A PRESENTATION due to be heard by members of Thurrock Council's audit committee this evening (Monday, 21 July) was pulled at the last minute and has been deferred.

Earlier today Thurrock Nub News presented an exclusive story highlighting flaws and innacuracies in the presentation on the council's relationship with bankrupt property advisor and renovation firm Phi Capital, which had been prepared by the authority's Chief Executive and Managing Director Commissioner, Dr Dave Smith.

And this afternoon further evidence was presented to the council's head of financial assurance, internal audit, risk and insurance, Satinder Jas, detailing more mistakes in the presentation.

Nevertheless, the item remained on the agenda and just before the meeting councillors were told there might be a statement ahead of the presentation.

However, when the meeting opened and moved on to the item, committee chair Cllr Fraser Massey announced that the whole item has been deferred.

He gave no explanation why, saying: "I'm going to ask committee members if we can defer this to a future meeting, potentially the one in August."

Fellow members agreed, despite there being no reason for the delay given. Thurrock Nub News has contacted the council and requested an explanation.

Its editor, Neil Speight said: "This was a very flawed piece of work which certainly highlighted a catalogue of horrendous mistakes but I believe even then sought to downplay the severity of the failings of the council which has potentially cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.

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"The fact that it was dropped well past the eleventh hour without any explanation would suggest my concerns were well-founded, but we will have to wait and see."