51°33N 0°43E, pop (2001e) 160 300. Resort town and unitary authority (from 1998), Essex, SE England, UK; on the R Thames estuary, 57 km/35 mi E of London; famous pier, 2 km/1¼ mi long; railway; airfield; 12th-c Prittlewell Priory museum; football league team, Southend United (Shrimpers).
| Borough of Southend-on-Sea | |
|---|---|
| Geography | |
| Status: | Unitary, Borough |
| Region: | East of England |
| Ceremonial County: | Essex |
|
Area: - Total |
Ranked 314th 41.76 km² |
| Admin. HQ: | Southend-on-Sea |
| Grid reference: | TQ883856 |
| ONS code: | 00KF |
| Demographics | |
|
Population: - Total (2005 est.) - Density |
Ranked 100th 159,300 3,815 / km² |
| Ethnicity: |
95.8% White 1.7% S.Asian |
| Politics | |
|
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council http://www.southend.gov.uk/ |
|
| Leadership: | Leader & Cabinet |
| Executive: | Conservative |
| MPs: | David Amess, James Duddridge |
Southend-on-Sea is a seaside resort and unitary authority in the East of England.
History
Originally the south end of the village of Prittlewell, Southend became a popular seaside resort for Londoners during the Victorian era.
With the decline of traditional British sea-side resorts, from the 1960s onwards much of the centre of Southend was developed as a centre of commerce, and many of the original features of this once-attractive Victorian seaside town were destroyed through redevelopment or neglect.
Local and National Government
Local government district
Southend-on-Sea was formed as a municipal borough in 1892 with the functions of local government shared with Essex County Council.
In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, Southend on Sea became a district of Essex with borough status, however in 1998 it again became the single tier of local government when it became a unitary authority.
Council
There are currently 17 wards each returning three councillors, making a total of 51. Following the 2006 local elections, the composition is:
| Affiliation |
Councillors |
|
| Conservative Party | 30 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 9 | |
| Labour Party | 8 | |
| Alliance Southend | 4 | |
The council is thus controlled by the Conservative Party.
Alliance Southend was formed when two independent councillors from Westborough Ward were joined by two councillors who left the Conservative Party.
The town's coat-of-arms bears the motto 'Per Mare Per Ecclesiam' which translates into 'By the Sea and By the Church', reflecting Southend's historic position between the Church at Prittlewell and the sea as in the Thames estuary.
Members of Parliament
Southend is represented by two MPs at Westminster.
The MP for Southend West has been, since 1997, David Amess (Conservative) who replaced Paul Channon.
Since the 2005 General Election the MP for Southend East and nearby Rochford has been James Duddridge (Conservative), who replaced the long serving MP Sir Teddy Taylor.
| Year | Regional Gross Value Added | Agriculture | Industry | Services |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 1,373 | 2 | 305 | 1,066 |
| 2000 | 1,821 | 1 | 375 | 1,445 |
| 2003 | 2,083 | - | 418 | 1,665 |
↑ Components may not sum to totals due to rounding
Transport
Railways
Southend is served by two railway lines.
Road
There are two main A-Roads connecting Southend with London and the rest of the country, the A127 (The Southend Arterial Road), via Basildon and Romford, and the A13, via Tilbury and London Docklands.
Buses
Local public transport is served by two main bus companies, Arriva, Serving Southend (formerly the council owned Southend Transport) and First Essex Buses (formerly known as Eastern National).
Southend Airport
London Southend Airport supports scheduled flights to Jersey on summer Saturdays.
Education
Secondary schools
In 2004 Southend remained one of the areas of the UK that retain the grammar school system and has four schools of this type: Southend High School for Boys, Southend High School for Girls, Westcliff High School for Boys and Westcliff High School for Girls.
Further and higher education
A number of secondary schools in the area offer further education, but the largest provider of further education is South East Essex College , Located in a new building in the centre of town.
Entertainment and culture
Seafront attractions
The town is well known for its seafront attractions.
A modern cliff lift links the base of the High Street with the new pier entrance.
Theatres
There are three theatres in the town.
Sport
Southend boasts one football team of league stature, Southend United, which is managed by former player Steve Tilson.
There are 2 rugby clubs in town with a nationwide profile, Southend R.F.C.
Cricket is played at Southend by Essex County Cricket Club twice a year usually, but otherwise the only cricket in Southend is local league Cricket. Fly Warren Ellis, graphic novelist Lee Evans, comedian The Horrors, rock band John Hutton, Politician Daniel Jones, musician, producer and former member of Savage Garden Phill Jupitus, comedian John Lloyd, Former British tennis number one Robert Lloyd, opera singer Teri Martine, 60s glamour model Helen Mirren, actress These New Puritans, rock band Kara Tointon, Actress (Currently plays the part of Dawn Swann in Eastenders) Robin Trower and Gary Brooker, guitarist and vocalist of Procol Harum Steve Wright, Disc jockey
Towns within the Borough of Southend
Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, Westcliff-on-Sea
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