# 2024 Southend-on-Sea City Council election

The 2024 Southend-on-Sea City Council election was held on Thursday 2 May 2024, alongside the other local elections in the United Kingdom being held on the same day. There were 17 of the 51 members of Southend-on-Sea City Council in Essex up for election, being the usual third of the council.
The council remained under no overall control, but Labour overtook the Conservatives to become the largest party.

## Background

Prior to the election, the council was under no overall control, being run by a Conservative minority administration with informal support from some of the independent councillors.
The seats up for election in 2024 were last contested in 2021; because of the delay of all local elections due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the seats are up for election after 3 years rather than the usual 4. In that election, the Conservatives won 11 seats with 40.5%, Labour won 6 with 26.1%, independents won 1 with 13.0% and the Liberal Democrats won 1 with 11.4%.

## Summary

The council remained under no overall control after the election, but Labour gained four seats to become the largest party on the council. A coalition comprising Labour, the Liberal Democrats and four of the independent councillors subsequently formed to run the council, led by the Labour group leader Daniel Cowan. He was formally appointed as leader of the council at a meeting on 20 May 2024.

### Council composition

| After 2023 election | After 2023 election | After 2023 election | Before 2024 election | Before 2024 election | Before 2024 election | After 2024 election | After 2024 election | After 2024 election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Party | Party | Seats | Party | Party | Seats |
| | Conservative | 22 | | Conservative | 22 | | Conservative | 18 |
| | Labour | 17 | | Labour | 16 | | Labour | 20 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 4 | | Liberal Democrats | 4 | | Liberal Democrats | 4 |
| | Green | 1 | | Green | 1 | | Green | 2 |
| | Independent | 7 | | Independent | 8 | | Independent | 7 |
Changes 2023–2024:
* May 2023: Kathy Murphy leaves Labour to sit as an independent

### Councillors standing down

| Councillor | Ward | First elected | Party | Date announced |
| Derek Jarvis | West Shoebury Ward | | Conservative | 25 March 2024 |
| Chris Walker | Eastwood Park | 1997 | Conservative | 21 October 2021 |
| Steve Buckley | St Laurence | 2015 | Conservative | |
| John Lamb | West Leigh | | Conservative | |
| Stephen George | Milton | 1999 | Labour | |
| Mike Stafford | Thorpe | | Independent | |

### Election result

2024 Southend-on-Sea City Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Labour | 7 | 4 | 41.2 | 13 | 20 | 39.2 | 12,702 | 31.6 | +2.9 |
| | Conservative | 7 | 4 | 41.2 | 11 | 18 | 35.3 | 12,406 | 30.9 | –2.3 |
| | Independent | 1 | 1 | 5.9 | 6 | 7 | 13.7 | 3,572 | 8.9 | –3.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 1 | | 5.9 | 3 | 4 | 7.8 | 4,351 | 10.8 | –2.4 |
| | Green | 1 | 1 | 5.9 | 1 | 2 | 3.9 | 5,434 | 13.5 | +4.4 |
| | Confelicity | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1,307 | 3.3 | +0.4 |
| | Heritage | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 420 | 1.0 | +0.7 |

## Ward Results

Results of the City Council election were released by Southend-on-Sea City Council on 3 May 2024.
Seat changes are compared to the 2023 election and do not take into account interim changes due to by-elections or defections.

### Belfairs

Belfairs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jack Warren* | 1,006 | 39.2 | +5.9 |
| | Green | Nathaniel Love | 693 | 27.0 | +21.5 |
| | Independent | Gareth Evans | 419 | 16.3 | N/A |
| | Labour | Graham Main | 320 | 12.5 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Cummins | 86 | 3.4 | –1.1 |
| | Confelicity | Lizzie Smith | 32 | 1.2 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 313 | 12.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,565 | 34.9 | –1.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 7.8 | |

### Blenheim Park

Blenheim Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Shahid Nadeem | 1,089 | 40.0 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | Helen Boyd* | 677 | 24.9 | –2.9 |
| | Independent | Keith Evans | 561 | 20.6 | –6.8 |
| | Green | AJ Sutherland | 223 | 8.2 | +1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pamela Austin | 103 | 3.8 | +0.6 |
| | Heritage | Lynn Smith | 28 | 1.0 | N/A |
| | Confelicity | Luis Lancos | 26 | 1.0 | –0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 412 | 15.1 | +8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,722 | 33.7 | +1.8 |
| | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Swing | 4.4 | |

### Chalkwell

Chalkwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Courtenay* | 975 | 40.8 | –6.7 |
| | Labour | Mike O'Connor | 868 | 36.3 | +4.7 |
| | Green | James Vessey-Miller | 331 | 13.9 | +3.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Hind | 130 | 5.4 | –2.4 |
| | Confelicity | Roma Patel | 73 | 3.05 | ±0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 107 | 4.5 | –11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,388 | 33.7 | –0.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 5.7 | |

### Eastwood Park

Eastwood Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dave Poulton | 1,419 | 56.4 | –11.3 |
| | Conservative | Verina Weaver | 762 | 30.3 | +6.6 |
| | Labour | Christopher Clarke | 193 | 7.7 | +2.7 |
| | Green | Lauren Ekins | 78 | 3.1 | +1.1 |
| | Confelicity | Simon Spooner | 53 | 2.1 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 657 | 26.1 | –17.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,517 | 34.5 | –1.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 9.0 | |

### Kursaal

Kursaal :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Irene Ferguson | 846 | 51.0 | –3.9 |
| | Conservative | Marco Mann | 237 | 14.3 | –7.2 |
| | Independent | Kay Mitchell | 179 | 10.8 | N/A |
| | Confelicity | Lee Clark | 155 | 9.3 | +3.7 |
| | Green | Thomas Love | 128 | 7.7 | –0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Crystall | 58 | 3.5 | –1.5 |
| | Heritage | Lara Hurley | 51 | 3.1 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 609 | 36.7 | +3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,660 | 20.8 | +0.3 |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | 1.7 | |

### Leigh

Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Stuart Allen | 1,725 | 57.6 | +18.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jean de Tourtoulon | 637 | 21.3 | –10.1 |
| | Conservative | Mary Canet-Espi | 342 | 11.4 | –7.4 |
| | Labour | Malla Reddy Gurram | 202 | 6.7 | –1.9 |
| | Confelicity | James Miller | 80 | 2.7 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,088 | 36.3 | +28.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,996 | 40.9 | +4.7 |
| | Green gain from Liberal Democrats | Green gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | 14.3 | |

### Milton

Milton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sam Allen | 1,170 | 52.1 | +1.0 |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Garston | 540 | 24.0 | –0.2 |
| | Green | Sarah-Ann Patel | 269 | 12.0 | +2.0 |
| | Heritage | Bianca Isherwood | 106 | 4.7 | ±0.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Howes | 84 | 3.7 | –2.7 |
| | Confelicity | Dee Curtis | 68 | 3.0 | –0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 630 | 28.1 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,246 | 27.0 | –0.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 0.6 | |

### Prittlewell

Prittlewell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Garston* | 1,032 | 39.0 | –4.6 |
| | Labour | Chris Webster | 971 | 36.7 | –0.8 |
| | Green | RJ Learmouth | 220 | 8.3 | +2.8 |
| | Independent | Leanne Kelly | 170 | 6.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pierre Craddock | 142 | 5.4 | –4.0 |
| | Confelicity | Simon Jones | 87 | 3.3 | –0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 61 | 2.3 | –3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,645 | 33.8 | –0.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 1.9 | |

### Shoeburyness

Shoeburyness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Judith McMahon | 742 | 31.5 | –3.6 |
| | Labour | Kevin Ryan | 734 | 31.1 | +14.6 |
| | Independent | Tricia Cowdrey | 628 | 26.6 | –12.1 |
| | Green | Fiona Clapperton | 125 | 5.3 | +0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Bailey | 68 | 2.9 | +0.4 |
| | Confelicity | Kayleigh Burgess | 47 | 2.0 | ±0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,357 | 27.6 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 9.1 | |

### Southchurch

Southchurch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Darryl Jones* | 1,317 | 52.2 | +0.4 |
| | Labour | Carrie Druce | 560 | 27.7 | +11.6 |
| | Green | Matthew Dallat | 162 | 7.4 | +0.4 |
| | Confelicity | Dean Harris-Eckett | 151 | 6.9 | +2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Billy Boulton | 102 | 4.7 | +0.6 |
| | Heritage | Angela Mozzato | 47 | 2.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 757 | 24.5 | –10.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,178 | 29.5 | –0.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 5.6 | |

### St Laurence

St Laurence :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Madison Faulkner-Hatt | 1,164 | 50.0 | –3.6 |
| | Conservative | Samuel Pettengell | 790 | 33.9 | –1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kev Malone | 148 | 6.4 | +1.3 |
| | Green | Simon Gittus | 120 | 5.2 | +1.6 |
| | Confelicity | Sandy van Deventer | 93 | 4.0 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 374 | 16.1 | –1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,327 | 29.6 | –1.3 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 1.0 | |

### St Luke's

St Luke's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jane Norman | 911 | 43.8 | –5.0 |
| | Conservative | Brian Beggs* | 534 | 25.7 | +3.8 |
| | Independent | Brian Ayling | 212 | 10.2 | –1.3 |
| | Green | Tilly Hogrebe | 191 | 9.2 | +0.3 |
| | Confelicity | Joleen Hills | 84 | 4.0 | –1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sara-Jayne Boulton | 69 | 3.3 | –0.6 |
| | Heritage | Adam Ball | 61 | 2.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 377 | 18.1 | –8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,081 | 26.0 | +0.9 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 4.4 | |

### Thorpe

Thorpe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Susan Badger | 1,001 | 35.8 | –0.4 |
| | Conservative | Gavin Chambers | 870 | 31.1 | +2.8 |
| | Labour | David Scott | 571 | 20.4 | +8.1 |
| | Green | Julie Callow | 166 | 5.9 | +0.9 |
| | Confelicity | Melissa Aylott | 69 | 2.5 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Katie Kurilecz | 54 | 1.9 | –0.1 |
| | Heritage | Adam Isherwood | 51 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 131 | 4.7 | –3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,797 | 38.8 | –2.3 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | 1.6 | |

### Victoria

Victoria :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ian Gilbert* | 1,109 | 60.1 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative | Bernard Arscott | 298 | 16.2 | –3.3 |
| | Green | Peter Walker | 180 | 9.8 | ±0.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Philip Edey | 100 | 5.4 | –1.1 |
| | Heritage | Sandra Wiseman | 76 | 4.1 | N/A |
| | Confelicity | Jonathan Humphreys | 61 | 3.3 | –1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 811 | 43.9 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,844 | 20.1 | +0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.9 | |

### West Leigh

West Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lesley Salter | 1,086 | 37.9 | –9.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Wexham | 895 | 30.7 | –3.8 |
| | Green | Gemma Deeney | 413 | 14.2 | +5.9 |
| | Labour | James Morrison | 407 | 14.0 | +6.2 |
| | Confelicity | Jane Wilkes | 96 | 3.3 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 191 | 7.2 | –5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,912 | 40.8 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 2.7 | |

### West Shoebury

West Shoebury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Moyies* | 1,002 | 45.3 | –13.1 |
| | Labour Co-op | Ian Pope | 524 | 23.7 | +3.0 |
| | Independent | Barry Godwin | 402 | 18.2 | N/A |
| | Green | Lea Williams | 147 | 6.6 | –2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Granville Stride | 70 | 3.2 | –4.3 |
| | Confelicity | Robert Cammidge | 58 | 2.6 | –2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 478 | 21.6 | –16.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,214 | 30.2 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 8.1 | |

### Westborough

Westborough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Pamela Kinsella | 1,063 | 53.8 | –3.1 |
| | Conservative | Dr Vel | 375 | 19.0 | +0.5 |
| | Green | Stephen Jordan | 263 | 13.3 | +1.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Suzanna Edey | 186 | 9.4 | +0.8 |
| | Confelicity | Noah Hughes | 74 | 3.7 | –0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 688 | 34.8 | –3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,977 | 25.8 | +1.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.8 | |

## Changes 2024-2026
### By-elections
#### Kursaal

Kursaal by-election: 4 July 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Chris Webster | 1,718 | 49.1 | –1.9 |
| | Conservative | Marco Mann | 651 | 18.6 | +4.3 |
| | Green | Thomas Love | 411 | 11.7 | +4.0 |
| | Independent | Kay Mitchell | 407 | 11.6 | +0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Billy Boulton | 198 | 5.7 | +2.2 |
| | Heritage | Lara Hurley | 115 | 3.3 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,067 | 30.5 | –6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,500 | 44.8 | +24.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.1 | |