Residents in Southend-on-Sea can now view the final list of candidates standing for the upcoming local elections on Thursday 7 May 2026. The Southend-on-Sea City Council published the official document confirming the nominees on 10 April 2026.
A total of 17 council seats are up for election, with one councillor to be chosen in each of the 17 wards across the city. The wards participating in this vote include Belfairs, Blenheim Park, Chalkwell, Eastwood Park, Kursaal, Leigh, Milton, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, St Laurence, St Luke’s, Thorpe, Victoria, West Leigh, West Shoebury, and Westborough.
The council is currently run by a coalition led by Labour, the Liberal Democrats, and the Independent Group, with Daniel Cowan serving as the leader. The council is officially under no overall control, with 51 total seats divided among Labour, the Conservatives, the Independent Group, the Liberal Democrats, Reform UK, and the Green Party.
In January 2026, the full council voted for these elections to proceed as planned. This decision was made despite ongoing discussions regarding the future of local government in Essex, which could see structural changes to how councils are organised by 2028.
Local voters are encouraged to review the full list of candidates to help inform their decisions before polling day. Information regarding the candidates is available on the council’s election website.
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