Shoebury: The Forgotten Part of Southend

It would seem that under the new administration Shoebury is once again out of sight out and out of mind. When I was first elected in 2006, during that campaign many residents thought that Shoebury was the forgotten part of Southend - the end of the line.

During my time as a councillor I fought hard for Shoebury roads in most need to be resurfaced, pavements to be repaired, verges to be maintained and parking to be safer in our streets.

At the first cabinet of the new rainbow coalition, the annual list of money to be spent on the towns roads and footpaths was published.

Gone is the pledge to resurface Maplin Way and Maplin Way North. Gone is the pledge to make Delaware Crescent a one way street. Gone is the pledge to put a yellow box junction by the bus stop in Caulfield Road near Ness Road and gone is the pledge to harden the verges on Blyth Avenue to allow more room for vehicles to pass. It is worth reminding that this administration is rabidly supported by UKIP in Southend and Shoeburyness.

One item in the capital programme listed below which has gone un-noticed is the commitment to spend £250,000 on the Council's preferred option for flood defences at Shoebury Common in this current financial year. As the new administration has announced that the preferred option is to undergo a review, could this mean that the new administration are planning to still go ahead with the current preferred option?

Or is the quarter of a million pounds earmarked for what would be a costly review when two thirds of the new administration support the current preferred option.