CAMPAIGNERS hoping to save Thurrock's Thameside Complex and Theatre have released a video accusing the borough council and political commentators of offering misleading information about a bid by the local community to take on responsibility for the building, its museum, theatre and library.

The future of the complex has been in jeopardy for the past couple of years and the council has confirmed it wants to close the complex – and has said that there have been no credible bids from the local community.

That is hotly disputed and a video published on social media shows a detailed business plan submitted to the authority that is 26 pages long and also a proposal listing development and creative ideas which is 213 pages long.  

The video quotes Director of Place Mark Bradbury as having told councillors the community had 18 months to make bids and no cogent proposals had been forthcoming. Council leader Mark Coxshall, when he was addressing the council recently presented the same view.

The video appears to completely contradict those statements.

The council also appears to be reneging on a previous commitment to take the issue of the Thameside to the next cabinet meeting and then to full council.

In January the council issued the following statement: "No decision on the future of the Thameside Complex has been made. The matter will first go to Corporate Overview and Scrutiny which will make a recommendation based on their discussion of the matter and then on to Cabinet for a decision.

"The review of Thurrock Council property assets, including the Thameside Complex, was announced in July 2021. The council has been assessing business cases from bidders that have expressed an interest in the property.

"There has been no further decision made this week. Decisions of this nature are made in public following discussion at democratic, public council meetings.

"The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny meeting is on 2 February."

At that meeting, the Thameside was discussed and portfolio holder Cllr Qaisar Abbas was, to a degree, found wanting, admitting he did not know all the relevant information when quizzed by opposition councillors.

He did say: "We want to take art and culture to different communities, to Purfleet, to Corringham and Aveley and not focus on one centre."

Cllr Victoria Holloway referred to Harlow winning £20 million from the Department of Levelling Up to develop leisure and cultural activities there.

Despite being designated by the department as an area of need, Thurrock did not apply!

She asked Cllr Abbas: "Why did you not apply for levelling up funding, have you given up on the Thameside and arts and culture in Thurrock?"

Cllr Abbas acknowledged Thurrock was designated as an area for levelling up funding and said groups in the borough had applied for it, naming as Coda Dance Club and Arts Outburst.

He added: "I think there is a perception by certain individuals that the administration is against the Thameside. We have reached out to sections of the community. If any group wants to meet me I am happy to meet them, I have met some of them and told them we are here, we are open, if you have any suggestions please tell us!"

Cllr John Kent pressed the matter, asking: "Why was there no levelling up bid for Thurrock?"

Cllr Abbas declined to answer, saying he needed further information from officers, adding: "We had various discussions on this, I am happy to come back to you on this."

That prompted an intervention from Gerard McCleave, a consultant brought into Thurrock in January 21 to be responsible for economic growth and partnerships at the council.

"He said: "We were a level two designation, others were level one. it was agreed we were not going to bid because significant investment would have been required to put a bid together."

Cllr Kent thanked him for the answer and the clarity it brought in letting people know the council hadn't applied because it couldn't afford to put a bid together.

His angst at the performance of Cllr Abbas was clear and he then quizzed the portfolio on a projected £90,000 cut to grants to community groups across the borough. Again Cllr Abbas said he did not have the information and said he could not elaborate on the £90,000 savings to be made.

There is no agenda item on the Thameside's future listed for the cabinet when it meets on Wednesday (22 February).

Campaigners bidding to save the theatre have said they will be mounting a mass protest and lobby of council members at the full council meeting on Wednesday, 1 March.