Southend Council May 2023 local election results confirmed

The Conservatives remain the largest group on the council increasing their seat total from 21 to 22, while Labour gained two seats with their total now standing at 17.

Labour currently run the council in a “rainbow coalition” with the Liberal Democrats, who fell from five seats to four on the night, and the Independents who lost three seats slashing their number to two.

Despite Independent losses, the coalition remains one seat ahead of the Tories.

Labour candidates celebrate a successful night (Image: Gaz de Vere)

Labour leader of the council Stephen George said: “I think it has been a decent night of results for Labour.

“We have gained a couple of seats and have come close in a couple of others where we may have been considered outsiders and the Conservatives would normally expect less of a challenge.”

The Milton ward councillor added: “I am a bit disappointed that our coalition partners have lost seats, but we remain in a strong place to continue to lead the council forwards from here.”

Labour council leader Stephen George was pleased with the results (Image: Gaz de Vere)

Despite failing to wrestle back majority control of the council, lost in 2019, the Tories remain optimistic with their results in Southend with the party suffering a rough night nationally.

“I am delighted with the Conservatives overall position in Southend, particularly when you compare it to the national picture,” Southend West MP Anna Firth told the Echo.

Southend West MP Anna Firth says the Tories did well (Image: Gaz de Vere)

“We have young energetic new councillors in the group who fought good campaigns, which goes to show if you work hard and focus on people’s priorities you will be rewarded.”

Elsewhere, the Green Party picked up its first ever seat on Southend Council as Leigh candidate Richard Longstaff won 1,042 votes to trump Liberal Democrat Syrie Cox’s 835 votes in a seat left vacant by Lib Dem Ashley Thompson.Conservative leader Tony Cox held his seat (Image: Gaz de Vere)

Residents First group leader Ron Woodley held onto his Thorpe seat in what was expected to be one of the key battlegrounds of the night, securing 1,018 votes while Conservative group leader comfortably defended his West Shoebury seat.

Turnout this year was lower than previous elections, at just 30.47 per cent and down from 2021’s 33.74 per cent turnout.

Results in full (* denotes winner).

BELFAIRS 
Lesley Salter (Con): 883
Elizabeth Smith (Confelicity): 21
Nathaniel Love (Green): 147
Joe Cresswell (Lab): 293
Alan Crystall (Lib Dem): 160
Stephen Aylen* (undefined): 1,195

BLENHEIM PARK
Keith Evans (Ind): 704
Sian Evans-Jack (Confelicity): 26
Bernard Arscott (Con): 760
AJ Sutherland (Green): 167
Donna Richardson* (Labour and Co-operative): 878
Joyce Onstad (Lib Dem): 82

CHALKWELL
Stephen Habermel* (Con): 1,147
Linzi Arkus-Binder (Confelicity): 75
James Vessey-Miller (Green): 241
David Carrington (Lab): 762
Christopher Hind (Lib Dem): 189

EASTWOOD PARK
Paul Collins* (Lib Dem): 1,786
Simon Spooner (Confelicity): 40
Judith McMahon (Con): 626
RJ Learmouth (Green): 54
Jennifer Lewis (Lab): 133

KURSAAL
Stephen Smith (British Democrats): 42
Andrew Brookes (Con): 348
Lee Clark (Confelicity): 90
Thomas Love (Green): 134
Lara Hurley (Heritage): 35
Gabriel Leroy* (Labour and Co-operative): 886
Rory Windass (Lib Dem): 80

LEIGH
James Miller (Confelicity): 36
Craig Watt (Con): 501
Richard Longstaff* (Green): 1,042
Mick Ekers (Lab): 236
Syrie Cox (Lib Dem): 835
Jason Pilley (Psychedelic Movement): 13

MILTON
Dee Curtis (Confelicity): 82
Marco Mann (Con): 538
Sarah-Ann Patel (Green): 222
Bianca Isherwood (Heritage): 105
Cheryl Nevin* (Lab): 1,137
Robert Howes (Lib Dem): 143

PRITTLEWELL
Meg Davidson* (Con): 1,161
Simon Jones (Confelicity): 107
Jon Mullett (Green): 146
Shahid Nadeem (Labour and Co-operative): 998
David Webb (Lib Dem): 251

SHOEBURY
Steven Wakefield* (Ind): 885
Kayleigh Burgess (Confelicity): 45
Steve Harvey (Con): 802
Fiona Clapperton (Green): 119
Ian Pope (Lab): 376
Granville Stride (Lib Dem): 58

SOUTHCHURCH
Dean Harris-Eckett (Confelicity): 93
Colin Campbell* (Con): 1,138
Jo Bates (Green): 154
Maggie Kelly (Ind): 368
Gray Sergeant (Lab): 353
Pamela Austin (Lib Dem): 91

ST LAURENCE 
Daniel Cowan* (Labour and Co-operative): 1,308
Gail Robertson (Confelicity): 53
Cheryll Gardiner (Con): 869
Eli London (Green): 87
Dave Poulton (Lib Dem): 125

ST LUKE'S 
Martin Berry* (Lab): 975
Jolene Hills (Confelicity): 102
Tamkeen Shaikh (Con): 438
Tilly Hogrebe (Green): 179
Brian Ayling (Ind): 231
Billy Boulton (Lib Dem): 79

THORPE
Ron Woodley* (Residents First): 1,018
Melissa Aylott (Confelicity): 59
Ken Davidson (Con): 867
Julie Callow (Green): 152
Andrew Hall (Ind): 437
Sam Allen (Lab): 377
Katie Kurilecz (Lib Dem): 62

VICTORIA
Jonathan Humphrys (Confelicity): 84
Peter Walker (Green): 175
Bob Carr (Con): 349
Mandy O’Connor* (Lab): 1,067
Philip Edey (Lib Dem): 116

WEST LEIGH
Jane Wilkes (Confelicity): 64
Owen Cartey* (Con): 1,317
Stephanie Golder (Green): 231
Carrie Druce (Lab): 219
Stephen Cummins (Lib Dem): 965

WEST SHOEBURY
Tony Cox* (Con): 1,268
Michael Arkus-Binder (Confelicity): 107
Lea Williams (Green): 186
Muhammad Ibrahim (Lab): 451
Richard Collins (Lib Dem): 163

WESTBOROUGH
Anne Jones* (Lab): 1,038
Connor Bines (Confelicity): 75
Andy Wilkins (Con): 337
Stephen Jordan (Green): 217
Suzanna Edey (Lib Dem): 157