DIFFERING views have emerged after a meeting of a local community forum where Thurrock Council's list of possible housing development sites as the centre of discussion.

The list, which originally featured 20 possible council-owned sites that could be developed, has courted controversy since it was published last month and there have been angry exchanges with Thurrock Council meetings between rival councillors about it.

Two sites have since been removed from the list by Cllr Barry Johnson, the council's portfolio holder for housing, including one at Callan Grove in South Ockendon, but others in Belhus and South Ockendon remain.

At the Belhus and Ockendon Residents Forum this week Cllr Johnson attended to give his views on the issue and try and put over the council's position.

He found himself defending it against criticism from local ward councillor, Labour's Sue Shinnock in front of an audience that was more than 100 strong.

And at the end of the meeting the two councillors had differing opinions of how it went.

Cllr Shinnick said: "Local residents turned up on Monday evening wanting answers to their questions about the Council's plans and, with the lead Tory councillor for the plans Barry Johnson in attendance, they expected them. But he was unable to answer their most fundamental of questions.

"Cllr Johnson told local residents the forum wasn't a consultation and they'd have to wait for the official consultation to start to make their views heard.

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"When asked when the consultation would open, he said he didn't know.

"Local people were left angered at the lack of basic information and the unwillingness of Councillor Johnson to engage with them in a meaningful way about his plans. He seems to lack the basic knowledge of his own plans!

"Residents don't know if they have to wait three months or three years before they are formally consulted on building on their open green spaces.

"The Tories have completely under-estimated the level of opposition there would be to their plans, local people really value their green spaces and the Tories just don't; understand it.

"However, the battle goes on and it's important for us to keep the pressure on them to scrap them. I urge concerned residents to sign our petition by emailing us at [email protected]."

Cllr Johnson's perception of the meeting is different.

He told Thurrock Nub News: "I was invited by email from the Secretary of the forum to attend a meeting at the Community Hub to dispel the myths and rumours around the plans to consult on the suitability of sites in South Ockendon and Belhus as many untruths were circulating.

"The residents, it seemed, were informed otherwise as a letter by Cllr Shinnick on Council Headed paper clearly stated that the forum "will be meeting to discuss local issues including the proposals to build on a number of green spaces near you"

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"Unsurprisingly there were no other local issues on the agenda so I began the meeting by explaining that I felt the residents had been invited by Cllr Shinnick under false pretenses as there were no other issues and there were also no plans to build on a number of green spaces.

"I explained that it was their input from a full consultation that I was seeking. Feelings certainly did run high but no doubt fuelled by the Labour group's scaremongering.

"I pointed out that individual petitions for each area would certainly resonate more with me than a politically-motivated petition from Labour. I promised to listen when the consultation feedback is complete and the meeting closed some two hours later after I had answered many questions.

"Cllr Shinnick's suggestions that residents left the meeting angered with feelings that I had not engaged certainly do not resonate with my email inbox and calls I have received.

"Residents were informed that the consultation would begin asap but in the meantime they were encouraged to email myself and I would ensure their thoughts and concerns were included in the consultation.

"Labour are still trying to scaremonger with this as there are no building plans on the remaining sites until consultation feedback is returned which will determine any site's suitability.

"It is quite clear to me that although residents may not be entirely pleased with more building in the area they do realise the importance of building new council homes for their children to live in and after my explanation are very annoyed at Labour's attempts to hijack local residents' petitions and using people's fears as a political football."