HEALTHCARE, housing and green policies are set to take priority at Southend Council after the first ever Labour leader was appointed.

Labour councillor Ian Gilbert described it is “a great honour” to have been elected to run the council and has promised to bring big changes to the town.

One month after the Conservatives suffered major losses at the local elections, Labour councillor Ian Gilbert has been voted in as leader of the council.

The landmark victory makes him the first Labour councillor ever to run Southend Council but he has stressed this will not be a Labour-only administration, instead it will be a partnership made up of Labour, the Independent Group and the Lib Dems.

Mr Gilbert went on to say he will bring big changes to the town, including addressing the council’s history of not taking “decisive and meaningful action on housing and homelessness”.

He said: “I think we can do more, including directly building more social housing, being tougher with developers, bringing empty buildings back into use and better enforcing standards in the private rented sector.

“Council services such as children’s centres can also be improved with more meaningful community involvement.

“Even in opposition we have set the agenda on things like the health centres, rejecting the sustainability transformation partnership, beefing up the community safety team.

“I’m sure we can do much more in administration.

“I’m looking forward to working with Councillor Mulroney to get a more environmental focus to council policies as well. We really do want to green the town.”

However he could find himself on a collision course with the health authorities.

While those in charge of healthcare are working on plans to share services between Southend, Basildon and Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, councillor Gilbert wants to open new health centres and retain all hospital services in the town.

The housing policy includes the ambition of social housing included as part of the Fossetts Farm development.

However this could involve changes and delays to the plan.

There will also be controversy over parking.

Former leader Tory Tony Cox had suggested significant changes to parking charges which were supported by traders, as well as dozens more Special Constables in Southend, but the Tories no longer have control.

Instead the coalition will look at the issue and carry out a review and costings with no firm decisions made on these issues.

The plans did include a multi storey car park in Tylers Avenue and another in Leigh but are at a very early stage.

Plans for crime are also unclear with the Independent Group calling for a Southend Borough police force.

The formation of a joint administration marks the second time since 2000 that the council has been run by an alliance.

The elections in May 2014 saw a similar partnership formed but it was led by the leader of the Independent Group, Councillor Ron Woodley.

Mr Gilbert said he is confident they can work together again and promised it will be different this time around because they have “significantly more experience and knowledge, which will help us make much bigger changes for the town”.

He said: “I am committed to a meaningful partnership with Lib Dem and Independent councillors, and indeed my colleagues Ron Woodley and Carole Mulroney will be at the heart of decision-making at the council.

“Inevitably when no one party ends up in overall control, nobody gets absolutely everything that they voted for. However, I am convinced that a large majority of those people who voted in May did not want to see the Conservatives remain in power.

“I intend to bring forward new ways that councillors can be involved in the policy making process and have meaningful input into the workings of cabinet members, so I am confident that elected councillors will be more empowered, and residents better served.”

The 40-year-old councillor said Southend residents want to be heard and to feel involved in the council’s decision making but they also want to see the council acting “more quickly and more decisively”.

“I want to demonstrate greater dynamism and energy than we have seen from the council in recent years,” he continued.

“I have always felt that Southend is not making the most of its potential.

“Our geographical position by the sea and with very good transport links to London and beyond are great assets.

“Southend has a thriving arts, culture and music scene.

“We should be able to build on these strengths to a far greater extent.

“I also think too much of our town’s heritage has been squandered over the years.

“Southend is not alone in facing the challenge of struggling high streets.

“New thinking is needed.”

That new thinking will take inspiration from a council report published in March which examined how to reimagine the town centre in the face of a declining retail sector.

It was overseen by Labour councillor Kevin Robinson and concluded that while retail will continue to be a reason for people to visit Southend’s town centre, it will be heavily reduced and in its place should be housing and community-driven experiences.

Critics have claimed councillors have put politics ahead of people since the election and called for resignations after a month of negotiations over power sharing.

Others have claimed the council has become a “laughing stock”.

The rainbow alliance is expected to lay out more detailed plans for the coming year shortly and will need to take into account possible Brexit scenarios when trying to decide what funds will be available for projects.