The 2006 Southend-on-Sea Council election took place on 4 May 2006 to elect members of Southend-on-Sea Unitary Council in Essex, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.[1]
After the election, the composition of the council was
The election saw a candidate from a new party, Mums' Army, stand in West Shoebury ward.[3] [4] The party was founded by Take a Break magazine with a platform of addressing anti-social behaviour in the community.[3]
Meanwhile, the Labour party was unable to put up candidates in 5 wards after their nomination papers were stolen just before they were to be handed in.[5]
The results saw the Conservatives stay in control of the council after winning 11 of the 19 seats which were contested.[6] However this was one down on before the election, after the Conservative council leader, Anna Waite, was defeated in Prittlewell by the Liberal Democrats.[6] The Liberal Democrats gained 2 seats to overtake Labour as the second largest party on the council with 9 councillors, as against 8 for Labour.[6] Overall turnout in the election was 34%.[2]