CASH-strapped Thurrock Council is considering selling off or giving away a whole range of property holdings including land that hosts scout huts, village halls and its household waste recycling centre as it seeks to plug widening gaps in its finances.

The council is facing a multi-million deficit in its budget and next week's meeting of the corporate overview and scrutiny committee will consider what properties it might be able to sell off and which it can give to local communities to manage – saving the cost of administration and maintenance.

Among them are many village halls – most of which have leases currently in places with local community organisations or trusts; scout halls – where arrangements are in place with local scout groups, and children's centres.

The council is also looking at disposal of other assets – possibly most controversially selling off the council's only house waste recycling site on Buckingham Hill Road. It is only a couple of years since the authority recognised the need for an increase in the size and capacity of the site and planning permission was improved for a big upgrade. It has not materialised.

A report says the site is considered suitable for alternate uses. It is proposed the council look at the viability of alternative uses and either use or dispose of it as is appropriate.

East Tilbury Village Hall.

The list of village halls that could be disposed of – many are currently on long leases and are run by local communities - is long.

Among the list is the recently-built Seabrooke Rise Community Hall on Sherfield Road, Grays. It also includes Belmont Village Hall, Parker Road, Gray; Belhus Village Hall, Daiglen Drive, South Ockendon; Brandon Groves Community Hall, Brandon Groves Avenue, South Ockendon; Bulphan Village Hall, Church Road, Bulphan; Chadwell Village Hall (Small), Waterson Road, Chadwell St Mary; Chadwell Village Hall (Large), Waterson Road, Chadwell St Mary; Corringham Village Hall, Springhouse Road, Corringham; Cowdray Village Hall, London Road, West Thurrock; East Tilbury Village Hall, Princess Margaret Avenue, East Tilbury; Horndon Village Hall, High Road, Horndon on the Hill; Hugh Delargy Hall, North Road, Purfleet; Linford Village Hall, Lower Crescent Road, Linford; Orsett Village Hall, High Road, Orsett; South Ockendon Village Hall, North Road, South Ockendon; South Ockendon Village Social Club, Canterbury Parade, South Ockendon; Drake Road Community Hall, Drake Road, Grays; Tilbury Community Hall, Montreal Road, Tilbury; Homesteads Village Hall, Dunstable Road, Stanford-le- Hope.

Thurrock Scouts' Hardie Hall.

The disposal could also see the gift of land across the region where scout halls are built. The halls and buildings themselves are currently mostly owned, managed and paid for the scout groups. The buildings included on the list for consideration include Hardie Hall, Hardie Road, Stanford-le-Hope; Waterson Road Scouts, Chadwell St Mary; Woodview Scouts, The Dipping, Grays; Scout Hall, Northview Avenue, Tilbury (Former St. Chads School Site); Faymore Gardens, Scouts, South Ockendon; Stifford Sea Scout Group, Prince Phillip Avenue Scouts Hall, Grays; Thors Oak Scouts, Stanford-le-Hope; Horndon Rec Scouts Hut, Hordon on the Hill; Alf Lowen Scout Hall, Grays Park Leisure Centre Scouts, Richmond Road, Grays; Tamarisk Road Scout Hall, South Ockendon.

District Scout Commissioner Graham Monk told Nub News he had been engaged in discussions recently with the council to examine the future of scout sites and he said though discussions were in early stages it seemed a practical move that suited the council and the scouts.

Mr Monk said: "We are talking mostly about sites where we currently own and administer the buildings but the land is owned by the council and the practical cost of the administration of those sites does seem an unnecessary expense for the council. It opens up lots of potential possibilities and for once it seems the council wants to do something practical that is sensible and helpful."

Children's centres that could be sold include Aveley Children's Centre, (Discovery Centre) Stifford Road, Aveley RM15 4AA; Stanford Childrens Centre, Copland Road, Stanford Le Hope, SS17 0DF; Purfleet Childrens Centre (Riverlane Centre), Centurion Way, Purfleet, RM19 1PF

The proposed disposals includes a number of sites that play host to pubs, including the Crooked Billet at Stanford-le-Hope, the Woodlands Edge and the Archer pubs in South Ockendon, the Park Tavern and the Knight of Aveley pubs in Aveley, the Daniel, currently known as the Chadwell Arms in Chadwell St Mary.

Also up for consideration are privately run - but council-owned - sheltered housing sites including Leatherland Lodge in South Ockendon, and Bennett Lodge in Chadwell St Mary.   

The scheme is described by the council as its '3R' policy (Release, Reuse, Retain) which focuses on a number of surplus and under-used properties including industrial land – which could be disposed of by private sale, public auction, tender or on a leasehold basis.The paper before cabinet can be read in full via this link.

Council deputy leader and cabinet member for regeneration, strategic planning and external relationships, Cllr Mark Coxshall said: "As a council we have a responsibility to keep a close eye on our estate, ensuring our buildings are fit for purpose, financially viable and are offering benefit to our services and our communities.

"With this latest report we will be taking a view on how we can best support some of our local community groups to take ownership of the buildings they know, love, and frequently use.

"By empowering the Scouts and our local village hall committees to have full ownership, at no cost, of these buildings we are putting the power in their hands to better determine the future without any council interference. We are also ensuring their buildings can stand for years to come without any threat of being handed over for development.

"Carrying out the 3R policy will also determine sites that would offer greater benefit if they were repurposed, such as being given over for the development of much needed council homes."

Following corporate overview and scrutiny committee, the paper will be discussed by Thurrock Council cabinet the following evening, where final recommendations will be made.