The Conservative Group on Southend Borough Council are calling for Infrastructure concerns of residents to be given higher priority after being neglected by the Labour Led Coalition currently running Southend Council.
This follows developments across the borough as well as in neighbouring Castle Point and Rochford resulting in thousands of additional people living in and around the Borough.
Key issues that must be considered include School Places, GP Surgery Appointments and Road infrastructure.
Cllr Tony Cox, Leader of the Conservative Group said,
"We have seen this Labour Led Council approve thousands of additional homes, something that we do support to ensure that we meet the Government targets and so that everyone can have a place they call home. However, they have shown a deeply troubling lack of interest in providing the infrastructure required to service these developments.
"The people who live in these homes need Doctors’ appointments, but we have already seen this administration turn down plans for an additional GP surgery on Fossetts Farm and have done nothing to expediate the Shoebury Health Centre or bring a Minor Injuries Unit to the town to alleviate pressures on the town’s hospital. Their disregard puts at risk the health of our residents as they struggle to get a GP appointment.
"The children who live on these developments need to be educated but this administration has not provided plans to increase the number of school places or even the building of a new school to ensure that every child in Southend has a Good or Outstanding Education. Their disregard puts at risk the future of the next generation as teachers struggle to give every child the attention they deserve due to overcrowded classrooms.
"The people who live on these developments need to be able to travel freely. But the administration has put no hard plans to improve public transport links, build new roads or produce a realistic strategy to encourage more safe cycling or walking to improve the flow of people in, out and around the borough. Even the very loose plans they have put forward have no funding or Council policy in order to bring them to fruition. Their disregard creates traffic chaos, increases air pollution, harms our local economy and as such kills off local jobs.
"It is time for infrastructure to be brought to the top of the agenda. With the support of the Conservative Government’s level up funding we can once again Unleash Southend's Potential instead of managing its decline as the current administration is content to do."
A Conservative led administration will prioritise infrastructure projects across the borough.
