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 This time, we’ll be cooking up a variety of seasonal festive treats for you all to enjoy!

There’s a limited number of spaces available, so make sure to RSVP today!

 PRICE: Pay what you can afford on the night.

All funds raised will go to support the work of the local Green Party.

 All dishes will be 100% plant-based, and homemade by our wonderful chefs!

 There will be tea/coffee available on the night, but please feel free to bring your own drinks.

8th December, 5pm. Trust Links Westcliff.

The post Festive Foodie Fundraiser appeared first on South East Essex.

Green Party activist Simon Gittus has called on the Labour-led council to tackle the pressing issue of speeding along Marine Parade in Leigh-on-Sea.

 During a recent Full Council meeting, Mr. Gittus asked the Council Leader, Daniel Cowen, urging the administration to ‘design out’ speeding risks on the notoriously straight stretch of road.

“There are proven, effective solutions to curb speeding, such as chicanes and road narrowing measures. Yet once again, the Council downplays the problem.

“This isn’t what I’m hearing from concerned residents who live on adjacent roads, and families who visit Marine Gardens with their children and pets. We cannot ignore the fact that some drivers treat this road like a race track. We need action now, before a serious accident occurs.”

Simon Gittus, Green Activist

Adding to the urgency, Cllr. Stuart Allen remarked, “Speeding isn’t limited to Marine Parade; we’re seeing it on New Road, Station Road, and Cranleigh Drive as well. Residents know it’s an issue, the Police know it’s an issue, yet we continue to wait for another serious accident before acting. We already have had one tragic death on New Road and still we do not have a solution to slow traffic down along these roads.”

Cllr Richard Longstaff concurs, “We know where the speeding issues are and would like to see some firmed up action from the Council along these routes.  I have requested a tabletop pelican crossing at the New Road bridge to the old town, and I’m suggesting that we link this up to a tabletop zebra crossing in Broadway West adjacent to the Library and Gardens entrance. These additions will make our streets safer and more enjoyable, while significantly helping to reduce traffic speeds along these roads.”

In response to Mr. Gittus’ question, Cllr Cowan stated, “We fully appreciate residents’ concerns with speeding across the city and actively deploy a regular programme of speed monitoring surveys and work with Community Speed Watch, who are managed by Essex County Fire and Rescue Service; this road is one of their approved sites for monitoring. 

“Our most recent speed monitoring information for this road didn’t show any particular concerns, however, as it has been some time since the last test, we have requested that this road be added to our programme for speed monitoring surveys so we can assess if there has been any increase in the levels of speed being measured. It should be noted that any specific concerns around speeding vehicles should be sent to Essex Police for further investigation.

“Based on the current results and without yet knowing the results of the proposed survey, we would not be undertaking any further action at this time.”

– ENDS –

The post Greens press Administration to solve speeding issues appeared first on South East Essex.

Southend Green Party Group have reacted to news that the Labour Government is to increase the Bus fare cap by 50%.

Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer announced on Monday the £2 cap introduced by the Conservatives to help with the cost of living will be increased to £3 per journey.

“This is a tax on working people, and will affect the poorest in society. Plenty of people rely on the bus to get to work and this increase will only hurt them in their pockets – once again Labour are hitting the most vulnerable hard, rather than looking at other ways to tax those that can afford to pay more. These are political decisions and Labour are making the wrong ones.

“Like Europe, I believe Government should be subsidising all forms of public transport, especially buses and trains, as this enables greater mobility and less dependence on cars.  Increasing fares directly impacts the poorest in society and restricts mobility.  It’s a stealth tax on the least well-off when we should be taxing the super wealthy more.”

Cllr Richard Longstaff

Cllr Stuart Allen adds, “The £2 fare cap made the bus an affordable way to get around the city, and we should be actively encouraging as many people to use the bus to reduce traffic on our roads and emissions in our city. Ultimately the increase will put people off from using the bus and will result in more congestion and more dangerous pollution.”

The Green Party will be writing to Southend West & Leigh MP, David Burton-Sampson sharing its concerns with the cab increase.

– ENDS –

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Green Party Councillor, Stuart Allen, has questioned the Labour leader of the council, Cllr Daniel Cowen, at last week’s Full Council meeting on the lack of publicly available charging points in Leigh ward.

For nearly 7 years several members of the Green Party, including Cllr Richard Longstaff, have been pushing the council to try and improve charging provisions, and due to a lack of action from the council, the city is now in a situation where we are one of the worst places to charge in the country. Leigh ward currently has zero public charging points meaning residents who want to make the transition to zero-tailpipe emission vehicles are having to find creative solutions to charge their vehicles, or continue to pump out toxic fumes from burning petrol or diesel.

“Car companies are now mandated to sell 22% of their vehicles as electric powered, this increases to 100% in just a few years. Instead of getting solutions installed now, we are sitting on our hands. We could be installing hundreds of ‘trickle’ chargers through the city by using our existing street lighting columns tomorrow. That alone would help many of our residents who are not privileged enough to have a driveway.”

“Whilst I always prefer to cycle or walk, there are reasons why people need use of a car, and we, as a Council, should be harnessing the grants that have been available to provide solutions that make it easy for residents to make the switch to electric, instead of pumping out all sorts of pollutants into the air. While I welcome talk of action from the leader, I’m disappointed that the administration seems to be in no rush to find a solution until almost 2026, by which time a third of new cars sold will have to be electric.”

Cllr Stuart Allen

Fellow Green Councillor Richard Longstaff continues, “It’s ridiculous that we still don’t have a single public charger in Leigh ward for residents to use. I first approached the Council about finding a solution 7 years ago. There are tried and tested solutions out there that can be used today, such as lamppost charging or pavement gullies. Many London boroughs have at least lamppost charging in place, earning revenue for the council and providing a solution to residents charging on-street.”

The Green Party continues its push to ensure there is adequate and reliable charging infrastructure in Southend.

– ENDS –

The post Greens push for car charging points in Leigh and Southend appeared first on South East Essex.

Green Party councillors were left frustrated by what appeared to be an orchestrated delay in proceedings by the Labour at last week’s Full Council meeting.

This meant that only a few items were discussed, with the majority of motions now delayed until the next Full Council meeting in December. These include Cllr Stuart Allen’s motion to ban carcinogenic Glyphosate weedkiller from our streets, Cllr Richard Longstaff’s urgent motion to preserve our natural assets, and other cross-party motions, including one to improve access to elections for the blind. 

After the meeting, Leigh Ward Councillor Richard Longstaff said;

“Tonight’s council has been sabotaged by Labour, it’s deeply frustrating. The residents of Southend deserve better – they expect robust debate and fair discussion of the critical issues that affect them. Tonight, we had a whole suite of motions to be debated, but instead of meaningful dialogue, we’ve seen filibustering from Labour creating a dysfunctional situation. 

“Democracy is the principle that we work collaboratively to drive things forward to improve our city, not to waste time on more party-political matters that have little effect.  What’s happened here is unreasonable, unfair, and that will be obvious to anyone watching. This isn’t what I joined the council for, and it’s disheartening for all of us here tonight. It’s ironic that my Group Leaders comments were on topic, reminding members of the democratic process, following last full councils less than favourable episodes”

Richard concluded, “Any administration within council must facilitate democratic process, not stifle it”.

Cllr Stuart Allen said, “Constitutionally, we only have 3 and a half hours to discuss everything on the Full Council’s agenda. This means it’s really important to be efficient with that little time, and use the correct channels of Scrutiny and Working Parties to dissect the details in full. Due to the delays in progress on the night, I was forced to retract my motion on banning the use of Glyphosate, so that it can be discussed properly at the next Full Council meeting.”

“It’s really disappointing. We’re elected to improve the lives of our residents, but partisan game-playing like this means that we cannot do that effectively. I hope that all councillors are mindful that our work should be getting on with delivering for residents by getting through the whole agenda in full at each session.”

The Council provides plenty of opportunities for the vast majority of elements to be discussed in other forums, including Scrutiny and working parties. The Greens therefore are now pushing for changes to the constitution to ensure agendas are gone through in full at each Full Council meeting.

– ENDS –

The post Green Party Councillors left frustrated by Labour’s purposeful delays at Full Council appeared first on South East Essex.

Concerns are mounting over the continued decline of Southend’s urban tree population and the city’s tree canopy cover, which has fallen to around 12%, far below the minimum target of 15%.

A recent council motion to address these pressing issues has stalled, leaving environmental activists, councillors, and residents frustrated by the lack of progress.

In September 2023, Southend City Council approved a motion to protect and expand the city’s tree population. The motion proposed crucial updates to the city’s tree policy, including the introduction of a comprehensive methodology toolbox, the formation of a scrutiny working party, and a commitment to plant thousands of new trees across the city. However, despite unanimous support in the chamber, the motion has since been rejected by the previous Conservative administration, leaving all aspects of it unimplemented.

“The cabinet’s decision to let this vital motion fall into the abyss is a huge disservice to our city.

Ironically, everyone initially approved it, yet no action has been taken to protect and preserve our trees.”

Cllr Richard Longstaff, Leigh Ward

Southend’s tree population, which is currently estimated at 29,000, is under increasing threat. Around 300 trees are felled each year, some of which could be saved with better management practices. The city’s diminishing tree canopy cover is of particular concern, as it takes decades for newly planted trees to reach maturity. To restore the tree canopy to a healthier level of 17%, Southend would need to plant approximately 12,000 trees—a task that would take over a century if only 100 trees are planted annually.

“We are losing so many mature  trees for various reasons and they  can’t be simply replaced by saplings. At this rate of removal, it will take 120 years to reach our target of 17%.”

“We need to plant thousands of trees now for future generations to benefit, especially as climate change continues to accelerate extreme weather and  heatwaves, that are a critical risk to health and wellbeing of Southend’s residents.”

The motion also highlighted the need for a proactive response to tree diseases, calling for the council to collaborate with Defra’s Forest Research to ensure that any suspected cases are thoroughly investigated through lab testing. The council further called for clarity regarding tree removal decisions, citing concerns about trees being felled for vague reasons such as “incompatibility with highways.”

Councillor Longstaff is now urging Southend to take bold steps to protect its tree canopy cover and green spaces. The motion proposes entering into a collaborative Knowledge Transfer Partnership with specialist institutions such as Anglia Ruskin University’s Global Sustainability Institute and Writtle College. This partnership would help develop a best-practice methodology toolbox for managing the city’s trees, ensuring that tree removal is only used as a last resort.

The Green Party’s motion is also calling for the creation of an interactive, publicly accessible map to identify potential tree-planting locations and for all mature trees on the removal list to be subject to democratic debate at a relevant committee or working party.

“This is a moment for Southend to become a trailblazer in urban tree preservation, by taking a new approach and collaborating with key partners, we can secure a greener future for our city.”

Read the motion

– ENDS –

The post Urgent Call for Action on Southend’s Urban Trees as Tree Canopy Cover Diminishes appeared first on South East Essex.

Sunday 20th Oct 2024, 17:00
Trust Links, Westcliff

We’re back for another Foodie Fundraiser!

We’re celebrating all things Autumn with some deliciously wholesome food, perfect for those darker nights.

Come and join us at Trust Links Westcliff from 5pm, bring your own booze, and pay what you can afford. There will be a raffle and a return of the £1 game, so bring some change too!

Please let us know you’re coming via the link below so we can cater for the right amount of people. All money raised goes straight to your local Green Party 

The post Autumn Foodie Fundraiser appeared first on South East Essex.

Green Party Councillor, Cllr Stuart Allen, is proposing a motion at the Full Council meeting to ensure the Labour-led administration commits to its joint-administration agreement to stop the use of a dangerous herbicide on Southend’s streets.

The Ward Councillor for Leigh wants the council to find an alternative method for removing weeds from pavements, rather than using Glyphosate, which is already banned in Southend’s Parks and open spaces, as well as fully banned within the European Union.

“You can always tell when it’s been used by the scorch marks around the grass. It kills everything in its tracks and we now need to find an alternative solution to control weeds on our pavements as soon as possible.”

We are seeing a significant decline in butterflies, bees and other pollinators and we need to be doing everything we can to ensure their prosperity which includes banning the use of harmful pesticides and herbicides. Studies show that it is dangerous to humans as well as wildlife, so we have to look for an alternative before the next season.”

Cllr Stuart Allen, Leigh Ward

Green Party Activist, Nathaniel Love, who stood for the Greens in Belfairs at the last election, said “Glyphosate is a dangerous chemical and its detrimental biological impacts are well-researched. The use of these chemicals is harmful to residents’ health, specifically those of our children and pets who are more at risk of exposure. The ecological impact of the use of these chemicals on our environment is inexcusable.”

Cllr Stuart Allen’s motion is being seconded by independent Councillor for Thorpe Ward, Cllr Susan Badger, and hopes the Full Council approves the motion to better Southend’s streets for wildlife and human health.

– ENDS –

The post Greens Push for Full Glyphosate Ban appeared first on South East Essex.

Residents on Leigh Hall Road (Leigh) and Ilfracombe Road (Kursaal) have breathed a sigh of relief after discovering tree removal notices on every tree last Tuesday, stating that they would be felled this coming Wednesday, giving just a week’s notice.

These notices come just days after the Council outraged residents by removing seven mature Ash trees in Vernon Road to make footway resurfacing easier. Local resident, Simon Gittus organised a petition of over 200 residents, urging the council to reconsider those plans, but the Labour-run City Council ignored residents and axed them anyway.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the notices last Tuesday, these trees are collectively over 3,000 years old – they are our natural assets – and I’m grateful to hear that they are staying.

We were all thinking the worst could actually happen, especially after the Vernon Road tree removal fiasco where 7 mature Ash trees were removed for pavement works, and weren’t listed on the tree removal website due to an ‘admin error’.”

Simon Gittus, Green Party Activist

Green Party Councillor for Leigh Ward, Cllr Richard Longstaff says,

“After much panic, I’m thankful these wonderful, mature trees aren’t coming down. It took the council officers two days to finally confirm these notices were put up in ‘error’, causing unnecessary stress to residents and the community.

“I will be looking for answers as to why this happened; were they actually going to cut them down and backtracked when they saw the outrage, or was it simply miscommunication between the council and it’s outsourced tree removal consultant”

Fellow Green Councillor, Stuart Allen says, “I found out on Tuesday afternoon from a fellow councillor during work. There was very little detail on what was going on, so we all had no option but to assume the worst at that stage and wait days for answers. This simply cannot happen again.”

Cllr Longstaff continues, “My motion, which was approved by full council last September, would have put a stop to having to constantly look over your shoulder, but both the Tories and Labour have ignored the will of the people and the full council that represents them.”

The Green Party will continue to push to save these trees through all measures. The administration should be under no illusion that they can remove Southend’s trees without proper scrutiny.

– ENDS –

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