Politicians and canvassers across south Essex are nearing the end of their final day of campaigning ahead of Thursday’s local elections.
Voters in England and Wales will go to the polls on May 2 for local, mayoral, and police and crime commissioner elections.
As residents prepared to head to their polling stations tomorrow, here is everything you need to know around tomorrow's elections in Southend and Basildon including manifestos and candidate lists.
Southend
Conservative
Motorists take centre stage of the Southend Conservatives election pledges as the party vows to end the debate over seafront parking charges and “fill every pothole” in the city.
If the Tories remain in power they have pledged to end the ping pong over 6pm to 9pm parking charges once and for all and insist they will not be resurrected.
The party has also promised to increase the powers of the police and community safety team to cut anti-sociable behaviour, protect the city’s green belt despite the need for new homes and continue to invest in attractions like the iconic 1.3-mile long Southend Pier.
Conservatives say they will also continue to look for solutions to re-open the Kursaal and will maintain support for Southend United.
Labour
Free bulky waste collections to help tackle fly-tipping, investing millions in repairing potholes and pavements and beefing up community safety teams are top of Southend Labour's "five-point plan" to gain control of Southend Council.
Despite Southend Council facing a £35million deficit within five years, the party believes shrewd finances will allow it to increase and improve the services on offer to residents.
Alongside the waste collections and investment in roads, Labour will also aim to increase the size of the community safety team based in the city centre and has insisted that libraries and all family centres will be protected.
Finally, the Labour Group says it will ensure the city continues to have crowd-pulling events like LuminoCity and City Jam.
The group aims to organise 20 weeks of events which it believes with boost the economy.
Green Party
The Green Party has claimed wind turbines and solar panels should be installed on Southend Pier to “generate surplus power” to help power seafront businesses.
Its ambitious manifesto includes the renewable energy aim, introducing a night bus service, creating homes for homeless and bringing landmark buildings - such as the Kursaal - under council control.
The party has vowed to adopt a “permission to occupy” policy that would allow homeless people to live in unoccupied or derelict homes until they are needed.
Other stand-out points include delivering a new park and ride facility as well as opposing the expansion of the A127 into three lanes.
Read more on the manifesto here.
Lib Dems
Providing homes for homeless people and making everyone feel “welcome” in the city of Southend are top of the priority for the Lib Dems.
They vow to keep Southend “vibrant and resilient” to encourage people to want to “live, work and play in our city”.
One of the party’s policies is “housing for all, whatever their circumstances” and the group aim to “ensure that the homeless are not disadvantaged or refugees made unwelcome” in the city.
Community safety is also important to the party, who say they will continue to maintain CCTV coverage to help protect residents and businesses.
The Lib Dems have vowed to ensure that climate change agenda is across the whole range of council services and at the forefront of all projects.
They also say “we have to be more diverse in the city centre”, using the Ironworks as an example of how community can work together and further leisure interests.
Read more on the manifesto here.
Independent party
Independent councillors have played an important role in the council over the last year, largely supporting a minority Tory administration.
Unless there is an outright majority after tomorrow’s local elections, the independents are likely once again to play a pivotal role in any new administration.
Tackling potholes, protecting NHS services and ensuring that weekly bin collections continue are top of the list for the Independent group ahead of the local elections.
Martin Terry, leader of the Independent Group, said they do not have a manifesto but rather a “list of priorities” in the role they may play in the next administration and will always “put residents first”.
Confelicity Party
Southend's youngest political party is fielding candidates in 17 wards in tomorrow's elections with key pledges including a satellite city centre police station to boost safety and plans to turn the Victoria Shopping Centre into a “vibrant hub for entrepreneurs”.
Confelicity also supports retaining weekly bin collections, finding a solution to re-opening the Kursaal and kick-starting the stalled Marine Plaza seafront home developments.
Its manifesto says it will re-open the redundant Southend Marine Activity Centre on Eastern Esplanade, launch a consultation for residents to put forward ideas for the end of the pier and push to bring back seafront illuminations.
Some controversial pledges include bringing back beach barbecues and allowing dog walking on the beach at certain times and there is support for 20mph zones in some areas.
Non-aligned independents
A number of candidates are standing as non-aligned independents in wards across the borough.
Tricia Cowdrey, independent candidate for the Shoebury ward, has vowed to bring a “fresh perspective and a more inclusive approach”. Read more about her top priorities here.
Kay Mitchell, independent candidate for the Kursaal ward, has also vowed to ensure “residents voices are represented and heard” in council, with “views acted upon”. Read her priorities here.
Father and son Keith Evans and Gareth Evans are standing in neighbouring wards Blenheim Park and Belfairs respectively. Read both of their pledges here.
And click here for the full list of candidates standing at Southend's elections.
Basildon
Conservative
“Fixing the bins”, filling potholes and delivering a long-delayed housing plan are top of the agenda for the Basildon Conservative Party.
After coming under fire over the overhaul of Basildon bin collections in November, which saw new wheelie bins introduced alongside recycling sacks, the party has recognised not every aspect has worked and the white and blue recycling sacks will be “revisited”.
The Conservative manifesto also says it will “fix the roads” by demanding more investment from Essex County Council and Central Government.
The party has also promised to deliver a local plan “that works” and “protects the green belt” across the borough, as well as opposing tower blocks in the town centre.
Read more on the manifesto here.
Labour
The new bin collections also take centre stage in the Basildon Labour Party's manifesto, as the party has vowed to re-instate weekly black bin collections and scrap multiple rubbish sacks for recycling if they gain control.
The huge focus on collections also come alongside fixing potholes and “keeping council tax low”.
Its manifesto also includes opposition to plans in Pitsea for the “largest incinerator” in Essex and a promise to deliver the long-delayed Laindon Shopping Centre regeneration.
Labour has also insisted it will launch a task force with Essex Police to crack down on the number of vehicle thefts.
Read more on the manifesto here.
Green Party
Tackling council finances to prevent “wasting taxpayer money on unviable schemes like the Basildon cinema” and bringing back weekly bin collections are on the agenda for the Green party ahead of the election.
It has insisted that “weekly collections are ideal” for residents and promised to “get council finances to a position where it can be afforded again”.
They also vow to collaborate with neighbouring authorities to explore the feasibility of a tram system connecting Basildon’s towns.
The manifesto focuses on "getting the basics done right: a Local Plan that sticks, a functioning bin system, and high streets with shops in them".
Lib Dems
Basildon's Lib Dems say they will work with residents on options to replace the new reusable recycling bags that “are not fit-for-purpose” and launch a "genuine" consultation to let residents decide on the future of bin collections.
The Lib Dems also say they will campaign for active travel improvements, with improved connections between Noak Bridge and Billericay.
The party has also pledged that decisions will be made with the aim of “advancing the borough to becoming a greener, fairer, and safer”.
The Lib Dems are also calling for all-out elections every four years, rather than councillors being elected in thirds.
Lib Dems believe changing this to every four years will “encourage long-term decision making from councillors, reduce the cost of elections, and reduce voter fatigue”.
Wickford Independents
Wickford Independents are aiming to get a strong police presence in Wickford and have vowed to work with appropriate authorities to get a “police hub” in the area.
Candidates have also pledged to fight and ensure that Wickford “gets a fair deal” in council decisions and to look at what can be “improved” both in the short-term and long-term in regard to waste collection.
They say they will also work with, and put pressure on county councillors regarding potholes, footpath improvements and drain clearance in the area and pledged to oppose green belt development.
Wickford Independents also pledged to work to ensure that Basildon Council has a viable Local Plan in place with “what is best for Wickford” in mind.
They will also pressure the NHS to get better health facilities in the area, such as x-ray facilities, blood test facilities and other Primary Care.
Read more of their key priorities here.
And click here for the full list of candidates standing at Basildon's elections.
For the full list of all the candidates standing in the Castle Point Council elections, where all seats are up for grabs, click here.
The polls will be open from 7am until 10pm tomorrow with voters reminded to bring their photo ID.
Those unsure of where their polling stations are can head to orlo.uk/ZZS1V and enter their postcode to find out.
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