THURROCK Council is seeking the views of residents on its budget plans for 2026-27, when it will be seeking to raise council tax, rents and many charges.

Service cuts of close to £14 million are also scheduled on top of £46.4 million that have been cut over the last three years. Another £26 million in cuts are set for the following two years.

A significant problem for the council is that it is spending around £70 million each year just to service its billion pound plus debt - largely created by its catastrophically-failed 'borrow to invest' policy. That scheme is current the subject of an on-going investigation by the Serious Fraud Office.

Draft proposals for the budget were discussed at a cabinet meeting in December, which included a report by the corporate services overview and scrutiny committee. The cabinet's report to the O&S committee can be read here and this link (Item 35) gives access to individual budget breakdown proposals.

A statement from the council says: "We've committed to the Government that we will make savings each year. We must save £41 million in the next three financial years, to protect vital services and help bring our debt down. In 2026/27, savings proposals totalling £13.9 million are identified against a target of £13.65 million.

"We are continuing to face pressures in both demand and cost across all our services including children and adult social care. The decisions we make affect every household, organisation and business in Thurrock. Sharing your views will help ensure we are making these decisions based on community priorities, the challenges you face, and the outcomes that matter most to you. 

"Our draft budget for 2026/27 has been published and we want to know what matters most to you before councillors agree the final plan in February.

"To complete the survey, visit: https://orlo.uk/0ho9U."

The survey contains links to the individual elements of the budget proposals.

The spokesperson for the Non Political Alliance of Independent Councillors, Cllr Neil Speight, said: "My independent colleagues and I view, with a distinct sense of scepticism, the statement that the council wants to know what people in the borough think. The ruling group has largely ignored cost-saving suggestions from councillors and has continued on its crushingly expensive 'jobs for the boys projects' bringing in many very highly paid officers, though we see little benefit from their work.

"As I highlighted at the recent extraordinary meeting of this disreputable and broken council, at the last count we have 77 senior officers of assistant director or head of service level. The real figure – because that only tacks back to April 2024 is probably higher. I think the sensible thing would be to cull a few heads there and make some saving, because quite frankly I have no idea what many of them do other than work from home, tick a few boxes and pick up extravagant pay checks.

"However, and I am afraid it's a very tortuous and unhelpful process to log in and register, I would ask as many people as possible do so and record your views because the independent councillors will be asking how your opinions have been weighed, valued and treated."