With lockdown restrictions having eased and a bank holiday weekend approaching, Southend Council are urging residents and visitors to be respectful whilst having fun.

Operation Heatwave has been in place since the end of March to ensure the borough is ready for the summer season, and help visitors plan their visit, dispose of litter responsibly, find available parking spaces and stay safe.

While Essex Police have also announced a dispersal order for Old Leigh from 6pm today (April 30) to 6pm on Sunday (May 2).

It follows numerous reports and incidents of antisocial behaviour over the last two weekends.

The order is in place to the south of, and including, Rectory Grove between the junctions of Elm Road and Harley Street. It also includes High Street, Leigh Hill and New Road.

It gives officers powers to move anyone believed to be behaving antisocially from the area. Breaching any direction given under the order is a criminal offence.

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Steve Moore, interim executive director for neighbourhoods and environment, has urged visitors to act responsibly while heading to Southend over the bank holiday.

He said: “We really want people to come to Southend and enjoy themselves, enjoy the bank holiday weekend and enjoy the new freedoms the relaxing of lockdown restrictions brings.

“However, we would also ask that those visiting the town are respectful of the area and the residents who live here.

"Please dispose of litter properly or take it home with you. Please park considerately of others.

"Please drink safely and responsibly, and if you are leaving late at night, please be mindful of noise in residential areas.

“Teams responsible for waste, highways, parking, community safety, CCTV along with the police and local businesses are continuing to work hard and work together to prevent and respond to the opportunities and challenges long weekends and extra visitors to the seafront can bring, but we need visitors to play their part too, so if you are visiting this weekend, please respect, protect and enjoy.”

Operation Heatwave plans are being led by Southend Council and developed with the local stakeholder group that includes traders, Leigh Town Council, Southend BID and Southend Tourism Partnership.

But what does this mean?

Community safety

In addition to the council's security base at Jubilee Beach, a new frontline security base in Old Leigh is now operational and is located inside the Leigh Heritage Centre. This is being used by their community safety officers (CSOs).

Other council departments and partners including the police also use the base to enhance the overall visible presence in the area. An extra officer has been deployed to monitor the CCTV suite at weekends with a particular focus on the seafront.

The community safety team will also be gathering specific seafront data and insights to help prioritise resources.

Litter

Alongside its usual street cleaning programme, the council has introduced the following additional measures to manage waste during peak times:

  • Additional larger EuroBins are in place across the borough including two more in Old Leigh (making four in total), four at East Beach and ten more at City Beach (20 in total).
  • Additional litter picking and bin emptying is taking place in main parks at weekends and during the school holidays, with four staff based at Belfairs Park, Priory Park, Chalkwell Park and Southchurch Park from 11.30am to 7.30pm.
  • Additional litter picking and bin emptying is also taking place at Thorpe Bay Gardens, Shoebury Common, Leigh Cliffs and Marine Parade/Belton Hills (in addition to Southend Cliffs, Prittlewell Square, Warrior Square Gardens).
  • Two extra mobile litter pickers will support other areas.

Other additional resources:

  • Extra resources for the peak season include toilet attendants at key locations, additional cleaning staff for open spaces, beach combers and evening cleaning
  • Extra medical support will be in place over the Bank Holiday weekend
  • Additional temporary toilets have been installed in Old Leigh, City Beach, Shorefields and Darlows Green
  • Additional toilet cleaning is taking place at weekends and school holidays at Belfairs Park, Priory Park and Southchurch Park
  • Additional hand sanitizer stations are in place
  • Six extra seasonal foreshore staff are in place to accommodate expected higher demand and providing first aid, information, advice and guidance. They will be located at Jubilee Beach (first aid base), Shoebury Common Slipway, Two Tree Island and Old Leigh. The Jubilee Beach office will be open for extended hours.

Parking

For more information on car parks and charges, visit the car parking page on the council website.

Visitors can plan ahead for parking by downloading the Southend Parking app before they depart and paying on their phone when they arrive.

This also offers the added benefit of enabling you to top up your parking from your phone if you end up staying longer than you thought you would.

You can also purchase the Southend Pass via this app, an annual parking pass that offers discounted parking.

The Blue Flag award winning beaches at Shoebury Common, Shoebury East Beach and Thorpe Bay also offer great places to enjoy the seaside and thousands of parking spaces, with many available when central areas are full. Signage is in place to help direct visitors to these beaches.

Beach safety

The council offers the following advice to help ensure a visit to the beach is remembered for all the right reasons.

  • Supervise children and vulnerable adults at all times: There is safety in numbers.
  • Wear jelly shoes or other sensible footwear on the beach and in the sea: Like with all seafronts, hidden dangers such as sharp shells and rocks may be hidden under the sand or water.
  • Don’t climb the rocks: Several areas of the seafront have rocks, including the seafront lagoon at Three Shells Beach. Please do not climb them. Not only could you become injured, but you also risk falling injured into the sea, impeding your chances of swimming to safety.
  • Observe signs and flags: Be aware of your surroundings and the times of the tides. There is a link to tide timetables on the council website. Heed warning signs and flags: they could save your life.