Local eateries being terrible for my waistline once again! Absolutely delicious once again, from ATTIC, on the seafront.

We need a better performance and result today than last week to get our Six Nations back on track. Come on, England!

Tonight I attended the Southend Scout & Guide Gang Show at the Palace Theatre. What a fantastic display of talent from local young people! As a former Scout, former leader, and current Scout Group chair, Scouting is deeply important to me and it's fantastic to see it thriving like this in Southend.

Every Saturday morning, @southendlibraries.bsky.social host free drop in brick building sessions for ages 4+, from 10.00 to 12.00 at: 📚Kent Elms Library 📚Leigh Library 📚Shoeburyness Library 📚Southchurch Library 📚Westcliff Library All children should be accompanied by a parent or carer.

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.

Tonight is the next Project Southchurch community meeting, between 19.00 and 21.00, at Belle Vue Baptist Church. Come along and hear updates from Project Southchurch, Essex Police, local councillors and more.

🗣TRAFFIC REGULATION WORKING PARTY MEETING TONIGHT🗣 This evening at 18.30 the Traffic Regulation Working Party at Southend Council will be meeting to discuss the matters on the agenda.

Today is the start of Lent, and Southend Foodbank are running two excellent ways you can help support the essential work they do for the city's most vulnerable. For those who are able, this is a great way to both help Southend Foodbank, and reflect on service this Lent.

A reminder that the #KursaalWard councillors will be holding a community advice surgery, 16.30 to 17.30 tomorrow at Southend Adult Community College. Any #KursaalWard resident is welcome to come and speak to us about any local concern or personal issue. No appointment required.

Wishing a peaceful and reflective Ash Wednesday to everyone beginning Lent today, in #KursaalWard, Southend and around the world.

Okay, so hear me out, but the Marmite caramel sauce was actually quite nice. Reminiscent of salted caramel, but with a vague Marmite-iness. It worked well with the pancakes 🤷🏽‍♂️

Ramadan Mubarak to everyone who is beginning their observance of Ramadan tonight, in #KursaalWard, Southend, and around the world.

It's pancake day! Who else is looking forward to dinnertime? What's your go-top topping? The classic lemon and sugar? Or something a bit more exotic. I've picked up some of this Marmite and caramel sauce. Who knows, it Mar-might be nice!

This half term, step into a Fairy Tale and explore the city in a whole new way. Discover the city-wide treasure trail for only the bravest of explorers. Travel across Southend, collecting stickers as you go. For each site you visit you will get a new sticker. Visit eight sites to complete the map.

🍽SOUTHEND FOOD BANK'S MOST NEEDED ITEMS THIS WEEK🍽 This week, the items @southendfoodbank.bsky.social most urgently need are: 🍅Tinned tomatoes 🥣Vegetable soup 🥔Instant mash 🥣Breakfast cereal 🌽Cans of Sweetcorn 🛍And strong re-useable carrier bags

Xīnnián hǎo (新年好), Gong hei fat choy (恭喜发财), and a very happy and prosperous lunar new year to everyone who is celebrating the start of the Year of the Horse today, in #KursaalWard, in Southend, and around the world. #HappyNewYear #LunarNewYear #ChineseNewYear #YearOfTheHorse

Happy Shrove Tuesday to everyone celebrating today, in #KursaalWard, in Southend, and around the world.

For anyone wanting to watch along from home, this meeting will be starting in approximately 10 minutes.

🚮FLYTIPPING REPORTED FOR REMOVAL🚮 The work of a ward councillor never stops, even at weekends. This weekend I spotted this mattress fly-tipped on Riviera Drive, and reported it to Southend Council for removal.

Why not pop into Southchurch Library tomorrow and let your little ones try your hand - or hook - at some of their pirate-themed crafts? Sessions are 10.00 to 13.00 and 14.00 to 16.00 on Tue 17 Feb, whilst stocks last. It costs £1 per child, and is suitable for ages 4+ with parental supervision.

🚧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.

🗣📅SOUTHEND COUNCIL MEETINGS THIS WEEK📅🗣 This week there are two meetings taking place at Southend Council.

🗣SOUTHEND COUNCIL CABINET MEETING THIS EVENING🗣 This evening at 18.00 the Cabinet of Southend-on-Sea City Council will be meeting to discuss the matters on the agenda. This meeting concerns the council budget for 2026/27.

What better way to spend a rainy Sunday morning, than discussing the mysteries of the universe with Southend Museums' friendly neighbourhood astrophysicist? A big thanks to Rob Clemenson for entertaining and informing me and a dozen or so others at the inaugural Spacetime Sundays.

I always find it a bit disappointing how little necromancy the sport of bodybuilding actually involves.

Popped into Drummer Bees for lunch this afternoon, with Cllr O'Connor. It's a new cafe in the Victoria Shopping Centre, aimed at parents with younger kids. It's got an extensive play area so parents can relax whilst their kids play. Run by Ilsa (of Welcome to the UK fame), it's well worth a look.

It's the second Saturday of the month, which means the #KursaalWard councillors are holding our advice surgery.

🎟EVENT PERMIT APPLICATIONS🎟 In the last week, one event permit application was received by Southend Council pertaining to #KursaalWard. Residents of #KursaalWard with any questions or concerns about event applications can, as ever, get in touch with me at [email protected].

Farage is clearly misleading the public. The main reason that net migration fell by 445,000 (year to June 2025 it was 205k, having been 649k a year before) is that immigration fell by 401,000. The BBC should fact-check/verify and report that this was untrue.

Southend Council is inviting residents to get involved in a fun competition to celebrate the upcoming launch of the official MONOPOLY: Southend-on-Sea Edition this March. To enter, residents simply need to answer: "Why I Love Southend-on-Sea" in up to 25 words or as a visual entry.

Nadhim Zahawi thinks London is now unsafe, because the other day a tired-looking man walked past him during the morning rush hour.

Ignore the media narrative. Britain is turning a corner.

🏡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.

A reminder that the #KursaalWard councillors will be holding a community advice surgery, 10.00 to 11.00 tomorrow at Belle Vue Baptist Church. Any #KursaalWard resident is welcome to come and speak to us about any local concern or personal issue. No appointment required.

My main thoughts on the Jim Ratcliffe stuff is that the United fans had the right of it with that "just like the Glazers" chat a little while ago.

Every Saturday morning, @southendlibraries.bsky.social host free drop in brick building sessions for ages 4+, from 10.00 to 12.00 at: 📚Kent Elms Library 📚Leigh Library 📚Shoeburyness Library 📚Southchurch Library 📚Westcliff Library All children should be accompanied by a parent or carer.

💡🚫FAULTY STREETLIGHTS REPORTED🚫💡 Thanks to local resident and businessman Nick Singer for making me aware of a number of non-functioning streetlights along the seafront, on Marine Parade. These have now been reported to Southend Council for repair.

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.

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 Thursday 26 February, at Prince Avenue Academy and Nursery.

🗣POLICY & RESOURCES OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE MEETING TONIGHT🗣 This evening at 18.30 the Policy & Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Southend City Council will be meeting to discuss the items on the agenda.

Tomorrow is the next Southend Business Partnership breakfast briefing, where entrepreneurs share insights on local business opportunities. At Southend Colleges Group at Luker Road from 07.30, the morning offers a free light breakfast, networking opportunities and updates from local providers.

Join Southend Museums at the Beecroft Art Gallery on Sundays throughout the year for their new, free drop in sessions 'Spacetime Sundays - an hour of cosmic conversation, led by our friendly neighbourhood astrophysicist Robert Clemenson. The first session launches at 11.00 on Sunday 15 February.

🗣LAST CHANCE TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS FOR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING🗣 Did you know that any resident of the City of Southend can ask questions to the cabinet of Southend-on-Sea City Council at full council meetings?

🗣PEOPLE OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE MEETING TONIGHT🗣 This evening at 18.30 the People Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Southend Council will be meeting to discuss the items on the agenda.

💡🚫FAULTY STREETLIGHTS REPORTED🚫💡 At the weekend I noticed that these two streetlights, on either side of the exit from Seaway Car Park onto the Queensway, were not working. They've now been reported to Southend Council for repair.

The Mayor of Southend is opening the doors to Porters Civic House to tours for members of the public, to raise money for his chosen charities. The open day will be on Sat 25 April, 10.00 to 15.00. Tickets are £10pp, going to the Mayor's chosen charities: Southend In Sight and MSE Hospital Charity.

This week, the items @southendfoodbank.bsky.social most urgently need are: 🍅Tinned tomatoes 🥣Vegetable soup 🥔Instant mash 🥣Breakfast cereal 🌽Cans of Sweetcorn 🛍And strong re-useable carrier bags

The next 'Get Ready for Winter' Information stall will be held at Leigh Library on Wednesday 11 February, 10.30 - 12.30. Please drop by for tips and advice in keeping #Safe and #Warm this winter.

🗣PLACE OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE MEETING TONIGHT🗣 This evening at 18.30 the Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Southend City Council will be meeting to discuss the items on the agenda.

Does anyone still believe a word this kiddie porn pedlar says?