​Up to 100 new jobs will be created as two iconic British brands come to Southend.
 
The jobs will be part of a multi-million pound investment by Beadles Group, which plans to build a new facility in Southend to house the Jaguar and Land Rover brands.
 
Beadles – which is celebrating its centenary year - is one of the largest and most established independent dealer groups in Kent and South London. By adding the prestigious Jaguar brand to its portfolio to sit alongside fellow British automotive icon Land Rover, Beadles grows its expertise in the premium car sector.
 
A temporary showroom opens this Friday on the A127 in Leigh, while Beadles makes a decision about the exact location of its permanent site. The interim site will provide sales, servicing and parts for Jaguar and Land Rover customers.
 
Richard Johnson, Group Managing Director of Beadles, said: “This exciting opportunity builds upon our strong relationship with the iconic Land Rover brand and sees the prestigious Jaguar marque join our portfolio. It’s a great moment for Beadles Group in this, our centenary year.”

Southend is one of the best locations in the UK to start up a small business, according to new research compiled by AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians).
 
AAT examined information from 64 cities across the UK to determine the best location to start a business in. They cross-referenced data from seven key criteria, including the density of small and medium sized businesses in the area, quality of broadband connectivity, the amount of small business closures, property prices, and even pollution levels.
 
Southend rated highly for having a good number of small businesses starting up in the area and relatively low levels of pollution. 

AAT Chief Executive Mark Farrar said: “Although many people would automatically think of London as the best place in the UK to start a business, this research shows that there may be better locations to find success. The opportunities and facilities available in Southend make it an extremely attractive place to invest in.” 

Best cities to start a business in the UK
 
1.    Brighton
2.    Cambridge
3.    Leicester
4.    Worthing
5.    Reading
6.    Bristol
7.    Aldershot
8.    Crawley
9.    London
10.  Derby
11.  Northampton
12.  Coventry
13.  Bournemouth
14.  Aberdeen
15.  Blackburn
16.  Portsmouth
17.  Oxford
18.  Southend
19.  Rochdale
20.  Nottingham

The number of pupils in Southend achieving five or more A* - C grades at GCSE level is way above the national average, according to provisional figures released today.

The percentage of pupils in Southend achieving the benchmark has provisionally climbed from 62.2% in 2014 to 63.9% in 2015.  Nationally, provisional results have risen slightly from 52.6% to 52.8%.
 
As a result of the improvements in the borough, Southend has jumped nine places from 24th to 15th in the local authority rankings and are ranked second in the eastern region.
 
Nearly three quarters (74%) of Southend pupils made expected progress in English, up one percentage point over last year and in maths the figure improved by three percentage points to 73%.  In both subjects Southend is above the national average and is now in the top 25% of all local authorities. 

32.5% of Southend pupils achieved the English Baccalaureate, placing Southend 13th in the local authority rankings. 

​In the average point score per pupil measure, Southend is ranked seventh in the country with an APS of 417.2
 
Cllr Anne Jones, Executive Councillor for Children and Learning, said: “I am delighted to see our schools and pupils continuing to achieve improved results, and achieve above national averages.
 
“It is very pleasing to see the progress being made, particularly in maths and English, which continue to be the core subjects looked at by employers when recruiting.
 
“However, we cannot afford to take our foot off the pedal when it comes to our children’s education and there is still work to be done - ways we as an authority can better support our schools and their students to aim higher and give our students the best possible foundations for their journey into adulthood.  Parents can rest assured that this is a challenge we are determined to continue tackling head on.”
 
As well as the publication of Key Stage 4 provisional results, the Department for Education also released provisional A-Level results today.
 
In Southend, the average point score per student is 700.3, in line with the state school national average. As a result, Southend-on-Sea is 44th the local authority rankings.

A new beach-cleaning machine is being introduced into the Borough to help keep Southend’s seven miles of beach in top condition.
 
The beach cleaner – which is imported from the US and is towed by a tractor - is being introduced as a new service by the Council’s new Recycling, Waste and Street-cleansing contractor, Veolia, and is the first time such a machine has been used in the Borough.
 
It will comb the sands of the Borough’s busiest beaches between the end of March and the beginning of October, removing litter and weed and enhancing the condition of the beach.
 
Councillor Martin Terry, Executive Member for Public Protection, Waste & Transport, said: “Southend boasts seven miles of award-winning beaches and attracts over six million visitors a year.

“This new service by Veolia will enhance the quality of the beaches and seawater and more efficiently deal with any litter, particularly in the summer season when visitor numbers are at their highest.

“This will bolster our image as a quality seaside destination, enable us to compete better with other resorts and encourage visitors to keep on coming back.”
 
Veolia took over the Council’s recycling, waste and street-cleansing services at the beginning of October.
 
The new contract, which is for 15½ years, will enhance and extend Southend’s recycling, waste and street cleansing services while saving around £22m over the lifetime of the contract.

 Thousands of people are expected to visit Southend this Saturday (October 3) for a free festival and fireworks display.

The Purple Flag festival will see a diverse line-up of artists playing on two outdoor stages and other venues around Southend between 3pm and 9pm.

​ At 7.30pm, a spectacular firework display will take place, opening Southend’s now famous season of pyrotechnic spectacles which are funded annually by the Southend BID.

The festival has been organised to celebrate Southend receiving a Purple Flag for the third year in succession. This is a national award recognising a town or city's lively and safe night-time economy.

Glyn Morgan, co-owner of Chinnery's pub on the seafront and Southend's Maple Studios, said: “It’s great that Southend has been awarded another Purple Flag and I’m excited to be part of the team giving some great bands the chance to play to big, enthusiastic crowds.

“Our goal was to try and offer a little something for everyone and I believe this has been accomplished with this year’s exciting and eclectic line-up of fresh talent.” 

From AC/DC tribute act Pure DC to alt rockers The Scarletts, self-styled gospel trash rockers Longy and the folk-breeziness of Kiss Me Quick, the bill should have something for everybody.

The judges who awarded the Purple Flag said Southend had achieved a consistent rise in the number of people using the pubs, restaurants and other entertainment venues in the town centre and seafront in the evenings, while at the same time enjoying a steady drop in crimes committed in the area.

Since 2007, the programme has awarded Purple Flag status to 56 towns and cities in the UK and Ireland.

Southend BID Chair Dawn Jeakings says “The Purple Flag shows everyone that Southend Town Centre and seafront are safe, clean and fun places to be. The night-time economy is enormously important to our town and what happens between 5pm and 6am is just as vital to us as what occurs during daylight hours.”

For more information about the Purple Flag Festival, presented by the Southend BID, visit www.onsouthend.com and follow the BID’s Twitter page @onSouthend