The Green Party has voiced strong opposition to the Government’s fast-track devolution proposals, citing serious concerns over what it calls a “top-down” reorganisation of local councils orchestrated by the Labour Government.

At an emergency council meeting earlier this month, the Green councillors voted against the Council’s plans to apply to fast-track the devolution process. Greens objected to plans for a new London-style Mayor for 1.5 million residents and the merging of Districts to create “super-councils” serving 500,000 residents each – changes that would likely see Southend merged with Castle Point and Rochford District Councils by 2027. Concerningly, this new mayor system would remove local safeguards on planning, transport, and economic growth, with these decisions being made outside of our community. 

“Whilst we’re told of the benefits and efficiency of such a reorganisation and a directly elected mayoral combined authority, these are largely unproven, hypothetical and represent a risk to local democracy as there is little evidence of how this will benefit our residents in terms of planning, housing economic stimulus, transport, healthcare and environmental issues.  

“Southend is as financially robust as it can be and as a small unitary authority already has some autonomy over its affairs. Taking on more regional responsibility risks this and changes the demographics of local democracy, effectively disenfranchising our local electorate. Whilst I appreciate the 10th January deadline puts our leadership under pressure, this proposal is largely ill-thought-out and does a disservice to the electorate and possibly a cross-party collaboration on how best to move forward in a unified way. 

“Local government is all about serving the residents and allowing them to shape how their urban areas develop and evolve.  Whilst I recognise this will happen in any event – and fast-tracking may well put Southend forward on a firm footing – Without further detail, or even a draft letter of intent, our group cannot commit to something so vague that risks destabilising Southend Council and the wider region.”

Cllr Richard Longstaff
Leader of the Green Group on Southend City Council

Cllr Stuart Allen, representing Leigh ward, echoed these concerns:

“Devolution should be about empowering local communities, but I’m not convinced this proposal is in the best interests of Southend residents. The approach feels more like a top-down directive than genuine devolution. Offering £20 million might sound appealing, but it raises questions about whether this is the right move for us or simply a way to push through a one-size-fits-all solution.

“We need to ensure that any changes truly benefit our communities. That means proper consultation, real debate, and a model that reflects the needs of Southend—not arbitrary figures like 500,000-resident unitaries or an additional tier of governance led by a strategic mayor.”

Nationally, the Green Party’s Co-Leader and MP for Waveney Valley, Adrian Ramsay, criticised the broader implications of the Government’s approach:

“The creation of super-councils removes the local from local government. This is not the right way forward. I am not opposed to reform of local government but if the point of devolution is to transfer power to local communities, this will achieve the opposite by undermining the sense of ownership and local accountability which communities currently have. These are major changes – the biggest for half a century. They should not be rushed without proper consideration of all the options.”

The Green Party advocates for a devolution model built from the grassroots, allowing councils to determine structures that work best for them. Alongside this, they are calling for a fairer funding model to enable local councils to deliver essential services effectively.

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Kay Mitchell, who previously served as Deputy Group Leader and who was formerly a Labour Councillor in Milton ward, has joined the Green Party citing the party’s progressive and forward-thinking policies at both local and national levels.

Bringing a wealth of experience from her tenure as Councillor for Milton Ward, Kay’s decision comes as the Green Party continues to rise in prominence. In last year’s local elections, the Greens secured the third-largest vote share in Southend, ahead of the Independents and Liberal Democrats, demonstrating residents’ growing support for the Greens’ principled and hard-working candidates.

A long-time Southend resident, Kay has lived and worked in the area for over 30 years, dedicating herself to volunteering across a range of vital support services. She was also one of the founding organisers of the popular Hamlet Court Road in Harmony festival.

“This move is a testament to the values I hold dear. The Green Party represents the kind of bold ideas, commitment, and action needed to drive real and meaningful change in tackling social inequality and the climate emergency.

“For years, I’ve championed the importance of ‘quality of life’ for all and the necessity of environmental sustainability. Joining the Green Party feels like a natural progression; this is where my values align, and I firmly believe it is the only party equipped to address the pressing challenges of our time.”

Kay Mitchell

Cllr Richard Longstaff, Leader of the Green Group on Southend City Council, welcomed Kay to the team:

“We’re thrilled to have Kay join us. She’s a dedicated and tireless campaigner, always holding the administration to account, and working hard for residents. Her extensive firsthand experience and considerable knowledge will be invaluable to the Green Group as we work with our community to build a greener and fairer future for Southend.”

Kay is already working closely with the Green Team in preparation for the upcoming local elections, bringing her passion and expertise to help advance the party’s mission for Southend and beyond.

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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.

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