Southend's new council leader has vowed to press ahead with the town's bid for a supercasino.

Tory Murray Foster wants Southend to become the first regional casino resort in the country with associated hotel and conference facilities.

The issue has attracted huge controversy and many believe the proposal contributed to the demise of former leader Anna Waite who was a strong supporter of the bid.

Mr Foster said: "I feel there has been a blurring of what we are really trying to achieve.

"We want to push forward the regeneration of Southend and conference hotel and casino facilities are vital to this.

"My feeling is some people have been trying to decouple the casino from the rest of what is on offer.

"What I want to achieve is to point out the benefits such a package will bring to Southend and see the regeneration of run-down areas."

He added: "The research which the council has carried out showed that many people who went to casinos were not concerned just with gambling but with entertainment, dining and other facilities which would be on offer."