A FORMER headteacher has been elected as the new Kursaal ward councillor after securing almost 50 per cent of the votes at a by-election. 

Chris Webster has become the newest member of Southend Council after coming out on top at Thursday’s by-election to replace Labour councillor Gabriel Leroy. 

Ms Webster has lived in south Essex for more than 40 years and was previously executive headteacher at Kingston Primary School, in Thundersley, as well as at a Basildon school. 

Excited - Chris Webster becomes Kursaal ward's newest Labour councillorExcited - Chris Webster becomes Kursaal ward's newest Labour councillor (Image: Chris Webster)

The new Kursaal councillor received 1,718 of the 3,500 votes - beating her nearest competitor, Marco Mann for the Tory party, by more than 1,000 votes. 

Following the by-election, Southend Council is now made up of 20 Labour councillors, 18 Conservative, five independent, four Liberal Democrat, two Green and two non-aligned councillors. 

Ms Webster said: “I am really excited.

“I have met the actual people that live here through my campaigning and I really want to work for them.

“I am really excited about making Kursaal a better place to live and making it the happiest place in England.

“I am excited about working with my two other councillors in the ward too, and with the rest of the Labour team for Southend.

“I am just really pleased to be there and be able to work for our people in the area.”

The new councillor added she is hoping to “overcome the years of neglect Kursaal has suffered under the Tory Government.

And she envisions the ward as a thriving community, where people flourish.

“Kursaal needs more investment in roads and pavements, faster action on flytipping, and work to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour,” Ms Webster added.

“Residents have already spoken to me about a variety of issues, whether that is personal, environmental and anti-social behaviour issues.

“I would like to tackle them all. I can’t do it all straight away, overnight, but with help of our two new Labour MPs, and the Labour Government, I think we can make a real change.

“We need growth in Southend, to have the money to do things. We are already thinking of creating a Kursaal committee too so people can join and we can all work together. Regular surgeries will be held too.”