New multi-storey car park and two health centres will be built in Southend

Southend Council has agreed to build a car park in Tylers Avenue.

The council has also agreed to borrow £7.5m for two new health centres, one in Shoebury and another in the west of the borough.

The Tory led council agreed to these budget amendments from the Labour group and opposition parties.

The changes will merge with the previously announced investment programme that includes £18million going to the Southend Pier, £2million on upgrading CCTV and £5.7million to child and adult services.

Some of the extra investment will be funded out of a 4.5 per cent council tax increase which will result in Southend borough residents in a band D home paying an extra £60 next year, with more for the emergency services on top.Council leader John Lamb said: “For the first time that m

ost of us can remember, this is a growth budget. A lot of that is going into adult and children’s social care but we need that and even afterwards we still have growth of over £2.5million, which we haven’t had for many years."

While rival councillors voted to approve the budget, there was some criticism.

Independent Councillor Ron Woodley cast doubt on the council’s record of delivering on investment projects, claiming they have failed to deliver “decent homes, infrastructure, looking after the elderly and disabled and job creation”.

Labour councillors called the budget “devoid of ambition” but said the amendments helped create a budget that councillors could agree on for the whole of the borough.

Other amendments Labour suggested, including £11million on a new care home, £16,000 on street lighting and £20,000 on the reintroduction of free swimming on Wednesday mornings for older residents – but these were rejected.