The Conservative performance in Southend-on-Sea: 2015 compared with 2010

This table compares Conservative votes shares in the Southend-on-Sea Borough Council elections for 2010 and 2015. Whilst it is true that the coincidence of the General Elections distorts local election voting, it nonetheless is a good guide to where Conservative support is in the borough, and how that support is holding up.

	2010 Con vote %	2015 Con vote %	Change
St Laurence	36.31	51.16	14.85
Prittlewell	32.17	46.3	14.13
Eastwood Park	46.09	57.89	11.8
Chalkwell	42.71	49.44	6.73
Westborough	23.26	29.44	6.18
West Leigh	46.41	52.12	5.71
West Shoebury	46.10	51.20	5.1
Blenheim Park	33.96	37.81	3.85
Leigh	37.95	41.49	3.54
Belfairs	39.21	42.56	3.35
Southchurch	37.37	38.56	1.19
Milton	37.91	38.97	1.06
Shoeburyness	38.33	38.81	0.48
Victoria	27.82	23.53	-3.99
Kursaal	29.58	25.39	-4.19
St Luke’s	25.66	20.87	-4.79
Thorpe	32.32	26.33	-5.99

I have sorted this table by the size of the change in vote share over five years. This indicates where the Conservatives are doing well, and where they are going backwards.

The first thing to note, though, is that whilst in no ward in 2010 did they receive more than half of votes cast, in 2015 they passed this mark in four places. Eastwood Park not only shows the biggest Conservative vote share, it is one of their better wards in terms of improved vote. Cllr Trevor Byford, in his acceptance speech, credited the SNP with his significantly improved vote. I am not so sure that is true, but whatever the reason it looks increasingly like their safest ward.

In four wards their vote has gone backwards. Thorpe is a surprise as this was once solidly blue, and yet now looks like they are not making a comeback here any time soon.

The 1.06% improvement in Milton was almost all of their majority there (accounts for 46 votes, and the majority was 51).

In 2010 the Conservative won in ten wards, this time around it was twelve (with thirteen councillors elected as West Shoebury gave them two seats courtesy of a by-election).

If you look at vote share there is a clear east-west divide. Of the best eight only one (West Shoebury in third place) is in the east. Considering how recently they had councillors there, St Luke’s as their worst ward is a surprise. In 2010 Westborough was their weakest ward, and three eastern wards were in the top eight.

Of the wards where they have a councillor presence they are weakest in Blenheim Park.