Cllr Matt Dent

Residents of #KursaalWard with any questions or concerns about planning applications can, as ever, get in touch with me at cllrdent@southend.gov.uk.

More information about any planning application can be found on the Council's website, at: champ.ly/QCS0kgKo

Ward councillors have the discretion to all most types of applications in to be decided by the Planning Committee, rather than by planning officers using delegated powers. If you think I should exercise this discretion in relation to an application, please let me know.

Planning application 26/00254/FUl, pertaining to 19 Boscombe Road, to install new vehicle crossover onto Boscombe Road.

Planning application 26/00285/FUL, pertaining to 38 Belle Vue Road, to demolish existing double garage and erect three storey building to form three self-contained flats (Amended Proposal)

Planning application 26/00290/FUL, pertaining to 45 Woodgrange Drive, to change the use of dwellinghouse (Class C3) to a 7-bed HMO (Sui generis), remove chimney and install solar panels to outrigger roof, erect single storey rear extension, layout cycle and refuse storage.

🏡PLANNING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED THIS WEEK🏡

Each week I post details of any planning applications received by Southend Council in the past week, within #KursaalWard. This week there were three.

Between 11.00 and 14.00 every Friday, Sacred Heart Church in Southend will be opening their doors for a community warm café and offering hot (and homemade!) soup, good company, and a warm place to sit - all free of charge.

Between 11.00 and 14.00 every Friday, Sacred Heart Church in Southend will be opening their doors for a community warm café and offering hot (and homemade!) soup, good company, and a warm place to sit - all free of charge.

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, the #KursaalWard councillors have had to cancel our community advice surgery this Saturday (14 March) at Belle Vue Baptist Church.

Residents can still contact myself, Cllr Irene Ferguson and Cllr Chris Webster at any time if they need assistance.

A fantastic double-page in today's Echo, on Project Southchurch and the Hindu Association Southend and District's Happy Holi event. It was a vibrant and colourful celebration of spring and the triumph of good over evil - and great to see so many people come to Southchurch Hall Gardens to celebrate.

It certainly felt like spring was here at last today. Even the turtles in Southchurch Hall Gardens were out, doing yoga poses in the sunshine!

Remember to visit the Southend Pier website to plan your next trip: champ.ly/bc4F1_er

ℹ️🏖️SOUTHEND PIER VISITOR NOTICE🏖️ℹ️

Please note Southend Pier will be opening at 11.15 on Friday 13 March. The first train will run at 11.30.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

A bit late, but after nearly seven years of campaigning and working to save the Kursaal, was fantastic to see the headline and coverage we've all been hoping for in the Echo on Monday.

To stay informed about fraud and cybercrime threats, you can sign up for Southend Council's monthly fraud alerts e-newsletter: champ.ly/buEXlqFG

Criminals have placed fake QR codes on our parking signage. The Council is acting swiftly to remove these and would like to remind residents, businesses and visitors that QR codes are no longer used on any of our parking machines, signage, or pay‑by‑phone parking systems in the city.

📱🅿️WARNING ABOUT QR CODE PARKING SCAMS🅿️📱

Southend Council is urging drivers to stay vigilant after scams continue to occur involving fraudulent QR codes being placed on parking signage and fraudulent text messages claiming to be about PCNs.

For information about donating food, drop-off points, warehouse opening hours, etc: champ.ly/lsMdPRyp

A photograph of a whiteboard listing the five most needed items by Southend Foodbank for the current week, (Mashed potato! cereal, tins of tuna, sweetcorn and tins of mince and onion) in front of a mini-trolley filled with those items, against a background of crates of food at the foodbank, with the Southend Foodbank logo in the top left corner.

🍽SOUTHEND FOOD BANK'S MOST NEEDED ITEMS THIS WEEK🍽

This week, the items Southend Foodbank most urgently need are:

🥔Instant mash
🥣Breakfast cereal
🐟Tins of tuna
🌽Sweetcorn
🥫Minced beef and onion
🛍And strong re-useable carrier bags

Promotional graphic for a "SEND SURGERY". The top half features a warm, smiling photo of a family: a man in a white polo shirt, a young child in an orange top, and a woman wearing a light brown hijab. The bottom half has a maroon background with a vibrant pink speech bubble logo saying "SEND SURGERY." To the right, text reads: Tuesday, 24 March, 9am–11am, at Fairways Primary School, The Fairway, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 4QW

The Southend Council SEND Team holds monthly SEND surgeries in locations across Southend to answer questions and provide advice to parent carers of children and young people with SEND.

The next surgery will be 09.00 to 11.00 on Tuesday 24 March, at Fairways Primary School.

📶Telecoms works by Openreach at 48 Eastern Esplanade, between 12 and 16 March - 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆.

🚧Highway works by Southend Council at junction of Sutton Rd and Queensway Roundabout, between 3 February 2026 and 3 February 2027- 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆.

🚧Highway works by Southend Council at Porters Grange Subway, between 8 December 2025 and 3 February 2027 - 𝗡𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆.

🚧Highway works by Southend Council at Surbiton Ave, between 12 and 13 March - 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 (𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲) 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲.

🚆Railway works by National Rail outside Southend East station, Riviera Dr, between 17 October and 10 June - 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 (𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀) 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲.

🚧Highway works by Southend Council at Sutton Rd spur road opposite Barringtons, between 2 February and 27 April - 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆.

🚧Highway works by Southend Council at Porters Grange Roundabout, between 12 January 2026 and 21 January 2027 - 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆.

🚧Highway works by Southend Council at Queensway from approx. Chichester Rd to Whitegate Rd, between 8 December 2025 and 3 February 2027 - 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆.

🚧Highway works by Southend Council at Queensway Slip Roads, between 31 October 2025 and 21 January 2027 - 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆.

A map showing the planned highway works in Kursaal ward for the week 9 to 15 March, with Cllr Matt Dent's logo depicting the Kursaal dome over text reading "Cllr Matt Dent/Your Voice for Kursaal" in the bottom right corner.

🚧HIGHWAY WORKS IN KURSAAL WARD THIS WEEK🚧

The following highway works are scheduled for this week either in #KursaalWard, or close enough to Kursaal ward to potentially affect residents.

I can say without doubt that Kursaal has the best representation in the borough, and the lion's share of it is down to my fearless colleagues.

Both @ireneferguson.bsky.social and Cllr Chris Webster are an inspiration to work with. I am enormously proud to be a member of this team, and to be able to witness and learn from them bringing their different experiences and skillsets to bear on the problems of Kursaal ward and its residents.

As today is International Women's Day, it seems only fair to recognise the two women who I work alongside in #KursaalWard.