A LAND sale by Thurrock Council is reported to have been halted following investigative work by one of its councillors who believe the authority has no right to sell of the site which she believes was bequested for the local community.

Earlier this month Thurrock Nub News reported on the fact that Chadwell St Mary councillor Sara Muldowney was calling on the council not to proceed with the sale of land land off Cole Avenue in her ward which had been nodded through by members of he council's cabinet.

Cllr Muldowney told Nub News today (Tuesday, 27 July) that the council had now paused plans for the sale, adding: "This piece of land was part of a recent "fire sale", buried in a 400 page agenda, and nodded through by Conservative Cabinet along with 32 other sites, with only seven days' public notice."

"I attended this Cabinet meeting to raise concerns about the sale and to ask the Conservative Cabinet members to consult with local residents before selling off this land, but they refused."

"I was told at this meeting that this was farming land owned by the council, and would be sold to a farmer."

"Thanks to local residents it has since come to light that this land is Flat Irons Field, which was gifted to the children of Chadwell by a former resident of the borough, Miss Elsie Florence Grover, in her will."

"Evidence from Miss Grover's will and previous council correspondence about this land was submitted to the council on July 10th and since then, I and local residents have demanded that this land sale be halted and the land returned to its intended use, as a playground for the children of Chadwell."

"At last Wednesday night's full council meeting I submitted a petition from the residents of Cole Avenue against the sale of the land."

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"After further enquiries yesterday, I have, at last, been assured that the sale of this land has been halted, while council officers investigate."

"The fight continues, although we welcome this latest response from the council as a good step forward."