ESSEX police have called time on a probe into potential bribery and corruption within Thurrock Council's planning service – saying there is 'no realistic prospect' of a conviction.

This is despite the force being supplied with statements related to historic and controversial granting of planning applications, specific details of an attempt to bribe a councillor on the authority's planning committee and long-running and deep-seated concerns about honesty of Thurrock's planning process over more than two decades.

This report and comment is written by Thurrock Nub News editor and local councillor Neil Speight, who has covered Thurrock Council affairs for more than 20 years – and was so angered by recent failings and the loss of more than one billion pounds through failed investments that he stood and won a seat in last May's elections – primarily on an 'honesty election ticket'.

He says: "It is extremely unusual for a journalist to seek public office, but like broadcaster Martin Bell in 1997 (who overturned a 'safe' Tory seat with a 16,000 majority, into a triumph against corruption with an 11,000 victory) I became so incensed and concerned by the sleeze within Thurrock Council that I felt that just reporting the grim facts was not enough. I felt residents needed an informed voice inside the council chamber.

"This report is based on personal experience, conversations I have had, and is written with absolute personal certainty. Sadly, as Essex Police have just experienced, 'knowing and proving' are two different things. I make no apology for hopefully embarrassing certain people and questioning the integrity of much that surrounds the Thurrock planning process.

"It is deeply rotten and shamefully there are many public figures who have secrets to hide – and sadly others who want to help them to do it".

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A WOMAN who had been arrested as part of an investigation into an allegation of bribery in relation to a planning application in Thurrock will face no further action.

A statement from Essex Police says: "In August 2023, we have received information relating to a planning matter which concerned Thurrock District Council.

"As part of that investigation a member of the public, a woman, was arrested.

"A full, thorough and unimpeded investigation was carried out by specialist economic crime and fraud officers, with witnesses spoken to and key CCTV footage reviewed.

"The evidence was collated, and it was concluded that there was no realistic prospect of a conviction. The woman has been released from bail and will face no further action.

"All involved have been updated."

The investigation made by Essex Police was into reports that a member of the planning committee was approached by someone purporting to be a ward member and wanting to discuss a case issue. The councillor agreed, at short notice, to a face-to-face meeting to discuss the problem – only to find the matter was not about a ward issue, but was in fact an offer of £30,000 to support a planning application.

A planning meeting on 17 August last year was due to consider the application for the Mar Dyke Logistics Park after it had previously deferred in controversial circumstances. The offer to the councillor, which was immediately reported to the police, council officers and colleagues, came ahead of the meeting and at it Cllr Tom Kelly announced debate on the application would be deferred.

There is no suggestion that the councillor did anything improper and the report of the bribery attempt was followed up by police.

When it became known by a small number of people what had happened, including independent councillor and local journalist Neil Speight, he made a statement to police about things he believed were connected with the application.

The projected development at the heart of controversy.

Cllr Speight says: "For some time I have had deep concerns about this planning application – and several others that have been associated with the same company.

"In 2022, before I had even considered being a councillor, I had been approached by an associate of the Iceni group who were involved in the concept for the logistics park with an offer of a personal payment of £10,000 if I were to put Nub News 'behind' the application and promote its merits.

"I would stress there is nothing criminal about that offer, however it gives a clear view on the mindset of the company and how it appears to think spending money will solve problems.

"It goes without saying, the offer was declined, though I did accept a paid advertisement from the company, at the same rate as any other advertiser might pay, for a panel and link on our site about a consultation of the scheme. I expressed my opinion that it was not appropriate action to try and 'bribe' the media.

"Just prior to being elected in May last year, I attended the outgoing Mayor's civic dinner, having brought tickets to do so and to support his charitable causes.

"At that dinner I was surprised to see some local landowners 'hob-knobbing' and hosting tables with senior council officers on them and also some councillors. There were also representatives of the Iceni group at the dinner doing the same.

"It looked and felt wrong to me and, when I became a councillor I reported that view to the council's Legal and Monitoring Officer with my personal opinion that I felt it was inappropriate. My concerns were brushed aside.

"At the same time I made a statement that I believed that at least one senior councillor had been given a unrecorded payment by property developers and that one of those landowners, who is a noted financial supporter of local Conservatives, had also made payments to win support for projects he was associated with.

"To name those people here would clearly leave me open to a libel action, and it would be injudicious to do so, but I know it to be the truth – not least because both people have privately confirmed to me that it happened.

"Those names were passed to the police, as well as the council!"

Senior police officers in Thurrock have been quick to deflect any perception that the investigation may have been halted by political interference. Police and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst is up for election shortly and his campaign is run from the office of Thurrock and Basildon Conservatives, including party members who have conceded they have been close to some people who have achieved successful planning applications. Donations have been made to the local party by some of those connected with green belt applications.

Nub News was told by the force: "All matters are based on operation issues and legal advice"

The decision by Essex Police not to pursue their investigation following initial investigations also comes in the wake of a statement in a Local Government Association peer review of Thurrock's planning issues that highlighted a number of decisions that were made in 'unusual circumstances'.

The findings of the peer review were reported on Thurrock Nub News in January. The full report can be read here.

The peer team declined to review in detail why and how a significant number of residential planning applications recommended for refusal by officers were granted permission.

Residents have become increasingly frustrated by planning decisions made in the green belt against officer recommendation.

Thurrock councillors have also voted for a full independent inquiry to be held into the planning department and its recent failings – but the council leadership appears extremely reluctant to proceed with it.

The motion was proposed at full council last September and received unanimous support.

It superseded the peer review, which in reality is a review of the current situation (described in the report as 'the review represents a snapshot in time') rather than a forensic probe into the functions of the council planning team, how decisions came to be made and possible criminality.

Indeed, the report actually says 'an illustration can be found in some of the actions of the planning committee, overturning several officer recommendations seeking to refuse applications for development in Thurrock's extensive green belt.' It goes no further.

There was also a suggestion that the council were covering up some aspects of the planning process. The report said: "The Thurrock planning service struggled to provide information to the peer team in a timely manner and the format requested." The report does say that most of the issues were eventually resolved after pressure for information was brought to bear.

Historically the report says there were 'failures of the officers in the council's three statutory roles to maintain the integrity of the authority'.

And the role of councillors on the planning committee was questioned. The report details: "Conflicts between officers and members on a number of cases as well as an ad-hoc pattern of decision making by committee."

It goes on to say: "Although members have not overturned officer recommendations on very many occasions during the last five years, it has become a growing trend. For example, 2021 and 2022 (the last two years for which we have complete data) seem to be particularly difficult with nine decisions at committee overturning the recommendations of planning officers. Importantly, 22 of the last eight overturns seen at the committee, seven have overturned a recommendation for refusal to grant an approval.

"Five of these seven cases have been on applications for development in the Green Belt and include schemes of a significant scale."

The peer review team described some of the council's decision-making, particularly at committee, as 'extremely unusual' but it was not the remit of the panel to look into individual cases.

And concern has recently been raised about the relationship between council leader Cllr Andrew Jefferies and a particular cluster of companies who have been linked with a number of controversial decisions in the borough.

The Iceni Group was set up in 2012 and among its advisors and employees were members of the dissolved  government quango Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation – and experts from Iceni have been engaged in laying the groundwork for a number of green belt developments, including the building of an executive housing estate on Lower Dunton Road, the approval for the retirement village and leisure complex at Langdon Hills and, most recently the approval for more than 200 homes in the green belt in East Tilbury.

A number of other, widely-opposed smaller schemes have also been approved, often despite opposition from council planning officers.

Iceni has also been heavily involved in the setup for the Mar Dyke Logistics Park, the development at the heart of the bribery allegations.

In July last year Thurrock Nub News reported on a development company set up in the borough with a view to developing 25,000 homes. It is called the 'Thurrock Residential Partnership' (TRDP) and its chair is Andy Millard – Thurrock Council's former director of planning and place.

He left his £135,000 a year post in October 2021, issuing a leaving message that said: "Building on the vast amount of experience I have gathered over my career, I am now available for interesting and rewarding short-term advisory roles in the public and private sectors."

He popped up back in the borough and received an immediate endorsement from Cllr Jefferies who said: "The council is keen to work with proactive partnerships like TRDP, putting the community at the centre of those conversations."

The sole director and officer of TRDP is Ian Anderson, also a key figure at the helm of many companies in the Iceni group.

Cllr Jefferies has denied he has done anything improper by offering support to a particular development company.

And he appears to keep promoting land development.

Last week his office issued a personal invitation to councillors to attend a briefing on a planned 'village development' near West Horndon – which Cllr Jefferies asked his office manager to facilitate. Members were asked to respond quickly as the meeting 'needed to be held by 6 March'. The reason for the haste has not been explained.

The briefing was to be presented by Iceni.

That prompted questions about the meeting from some councillors and the invitation has since been withdrawn.

Thurrock Nub News asked the council if the invitation was appropriate and why, if it was, it had been withdrawn. A statement in reply says: "The invitation was withdrawn when it became clear the date and time of the briefing did not suit a number of councillors. Suitable times are currently being looked into and another invitation will be sent to all members.

"We have nothing further to add."

Around the same time as Cllr Jefferies' backing for TRDP last July, a cross party group of councillors wrote to the council calling for a probe into council planning committee decisions 'which leave them open to charges of bias and corruption'.

Their letter can be read here.

Like the call through a motion for an inquiry, many questions in the letter remain unanswered and the cloud of credibility around the possibility of corruption remains.

And problems remain about the functionality and appropriateness of the planning process.

Just a few days ago another controversial application before councillors ended in deferment and disarray with some councillors walking out of the meeting in protest.

COMMENT by Neil Speight

THERE are deeply disturbing ramifications from the police decision not to pursue their investigations into the claim of bribery. However, I understand the position.

At the end of the day the investigation found the person concerned and interviewed her. But with complete denial, it becomes one person's word against another and would be incredibly difficult to prove in front of a jury.

However, I have known the councillor concerned from some time and they are a very respected and well known person, whose integrity is beyond question.

I know how deeply disturbing the incident was and I know that news that the police do not feel they can continue with an investigation will come as a hammer blow to that person.

If it is any small consolation, I fully believe the offer was made and I suspect I know who was behind it, the very same person who over many years has never shied from chucking money about to get his way.

This goes back beyond the current Conservative administration – indeed to the last millennium.

Corruption in high office in Thurrock is not solely the responsibility of the Conservatives. When I first came to Thurrock, the council was led by Andy Smith – a man whose name was often accompanied by allegations of wrong-doing.

Before him, the mayor of Thurrock in 1994 – prominent councillor Pat Rice – was known as the man who would welcome a brown envelope to facilitate a deal!

He was followed onto the council by his son, Gerard whose early political career was marked by allegations of corruption in expenses claims when serving on Essex County Council.

Undaunted he pursued a political career on Thurrock Council and followed in his father's footsteps to become mayor in 2003. He further courted controversy in 2013 when he built – and then had to remove - a large fence around his Chadwell St Mary home because it breached planning permission.

Mr Rice famously challenged planning officers to take enforcement action, saying: "If they do it to me, they will have to do it to everyone. Everyone does it, why can't I?"

And in 2019 he was briefly suspended from the planning committee and had the Labour whip withdrawn when he found himself the subject of an investigation into a planning matter. He was cleared of all wrongdoing and reinstated.

It did leave a bad taste with come colleagues though and in 2021 he found himself roundly castigated by Labour's left wing in a damning critique of borough planning.

So over the years planning credibility has been a blight on the council's honesty, regardless of political creed.

I believe that continues today.

I will be so bold as to say I believe there has been deep-seated and sustained corruption over many years.

Fat cats and lickspittles of all shapes and sizes have fed themselves at the trough.

And sadly, at a time when Thurrock Council is under the spotlight of openness, transparency and honesty more than ever before it seems there is still no appetite to investigate and introduce the methodology and mechanisms to put an end to the planning stain on our borough.

With developers circling Thurrock like sharks, we need action.

I believe corruption is hiding in plain sight. Residents see it, some councillors see it – and I know some officers share that view – so why can't it be stamped out?