Cllr Donna Richardson for Blenheim Park Ward

03/09/2026

🗣 A small but important accessibility improvement ♿ 🗣

We’re pleased to share that Southend-on-Sea City Council will be installing tactile paving at the crossing point shown below.

This is a well-used crossing, and the improvements will make it fully accessible, helping to create a safer and more inclusive crossing point, particularly for residents who are blind or partially sighted.

We know some people may wonder why tactile paving isn’t being installed at the other crossing points around the roundabout. Unfortunately, the central islands at these locations are too small to safely accommodate the required paving.

The local shopkeepers have been spoken to about the works, and they have been very supportive of the improvements.

The work is expected to be completed by Monday 7 October.

It may seem like a relatively small change, but improvements like this can make a real difference to people’s independence and ability to get around safely.

12/08/2026

🌘 ECLIPSE OVER THE ESTUARY 🌘

This Wednesday head to the end of the world's longest pleasure pier and witness a spectacular solar eclipse over the Thames Estuary. The next eclipse of this scale visible from Southend won't be until 2081!

🌅 Unbeatable estuary views
🎵 Live DJ with space-themed tunes
🍔 Food & drink available from Offshore Restaurant

😎 Eclipse viewing glasses will ONLY be available on Wednesday to pier customers while stocks last. Don't miss your chance to view this incredible event safely.

🌞 Eclipse begins: 6:17pm
🌞 Maximum eclipse: 7:13pm

ℹ️ Pier open until 8:00pm | Last entry 7:00pm | Usual pier admission charges apply

✨ Join us for an evening that's literally out of this world! 👇👇
www.southendpier.co.uk/event-details/eclipse-over-the-estuary

12/08/2026

🤣 Oh, the joys of being a councillor 🤣

You go on annual leave, come back feeling sort of refreshed… then open your inbox to 342 emails! 😳 324 done

If you’ve emailed me while I’ve been away, please bear with me. I haven’t forgotten you, and I will respond to everyone as soon as I can.

Thank you for your patience and understanding; I’d better get back to those emails! ☕😂

11/08/2026

🏡 SOUTHEND’S LOCAL PLAN – MY POSITION

There has been a lot said about Southend’s Local Plan, and I want to make my own position very clear.

I care deeply about protecting our Green Belt and green spaces, and suggestions otherwise are simply wrong.

I am also adamant that infrastructure must come first. We cannot keep building homes without ensuring our roads, schools, GP services, transport and other essential services can cope.

But we also need to be honest about the Local Plan debate.

❗ Stopping the new Local Plan does NOT stop development.

Southend’s current planning framework is badly out of date. Keeping it leaves us more exposed to national housing rules, developers and planning appeals; potentially giving us less control over what gets built, not more.

A new Local Plan would:

🏘️ Reduce the number of homes we need to plan for from around 28,000 to around 14,900

🏗️ Put brownfield development first

🏥 Strengthen requirements for infrastructure alongside development

🏡 Give greater protection against the over-concentration of HMOs

🌳 Provide updated protections for our green spaces and environment

📍 Give Southend greater control over where and how development happens

Yes, we need homes. Our young people should have the opportunity to live and buy homes in the city they grew up in, and families need genuinely affordable housing.

But we cannot simply keep squeezing development into existing neighbourhoods either. More flats, taller buildings, backland development and family homes converted into HMOs all place additional pressure on already stretched infrastructure.

Brownfield first; absolutely. But infrastructure must be planned alongside development, not treated as an afterthought.

We have already seen what can happen when councils fail to maintain an up-to-date Local Plan. Government has intervened elsewhere, and councils can lose some local control over major planning decisions.

That is not what I want for Southend.

There has also been confusion about the Planning Committee meeting on 26 August. That meeting is NOT about adopting the new Local Plan. It concerns a planning application being considered under the current planning framework.

The new Local Plan will go through consultation, and ultimately the decision will be taken by all 51 councillors at Full Council.

This should not be reduced to political point-scoring.

My position is clear:

🌳 Protect our Green Belt and green spaces
🏗️ Brownfield first
🏥 Infrastructure must come with development
🏡 Deliver the homes Southend genuinely needs
🚫 Protect family neighbourhoods from inappropriate development
📍 Keep as much planning control as possible here in Southend

A Local Plan isn't simply about housing. It shapes our infrastructure, businesses, jobs, transport, environment and communities for years to come.

I want development that works for Southend – not Southend having to work around development.

21/06/2026

Happy Fathers Day to everyone who are able to celebrate today, wishing you all a day of love and celebrating.

But also, a gentle reminder that Father's Day is not a celebration for everyone.

For those missing their dad, grieving a loved one, navigating estrangement, or carrying difficult memories, today may feel particularly heavy.

Be kind to yourself today. Your feelings are valid, and you are not alone. ❤️

19/06/2026

I was extremely disappointed to learn that Leigh North Street Swim School will be closing at the end of July.

This is a significant loss for our community. Swimming is not only an important life skill but a vital safety skill, particularly in a coastal area such as ours. Ensuring that children have access to swimming lessons can help keep them safe around water and build their confidence for life.

Affordable swimming opportunities are already limited, and the closure of this much-valued facility will leave many families with fewer options for their children to learn and develop this essential skill.

Please support our community and help protect access to swimming lessons by signing the petition below.

Thank you for your support.

https://democracy.southend.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=135&RPID=34532100&HPID=34532100&fbclid=IwdGRjcASh0_5jbGNrBKHT-GV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHn0wgI__BVa6fD2VY6wHRDpViEGddJyPxoqujvb1tXJsrJ1QNgrdjt2L8bkm_aem_YWdncwCBzXeAyjv4evmdl-GpwwiD&brid=YWdncwGBmfPwDkqTsPcQVSYFPwmX

31/05/2026

🗣SOUTHEND LAUNCHES FIRST NATURAL FLOOD SCHEME🗣

🌳First-of-its-kind flood scheme in Southend launched in Belfairs Woods to help protect homes and roads
🪵Innovative “leaky dams” slow storm water, reducing pressure on drains and lowering local flood risk
🪵Nature-based approach uses sustainably sourced timber from Belfairs Woods and trials cutting-edge eco materials

Southend-on-Sea’s first-ever natural flood management scheme has been installed in Belfairs Woods, helping to better protect local homes, roads and businesses from flooding.

The project, delivered by Southend-on-Sea City Council in partnership with Marlborough Highways, Essex Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency, has introduced six “leaky dams” along a 500-metre stretch of the Prittle Brook as part of the Catchment to Coast programme.

The dams are designed to slow the flow of rainwater during heavy rainfall, reducing sudden surges that can – and have previously – overwhelmed drains, increasing the risk of flooding downstream. By holding water back within the woodland, the scheme helps protect nearby communities and reduce pressure on local infrastructure.

While this is the first time this approach has been used in Southend, similar natural flood management schemes have been successfully used elsewhere in the UK. Bringing this approach to Belfairs Woods marks an important step in how the city responds to more frequent and intense rainfall linked to climate change.

Five of the dams have been constructed using sustainably sourced timber coppiced from Belfairs Woods, maintaining the natural character of the site, while a sixth includes a trial nature-based design using mycelium.

As heavy rainfall events become more common, schemes like this help Southend adapt to climate change, reduce flood risk and protect homes, businesses and local infrastructure while enhancing the green spaces residents value.

This project also reflects a broader approach to civic pride in action – not just taking pride in the city, but actively improving and protecting it. By investing in practical, nature-based solutions like this, the Council is helping to create safer, more resilient neighbourhoods, supporting Southend’s long-term ambition to be a cleaner, greener and more sustainable place to live, work and visit.

Cllr Cheryl Nevin, Cabinet Member for Civic Pride, said: “This is a landmark project for Southend and an important step forward in how we manage flood risk. Being the first scheme of its kind in the city, it shows how we can work with nature to better protect our communities.

“Projects like this are exactly the kind of practical action we want to see more of – improving and protecting the places people care about. That’s what civic pride in action looks like. By slowing the flow of water through Belfairs Woods, we’re helping to reduce the risk of flooding downstream while enhancing one of our most valued green spaces.

“It’s a sustainable approach that will help us build a more resilient Southend for the future.”

The scheme will now be monitored to assess its effectiveness over time, helping to inform future natural flood management projects across Southend.

24/05/2026

Had a lovely catch up with Laurie Burton & Cllr Shahid Nadeem: Blenheim Park Ward this morning, going over our plans for Blenheim Park Ward.
Laurie may have lost his seat in the May elections, but he is still very much proactive, and will be working with both myself and Shahid.

10/05/2026

So pleased they will be back, I know my grandkids loved going on a trip along the seafront to Old Leigh. 😊

🚌🍦 COMING VERY SOON 🍦🚌

The EnsignBusCo Open Top Route 99 is back for half‑term fun! 🙌

Catch a ride every 30 minutes between: Leigh-on-Sea > Chalkwell > Westcliff > Southend Pier > Thorpe Bay > Shoeburyness, East Beach.

🔷 Running daily: Saturday 23 May - Sunday 31 May
😎 Grab your sunnies, find your spot up top and let the seaside adventure begin!
👉 www.visitsouthend.co.uk/seafront-open-top-bus