Thursday, 31 August 2017

Ward sizes in Southend-on-Sea



Here are the seventeen wards in Southend-on-Sea, ordered by the size of their electorates. (The data is current.)

ward
electorate
districts
Shoeburyness
8886
5
St Luke's
8284
4
Milton
8244
6
Blenheim Park
8142
5
Kursaal
8096
5
Prittlewell
7909
5
Victoria
7863
4
St Laurence
7786
5
Westborough
7751
5
Leigh
7733
5
Southchurch
7716
4
Thorpe
7646
5
Eastwood Park
7618
4
West Shoebury
7594
4
Belfairs
7560
6
Chalkwell
7370
4
West Leigh
7299
6

Shoeburyness is 21% larger (a fifth) than West Leigh.

The average ward size is 7852. If you allow a ten per cent variation, only Shoeburyness falls outside of this. Since West Shoebury is under the average perhaps a minor adjustment to the boundary between the two would see Shoeburyness brought back into line with the rest of the borough.

For those interested in registration districts, here are the largest and smallest -

2688 EA Shoeburyness
2533 EY Victoria
2469 WD Eastwood Park
2435 WGZ Chalkwell
2421 WJZ Leigh

361 WLZ Leigh
635 WW Belfairs
805 WAZ West Leigh
814 ELZ Milton
1024 EB1 Shoeburyness

Labour welcome park and ride, but has concerns over cost and location



Press Release

Labour welcome park and ride, but has concerns over cost and location


The Labour Group on Southend-on-Sea Borough Council has for many years called for a park and ride scheme in the town. This has often featured in their local election manifestos.

Cllr Julian Ware-Lane
The news that the ruling administration has finally woken up to the idea has been welcomed by Cllr Julian Ware-Lane, Labour's spokesperson for traffic and parking. However, Cllr Ware-Lane believes the scheme as proposed by the Conservative administration has some shortcomings.

The scheme has the park and ride scheme at the Civic Centre car park, with the bus ride taking one to the Kursaal. It is £3 to park the car, and £4 for the ride.

"The scheme is too expensive", said Cllr Ware-Lane. "£7 does not seem to be much of an incentive to abandon the car, especially when the actual distance covered by the park and ride is only about a mile or so. "

"I also think the choice of location is poor", added Julian. "The town experiences huge traffic jams along the two main arterial routes. The scheme should be implemented far closer to the borough boundaries."

"I realise that there are issues in finding a suitable location, but cannot believe that the site chosen is the best available."

The evidence suggests that so far the scheme has done little to affect, let alone lessen, the tailbacks of those heading towards the seaside.

Wednesday, 30 August 2017

Southend 2018 and how we can change who runs the town



Winners in the last three electoral cycles


2014
2015
2016
Belfairs
Con
Con
Ind
Blenheim Park
UKIP
Con
Con
Chalkwell
Con
Con
Con
Eastwood Park
Con
Con
Con
Kursaal
UKIP
Lab
Lab
Leigh
LDem
Con
LDem
Milton
Lab
Con
Lab
Prittlewell
UKIP
Con
Con
Shoeburyness
Ind
Con
Ind
Southchurch
Ind
Con
Con
St Laurence
UKIP
UKIP / Con
Con
St Luke's
Ind
Ind
Ind
Thorpe
Ind
Ind
Ind
Victoria
Lab
Lab
Lab
West Leigh
Con
Con
Con
West Shoebury
UKIP
Con
Con
Westborough
Lab
Lab
Lab

Only seven of the seventeen wards have seen the same victor in all three years, which leaves the ten where it would be fair to say there is likely to be some uncertainty as to who will win in 2018.

Without defections the Conservatives would not have a majority in the chamber. As it is, their majority is a slim three. Two gains from the Tories would see no overall control, and then a coalition of the other groups is a certainly a possibility.

Where are the Tories vulnerable? They are only defending four seats, and each is safe. However, if you count the defections then they are vulnerable in Blenheim Park and St Laurence, and that is enough to remove them from office. Let's do it.

St Luke's Voice Winter 2018/19 edition