Cash-strapped and beleagured council calls off cabinet meeting where major issues were due to be discussed
By Nub News Reporter 10th Sep 2022
THURROCK Council has cancelled a meeting of its cabinet next week which was due to discuss the current financial plight of the authority.
To date there has been little official word from ruling councillors following the initial resignation of leader Cllr Rob Gledhill which sparked revelations about the council's disastrous financial situation. The cabinet meeting was seen as a first opportunity for councillors linked to the alleged mismanagement of the authority's affairs to be seen and held to account in public.
Among a number of items on a busy agenda was a report by finance portfolio holder Cllr Jack Duffin - which reveals that the authority is set to withdraw more than £5 million from its reserves to meet an operating shortfall of more than £7 million accrued in the financial year to date.
Other measures, including cost-cutting, claw the gap back but it is still identifed that the council comes up around £2 million short of being able to meet its bills in the first quarter of the year.
And the figures were based on data available at the end of June, well before the revelations which forced the government to intervene just over a week ago and take control of the council's finances.
That intevention by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities was also due to be discussed but the public will now not get the chance to hear what the borough's leading , ruling conservative councillors have to say.
Cllr Duffin's report has been published and can be read via this link.
The cause of the cancellation is given as the death of HM Queen Elizabeth, but next week's Children's Servives Overview and Scrutiny meeting is scheduled to go ahead on Tuesday, as is the general services committee on Thursday - though it is likely the press and public will be excluded for much of that meeting as the main item is an 'Employment Matter' - thought to be a debate about the future of the council's Chief Executive Lyn Carpenter in the wake of the government intervention, which is already earmarked to be held behind closed doors.
Nub News understands her position as the council's senior officer is regarded as untenable by a number of councillors across the political spectrum given the level of failings by the authority.
Though a number of sport events and local entertainments including carnivals and fire service open days, have been called off in the immediate aftermath of the Queen's death, following the national proclamation that King Charles III is acknowledged as monarch, the government has issued the following advice today: "There is no obligation to cancel or postpone events during the National Mourning period."
Also see:
Call for drastic change: https://thurrock.nub.news/news/local-news/in-the-wake-of-a-calamatous-week-thurrock-labour-leader-calls-for-drastic-change-responsible-councillors-to-quit-and-for-a-new-chief-executive-149450
MP expresses concern over council's dire position. https://thurrock.nub.news/news/local-news/borough-mp-pitches-into-concern-over-thurrock-councils-dire-financial-position-and-lays-the-blame-largely-at-the-door-of-officer-cohort-149010
Government tells of 'serious allegations' made against Thurrock council: https://thurrock.nub.news/news/local-news/government-tells-of-serious-allegations-that-led-to-drastic-action-and-intervention-in-thurrock-councils-financial-affairs-148829
Fobbed off and lied to!: https://thurrock.nub.news/news/local-news/opposition-leader-welcomes-change-but-damns-council-after-he-and-media-were-stonewalled-ignored-falsely-reassured-lied-to-fobbed-off-and-misled-148768
Minister says why government had to step in: https://thurrock.nub.news/news/local-news/minister-explains-why-government-has-stepped-in-to-take-over-thurrock-councils-financial-management-148761
Council leader quits: https://thurrock.nub.news/news/local-news/council-leader-quits-as-mismanagement-and-misreporting-of-its-financial-affairs-is-confirmed-148737
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