# 2021 Southend-on-Sea Borough Council election

Elections to Southend-on-Sea Borough Council took place on 6 May 2021. This was on the same day as other local elections across the United Kingdom. The results saw the Conservatives and Labour pick up seats at the expense of the local Independents.
The council is elected by thirds, so a single member was elected from all 17 wards to a term of four years. The seats elected at this election were last contested in 2016, however due to the COVID-19 pandemic the 2020 elections were delayed for 12 months.
The "rainbow coalition" between Labour, the Liberal Democrats and local independents continued in office, with Labour councillor Ian Gilbert being elected leader of the council.

## Composition

Directly after the 2019 election the composition of the council was:
| 14 | 5 | 12 | 20 |
| Labour | Lib Dem | Ind | Conservative |
Prior to the election the composition of the council was:
| 12 | 5 | 14 | 20 |
| Labour | Lib Dem | Ind | Conservative |
After the election, the composition of the council was:
| 13 | 5 | 10 | 23 |
| Labour | Lib Dem | Ind | Conservative |

## Result summary

2021 Southend-on-Sea Borough 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 % | +/− |
| | Conservative | 11 | 3 | 57.9 | 12 | 23 | 45.1 | 19,569 | 40.5 | +13.5 |
| | Labour | 6 | 1 | 29.4 | 8 | 13 | 27.5 | 12,613 | 26.1 | +5.3 |
| | Independent | 1 | 4 | 5.3 | 9 | 10 | 17.6 | 6,299 | 13.0 | -11.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 1 | | 5.3 | 4 | 5 | 9.8 | 5,493 | 11.4 | -2.7 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3,918 | 8.1 | +0.6 |
| | For Britain | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 238 | 0.1 | ±0.0 |
| | Women's Equality | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 147 | 0.0 | ±0.0 |
| | Psychedelic Future | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 37 | 0.0 | ±0.0 |

## Results by ward
### Belfairs

Belfairs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jack Warren | 1,252 | 43.3 | +8.8 |
| | Independent | Stephen Aylen * | 1,038 | 35.9 | +4.0 |
| | Labour | Alex Small | 342 | 11.8 | +2.5 |
| | Green | Peter Walker | 166 | 5.7 | −1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sara-Jayne Boulton | 96 | 3.3 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 214 | 7.4 | +4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,894 | 38.9 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | 2.4 | |
No UKIP candidate as previous (-11.5).

### Blenheim Park

Blenheim Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Helen Boyd * | 1,151 | 42.4 | +15.9 |
| | Labour | Anita Forde | 1,043 | 38.4 | +9.3 |
| | Green | Abbie Sutherland | 205 | 7.6 | +1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jill Allen-King | 159 | 5.9 | +1.3 |
| | Independent | Alan Hart | 155 | 5.7 | −28.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 108 | 4.0 | — |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,713 | 33.7 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 3.3 | |

### Chalkwell

Chalkwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Courtenay | 1,219 | 47.5 | +9.2 |
| | Labour | Sorraiya Nawaz | 732 | 28.5 | +0.9 |
| | Green | James Vessey-Miller | 241 | 9.4 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Hind | 226 | 8.8 | −3.9 |
| | Women's Equality | Katie Cohen | 147 | 5.7 | +4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 487 | 19.0 | +8.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,565 | 35.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 4.2 | |
No Independent candidate as previous (-12.0).

### Eastwood Park

Eastwood Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Chris Walker * | 1,379 | 50.8 | +28.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert McMullan | 1,042 | 38.4 | −7.6 |
| | Labour | Samuel Allen | 190 | 7.0 | +1.6 |
| | Green | Reece Learmouth | 104 | 3.8 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 337 | 12.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,715 | 36.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Kursaal

Kursaal :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Tricia Cowdrey | 926 | 47.4 | +12.4 |
| | Conservative | Judith McMahon | 692 | 35.4 | +21.2 |
| | Green | Thomas Love | 245 | 12.5 | −6.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Philip Edey | 90 | 4.6 | −12.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 234 | 12.0 | −3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,953 | 24.6 | −0.4 |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | 4.4 | |
No Independent candidate as previous (-14.1).

### Leigh

Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Wexham * | 1,129 | 39.0 | −1.5 |
| | Conservative | Paul Gilson | 972 | 33.6 | +6.6 |
| | Labour | Jane Norman | 424 | 14.7 | −1.2 |
| | Green | Richard Longstaff | 368 | 12.7 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 157 | 5.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,893 | 38.4 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Milton

Milton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stephen George * | 1,306 | 50.0 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative | John Harland | 877 | 33.6 | +5.3 |
| | Green | Sarah-Ann Patel | 319 | 12.2 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Howes | 111 | 4.2 | −5.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 429 | 16.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,613 | 32.2 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Prittlewell

Prittlewell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Garston * | 1,479 | 53.0 | +12.0 |
| | Labour | Shahid Nadeem | 762 | 27.3 | +8.2 |
| | Green | Jon Mullett | 224 | 8.0 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Billy Boulton | 200 | 7.2 | −1.7 |
| | Independent | Alan Martin | 128 | 4.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 717 | 25.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,793 | 35.4 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Shoeburyness

Shoeburyness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Moyies | 1,135 | 45.2 | +13.2 |
| | Independent | Anne Chalk | 777 | 30.9 | −2.6 |
| | Labour | Sayeeka Farnaz | 308 | 12.3 | −4.4 |
| | Green | Fiona Clapperton | 145 | 5.8 | −0.2 |
| | For Britain | James Quail | 58 | 2.3 | −6.0 |
| | Independent | Timmy Allan-John | 47 | 1.9 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Granville Stride | 41 | 1.6 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 358 | 14.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,511 | 29.0 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Southchurch

Southchurch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alex Bright * | 1,701 | 63.2 | +30.3 |
| | Labour | Kevin Ryan | 440 | 16.3 | +2.6 |
| | Independent | Esther Brown | 274 | 10.2 | −23.9 |
| | Green | Jo Bates | 205 | 7.6 | +3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pamela Austin | 73 | 2.7 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,261 | 46.9 | — |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,693 | 35.9 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 13.9 | |
No UKIP candidate as previous (-11.1).

### St. Laurence

St. Laurence :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Steve Buckley | 1,039 | 37.9 | +14.2 |
| | Labour | Lydia Hyde | 975 | 35.6 | +9.6 |
| | Independent | Kimberley O'Connell | 590 | 21.5 | −3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jim Clinkscales | 70 | 2.6 | −8.0 |
| | Green | Oliver Thorn | 68 | 2.5 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 64 | 2.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,742 | 34.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### St. Luke's

St. Luke's (2 seats due to by-election) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Brian Beggs | 744 | 36.2 | +25.5 |
| | Labour | Martin Berry | 730 | 35.5 | +13.8 |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Garston | 640 | 31.1 | +17.4 |
| | Labour | Gabriel Leroy | 545 | 26.5 | +4.8 |
| | Independent | Brian Ayling * | 447 | 21.7 | −32.9 |
| | Independent | Susan Badger | 320 | 15.6 | −39.0 |
| | Green | Tilly Hogrebe | 272 | 13.2 | +6.5 |
| | Green | Ian Hurd | 137 | 6.7 | +0.0 |
| | Independent | Paul Anthony | 81 | 3.9 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Collins | 74 | 3.6 | +0.3 |
| | Independent | John Anthony | 69 | 3.4 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Charlotte Kurilecz | 58 | 2.8 | −0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | — | 50.6 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent |

### Thorpe

Thorpe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Mike Stafford * | 1,499 | 46.6 | −25.8 |
| | Conservative | Azeem Raja | 875 | 27.2 | +14.9 |
| | Labour | James Miller | 422 | 13.1 | +5.5 |
| | Green | Julie Callow | 228 | 7.1 | +2.1 |
| | For Britain | Maghan Quail | 129 | 4.0 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Crystall | 61 | 1.9 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 624 | 19.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,214 | 43.4 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Victoria

Victoria :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ian Gilbert * | 1,114 | 57.1 | +6.9 |
| | Conservative | Darryl Jones | 554 | 28.4 | +12.0 |
| | Green | Denis Champion-Walker | 190 | 9.7 | −3.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gavin Spencer | 94 | 4.8 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 560 | 28.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,952 | 22.3 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### West Leigh

West Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Lamb * | 1,572 | 47.9 | +13.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Katie Kurilecz | 1,210 | 36.9 | −3.0 |
| | Green | Nathaniel Love | 268 | 8.2 | +2.7 |
| | Labour | Mick Ekers | 230 | 7.0 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 362 | 11.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,280 | 45.8 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### West Shoebury

West Shoebury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Derek Jarvis * | 1,395 | 56.9 | +15.2 |
| | Independent | Heather Morgan-Salthouse | 450 | 18.4 | −6.8 |
| | Labour | Joe Cresswell | 331 | 13.5 | −0.4 |
| | Green | Alan Appleford | 137 | 5.6 | +0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carol White | 88 | 3.6 | −3.6 |
| | For Britain | Joanne Quail | 51 | 2.1 | −4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 945 | 38.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,452 | 33.4 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Westborough

Westborough (2 seats due to by-election) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Aston Line | 920 | 43.7 | +3.5 |
| | Labour | Anne Jones * | 873 | 41.4 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative | Colin Campbell | 550 | 26.1 | +10.2 |
| | Independent | Dr Vel | 424 | 20.1 | +1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Suzanna Edey | 344 | 16.3 | +9.2 |
| | Conservative | Tamkeen Shaikh | 343 | 16.3 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Webb | 327 | 15.5 | +8.4 |
| | Green | Stephen Jordan | 220 | 10.4 | −1.7 |
| | Green | Vida Guilford | 176 | 8.4 | −3.7 |
| | Psychedelic Future | Jason Pilley | 37 | 1.8 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | — | 54.6 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

## Changes 2021-2022
### By-elections
#### Southchurch

Southchurch by-election: 3 March 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Darryl Jones | 1,025 | 64.3 | +1.1 |
| | Independent | Susan Badger | 294 | 18.4 | N/A |
| | Labour | Nathaniel Doucette | 144 | 9.0 | –7.3 |
| | Green | Jo Bates | 87 | 5.5 | –2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tristan Bembridge | 45 | 2.8 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 731 | 45.9 | –1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,595 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |