After a year of hard work, Stuart Allen will be joining Cllr Richard Longstaff at Southend City Council after being elected with the highest number of votes at this year’s local elections. Stuart was duly elected with 1725 votes for Leigh ward, which represents 58% of the vote, and was over 1000 votes ahead of the next-placed candidate.
The Green Party now have a group of two on Southend City Council, and are looking forward to continuing to represent residents and push for bold action on social justice and the climate and ecological emergency.
Cllr Stuart Allen said:
“I really want to thank the residents who put their faith in me. Residents saw that I was the hardest working candidate; getting drains cleaned, potholes fixed and fly-tipping cleared. I’m keen to really make a difference between now and 2026, and will continue to work hard to try and make Leigh Fairer and Greener.”
Cllr Richard Longstaff said;
“It was a tremendous result, Stuart completely smashed it out of the park. He’s a dynamo, cracking on and getting stuff done. He’s been helping me all through the year, he’s just so committed. He was the only candidate who actually lived in the ward and also works in the ward. He’s very passionate about Leigh.”
Overall in Southend, the Green Party managed a record 14.1% city-wide vote share, putting the party 3rd across the city, meaning they are quickly becoming the credible alternative to the old parties.
James Vessey-Miller, Branch Coordinator, said:
“This was not just a great result for Leigh ward, but fantastic overall; our candidate for Belfairs Nathaniel Love defied expectations and placed second behind the Conservatives in Belfairs. We also really upped our vote share in both West Leigh and Chalkwell too. It’s clear that the Greens are now a credible alternative for residents and we have big ambitions for the future.”
Residents can join the Green Party from £6 a year, by visiting join.greenparty.org.uk.