Council profile
Southend-on-Sea
Unitary authority · East of England · 51 seats in 17 wards · A third of seats elected in three years out of four · Next election 6 May 2027
Southend-on-Sea Council is run by a Labour / Green / Liberal Democrats coalition. The council has 51 councillors in 17 wards. Seats by party: Labour 17, Reform 11, Conservative 11, Other 5, Green 4, Lib Dem 3. The next election is on 6 May 2027.
The government withdrew its plan to reorganise councils in Greater Essex on 7 September 2026. Elections due in May 2027 will go ahead on existing council boundaries. Source
Control
Seats by party
Vote share at the 7 May 2026 election (17 seats, all wards)
ShareSeats won
Reform31.2%8
Conservative18.5%2
Green17.4%2
Labour16.4%4
Other8.8%0
Lib Dem7.7%1
Next election
6 May 2027
17 of 51 seats up, elected by thirds
Largest party
Labour 17
9 short of the 26 needed for a majority
Voted Leave in 2016
58%
GB 52%
Wards
Who holds each ward
LabourConservativeLib DemReformGreenIndependent
Under 5 pts5 to 1010 to 20Over 20No contest data
Winning margin at the last election, in points.
Coloured by the party holding most of the ward's seats today; where seats are split evenly, by the party with the higher share at the last election.
All 17 wards
Councillors and last results
Select a ward for its full results, candidates and last by-election.
| Ward and councillors | Last election |
|---|---|
| Belfairs Jack Warren, Stephen Aylen, Oscar Wood | 7 May 2026 Reform 36.3% lead 13.1 pts |
| Blenheim Park Shahid Nadeem, Donna Richardson, Craig Watt | 7 May 2026 Reform 31.1% lead 6.1 pts |
| Chalkwell James Courtenay, Kay Mitchell, Stephen Habermel | 7 May 2026 Green 30.6% lead 1.7 pts |
| Eastwood Park Paul Collins, Robert McMullan, Dave Poulton | 7 May 2026 Lib Dem 48.5% lead 13.0 pts |
| Kursaal Irene Ferguson, Chris Webster, Matt Dent | 7 May 2026 Labour 32.9% lead 3.9 pts |
| Leigh Stuart Allen, Anita Forde, Richard Longstaff | 7 May 2026 Green 35.8% lead 14.6 pts |
| Milton Maxine Sadza, Cheryl Nevin, Sam Allen | 7 May 2026 Labour 30.2% lead 2.4 pts |
| Prittlewell Meg Davidson, Michael Heaver, David Garston | 7 May 2026 Reform 31.8% lead 3.2 pts |
| Shoeburyness Judith McMahon, Alex Moyies, Steven Wakefield | 7 May 2026 Reform 40.1% lead 18.7 pts |
| Southchurch Martin Bright, Colin Campbell, Darryl Jones | 7 May 2026 Conservative 43.9% lead 14.2 pts |
| St Laurence Madison Faulkner-Hatt, Frankie Bird, Daniel Cowan | 7 May 2026 Reform 41.0% lead 9.4 pts |
| St Luke's Martin Berry, Jane Norman, James O'Rourke | 7 May 2026 Reform 38.1% lead 12.4 pts |
| Thorpe Ron Woodley, Susan Badger, John Corrigan | 7 May 2026 Reform 33.1% lead 6.5 pts |
| Victoria Margaret Borton, Mandy O'Connor, Ian Gilbert | 7 May 2026 Labour 34.5% lead 5.1 pts |
| West Leigh Lesley Salter, Alexander Shaw, Owen Cartey | 7 May 2026 Conservative 37.5% lead 11.8 pts |
| West Shoebury Stephen Harvey, James Moyies, Tony Cox | 7 May 2026 Reform 37.4% lead 11.1 pts |
| Westborough Anne Jones, Kevin Robinson, Pamela Kinsella | 7 May 2026 Labour 32.9% lead 7.4 pts |
Belfairs
Jack Warren ConservativeOscar Wood ReformStephen Aylen Independent
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oscar James Wood Elected | Reform | 1,280 | 36.3% |
| Lauren Michelle Ekins | Green | 820 | 23.2% |
| Alan Thomas Dear | Conservative | 792 | 22.4% |
| Gareth Peter Evans | Independent | 287 | 8.1% |
| Szymon Patryk Blasiak | Labour | 191 | 5.4% |
| Alan Crystall | Lib Dem | 144 | 4.1% |
| Nicky William Gilbert | Confelicity | 17 | 0.5% |
Blenheim Park
Craig Watt ReformDonna Richardson LabourShahid Nadeem Labour
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craig Alan Watt Elected | Reform | 1,074 | 31.1% |
| Laurie William Henry Burton | Labour | 866 | 25.0% |
| Zhanelya Subebayeva | Conservative | 545 | 15.8% |
| AJ Sutherland | Green | 454 | 13.1% |
| Keith Ian Evans | Independent | 362 | 10.5% |
| Ian John Berry | Lib Dem | 108 | 3.1% |
| Ronish Dineshbhai Sutariya | Confelicity | 29 | 0.8% |
| Lynn Katherine Smith | Heritage Party | 20 | 0.6% |
Chalkwell
James Courtenay ConservativeKay Mitchell GreenStephen Habermel Conservative
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kay Mitchell Elected | Green | 1,024 | 30.6% |
| Julie Kathleen Cushion | Conservative | 967 | 28.9% |
| Ali Jason Taha Brown | Reform | 777 | 23.2% |
| David Scott | Labour | 384 | 11.5% |
| Chris Hind | Lib Dem | 133 | 4.0% |
| Robert John Cammidge | Confelicity | 61 | 1.8% |
Eastwood Park
Dave Poulton Lib DemPaul Collins Lib DemRobert McMullan Lib Dem
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert McMullan Elected | Lib Dem | 1,717 | 48.5% |
| Roger Weaver | Reform | 1,257 | 35.5% |
| Edward Firth | Conservative | 319 | 9.0% |
| James Anthony Thomas Vessey-Miller | Green | 134 | 3.8% |
| Timothy Marlowe MacGregor | Labour | 93 | 2.6% |
| Simon Alec Robert Spooner | Confelicity | 18 | 0.5% |
Kursaal
Chris Webster LabourIrene Ferguson LabourMatt Dent Labour
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Dent Elected | Labour | 849 | 32.9% |
| Richard John Felton | Reform | 748 | 29.0% |
| Lee John Clark | Confelicity | 380 | 14.7% |
| Faye Heffernan | Green | 360 | 13.9% |
| Liam Mannix | Conservative | 161 | 6.2% |
| Billy Boulton | Lib Dem | 69 | 2.7% |
| Lara Michelle Hurley | Heritage Party | 15 | 0.6% |
Last by-election, 4 July 2024
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Webster Elected | Labour | 1,718 | 49.1% |
| Marco David Mann | Conservative | 651 | 18.6% |
| Thomas Matthew Love | Green | 411 | 11.7% |
| Kay Mitchell | Independent | 407 | 11.6% |
| Billy Boulton | Lib Dem | 198 | 5.7% |
| Lara Michelle Hurley | Heritage Party | 115 | 3.3% |
Leigh
Anita Forde GreenRichard Longstaff GreenStuart Allen Green
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anita Maria Forde Elected | Green | 1,301 | 35.8% |
| Carole Ann Mulroney | Lib Dem | 772 | 21.2% |
| Paul Stephen Thurgood | Reform | 767 | 21.1% |
| Freddie Nicholas Russell | Conservative | 325 | 8.9% |
| Enzo Antony Harrison | Independent | 287 | 7.9% |
| Ian Belfield | Labour | 164 | 4.5% |
| Liam Christopher Brittle | Confelicity | 17 | 0.5% |
Milton
Cheryl Nevin LabourMaxine Sadza LabourSam Allen Labour
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maxine Sadza Elected | Labour | 938 | 30.2% |
| Aaron James Lyons | Reform | 862 | 27.8% |
| Sarah-Ann Jardine | Green | 741 | 23.9% |
| Jonathan Hoffman | Conservative | 354 | 11.4% |
| Robert Christopher Howes | Lib Dem | 133 | 4.3% |
| Bianca Eleanor Isherwood | Heritage Party | 38 | 1.2% |
| Sandy Helen Van Deventer | Confelicity | 36 | 1.2% |
Last by-election, 21 March 2019
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen George Elected | Labour | 833 | 49.9% |
| Garry David Lowen | Conservative | 528 | 31.6% |
| Carol White | Lib Dem | 219 | 13.1% |
| James Darron Quail | The For Britain Movement | 89 | 5.3% |
Prittlewell
David Garston ConservativeMeg Davidson ConservativeMichael Heaver Reform
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Eric Heaver Elected | Reform | 1,091 | 31.8% |
| Kevin Francis Buck | Conservative | 981 | 28.6% |
| Malla Reddy Gurram | Labour | 642 | 18.7% |
| RJ Learmouth | Green | 491 | 14.3% |
| Jane Travers | Lib Dem | 163 | 4.7% |
| Elizabeth Alexandra Smith | Confelicity | 65 | 1.9% |
Shoeburyness
Alex Moyies ReformJudith McMahon ReformSteven Wakefield Independent
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Moyies Elected | Reform | 1,319 | 40.1% |
| Nick Ward | Independent | 704 | 21.4% |
| Tricia Cowdrey | Green | 485 | 14.8% |
| River Jude | Conservative | 362 | 11.0% |
| Gabrielle Burt | Labour | 235 | 7.2% |
| Samantha Claire Bax | Lib Dem | 85 | 2.6% |
| Kayleigh Kathleen Burgess | Confelicity | 58 | 1.8% |
| James Darron Quail | Independent | 38 | 1.2% |
Southchurch
Colin Campbell ConservativeDarryl Jones ReformMartin Bright Conservative
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Bright Elected | Conservative | 1,465 | 43.9% |
| Peter Robert Little | Reform | 990 | 29.7% |
| Eva Katherine Mansfield | Green | 328 | 9.8% |
| Nathan James Pickering | Labour | 295 | 8.8% |
| James Daniel Miller | Confelicity | 180 | 5.4% |
| Michael James Trace | Lib Dem | 80 | 2.4% |
Last by-election, 3 March 2022
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darryl Robert Jones Elected | Conservative | 1,025 | 64.3% |
| Susan Badger | Independent | 294 | 18.4% |
| Nathaniel Anthony Doucette | Labour | 144 | 9.0% |
| Jo Bates | Green | 87 | 5.5% |
| Tristan Bembridge | Lib Dem | 45 | 2.8% |
St Laurence
Daniel Cowan LabourFrankie Bird ReformMadison Faulkner-Hatt Labour
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frankie James Bird Elected | Reform | 1,418 | 41.0% |
| Lydia Ann Hyde | Labour | 1,092 | 31.6% |
| Judith May Canham | Conservative | 418 | 12.1% |
| Gemma Marie Deeney | Green | 284 | 8.2% |
| Kev Malone | Lib Dem | 140 | 4.0% |
| Karl James Lansley | Confelicity | 108 | 3.1% |
St Luke's
James O'Rourke ReformJane Norman LabourMartin Berry Independent
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Christopher O'Rourke Elected | Reform | 1,212 | 38.1% |
| James George Morrison | Labour | 817 | 25.7% |
| Tilly Hogrebe | Green | 463 | 14.6% |
| Kenneth Smith Davidson | Conservative | 332 | 10.4% |
| Brian Ayling | Independent | 178 | 5.6% |
| Jamie Franklin Chapman | Confelicity | 95 | 3.0% |
| Kranthi Sajja | Lib Dem | 56 | 1.8% |
| Jason Stephen Pilley | The Moon And Serpent Party | 26 | 0.8% |
Thorpe
John Corrigan ReformRon Woodley IndependentSusan Badger Independent
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Harold Corrigan Elected | Reform | 1,241 | 33.1% |
| Martin William Terry | Independent | 995 | 26.6% |
| Connor Winter | Conservative | 624 | 16.7% |
| Maria Heffernan | Green | 318 | 8.5% |
| Robert Clemenson | Labour | 281 | 7.5% |
| Diane Sossou | Confelicity | 200 | 5.3% |
| Katie Kurilecz | Lib Dem | 69 | 1.8% |
| Adam Norman Isherwood | Heritage Party | 16 | 0.4% |
Victoria
Ian Gilbert LabourMandy O'Connor LabourMargaret Borton Labour
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margaret Linda Borton Elected | Labour | 936 | 34.5% |
| Carl Whitwell | Reform | 799 | 29.4% |
| Peter Walker | Green | 596 | 22.0% |
| Malik Smith | Conservative | 216 | 8.0% |
| Phil Edey | Lib Dem | 93 | 3.4% |
| Jolene Anne Hills | Confelicity | 74 | 2.7% |
West Leigh
Alexander Shaw ConservativeLesley Salter ConservativeOwen Cartey Conservative
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Samuel James Shaw Elected | Conservative | 1,510 | 37.5% |
| Simon Gittus | Green | 1,034 | 25.7% |
| Verina Weaver | Reform | 866 | 21.5% |
| Stephen Joseph Cummins | Lib Dem | 336 | 8.3% |
| Sekky Adams | Labour | 179 | 4.4% |
| Helen Anna-Greta Symmons | Confelicity | 105 | 2.6% |
West Shoebury
James Moyies ConservativeStephen Harvey ReformTony Cox Reform
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Harvey Elected | Reform | 1,201 | 37.4% |
| John Harland | Conservative | 846 | 26.3% |
| Joseph Owen Grant | Green | 371 | 11.5% |
| Brian Jones | Labour | 351 | 10.9% |
| Brian Beggs | Independent | 282 | 8.8% |
| John Sidney Batch | Lib Dem | 108 | 3.4% |
| Simon James Jones | Confelicity | 55 | 1.7% |
Westborough
Anne Jones LabourKevin Robinson LabourPamela Kinsella Labour
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Reubin Robinson Elected | Labour | 991 | 32.9% |
| Ben Ike Aldridge | Reform | 769 | 25.5% |
| Stephen David Jordan | Green | 644 | 21.4% |
| Colin Anthony Hicks | Conservative | 239 | 7.9% |
| Amy Louise Heathcote | Independent | 161 | 5.3% |
| Suzanna Marie Edey | Lib Dem | 143 | 4.7% |
| Melissa Aylott | Confelicity | 41 | 1.4% |
| Gary Kandinsky | Independent | 27 | 0.9% |
Councillors
Changed party since the election
1 councillor now sit for a different party from the one they were elected for.
| Ward | Councillor | Elected as | Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southchurch | Darryl Jones | Conservative 2022 | Reform |
Next election
Seats up on 6 May 2027
17 of 51 seats are up. Seats held now, by party:
Labour 6 Independent 4 Conservative 4 Lib Dem 1 Green 1 Reform 1
| Ward | Councillor whose term ends |
|---|---|
| Belfairs | Stephen Aylen Independent |
| Blenheim Park | Donna Richardson Labour |
| Chalkwell | Stephen Habermel Conservative |
| Eastwood Park | Paul Collins Lib Dem |
| Kursaal | Chris Webster Labour |
| Leigh | Richard Longstaff Green |
| Milton | Cheryl Nevin Labour |
| Prittlewell | Meg Davidson Conservative |
| Shoeburyness | Steven Wakefield Independent |
| Southchurch | Colin Campbell Conservative |
| St Laurence | Daniel Cowan Labour |
| St Luke's | Martin Berry Independent |
| Thorpe | Ron Woodley Independent |
| Victoria | Mandy O'Connor Labour |
| West Leigh | Owen Cartey Conservative |
| West Shoebury | Tony Cox Reform |
| Westborough | Anne Jones Labour |
Term end dates from Open Council Data.
By-elections
Every council by-election since 2021
1 by-election since July 2021, 0 of them gains.
| Date | Ward | Result | Winner's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 July 2024 | Kursaal | Labour hold | 49.1% |
Parliament
Parliamentary constituencies
| Constituency | Share of council | 2024 winner | Projected now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southend West and Leigh | 58% | Labour | Conservative 28% |
| Southend East and Rochford | 42% | Labour | Labour 32% |
Share of the council: the proportion of its census neighbourhoods (2021 LSOAs) in each seat. The projection is PollCheck's demographic model at current polling, not a forecast.
People
Who lives in Southend-on-Sea
180,685 residents in 78,360 households
Voted Leave in 2016
58% 6 above GB
Degree or higher
27% 7 below GB
No qualifications
20% 2 above GB
Own their home
61% same as GB
Rent from a council or housing association
12% 5 below GB
Rent privately
26% 6 above GB
Aged 15 to 34
28% 3 below GB
Aged 65 and over
23% 1 above GB
GB figure. 2021 Census (Scotland: 2022): age as a share of residents aged 15 and over, qualifications of residents aged 16 and over, housing as a share of households. Leave: 2016 EU referendum, Electoral Commission results by counting area.
Similar
Councils most like this one
HastingsGreen (Majority)West SuffolkLabour / Independent / Green / Liberal Democrats CoalitionBournemouth, Christchurch and PooleLiberal Democrats / Independent CoalitionEastbourneLiberal Democrats (Majority)CalderdaleReform UK (Majority)
Closest on the measures above: the 2016 Leave vote, age, qualifications and housing. Maps show which party holds each ward.
Sources
Sources and method
Seat totals and control: PollCheck council control tracker. Councillors: Open Council Data (CC BY-SA 4.0). Election results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), with some vote counts from DCLEAPIL, Leman (2025) (CC BY-SA 4.0), and corrections checked against councils' official declarations. Ward boundaries: Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Census: Office for National Statistics and National Records of Scotland.
Councillor lists and DCLEAPIL-derived vote counts on this page are available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
In wards electing more than one councillor, a party's share counts only its leading candidate (the Rallings and Thrasher method). Independents count individually. The lead is the gap between the top two parties' shares.