NIGEL Holdcroft is the fourth leader in as many years to take the helm of Southend Council.

His aim is to stabilise the council, restore confidence in the Conservative administration running the town and to refocus services to ensure they meet what the man or woman in the street wants.

Mr Holdcroft is an experienced politician. He served on the council in the 1990s, when he was revered as a fantastic orator who proved a thorn in the side of the then Lib Dem and Labour-led council.

Now, however, he has a challenging task on his hands to stabilise the council after the loss of the three previous Tory leaders.

Nigel said: "Although it is a challenge, I also believe there is a great opportunity for changes now in Southend."

Mr Holdcroft returned to the council after nearly ten years' absence only two years ago and was rapidly returned to the cabinet in charge of adult social care and as the deputy leader under Murray Foster.

Mr Holdcroft admits it was something of a learning curve to return to the council and find the cabinet system replacing the old committee structure.

He was previously the chairman of the highways committee when the Tories held power in the 1990s but admits he loved the rough and tumble of being in opposition.

"I have to say it is a lot of fun being in opposition.

"It's only when you are in power that you realise the work which has to be done."

Choosing his new cabinet has also been tough because of the workload of cabinet councillors.

He said: "Quite honestly, you have to be in the position of being self-employed or retired to devote the required time, so there is not a vast pool of members to choose from in the first place.

"There are capable people who just do not have the time to do the job properly."

Mr Holdcroft is a partner in long-established Southend solicitors Tolhurst Fisher. His friend and colleague at the firm is Charles Latham, also a former leader of the council.

"It's amazing when you think of the involvement of our firm with public affairs. Bernard Tolhurst was the mayor who gave the statue of Queen Victoria to the town, our current senior partner Philip Tolhurst is a former High Sheriff of Essex and then there is Charles and I."

Mr Holdcroft has already made his mark by shaking up portfolios on the council.

Gone are the titles executive councillor for a Cleaner, Safer Southend and Future Southend, which some criticised as meaningless.

He said: "One thing which I feel is essential is that the portfolios are linked with the new council directors.

"There was a problem before with overlapping between different members and it was not clear exactly what some of the responsibilities were."

The new responsibilities of cabinet members will be: l Policy and finance: Nigel Holdcroft (Con, West Leigh) l Adult social care: Mark Flewitt (Con, St Laurence) l Culture: David Garston (Con, Southchurch) l Children and learning: Sally Carr (Con, Thorpe) l Corporate support services: Brian Kelly (Con, Southchurch) l Transport and planning: Anna Waite (Con, St Luke's) l Environment, tourism and regeneration: John Lamb (Con, West Leigh) l Public protection and waste: Ian Robertson (Con, Chalkwell) Mr Holdcroft said he was also looking forward to working closely with Rochford and Castle Point Councils.

"There are a lot of issues where we have common concerns and I would hope we can continue to work together and develop the relationship further in the future."