The stakes are high as Southend Labour leaves door open for the cancellation of the 2026 local elections, which would spell the end of Southend's green belt.

Review of The Full Council Meeting: Wednesday, 9th July 2025 at 6:30pm 

This blog focuses on the green belt e-petition; the separate Green Party motion and Confelicity e-petition to save the local elections in 2026; and the motion to prevent protests near all religious areas.

Whilst saving Southend’s green belt has become the primary focus for the Confelicity Party and others including Reform, Conservatives, Greens and non-aligned independents, we have also fought to uphold democracy in Southend by petitioning Southend City Council to ensure the 2026 local elections go ahead as scheduled, as opposed to being cancelled on the back of the excuse of Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation.

By coincidence these two issues have become intimately linked as one of the few ways we can stop our green belt from being destroyed is by voting out the local Labour, Lib Dem and Independent Group coalition in 2026 and replace them with councillors who will stand up for our town.

Green belt e-petition

The good news was Cllr Cox’s green belt e-petition to stop building 10,000 homes on the green belt land north of Bournes Green Chase achieved a record 2,000 plus signatures and will be considered by Cabinet. 

The numbers may not seem like a lot, but the council’s e-petition system is no normal creation - it is in fact a maze of hoops that you’re never quite sure if after the quest of finding where to sign, that you’ve actually accomplished the task. I am exaggerating of course, but the point stands! There was an adjustment made to ease the problem during the campaign and an extension was given to the petition.

The wheels are now well in motion with the green belt campaign to defeat this so I won’t go into any more detail in this blog. If you want to know more please do join the Facebook group: ‘Save Bournes Green Chase Green Belt Land’ and/or head to https://savingsouthendsgreenbelt.co.uk).

You can also read previous blogs I have written about the subject:

https://www.southendconfelicityparty.co.uk/post/southend-residents-must-scream-their-voices-to-fever-pitch-to-save-bournes-green-chase-green-belt-la

https://www.southendconfelicityparty.co.uk/post/join-the-second-protest-rally-on-august-9th-at-the-top-of-southend-high-street-to-save-southend-s-gr

Confelicity’s e-Petition and the Green Party’s motion to uphold 2026 local elections

Confelicity E-Petition to save the local elections

My e-petition, on behalf of the Confelicity Party, to urge Southend City Councillors to do everything in their power to ensure the local elections in 2026 go ahead successfully went forward to be considered by Cabinet.

It was presented by non-aligned independent councillor Stephen Aylen and I would like to express my gratitude as he is a true independent and was not obliged to do that.  Had he not, the petition would not have been read out and publicised such as it was. 

It must be an eternal frustration that he might get confused for aligning with the so-called ‘Independent Group” who currently prop up the Labour and Lib Dem coalition. He is fully independent and if those in Belfairs believe in truly independent representation then here is your man.

Having seen the speed and ease with which e-petitions are dismissed at Cabinet I feel certain it will be shot down in flames along with the record breaking green belt petition.

Green Party Motion to save the local elections

Bizarrely, Cllr Terry, one of the so-called independent councillors who sits on the Labour Cabinet, said Green councillor Stuart Allen’s entirely separate motion with the same goal was “apparently on behalf of the Confelicity Party!” Flattering, of course, but alas untrue.

Although Cllr Allen and I have bumped into each other a few times on the previous local election campaign and he accepted my request to speak at the recent ‘Save Bournes Green Chase Green Belt Land’ protest, we have never spoken about the 2026 elections. The first I heard about his motion was when I read it in the Echo - to which I was delighted to see!

Maybe he was tarnished with Cllr Terry’s anti-CONfelicity brush, but the Labour response at the meeting was underpinned by an aggressive and dismissive tone.

The Conservatives, however, did show their support with Cllr Buck quite brilliantly edifying the room with part of a speech from past Labour MP Tony Benn about upholding democracy.

Surprisingly, so did ‘Independent Group’ councillor Ron Woodley who actually seconded the motion.  As a member of the coalition himself I have to extend my respect to him on this. He was also in the news detailing how the administration he is part of has not managed the budget quite as soundly as has been portrayed. That’s the honesty that residents appreciate.  https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/25231107.southend-council-finances-questioned-councillor/

The Labour Response

I was surprised to hear Labour councillor Chris Webster somewhat patronisingly say that it was “good that residents were taking an interest”, but asked why this question was even being asked.

She said “Southend city council has not made any moves to delay the 2026 elections nor has there been any suggestion they might.

“From where I stand there is no threat to the democratic process here in Southend and any change will depend solely on a directive from government.

“It’s important that unnecessary fear or uncertainty is not spread where there is, at present, no basis for it.

“Democracy is at the heart of everything we do and it will be upheld within this amended motion.”

I had a lovely conversation with her at the last election count and she is a very intelligent person with a strong work background, which is why I struggle to understand how she cannot see the contradiction in her argument.  She says she cannot see the threat to democracy and in the next breath acknowledges that it is possible that it will be cancelled by national government.

Being that the very government who could cancel it is her very own Labour Party, it cannot be difficult to get assurances from their colleagues to 100% guarantee they will go ahead.  Had it been the Tories in power that might have been a plausible excuse, but not in this instance.

Labour councillor and Cabinet member Matt Dent followed by saying “whether elections do or do not go ahead is not in the gift of this council but that of the Government.”

He happens to be up for election, and with respect, no one is doing more in his Kursaal ward than Confelicity’s very own Lee Clark. 

Every day he pounds the streets helping residents with damp issues, lighting, pot holes, security, rubbish, and personal issues - and all in his free time. 

Matt is unfortunate Lee is going for the same seat as him because for what he is (a career politician) he is a relatively decent councillor, but Lee grew up in the Kursaal ward and nothing can compare to his firsthand experience to put things right. It is highly likely if an election is called Cllr Dent will be out. And that is even without speaking about the major threat of Reform.

To compound matters Cllr Dent expressed his concern over the 2027 elections as he felt that might confuse the public.  I say to him do not let democracy capitulate by an unwillingness to communicate matters of procedure correctly!

He also showed concern with the call to duty of elected councillors for just a “solitary year”.  Well, much can happen in a year; for example, voting to destroy the green belt!

Now, to Leader Cowan’s response

Labour Leader of Southend City Council, Cllr Daniel Cowan

There seems to be some angst between himself and former Labour councillors who remain as non-aligned councillors.  Why they all left him is quite well publicised (https://www.southendconfelicityparty.co.uk/post/cllr-stephen-george-condemns-potential-new-southend-council-leader-daniel-cowan-in-full-council-sho), so I won’t go into detail here. However, he used his platform as leader to castigate those former Labour councillors for remaining on the council after resigning but whom showed their support for ensuring the elections in 2026 go ahead.

He may have a point, but boy was he aggressive making it. It is perhaps likely they wouldn’t win their seat if they went up for a bi-election so in normal circumstances I might have agreed with him, however in this instance I support their stance to stay and make as much noise as possible!

He would disagree, saying: “if you believe in democracy resign your seat - leave this council because you were not elected under the banner - you’re a disgrace to democracy.”

“Have a long hard look in the mirror.”

Strong sentiments indeed.

The 2026 elections cannot come soon enough, and Cllr Cowan surprisingly agrees:

“We’re not scared of any of you.”

“We in the Labour Party relish it.”

“We look forward to the opportunity.”

“There’s quite a few of you we’re certain we’re gonna pick off next year because we know that the residents of this city support our plans.

“Bring on the elections!”

That’s fighting talk and if his national colleagues weren’t gutting the green belt, sacrificing pensioners wellbeing and wheeling out the most unpopular Prime Minister in recent history, then I would be sold on his gusto!

As it is, his charge towards oblivion is both foolhardy and not to be believed.

His amendment to the Green Party motion to ensure the local elections go ahead says it all:

“What there is in this amendment is a sense of pragmatism, so by the time we get to early next year, if the government comes in and they say something different to what we’re saying, we have no power over that.”

“We are debating a motion over something we have no power over.”

“If the government wants to delay elections the government can delay elections.”

“That why we’ve added a simple word “unnecessary delays” [well two] because if something happens that is outside of our control we’re going to look mightily stupid if we’re all sat here going what happened to our elections that we promised everyone”?

Cllr Cowan is basically saying that the elections could still be cancelled and if they are it’s not his fault.

If Labour do not recover in the polls - which is highly unlikely - this election will be cancelled, that I am sure of.  With Corbyn’s party on the brink of birth, Starmer’s Labour’s will sink even further and Southend Labour with them.

If I was a career politician I would never call an election if I wanted to protect my job, money, power and status. The “in the hands of the government” excuse is ready and waiting to be unveiled. They just need to ask Chat GPT for the best way to hoodwink the public!

Dear Southend Residents

I believe these elections will be cancelled and with it our last chance to save the green belt.

If all this happens I want you to remember that Cllr Cowan and his Labour, Lib Dem and Independent Group regime was responsible and that we must blacklist them long in our memories to ensure they can never be anywhere near power again.

The council voted 41 to 5 and the amended motion was carried, meaning that the council supports the election going ahead, but recognise the government can cancel it.

Motion to Prohibit Protests

The other very significant motion in this meeting was a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to prohibit political demonstrations and protests within a defined area of Westcliff-on-Sea encompassing synagogues and Jewish community homes.  This was subsequently amended to include all religious groups.

This is quite clearly a highly emotive and potentially volatile subject that no matter where you land it is likely to cause profound offence one way or the other and cause many unintended consequences.

Merely commenting here means there is no turning back. I have seen the recent backlash on social media against Cllr Cowan due to his push to stop the protests and I must say it is not something I would like to experience. However, this matter has been raised in a Southend council meeting and we are therefore obliged to make our views known as Southend’s local independent party.

Confelicity has debated this issue and agreed unanimously to vote against it specifically because of the potential impact it would have to restrict any future protests about any particular topic.

We, ourselves, are in the middle of a campaign of protests against Cowan’s attack on Southend’s green belt and wouldn’t trust that this sanding down of the rights to protest wouldn’t potentially continue.

To be clear, our collective decision had nothing to do with the specific topic that instigated the motion and must not be taken as support for either side of the argument.

We did not arrive at our decision with ease and the discussion took into consideration all those affected. But the key was to separate the issue of protest from the conflict itself.

I think almost all of us are united in wanting to live in peace and no one should be subjected to anything other than that. The previous Palestinian protest in Southend was held around the Westcliff area where many of Southend’s Jewish community live and there were well publicised reports of feelings of intimidation. Objectively, that is not to say the protestors were intentionally trying to intimidate, only they will know for sure, but the result was as so.

I must admit that as much as I despise the decisions Cllr Cowan is making about gutting Southend’s green belt I would personally steer well away from ever protesting outside his house. If I knew that our next ‘Save Bournes Green Chase Green Belt’ protest would instigate any kind of fear upon him or any of the Labour-led administration I would pull it. There are plenty of other ways to make the point and unintentional intimidation is not a path I would feel comfortable with.

With that in mind I would support all protests to be conducted peacefully and for the police to help guide wisely those who may not feel the same - if indeed that is the case.

As it is, they did - the route was changed to the recent March.

Cllr Kathy Murphy and Cllr Stuart Allen, as the only two councillors to vote against the motion, in my opinion were, on balance, right.

So with the motion passed I do wonder, with the wrong people in charge, what will those unintended consequences be in the future and I do hope very much we will not see any more erosion of the rights of protest.