Latest news from Southend Rising

Southend Energy to launch this week

26/5/2015

Southend will soon have its own energy company for the first time in over 60 years when Southend Energy is officially launched on Thursday, 28th May.

A partnership between Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and OVO Energy, Southend Energy promises to offer a fairer deal for residents and businesses with a Southend (SS) postcode and provide competition to the larger energy companies.

It will be the first time Southend has had its own energy company since Southend-on-Sea County Borough Corporation was disbanded in the late 1940s, when gas and electricity energy industries were nationalised.

Very competitively priced standing charges and fairer tariffs will be available to all residents in the Borough looking for a local alternative to their current supplier, with particular benefits for those who are fuel-poor and those on pre-payment meters.

Southend Energy will be officially launched this Thursday (28th May) from 12-1pm on Southend Pier. Residents and local media will be able to hear from Southend Council Chief Executive Rob Tinlin and Leader of the Council, Ron Woodley.There will be the opportunity to hear speeches, see an escapology performance by an acclaimed Magic Circle escapologist and sign up to Southend Energy.

If you would like to attend the launch, please emailmichellepassfield@southend.gov.uk to reserve your place.

Andy Lewis, Director for Place at the Council, said: “Switching is easy and we’ll be offering fairer energy tariffs, fairer contracts and fairer treatment There will be no exit charges and we will give customers plenty of reminders about when their first-year contract is up for renewal so they can search the market for a better deal if they choose.

“Our decision to partner with OVO is also reinforced by their consistently market-leading customer-service record and the supplier recently being awarded Supplier of the Year in the uSwitch Energy Awards 2014.”

Craig Morley, Managing Director of OVO Communities, commented: “We set out with the aim of giving residents of Southend a genuine alternative to the larger energy suppliers and have been exceptionally encouraged by feedback and interest on the scheme. We look forward to launching Southend Energy together with the Council and bringing a fairer energy deal to the Borough.”

If you would like to pre-register your interest today, please do so by completing the council's online form. You can also do this using the computers at the Civic Centre’s customer service centre.

Tariffs for businesses and pre-payment customers will be launched in the coming weeks.

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Marine Plaza plans will return to Southend Council next month

20/5/2015

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Major plans for a £60 million development of shops, restaurants and homes on Southend seafront will go back to the council’s Development Control Committee on June 3rd.

The Marine Plaza scheme, opposite the iconic Kursaal, promises 282 new homes (including 84 affordable homes), 318 parking spaces (including 28 disabled spaces), landscaped public spaces and 2,717 sq m of commercial space that could house restaurants, bars, shops or entertainment facilities.

The development has already been recommended for approval by council officers, but was deferred in March amid farcical scenes when a member of the Development Control Committee arrived late and was barred from voting. The councillor’s deciding vote in support of Marine Plaza would have approved the project.

Mark Farrier of Goldfield Developments Ltd told Southend Rising: “Over the past three months we have worked closely with officers at Southend Council to address the points made by councillors in March. We have increased the number of parking spaces in our development and funded a number of parking surveys to ensure there is up-to-date understanding of parking in the town.

“The council is in the process of reviewing the surveys. The early results support previous parking surveys and show most town centre car parks can accommodate more cars at peak times. Council officers take this evidence into account when making a recommendation about our plans. With this in mind, we believe there is even more reason to approve our plans.”

“Southend has a bright future and we want to be a part of it. Our plans are ambitious and demonstrate our confidence in the town. I hope councillors can see the hard work we have put in over the past months and approve the proposals at committee.”

The plans have received strong support from local businesses. Supporters include the Southend Business Partnership, the Southend Business Improvement District as well as local residents.

Ellie Zinonos, a Southend resident and owner of local entertainment venue, Room 24, said: “The seafront has been crying out for investment for years. You only have to take one look at the Kursaal end of Marine Parade to see how tired it looks. Marine Plaza is exactly what Southend needs to allow it to compete for trade with other seaside destinations. I believe that Cllr Woodley, Leader of the Council, was right when he said that Southend is ‘open for business.

“I really hope councillors approve this application and my friends and I will be there on 3rd June to cheer on the plans.”

Southend Rising also supports the plans, which will bring a huge amount of private investment into a part of Southend crying out for improvement. You can read our latest opinion piece here.

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Southend's rainbow coalition to continue

20/5/2015

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A revised joint administration that will lead Southend-on-Sea Borough Council has been launched.

This follows the establishment and signing of a joint administration agreement between the Independent Group, the Labour Group, the Liberal Democrat Group and the newly formed Southend Independence Group.

Appointments to the various committees will be formally agreed at a meeting of Full Council on Thursday 21st May, and the leader’s appointment to cabinet will also be noted.

Cllr Ron Woodley will continue in his role as Leader of the Council. The leader of the Labour Group, Cllr Ian Gilbert and leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Cllr Graham Longley will also remain as his deputies.

Cllr Woodley said: “I am very pleased that we will be able to continue as a joint administration and show strong leadership for the common purpose of serving the local people of Southend. I am delighted to remain as leader of the council and look forward to working together with all councillors and local people for the good of this great town.”

The new Cabinet is as follows:

Cllr Ron Woodley (IND) - Leader of the Council
Cllr Ian Gilbert (LAB) - Deputy Leader and Executive Councillor for Community and Organisational Development
Cllr Graham Longley (LD) - Deputy Leader and Executive Councillor for Enterprise, Tourism and Economic Development
Cllr Martin Terry (IND) - Executive Councillor for Public Protection, Waste and Transport
Cllr David Norman (LAB) - Executive Councillor for Housing, Planning and Regulatory Control
Cllr Anne Jones (LAB) - Executive Councillor for Children and Learning
Cllr James Moyies (SIG) - Executive Councillor for Health and Adult Social Care

This follows Full Council last week, where it was announced that there are now six political groups on the Council, as follows:

Conservative (22 seats) – Group Leader, John Lamb
Independent (11 seats) – Group spokesman, Martin Terry
Labour (9 seats) – Group Leader, Ian Gilbert
Liberal Democrat (4 seats) – Group Leader, Graham Longley
Southend Independence (3 seats) – Group Leader, James Moyies
UKIP (2 seats) – Group Leader, Floyd Waterworth

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Southend Airport to focus on new airlines as earnings soar

14/5/2015

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From Travel Weekly

Passenger numbers using Southend Airport will remain flat in the short term as it seeks to attract more airlines.

The disclosure came from parent company Stobart Group as it revealed annual financial results for the year to February 28.

The group’s aviation division saw underlying earnings soar from £100,000 to £1.4 million year-on-year based on a 16.3% rise in revenue to £23.6 million.

Stobart chief executive, Andrew Tinkler, said the group’s focus was on getting new airlines to use Southend Airport.

EasyJet, Flybe and Skywork Airlines are the main carriers at Southend, with Adria Airways starting flights to Maribor in Slovenia from next month.

“We are seeing interest from a number of large European operators who consider London Southend Airport a very attractive option to serve the London market,” said Tinkler.

“In the short term we are expecting passenger numbers to remain flat while we build these partnerships with new operators and extend relationships with existing operators to deliver sustainable routes.”

The infrastructure and a new management team are in place to deliver our target of over 2.5 million passengers a year by 2018, according to Tinkler.

The Essex airport has capacity to handle up to 5 million annual passengers through its new terminal.

Passenger numbers using the airport grew by 9% to 1.1 million in the year, with revenue per passenger up by 8.5% to £20.80.

“We offer significant peak capacity availability and fast turnaround times at a low cost base for airlines that want a hassle-free experience for their customers,” Tinkler said.

“Access to the airport is good with a regular rail connection to Liverpool Street Station taking around 50 minutes and plenty of parking availability for passengers travelling by car.

“Our customers are important to us and after listening to them we improved the new terminal catering facilities and developed safer and more efficient security arrangements.”

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The Forum Southend-on-Sea wins major regional award

11/5/2015

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Experts from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) have just awarded The Forum Southend-on-Sea a top accolade. They named it the East of England’s best project in the community benefit category.

This sought-after title means that the landmark building in Elmer Square, Southend will now go forward to the national finals of the prestigious RICS awards in October.

It made such an impact in the regional RICS awards that it was also shortlisted in three other categories too.

The Forum Southend-on-Sea was built thanks to a unique partnership development between Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, the University of Essex and South Essex College.

In a joint statement, the partners said: “We are delighted that this ground-breaking project has been recognised so highly by such a renowned national organisation and we feel the award is very well-deserved.

“The Forum Southend-on-Sea daily demonstrates how it is a jewel in the crown of Southend’s regeneration.

“Located in the town centre on the site of a former multi-story car park, this thriving joint public and academic library and learning hub serves the whole community – residents of all ages, visitors and students.

“Together they are all able to gain the benefits of all the enhanced and additional facilities yielded by the combined resources of the three institutions.

“This is why it offers such advantages to the whole borough and further afield too – clearly showing how much of a community benefit it is.

“It is also a focus for culture as it is home to Focal Point Gallery, and, among other activities, the Big Screen outside has introduced the chance for residents and visitors to see acclaimed live broadcasts of Royal Opera Performances.

“These were launched with great success last year and will continue this summer, when the productions will include ballet too.

“In addition, since opening on September 30th 2013, the lecture theatre within the Forum Southend-on-Sea has hosted many sell-out talks from a wide range of renowned speakers appealing to people across our community.”

Stephen Boniface who chaired the RICS Awards judging panel said: “The quality of all the entries this year has been outstanding, providing the judges with a wonderful selection of projects across the different categories.

“The RICS Awards demonstrate outstanding value whilst recognising all achievements, identifying excellence and realising the many talents of those involved in the projects.”

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Council joins calls for wider national devolution

5/5/2015

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Southend Council is supporting calls for major devolution to be handed to mid-sized UK cities, including Southend-on-Sea.

A national report released late last week by the Key Cities group (of which Southend is part), calls for local control of taxes ranging from VAT to stamp duty and council tax.

Combined with five year funding settlements over a range of policy areas including transport, housing and skills, empowering local authorities in this way would save the Government £2.5 billion every year, the report argues.

Power, people and places: A Manifesto for devolution to Britain’s Key Cities is the first output from a joint research project commissioned by Key Cities from think tank ResPublica. It provides a blueprint for city devolution which can be rolled out across the country, and recognises that the UK’s mid-sized cities are the ‘missing multipliers’ through which economic growth can be stimulated.

The manifesto calls on the next Government to agree to five-year funding settlements, for areas including employment, skills, transport, housing, and infrastructure, which are key constraints on city growth. Importantly it calls for the freedom to set and retain local taxes, such as council tax, business rates, and other concessions appropriate to local circumstances.

The report makes the case that Key Cities and public sector organisations within them can contribute immediately to economic growth. It shows how cities can strengthen their role if the Government devolves new powers. In particular, it argues that Key Cities have the “scale and variety” to test new ways of pursuing economic development and delivering public services.

Rob Tinlin, Chief Executive of Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, says: “We are proud to be a part of the Key Cities group, and to stand behind the launch of this report today. We strongly believe in the power of devolution. There is no ideal scale of devolution and it does not just need to be big cities or metropolitan areas. Mid-sized cities from Southend-on-Sea to Plymouth can test innovation in public services and deliver growth right now.

“We are already leading the way in a number of sectors which are essential to increasing the UK’s global competitiveness and building a high-skilled economy, and devolution can help us to take that even further.”

Dave Smith, Chief Executive of Sunderland City Council and Chair of Key Cities Chief Executives Group, said: “The Key Cities group was formed to bolster the UK’s prosperity and provide our cities with more opportunities. Our manifesto, Power, people, and places, demonstrates our ability to generate growth and drive innovation at the cutting-edge of our economy.

“With a more stable financial settlement from central government and new fiscal powers, Key Cities can be an important part of building a new economy based on high skilled jobs and high-value added production. Now is a critical moment to seize this generational opportunity for our cities and our country.

“The next Government must provide our members with the devolutionary powers needed to support local businesses and communities. Only then will we be able to fully maximise our global competiveness."

Philip Blond, Director of ResPublica, said: “The Government really needs to give Key Cities control over financial policies which affect local economies. If they allowed this to happen, the Treasury would see bigger returns and the economic output of the country would grow as a whole.

“In addition to the national benefit, communities would benefit from stronger local economies. This would allow individuals to prosper without having to rely on welfare payments because of increased job opportunities.”

Power, people and places sets out how Key Cities members are pioneering a new model of collaboration based on shared economic expertise rather than geographical proximity, which is critical to answering the productivity challenges the UK faces".

See more at: http://keycities.cad.io/key-cities-launches-blueprint-city-devolution#sthash.cDRBE3wa.dpuf

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Invest in local jobs to create sustainable growth across Southend

1/5/2015

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Investment should be targeted at creating more well-paid jobs in Southend, according to a new poll.

Southend Rising asked readers to vote on where future investment should be aimed to ensure that Southend’s rapid growth is sustainable and the borough’s infrastructure can cope.

More than 200 people voted, with almost a quarter saying that the priority should be investing in local employment opportunities.

Mandy Sullivan said: “The priority should be creating well paid local jobs for local people. If there were more good jobs in Southend, people wouldn't have to block the A127/A13 commuting to London.”

Mark Longman added: “Subsidise retail units in the high street to encourage investment and get those boarded up shops hustling and bustling again.”

Samantha Lee suggested: “Redevelop the archaic office sites along Victoria Avenue into 21st century office space - hopefully attract large corporates out of London. They would benefit from being close to an airport and London but with far cheaper rates. That would mean more investment and more jobs.”

Investing in Southend’s roads (including the A13 and A127) was the second biggest priority for people, with over 17% of the vote.

Nearly 15% of people said that greater investment was needed in local schools across the board to create a steady talent pool within Southend.

Investment in public transport and housing were seen as less of priority for readers, with less than 10% of the votes.

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