Latest News - Parking pass, Business grants, High Street, Vaccines and road resurfacing

Southend-on-Sea City Council sent this bulletin at 18-03-2021 02:48 PM GMT

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Annual parking pass on sale from next week

Southend Pass, the new annual parking pass, which will cost £8.50 per month, will be available for use from 1 April 2021. It includes three hours parking every day in each of the four new zones, in any council owned car parks, or on-street pay-by-phone or pay and display parking bays.

Anyone wishing to buy a pass can do so by downloading the new Southend Parking app from Monday 22 March.

Find out more about the Southend Pass

Join us for a national day of reflection: 23 March

The 23rd March will be the first anniversary of the first UK lockdown, with a National Day of Reflection being led by the charity Marie Curie. The day is focussed on reflecting on our collective loss, supporting those who've been bereaved, and hoping for a brighter future.

Watch a message from the Mayor on our YouTube channel

Grants are available to improve town centre shop fronts

Businesses based in and around Southend town centre can now apply for a grant of up to £5,000 to enhance their shop fronts as the council looks to invest and improve the town centre shopping area.

Possible works that the grant covers can include:

New shop front units
Repairs of a shop front fixture that is visible from the street including the first and second floors of premises
Repainting of shop fronts in suitable colours
Improved signage
External lighting

Find out more

Zero percent loans available to reduce vacant units on the High Street

The council has announced plans to offer 0% loans to owners and potential owners of vacant units in Southend High Street.

Funded through the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) Local Growth Fund, businesses and landlords of vacant units can apply for loans between £1,000 and £50,000.

Find out more

Houses bought by council to ease homelessness and reduce the housing waiting list

The council has bought a further 13 new properties in 2020/21 - 10 to add to its existing council housing stock for those on the councils’ homeseeker’s register, and three to help ease homelessness.

Find out more

Our cherished historic buildings will receive Historic England funding

Southchurch Hall Museum, Prittlewell Priory Museum and Leigh Library will benefit from the grants. The funding will mean essential maintenance and repair works can be carried out to ensure these buildings reopen to the public and thrive once again, having been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Work on the three buildings will start in the coming weeks and is due for completion by 31 July 2021.

Find out more

Woman using hand sanitiser wearing a mask

Carers: vaccines and PPE

PPE

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is now available to all unpaid carers who look after relatives or friends but live in separate properties, following updated Government guidance.

How to order your PPE

Vaccines

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Southend Carers are urging all unpaid carers who have not yet been invited for an appointment by the NHS, to visit the National Booking Service or call 119 to see if they are eligible.

A new sexual health service is launching

A new innovative sexual health service is due to be launched in Southend-on-Sea on Thursday 1 April 2021.

There will be face-to-face appointments available, as well as a 24/7 online service. The online offer will include STI testing and treatment, as well as access to a range of different contraception.

Find out more

Woman in a fruit and veg shop, she is wearing a face mask and is holding oranges

Road resurfacing and pavement maintenance

The first roads and pavements set to benefit from increased investment into the Borough’s highways have been announced.

The comprehensive £5m programme of works will be delivered between April 2021 and March 2022 by Marlborough, the council’s highways term contractor, and will include the resurfacing of 30 roads and 31 pavements.

Find out more

Our City Beach is going purple to promote Census 2021

City Beach in Southend on Sea will join more than a hundred buildings and landmarks across England and Wales by lighting up purple to celebrate the upcoming census and its importance to communities.

The census helps inform the provision of public services throughout the UK, such as determining the appropriate number of school places and hospital beds that are needed to properly serve their communities.

Census day is March 21, but you can fill yours in as soon as you receive your letter.

Find out more

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