent Group and Liberal Democrat councillors following a no confidence motion that was passed on 3 June 2019.^[2] The council had previously been run by the same coalition between May 2014 and May 2016.^[3] Apart from these occasions, since the 2000 election the council had been run by a Conservative administration.

Performance[]

In 2007, Southend Borough Council was criticised as one of the worst financially managed local authorities in England by the Audit Commission report for 2006/7, one of three to gain only one of four stars, the others being Liverpool and the Isles of Scilly.^[4]

In March 2012, Southend Borough Council was awarded the title of 'Council of the Year 2012' by the Local Government Chronicle.^[5]

Arms[]

Coat of arms of Southend-on-Sea Borough Council hide
	Notes Originally granted to Southend-on-Sea County Borough Council on 1 & 2 January 1915. Transferred to Southend-on-Sea Borough Council on 21 May 1974.^[6] Crest Issuant out of a mural crown Gules the mast of a ship proper flying therefrom a flag Argent charged with a cross throughout Gules. Escutcheon Azure on a pile Argent between on the dexter an anchor erect on the sinister a grid-iron and in base a trefoil slipped Or a flower vase issuing therefrom a spray of lilies Proper. Supporters On the dexter side a mediaeval fisherman holding a net with his exterior hand all Proper and on the sinister side a Cluniac monk Proper holding in the dexter hand a book Gules and in the exterior hand a staff also Proper. Motto Per Mare Per Ecclesiam (Through The Sea Through The Church)

References[]

^ "Your Councillors by Party". Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
^ Shaw, Steve. "Southend Council elects first ever Labour leader Ian Gilbert". Southend Echo. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
^ "Who will be running Southend Council? Take a look at your new cabinet members". Southend: Echo. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
^ Laura Smith (30 January 2008). "Echo News - Official: Council is wasting our cash". Retrieved 21 July 2008.
^ Uncited (14 March 2012). "Southend Council wins council of the year at Local Government Chronicle awards". Retrieved 8 April 2013.
^ "East of England Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 9 March 2021.

External links[]

Official website

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Blackburn with Darwen	LGC Council of the Year 2012	Succeeded by Greenwich

[1] "Your Councillors by Party". Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. Retrieved 9 May 2019.

[2] Shaw, Steve. "Southend Council elects first ever Labour leader Ian Gilbert". Southend Echo. Retrieved 4 June 2019.

[3] "Who will be running Southend Council? Take a look at your new cabinet members". Southend: Echo. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2014.

[4] Laura Smith (30 January 2008). "Echo News - Official: Council is wasting our cash". Retrieved 21 July 2008.

[5] Uncited (14 March 2012). "Southend Council wins council of the year at Local Government Chronicle awards". Retrieved 8 April 2013.

[6] "East of England Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 9 March 2021.

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