Our priorities
We have identified three overarching city-focused priorities, with a fourth priority focused on our organisation. These seek to address the needs and the challenges of our city and the council.
A growing city with a strong and prosperous community
Challenges: Growing the economy, tackling the rising cost of living and tackling poor labour market outcomes.
Our response: We will boost Southend-on-Sea’s local economy in a way that benefits everyone, enhance the city’s role as a place for prosperity and opportunity, safeguard businesses and help those most affected by cost-of-living pressures. We will use the council’s spending power to support economic growth and regeneration and improve the skills base of the city’s workforce and we will do our best to support the Southend pound. We will enhance our tourism, culture and leisure offer, promoting Southend-on- Sea as a welcoming place to visit and stay.
A safe city with a good quality of life for all
Challenges: Making our communities safer; ensuring the right care and access to adult and children’s services; improving life chances for all children and young people; and delivering housing and the infrastructure to support housing.
Our response: We will build strong resilient communities and create a city that is safe for all. We will ensure the right care and advice is available for those who need social care support. We will ensure every child and young person has the best possible start in life and improve support for children with Special Educational Needs. We will deliver the housing and infrastructure the city needs.
A clean city with a resilient environment
Challenges: Maintaining the street scene; optimising environmental sustainability; addressing risks of natural flooding and coastal erosion; improving the transport system and increasing our recycling rate.
Our response: We will protect and enhance the street scene, tackle environmental sustainability, adaptation and resilience, and make Southend-on-Sea a national exemplar for flood and coastal erosion risk management. We will also ensure effective travel choices and optimise recycling and waste collection opportunities.
A transforming council delivering efficient, cost-effective services
Challenges: Financial sustainability and a balanced budget; having an election cycle that offers best value and allows the council more time to conduct business; maintaining employee engagement and performance; having a clear overview of our customers; accessibility of services and delivering the right quality services at the right time.
Our response: We will work hard to achieve better value for money for our residents, consider changing our election cycle to whole council elections every four years, transform as an organisation and deliver against service standards. We will provide a properly governed, structured approach to transforming the council and rethink how we offer council services, to make them more efficient, resident-focused and digitally enabled in their delivery.