Labour retains leadership of Southend council

Labour has retained the leadership of Southend-on-Sea City Council.

Daniel Cowan, a Labour councillor who represents the St Laurence ward, has been elected leader of the authority for a third year.

The council has been in no overall control - where no single party has a majority - for seven years, and remains so after this month's local elections.

A majority of councillors backed Cowan to be leader. He received 27 votes. James Courtenay, a Conservative, got 11.

Although Labour lost seats, it remains the council's largest party.

Labour is leading the authority in a joint administration with the Independent Group and the Liberal Democrats.

Cowan told the BBC: "What I've demonstrated this evening with the outcome of the leadership election is that, even though we do not have the direct numbers within the administration, we command the numbers and the confidence of the majority of the council."

Some Green and non-aligned councillors voted for Cowan.

The 11 Reform UK councillors - eight of whom were elected this month - abstained.

Reform group leader Tony Cox said he hoped "opposition views will be taken into account, otherwise I can't see votes going through on key items".

Courtenay said it had always been likely that Cowan would continue as leader.

He said: "It was pleasing to see this evening that councillor Cowan did recognise that he hasn't got a majority in the council, therefore it's important that we all work together in a non-combative way outside of the council chamber to ensure the best for the city going forward."

Cowan said the authority would continue to invest "record sums" in highways and open spaces.

"People want to feel proud of where they live so the civic pride agenda remains at the top of our list of priorities," he added.

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