To keep your Conservative Council of course. Why would you want to do that?
20 good reasons for keeping a Conservative Council
1. Delivered 4 major government funded road improvement schemes on time and on budget:
- Progress Road & Cuckoo Corner – improving access to the Town and cutting down traffic queuing time;
- Victoria Circus – improving traffic flow in the centre of the Town and creating an impressive gateway to the Town for visitors;
- City Beach – giving our tarnished golden mile a much needed facelift and a proper focus point for our six million annual visitors.
2. Delivered £15.5M of savings to achieve a balanced budget without scrapping any services and retaining all libraries, children centres and youth centres. No opposition group proposed any amendments to our proposals but still failed to support them!
3. Achieved high performance levels in most service areas when compared with other local authorities across the country resulting in short listing for the prestigious “Council of the Year” award.
4. Working with the police pursued an effective crime reduction strategy which reduced crime in the Town by 20% over the last 3 years.
5. Delivered a new swimming and diving complex at Garon Park on time and on budget which a leading member of the British Olympic diving team has described as “…the best facility this side of Beijing”
6. With the introduction of dual recycling and waste bins across the town together with user friendly doorstep pink sacks & food collection have significantly increased recycling rates helping the environment and saving the cost of expensive landfill – and remain committed to retaining weekly doorstep collection!
7. Refurbished the crematorium to a high standard and working with the hospital introduced an effective Southend Hospital Bereavement Suite.
8. Supported 6000 people across the Town who wanted to remain living in their own home. This has included the work of the new re ablement team who have helped many people avoid being forced to enter residential care.
9. Improved green leisure areas within the Town Centre with the renovation of St Johns Church Gardens and well advanced improvements to Warrior Square Gardens
10. Continued support for bus travel across the Town by funding the concessionary bus scheme for our senior citizens at a cost of £3,255,445 .
11. Brought 75 empty homes back into use through a policy of active intervention providing much needed accommodation as well as improving the environment for neighbouring properties.
12. Continued increased funding on road and street light maintenance and provided new bus shelters and improved belisha lights on crossings to increase comfort and safety.
13. Ensured no cut in the level of council grants to the voluntary sector recognizing the essential work it continues to do and even agreeing an index linked rise.
14. Provided essential items of equipment to over 3885 people to help them remain independent and accelerated delivery time – now 95% are achieved within 7 days.
15. Negotiated an effective agreement with the airport encouraging important investment but linked with a tough new package of environmental controls.
16. Opened a new modern, secure and well lit multi storey car park in the town centre (under the University’s accommodation “lego” block) with pay on exit.
17. Drove improvement in street cleanliness resulting in a 5* rating and 3rd place in the country for clean boroughs from the Clean Britain Awards.
18. Improved 22 play areas across the Town as well as provided an Adizone in Shoebury Park.
19. Refurbished and reopened the Edwardian funicular Cliff Lift as well as further work on the Pier to include new windbreaks, new decking, re-enforcement work for the new culture building and fire detection equipment.
20. Continued to improve and increase the numbers of trees across the Town with the well established policy of planting at least 2 new trees for every one removed as a result of disease or otherwise.