Thank you to every Waterwatch Southend member who attended the Community Meeting on Monday 24 November and to everyone who voted online or in person. Your involvement continues to build a strong, local, community-led model for holding those responsible for our water quality to account.
This meeting marked an important step in establishing the first Waterwatch Southend Community Committee.
Election Results
A total of 58 online votes were received, along with in-person ballots on the night. The top seven candidates have been elected to the inaugural Waterwatch Southend Community Committee:
• Andrew Hall
• Anna Firth
• Kim Hall
• Marcelle Baum
• Naomi Cox
• Peter Lovett
• William Taylor
The committee will now begin its work, including appointing two local business representatives to complete the nine-member structure.
Meeting Recap
The evening opened with the Waterwatch Meeting Behaviour Statement, reaffirming our commitment to respectful and constructive discussion.
Members discussed:
• the new governance structure
• the responsibilities of the Community Committee
• expectations around transparency, community engagement and meeting standards
• the role of stakeholders (MPs, councillors, water companies, Environment Agency) as non-voting participants
• priorities for the next quarter, including the date of the next Water Summit
The group also agreed the term length for the Chair role. Following discussion, members supported a one-year term with a six-month review, as suggested by Kim Hall. This gives stability while allowing rotation if needed.
There was strong interest in expanding outreach, education, and visibility across Southend. Funding applications and partnership work with local organisations will support this.
Daniella closed the meeting by thanking all members for their continued support and especially those who stood as candidates. She noted that every member will have a role in spreading the word, increasing community participation, and strengthening Waterwatch’s impact.
Governance Documents
You can read the governance documents discussed at the meeting here:
Southend Page
Southend’s dedicated page is available here and includes all minutes and agendas from previous community meetings:
https://waterwatchuk.org/southend-on-sea/
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