A New Year's message from Councillor Daniel Cowan, Leader of Southend-on-Sea City Council.
As well as looking ahead towards City Day on 7 March, the start of a new year is also an opportunity for looking afresh and making New Year's resolutions.
It is also a chance to reflect on our achievements over the past year. As an administration, we have been working hard on your behalf to deliver the council's priorities and the promises that we have made. We've made great strides to do this, including 11 key areas:
- Over one million bins collected in the first month of the new wheelie bin service, alongside a 76% increase in food waste recycling
- A renewed sense of civic pride, with residents welcoming the Lionesses home at Southend airport, and getting involved in volunteering and community activity across the city
- A strong year for city wide events including City Jam, the Halloween Parade and Poppies on the Pier, which received international press coverage.
- Adult Social Care rated 'Good' by the CQC, recognising strong work in safeguarding, prevention, reablement and community support.
- A strengthened focus on children's health, tackling childhood obesity and limiting unhealthy food outlets near schools.
- Keeping our community safe, cracking down on rogue landlords, unlicensed HMOs, fraud, illegal vapes and tobacco, and unsafe food items and toys.
- Taking stronger action on HMOs, addressing over-concentration and safeguarding the character of local neighbourhoods.
- A new 'Dirty Dozen' initiative launched, tackling derelict and neglected sites to deliver faster, visible improvements across the city.
- Better transport connections, with new bus services linking Leigh-on-Sea to London Southend Airport and the Airport Business Park, and extended late-night bus services.
- A new leisure provider was appointed, with immediate improvement works underway at Belfairs Swim Centre, Shoeburyness Leisure Centre and Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre.
- £1 million in play area upgrades underway to boost civic pride and create safe, inclusive, high-quality green spaces for local families.
As we welcome 2026, I want to take this opportunity to wish every resident of Southend-on-Sea a happy, healthy, and hopeful New Year.
We're building a city that you can be proud of, we hope that you have a fantastic start to 2026.
Cllr Daniel Cowan - Leader of Southend Council