As a Southend resident I wanted to add a few comments regarding planning going forward for the town.
One of the major concerns for people I work with and know is the lack of support for SEN pupils in schools-this includes a lot of school spaces all being in one secondary school-which is in special measures. There is a lack of specialist provision for pupil between Years 2 and 6, and schools don’t feel equipped to support the more complex needs we have in the community now.

New flats being built etc are causing congestion and a demand for local services such as health and social care. Also a demand on parking, which I feel impacts on tourism.

There are clearly huge issues with the gap between the high and low earning citizens, and a huge homelessness problem, which I know is national and a reflection of cuts etc.
In terms of existing housing, those of us who have bought our own properties in the 130-200k range are often buying extremely old houses. These need a high level of maintenance and attention, putting a financial strain on middle income earners. This then has an impact on those who should have income to spend in our local businesses and on services, as we are all spending money trying to combat damp etc in our old homes and keep them heated. I feel a fund or grant to improve older properties will help improve the lives of property owners and their general health. This also applies to those with rental properties. Currently this only applies to very low earners.

There is also a huge problem with private maintenance companies who have contracts with a lot of our local leasehold and rented properties. Meaning landlords and homeowners are paying huge monthly expenses for very sub standard maintenance support. This means payments are going out to these companies and the properties are falling into disrepair as homeowners cant afford to improve them. We sought out legal advice and got out of our maintenance contract, but some people do not know how to do this or cannot afford to.
There are no longer as many events to draw people in such as the air show, which was a great way to attract tourism etc.
The gap between low and high earners is becoming worse, which again is a sign of government change at a national level. I feel that the secondary school standards here are slipping due to a lack of investment in the education system and other support services. This has a knock on effect on our citizens and their ability to contribute to our town economically. I feel the grammar school system that we have means that mainstream secondaries will struggle as the top achievers are ‘creamed’ off and the ability to push the top students in mainstream schools is more difficult. The SEMH school (PLT) is not of a sufficient standard and therefore those who have the opportunity to find further education and employment who have emotional issues are not being given a fair chance to close the gap between low and middle earners. Mental health support is an enorour need in recent years, and the support we have is extremely stretched-those who do not meet the threshold for mental health NHS support are not being supported and this is resulting in poor outcomes for those who have mental health issues (again a national issue).
I do love my town and all the amenities it provides, but there needs to be an emphasis on services to support its residents, ensuring there are enough resources for those of us here. Older properties and their issues have been the most significant reason why I have felt frustrated as a citizen.