2026 Southend-on-Sea City Council election

2026 Southend-on-Sea City Council election
← 2024 7 May 2026 2027 (TBD) →
17 out of 51 seats to Southend-on-Sea City Council; 26 seats needed for a majority
	Winner of each seat at the 2026 Southend-on-Sea City Council election.
Leader before election; Daniel Cowan; Labour; No overall control	Leader after election ; TBD; No overall control

The 2026 Southend-on-Sea City Council election took place on 7 May 2026 to elect one-third of the members of Southend-on-Sea City Council in Essex, England. The election took place on the same day as other local elections across the United Kingdom.

Background

Elections to Southend-on-Sea City Council are held by thirds. The 2026 election will therefore contest one third of the council’s seats.

The election is taking place during a period of proposed local government reorganisation in Essex, which may replace existing council structures with a smaller number of unitary authorities. As part of this process, some councils were invited by central government to request the postponement of their scheduled 2026 elections.^[1]

Southend-on-Sea City Council confirmed that its elections would proceed as scheduled.^[2] Under UK law, any decision to postpone local elections is made by central government.^[3]

Summary

Election result

2026 Southend-on-Sea City Council election
Party		This election			Full council			This election
Party		Seats	Net	Seats %	Other	Total	Total %	Votes	Votes %	+/−
	Labour	4	2	23.6	13	17	33.3	9,204	16.3	–15.3
	Reform	8	7	47.1	3	11	21.6	17,671	31.3	N/A
	Conservative	2	3	11.8	9	11	21.6	10,456	18.5	–12.4
	Independent	0	3	0.0	5	5	9.9	3,321	5.9	–3.0
	Green	2	2	11.8	2	4	7.9	9,848	17.4	+3.9
	Liberal Democrats	1	1	5.9	2	3	5.9	4,349	7.7	–3.1
	Confelicity	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	1,539	2.7	–0.6
	Heritage	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	89	0.2	–0.8
	Moon and Serpent	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	26	<0.1	N/A

Incumbents

Ward	Incumbent councillor		Re-standing
Belfairs	Alan Dear	Conservative	Yes
Blenheim Park	Laurie Burton	Labour	Yes
Chalkwell	Nigel Folkard	Conservative	No
Eastwood Park	Robert McMullan	Liberal Democrats	Yes
Kursaal	Matt Dent	Labour	Yes
Leigh	Carole Mulroney	Liberal Democrats	Yes
Milton	Maxine Sadza	Labour	Yes
Prittlewell	Kevin Buck	Conservative	Yes
Shoeburyness	Nick Ward	Independent	Yes
Southchurch	Daniel Nelson^[e]	Reform	No
St Laurence	Lydia Hyde	Labour	Yes
St Luke's	Kathy Murphy^[f]	Independent	No
Thorpe	Martin Terry	Independent	Yes
Victoria	Margaret Borton	Labour	Yes
West Leigh	Fay Evans	Conservative	No
West Shoebury	John Harland	Conservative	Yes
Westborough	Kevin Robinson	Labour	Yes

Results by ward

Full results are available from Southend-on-Sea City Council.^[4]

Belfairs


Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Reform	Oscar Wood	1,280	36.3	*N/A*
	Green	Lauren Ekins	820	23.2	−3.8
	Conservative	Alan Dear*	792	22.4	−16.8
	Independent	Gareth Evans	287	8.1	−8.2
	Labour	Szymon Blasiak	191	5.4	−7.1
	Liberal Democrats	Alan Crystall	144	4.1	+0.7
	Confelicity	Nicky Gilbert	17	0.5	−0.7
Majority			460	13.1	N/A
Turnout			3,531	47.9	+13.0
Registered electors			~7,376
	Reform gain from Conservative

Blenheim Park

Blenheim Park
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Reform	Craig Watt	1,074	31.1	*N/A*
	Labour	Laurie Burton*	866	25.0	−15.0
	Conservative	Zhanelya Subebayeva	545	15.8	−9.1
	Green	AJ Sutherland	454	13.1	+4.9
	Independent	Keith Evans	362	10.5	−10.1
	Liberal Democrats	Ian Berry	108	3.1	−0.7
	Confelicity	Ronish Sutariya	29	0.8	−0.2
	Heritage	Lynn Smith	20	0.6	−0.4
Majority			208	6.1	N/A
Turnout			3,458	43.7	+10.0
Registered electors			~7,922
	Reform gain from Labour

Chalkwell


Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Green	Kay Mitchell	1,024	31.5	+17.6
	Conservative	Julie Cushion	967	29.8	−11.0
	Reform	Ali Brown	777	23.9	+23.9
	Labour	David Scott	284	8.7	−27.6
	Liberal Democrats	Christopher Hind	133	4.1	−1.3
	Confelicity	Rob Cammidge	61	1.9	−1.2
Majority			57	1.7	N/A
Turnout			3,346	47.7	+14.0
Registered electors			~7,012
	Green gain from Conservative		Swing	14.3

Eastwood Park


Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Rob McMullan*	1,717	48.5	−7.9
	Reform	Roger Weaver	1,257	35.5	N/A
	Conservative	Edward Firth	319	9.0	−21.3
	Green	James Vessey-Miller	134	3.8	+0.7
	Labour	Timothy MacGregor	93	2.6	−5.1
	Confelicity	Simon Spooner	18	0.5	−1.6
Majority			460	13.0	–13.1
Turnout			3,538	48.8	+14.3
Registered electors			~7,257
	Liberal Democrats hold

Kursaal


Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Matt Dent*	849	32.9	−18.1
	Reform	Richard Felton	748	29.0	N/A
	Confelicity	Lee Clark	380	14.7	+5.4
	Green	Faye Heffernan	360	13.9	+6.2
	Conservative	Liam Mannix	161	6.2	−8.1
	Liberal Democrats	Billy Boulton	69	2.7	−0.8
	Heritage	Lara Hurley	15	0.6	−2.5
Majority			101	3.9	–32.8
Turnout			2,582	32.3	+11.5
Registered electors			~8,004
	Labour Co-op hold

Leigh


Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Green	Anita Forde	1,301	35.8	−21.8
	Liberal Democrats	Carole Mulroney*	772	21.2	−0.1
	Reform	Paul Thurgood	767	21.1	N/A
	Conservative	Freddie Russell	325	8.9	−2.5
	Independent	Enzo Harrison	287	7.9	N/A
	Labour	Ian Belfield	164	4.5	−2.2
	Confelicity	Liam Brittle	17	0.5	−2.2
Majority			529	14.6	–21.7
Turnout			3,633	49.1	+8.2
Registered electors			~7,395
	Green gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing	10.9

Milton

Milton
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Maxine Sadza*	938	30.2	−21.9
	Reform	Aaron Lyons	862	27.8	N/A
	Green	Sarah-Ann Jardine	741	23.9	+11.9
	Conservative	Jonathan Hoffman	354	11.4	−12.6
	Liberal Democrats	Robert Howes	133	4.3	+0.6
	Heritage	Bianca Isherwood	38	1.2	−3.5
	Confelicity	Sandy Van Deventer	36	1.2	−1.8
Majority			76	2.4	–25.7
Turnout			3,102	37.4	+10.4
Registered electors			~8,305
	Labour Co-op hold

Prittlewell


Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Reform	Michael Heaver	1,091	31.8	*N/A*
	Conservative	Kevin Buck*	981	28.6	−10.4
	Labour Co-op	Malla Gurram	642	18.7	−18.0
	Green	RJ Learmouth	491	14.3	+6.0
	Liberal Democrats	Jane Travers	163	4.7	−0.7
	Confelicity	Elizabeth Smith	65	1.9	−1.4
Majority			110	3.2	N/A
Turnout			3,433	43.9	+10.1
Registered electors			~7,829
	Reform gain from Conservative

Shoeburyness


Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Reform	Alex Moyies	1,319	40.1	*N/A*
	Independent	Nick Ward*	704	21.4	−4.0
	Green	Tricia Cowdrey	485	14.8	+9.5
	Conservative	River Jude	362	11.0	−20.5
	Labour	Gabrielle Burt	235	7.2	−23.9
	Liberal Democrats	Samantha Bax	85	2.6	−0.3
	Confelicity	Kayleigh Burgess	58	1.8	−0.2
	Independent	James Quail	38	1.2	−4.0
Majority			615	18.7	N/A
Turnout			3,286	38.5	+10.9
Registered electors			~8,540
	Reform gain from Independent

Southchurch


Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Martin Bright	1,465	43.9	−8.3
	Reform	Peter Little	990	29.7	N/A
	Green	Eva Mansfield	328	9.8	+2.4
	Labour	Nathan Pickering	295	8.8	−18.9
	Confelicity	James Miller	180	5.4	−1.5
	Liberal Democrats	Michael Trace	80	2.4	−2.3
Majority			475	14.2	–10.3
Turnout			3,338	44.9	+15.4
Registered electors			~7,439
	Conservative gain from Reform

St Laurence

St Laurence
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Reform	Frankie Bird	1,418	41.0	*N/A*
	Labour Co-op	Lydia Hyde*	1,092	31.6	−18.4
	Conservative	Judith Canham	418	12.1	−21.8
	Green	Gemma Deeney	284	8.2	+3.0
	Liberal Democrats	Kev Malone	140	4.0	−2.4
	Confelicity	Karl Lansley	108	3.1	−0.9
Majority			326	9.4	N/A
Turnout			3,460	43.8	+14.2
Registered electors			~7,909
	Reform gain from Labour Co-op

St Luke's


Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Reform	James O'Rourke	1,212	38.1	*N/A*
	Labour	James Morrison	817	25.7	−18.1
	Green	Tilly Hogrebe	463	14.6	+5.4
	Conservative	Kenneth Davidson	332	10.4	−15.3
	Independent	Brian Ayling	178	5.6	−4.6
	Confelicity	Jamie Chapman	95	3.0	−1.0
	Liberal Democrats	Kranthi Sajja	56	1.8	−1.5
	Moon and Serpent	Jason Pilley	26	0.8	N/A
Majority			395	12.4	N/A
Turnout			3,179	39.8	+13.8
Registered electors			~7,979
	Reform gain from Independent

Thorpe


Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Reform	John Corrigan	1,241	33.1	*N/A*
	Independent	Martin Terry*	995	26.6	−9.2
	Conservative	Connor Winter	624	16.7	−14.4
	Green	Maria Heffernan	318	8.5	+2.6
	Labour	Robert Clemenson	281	7.5	−12.9
	Confelicity	Diane Sossou	200	5.3	+2.8
	Liberal Democrats	Katie Kurilecz	69	1.8	−0.1
	Heritage	Adam Isherwood	16	0.4	−1.4
Majority			246	6.5	N/A
Turnout			3,744	52.3	+13.5
Registered electors			~7,161
	Reform gain from Independent

Victoria


Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Margaret Borton*	936	34.5	−25.6
	Reform	Carl Whitwell	799	29.4	N/A
	Green	Peter Walker	596	22.0	+12.2
	Conservative	Malik Smith	216	8.0	−8.2
	Liberal Democrats	Phil Edey	93	3.4	−2.0
	Confelicity	Jolene Hills	74	2.7	−0.6
Majority			137	5.1	–38.8
Turnout			2,714	30.0	+9.9
Registered electors			~9,038
	Labour hold

West Leigh

West Leigh
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alexander Shaw	1,510	37.5	−0.4
	Green	Simon Gittus	1,034	25.7	+11.5
	Reform	Verina Weaver	866	21.5	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Stephen Cummins	336	8.3	−22.4
	Labour	Sekky Adams	179	4.4	−9.6
	Confelicity	Helen Symmons	105	2.6	−0.7
Majority			476	11.8	+4.6
Turnout			4,030	56.7	+15.9
Registered electors			~7,121
	Conservative hold		Swing	6.0

West Shoebury


Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Reform	Steve Harvey	1,201	37.4	*N/A*
	Conservative	John Harland*	846	26.3	−19.0
	Green	Joseph Grant	371	11.5	+4.9
	Labour	Brian Jones	351	10.9	−12.8
	Independent	Brian Beggs	282	8.8	−9.4
	Liberal Democrats	John Batch	108	3.4	+0.2
	Confelicity	Simon Jones	55	1.7	−0.9
Majority			355	11.1	N/A
Turnout			3,214	44.2	+14.0
Registered electors			~7,276
	Reform gain from Conservative

Westborough


Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Kevin Robinson*	991	32.9	−20.9
	Reform	Ben Aldridge	769	25.5	N/A
	Green	Stephen Jordan	644	21.4	+8.1
	Conservative	Colin Hicks	239	7.9	−11.1
	Independent	Amy Heathcote	161	5.3	+6.2
	Liberal Democrats	Suzanna Edey	143	4.7	−4.7
	Confelicity	Melissa Aylott	41	1.4	−2.3
	Independent	Gary Kandinsky	27	0.9	+6.2
Majority			222	7.4	–27.4
Turnout			3,015	39.1	+13.3
Registered electors			~7,705
	Labour hold

Notes

↑ Leader and spokesman of the Independent Group, which represents the majority of independent councillors at the time of the election.
↑ Of the 8 Independent councillors before the election, 5 sat in the Independent Group, 1 sat in the Green & Progressive group, and 2 were non-aligned.
↑ Sit in the Green & Progressive group.
↑ Labour–Independent–Liberal Democrat coalition.
↑ Elected as Conservative candidate (3 May 2018 - 5 August 2025). Subsequently represented Reform UK (5 August 2025 - present)
↑ Elected as Labour candidate (5 May 2022 - 17 May 2024). Subsequently sat as 'Not aligned to a Political Party' (17 May 2024 - present)

References

↑ "Southend will be having elections in May". BBC News. 13 January 2026.
↑ "..." BBC News. 25 March 2026.
↑ "Southend will be having elections in May". BBC News. 13 January 2026.
↑ "Election results 2026". Southend-on-Sea City Council. Retrieved 8 May 2026.

[1] Leader and spokesman of the Independent Group, which represents the majority of independent councillors at the time of the election.

[2] Of the 8 Independent councillors before the election, 5 sat in the Independent Group, 1 sat in the Green & Progressive group, and 2 were non-aligned.

[3] Sit in the Green & Progressive group.

[4] Labour–Independent–Liberal Democrat coalition.

[8] Elected as Conservative candidate (3 May 2018 - 5 August 2025). Subsequently represented Reform UK (5 August 2025 - present)

[9] Elected as Labour candidate (5 May 2022 - 17 May 2024). Subsequently sat as 'Not aligned to a Political Party' (17 May 2024 - present)

[5] "Southend will be having elections in May". BBC News. 13 January 2026.

[6] "..." BBC News. 25 March 2026.

[7] "Southend will be having elections in May". BBC News. 13 January 2026.

[10] "Election results 2026". Southend-on-Sea City Council. Retrieved 8 May 2026.

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