THURROCK Council's cabinet has decided to draw up a new procurement process to manage the rising cost of its transport and highways contracts.

At Wednesday's meeting of the cabinet, members were told that change was needed because the existing spending plan was set to soar above expected levels and so would be unlawful.

The council is not allowed to spend more than 50 per cent of the original budgets it had set under public contract regulations. In June 2015 it was projected that the council would spend £43.35 million on contracts over five years but that has now risen to a projected figure of around £60 million.

So in order to get round the problem the council has rewritten its procurement policies to avoid the threat of a legal challenge to its procedures.

Following a report from Peter Wright, the council's strategic lead on highways infrastructure, environment and highways cabinet members agreed to delegate authority, in consultation with the portfolio holder highways and transport, for the Director of Place and the Director of Environment, Highways and Counter Fraud to directly award contracts.

Also wrapped up in the change is the need to break away from the European Union's public procurement regulations, which means tenders over a certain level have to be advertised across Europe.

Welcoming the move Cllr Ben Maney said: "Cabinet are being asked to delegate authority. This is necessary so in the next five years we can deliver our transport and highways works programme.

"I have said it before and I have said it again, the sooner can get rid of the European Parliament Procurement the better. I struggle to see what we have to advertise a local works project across the EU. I can't see people from Italy or Greece putting forward a local contract."