- Southend City Council has approved Cllr Stuart Allen’s motion to phase out glyphosate, a harmful herbicide, from city streets, following concerns about its risks to health, wildlife, pets, and biodiversity.
- Cllr Allen emphasised the council’s role in protecting pollinators and promoting sustainable alternatives, building on its earlier ban of glyphosate in parks and open spaces.
- Council staff will develop costings and implementation details to be reviewed by the portfolio holder and cabinet.
Cllr Stuart Allen’s motion to phase out the use of glyphosate—a herbicide associated with cancer and significant health and environmental risks—on Southend’s streets has been approved at this month’s Full Council meeting.
The proposal was prompted by serious concerns from residents regarding the harmful effects on children, pets, and wildlife. During the meeting, Cllr Allen introduced his motion, stating:
“In September 2019, this council made a commendable commitment by declaring a climate emergency, marking an important step toward environmental responsibility. Since then, we have demonstrated our leadership by banning the use of Glyphosate in our parks and open spaces. Today, I propose that we build on this progress by addressing the ongoing use of Glyphosate-based weed killers on our streets.
“We are witnessing significant declines in pollinators like bees and butterflies — creatures essential for our food systems and biodiversity. As a council committed to environmental stewardship, we must act now to reduce these harms and adopt sustainable alternatives. By supporting this motion, we are not just fulfilling our environmental commitments; we are sending a clear message that Southend is a forward-thinking, responsible city that values health, biodiversity, and the future of our planet.”
The Leader of Southend City Council, Cllr Cowen, stated at the meeting “I know this is something Cllr Allen is incredibly passionate about, and thank him for working with us collaboratively … I fully support this motion and recognise it is difficult to transition but not impossible. It may cost us more, but in the long term if we have biodiversity collapse, it will cost us even more.”
The motion will now be passed to Council staff to develop costings and additional details, which will be presented to the portfolio holder and cabinet at a later date.
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