City of Southend-on-Sea
§ This page provides an overview of an officially designated city in the UK, bringing together various information to help you better understand this city.
Southend-on-Sea was granted city status on 1 March 2022 as a tribute to the late Sir David Amess MP. A seaside resort that grew with railways and the Thames Estuary, Southend has operated as a unitary authority since 1998 (renamed Southend-on-Sea City Council after the grant), providing both district- and county-level services independent of Essex County Council while remaining in the county for ceremonial purposes.
City Council Status
Southend-on-Sea City Council is a unitary authority (since 1998); city status was granted in 2022 and the authority adopted the 'City Council' name.
In the UK, a city is not defined by size or population but by formal status granted by the monarch, often through historical charters or, more recently, civic honours competitions. There are 76 officially recognised cities, some of which are relatively small compared to other urban areas. In contrast, local authority districts (361 in total) are administrative areas created for local government purposes and may include a mix of urban centres, suburbs, and rural communities. Within districts, there may be one or more towns, which generally refer to sizeable urban settlements but do not hold city status unless it has been formally granted. In practice, a city can exist within a district, and a district can cover multiple towns, showing the clear distinction between legal status, administrative boundaries, and everyday usage.