I say bring on the wrath of government rather than cower as the Southend Labour, Lib Dems and Independent Cabinet have done in surrendering Southend’s countryside for concrete

Review of Cabinet Meeting 5th November 2026

Last night, Southend Council’s Labour, Liberal Democrat and ‘Independent Group’ Cabinet unanimously voted to press ahead with Regulation 19 in the Local Plan process that moves us one step closer to concreting over the Bournes Green green belt. It means a public consultation will go out, but if it is anything like the Southchurch Library one we might as well give up now! Not that we will, of course.

The primary reason they have done so - against their wishes so they say - is for the legal and financial consequences that the Labour government have put in place.

The Ten Commanders

It is an oddity within our democracy that just ten people can take a decision that will change Southend forever despite such widespread opposition to building on Southend’s last swathe of countryside. 

In my attempt to truly democratise this issue I submitted an e-petition calling for an advisory local referendum.  This was denied on the grounds that this area of government policy was already covered through the Local Plan processes so 180,000 Southend were effectively denied their say. They will argue that consultations were released, but it really was a convoluted and complicated affair and hardly sufficient for anyone with little time in their hands.

The following are the ten Southend Cabinet members that voted to build on the green belt: Daniel Cowan, Maxine Sadza, Matt Dent, Paul Collins, Ron Woodley, Kevin Robinson, Irene Ferguson, Cheryl Nevin, Mandy O’Connor and Chris Webster.

They have been empowered and entrusted to make decisions to represent residents and have used this power to side with compliance over vandalism, and as a result their names deserve to be etched into Southend’s history.

Honourable mentions must also go out to Lydia Hyde, Martin Terry and Carole Mulroney, who were in the Cabinet and supported this stance before being ejected at the last local election in May. Being that they want a return to councillor life it is important any Green Belters realise where they stand. Cllr Steven Wakefield must also not be forgotten as a former member of the Cabinet, but a current councillor who backs the Concretors.

Acting Skills

During the Cabinet meeting we saw members play the innocent, unassuming, regretful and angry, while simultaneously intending to vote to move one step closer to concreting Bournes Green.

Politically, they would have all been aware of the public hate at what they would be intending to do, so pre-meeting they would have needed to dust off their best acting skills to convey the “courageous” (in the words or Cowan) decision they would be taking.

Even if they convinced themselves to believe what they said, the final outcome is the same: Concrete.

In a way it is fortunate for Southend that barely anyone watches these meetings because some of the acting was pretty convincing and might have hooked more than just one or two.  As it is, almost all Southend residents will only be aware of the outcome of their weak and woeful decision.

“The Law is the Law”

What struck me most about the meeting was the repeated insistence that councillors had no choice.

The message, taken together, amounted to this: “We don’t agree with everything, but the law is the law.”

Well, what if the law is wrong?

To state the obvious, laws are made by people and can be changed by people. When laws are used to force through something that isn’t right, we should expect our leaders to be prepared to challenge them, not wilt. There is a time for pragmatism and this plainly is not it.

I say if the Government wants to use every ounce of its power to force Southend into building on our countryside, then let it. Let everyone see exactly how far it is prepared to go.

Why should we surrender simply because somebody in authority threatens us with the consequences of saying no?

Reluctant Heroes

Here is what our beacons of Southend had to say:

“This is obviously not what anyone wants. Unfortunately we don’t have a choice.”

He warned that refusing could leave Southend in a worse position, but what precisely would happen - are we talking or jail time?!

What powers would the Government use? What would it cost? And who would ultimately be responsible?

There is a difference between considering the consequences of refusing and allowing the threat of those consequences to make the decision for you.

“We are where we are – unfortunately.”

If everyone throughout history had adopted that attitude I shudder to think where we might be. 

Cllr Paul Collins said that proceeding didn’t mean he personally endorsed every item in the Local Plan. 

Fair enough. But which items does he not endorse?  If he disagrees with developing Bournes Green, let’s hear him say so. And more importantly, what is he prepared to do about it?

Cllr Ron Woodley described the Government’s housing figure as “outrageous” and that “we don’t need 28,100 homes.”

So why aren’t we challenging the methodology that produces these figures?

He also spoke about the right type of housing to boost Council Tax income. I’m not entirely sure there would be a net gain considering the extra services required, however, the wider point is boosting council tax should not in any way be a consideration in whether the countryside should disappear.

Cllr Wakefield criticised people for using the Local Plan as part of a political agenda. My view is this is all about politics. We’re discussing the future of our countryside and the shape of our city for generations.

He also spoke about adult children still living with their parents because they cannot afford their own homes. 

Yes - most I think would agree with this statement, but none of the proposals have ever suggested any of the houses will be prioritised for local people, nor will they be affordable as this means nothing more than a selling price 20% below market value.  A £400,000 house reduced to £320,000 is still a £320,000 house!  How many of the young people Cllr Wakefield was referring to could afford that? Not many in Southend that’s for sure.

Cllr Ferguson raised HMOs as another reason why the Local Plan should be backed, yet this could have been agreed outside of the Local Plan at any point should they have wanted to do so.  I believe the reason they haven’t is specifically so they could use it as ammunition to push through the Local Plan.

Daniel Cowan – the Ringleader of the Concretors

Cllr Daniel Cowan delivered a self-aggrandising speech about political responsibility and having the courage to make difficult decisions.

He talked about the Kursaal, the lagoon, Chalkwell ramp and Queensway, and how his administration was prepared to tackle problems previous administrations had failed to address.

How do we all feel about the war zone that is Queensway? How do businesses on Southchurch Road feel? How does everyone sat in heavy traffic feel? And once it’s done how do we feel about the congestion that will inevitably follow?

Sometimes doing nothing is perfectly courageous.  But what does any of that have to do with whether thousands of houses should be built on Bournes Green anyway?

He went on to apologise to young adults still living with their parents and to people waiting for decent social housing. Ok, but as we’ve said there is nothing in these plans that address this.

Cowans uses the “desperate need for social housing” as part of his argument, yet the council’s own Planning Committee identified that the proposed development failed to meet that need.

Cowans warned that Castle Point’s Local Plan had been found unsound and suggested Southend could face something similar without Bournes Green.

He described the possibility of a plan providing only 35% of the Government’s calculated housing requirement being found sound as “fantasy”.

Fantasy based on the fairy dust housing targets maybe! May we never forget the housing target is made up out of thin air via an algorithm on some Excel spread sheet.

Cowans also said:

“The law doesn’t change depending on who’s sat in this Chair.”

No, it doesn’t, but how a leader responds to that law can change. Moreover, the law itself can change. That is the whole point of politics!

Perhaps the most contradictory yet truthful contribution came from Cllr Kevin Robinson.

He declared:

“The law is the law.”  And then almost in the same breath said: “Planning law always changes.”

Exactly!  He nailed the argument.  If planning law always changes, why should we accept that the current version is right?

Robinson went further, saying:

“However much stick I get; the leader gets; cabinet colleagues get; and administration colleagues get, we will make the right decision for Southend.”

I like Kevin, but on this there is trouble ahead as there will indeed be a never-ending avalanche of criticism coming from all directions.

So What Are We Actually Afraid of From our Friendly Government?

The Government has instructed Southend to proceed, and Cabinet members have warned that refusing could lead to Government intervention, loss of planning control and financial consequences.

Fine, but what are they?

The Government might take over the process. It might incur costs and charge them back to the council. 

Who would ultimately suffer financially? Potentially Southend residents.  And who would have made the decision to impose those costs?

The Government.

I say let Burnham and Labour explain to Southend residents why it decided to make their city pay for resisting development on its green belt.

Would residents thank the popularity obsessed PM for that? Would they vote for these politicians or parties again? Lib Dems suffered enormously for supporting the Tory’s tuition fee policy and I fear they are being primed for the same in Southend.

I don’t believe we should accept something we consider wrong merely because somebody is holding a knife to our throats if we refuse, and if the Government wants to use its powers, let it. But let it take the full force of the electorate for using them.

The Cabinet vote has not yet granted planning permission for the houses or finally adopted the Local Plan, but it has moved the proposals another step forward. It is now up to Southend residents to dive in and scream in the ears of our so-called leaders.