Dear Resident,

I’m Oscar James Wood, your Reform UK candidate for Belfairs Ward.

Full statement

I am a 43-year-old married father of three children, I am completely new to politics having never been involved with any party before. My family members own a successful award winning small business located on Eastwood Old Road, I have lived in the Southend area for over 10 years and Belfairs Ward is close to my heart.

My 5 main local priorities will be:

1: Improving the state of the pavement surfaces.
2: Safer roads without potholes.
3: Protecting the green belt.
4: Champion our local small businesses.
5: Protect existing Bus routes from closure.

I have experienced the same struggles as many local families, including post-Covid employment challenges, concerns about the quality of education, lawless crime, and the increasing cost of living.

Many older residents remember more stable times, while my generation faces growing debt, stagnant wages, and a lack of local investment, often leaving people feeling compelled to look outside the UK for a better quality of life. I love our country and am passionate about preserving it before it declines further.

With this in mind, I joined Reform UK to challenge the local financial waste (such as the Better Queensway project) and the incompetence that exists within the Labour, Lib-Dem & Independents administration of Southend City Council. Each year, council tax rises while the standard of local services and infrastructure declines, with too little accountability.

A safe and stable community is essential for empowering local businesses and keeping jobs in the area. Small businesses in Belfairs are struggling, through my family I can relate to the challenges they face, small local retail businesses are a lifeline for many residents who may not be able to travel into the city centre. Against the odds of a failing economy and repeated road closures on the Fairway, these shops are working hard simply to stay afloat. Our pubs and churches are also the lifeblood of our communities, and I will strive to protect them at all costs.

An increase in housebuilding is another issue that concerns many residents, particularly the proposed development on our Green Belt areas. We will oppose all development on the Green Belt, beginning with resisting inappropriate HMO applications and opposing a “City of Sanctuary” application.

Regardless of your personal political persuasion, I aim to be a strong voice for your family and the Belfairs community, working for better streets, safer roads, and a growing local economy. If you have historically voted for the same old Conservative or Independent candidates, please consider voting Reform UK this May 7th, we are the “Political Party” that can stop a Green Party victory in the Southend West area.

Many thanks,

OJ Wood

Belfairs.Ward@Southend-Reform.UK