THE opportunity for a takeover of the Thameside Complex by a borough-based community consortium remains alive following a meeting of Thurrock Council's cabinet.

It had seemed likely that the meeting would rubberstamp original recommendations to bring the axe down on it, selling off the building via a proposal that might see £4.5 million put into its cash-strapped coffers.

Prior to Wednesday evening's meeting, a Thurrock Nub News commentary on the ongoing issues around the crisis suggested the dice were being loaded against the complex surviving but - when push came to shove - senior cabinet members backed amended recommendations and more consultation is to follow, with the council saying it wishes to enter into more dialogue with the borough-based consortium that wants to take over the building.

A recommendation that proposed ditching on-the-table bids to take over the complex should be rejected was abandoned.

It originally read: "Cabinet notes the significant concerns regarding both proposals and that neither is recommended as a financially sustainable alternative for the future of the building."

But a paper distributed to councillors and the public at the onset of the meeting showed a late – and considerable - change.

The new recommendation reads: "Cabinet notes the significant concerns regarding both proposals and that neither is recommended, in its current form, as a financially sustainable alternative for the future of the building. Cabinet agrees that negotiations and discussion will continue with Thurrock Lifestyle Solutions and Thurrock International Celebration of Culture to try and facilitate a financially sustainable bid."

Indeed the partnership of Thurrock Lifestyle Solutions and Thurrock International Celebration of Culture was described at one point as a 'preferred bidder'.

And there was a change to recommendation 1.3, effectively extending the life of the debate and consideration process that might well have ended on Wednesday.

It now reads: "Cabinet authorises the corporate director of place to undertake consultation on all options for the delivery of cultural activities and events in Grays and the wider borough. A report on this recommendation to be brought back to the corporate overview and scrutiny committee and cabinet on completion of the consultation."

Similar additions about further consultation and debate were added to other recommendations.

Finance portfolio holder Cllr Graham Snell (right) spoke, as did Cllr Luke Spillman (left).

At the heart of the debate about the complex is a value of £18 to £20 million put by the council on the work required to refurbish the building. Campaigners wishing to save it say the authority has falsely produced the estimation, basing it on 'improvements' that are not necessary and that it is the total sum of a 30 year programme, not an immediate fix.

At a meeting of the council's corporate overview and scrutiny committee last week, that estimate appeared to be starting to be unpicked.

While the borough's interim director of place Mark Bradbury had used the figure in his report and summary of the situation at the committee meeting, he conceded that the figure was subjective and did not reflect the reality of alternative scenarios available at the complex.

The debate at Wednesday's cabinet meeting was based around a detailed report from council leader Cllr Mark Coxshall and 17 associated documents, one of which was described as 'restricted'.

Nub News understands it contained details of the estimated freehold value of the complex and the net outcome of its closure and disposal. The building, Nub news believes, was valued at just under £6 million and the net outcome, even after relocating the library and museum, would be a windfall of more than £4 million for the cash-strapped council.

The debate began with council leader Cllr Mark Coxshall saying: "Our new revised proposals show we are are trying to get median and happy proposals" and he detailed a series of consultation measures.

He was followed by deputy leader Cllr Deborah Arnold who said: "I am really pleased that we are going to full consultation on this.

"And I really like (recommendation) 1.6 where there is £1.2 million in the capital programme for consultation to improve the offer."

The recommendation says: "Cabinet notes the allocation of £1.2 million in the Capital Programme agreed at Council on 1st March 2023, funded from asset sales, for the relocation of the library and museum."

She expressed her pleasure that there was funding in the capital programme to 'relocate the museum properly'.

Cllr Coxshall intervened to say that he believed the proposals would ensure that the borough's heritage was 'not just here for the next generation, but the generations to come'.

He believed the new museum would not 'be stuck in time, like it was 50 years ago. He added: "We need to move into the 21st century about how we deliver a museum."

Cllr Luke Spillman spoke next, saying: "I am pleased we are going forward with 1.2. I think it is the right course of action with a preferred bidder and I would like to see how that develops.

Cllr Coxshall responded by saying: "1.2 is interesting., The engagement is important. We will engage. It is in writing now. 

"I said at full council that we will engage. I am glad we have taken that recommendation forward and changed it slightly to make sure that it is in writing now, instead of my words.

Cllr Mark Coxshall

"Hopefully that gives some confidence. What I glared about is that I can say till I am blue in the face what I do mean but no one will believe me. Quite right. Now they can see the actions and I can't do any more than this.

"I hope people can read what we are saying, understand what we are saying, and know that we are not doing things ad hoc and with maliciousness.

"This is not new because of the financial crisis, I can remember when I first moved here in 2010 about the Thameside. We've got to do something. We can't keep kicking the can.

"We have got to solve this cultural heritage and protect everything and make sure it's a better place.

"Thurrock is changed in the 15 years I have lived here and it's got to represent the people who live here now, not how it was stuck in time in the fifties and sixties.

Cllr Coxshall, who was repeated a manta about can-kicking over the Thameside first expressed by his partner, borough MP Jackie Doyle-Price, in February. He also appeared to have a strange grasp of time.

He said he moved to Thurrock in 2010 , then said he had been here for '15 years'.

And an even stranger reference to the museum and complex saw him say: "It's got to represent the people who live here now, not how it was stuck in time in the fifties and sixties."

The Thameside complex didn't open until 1972!

Communities portfolio holder Cllr Qaisar Abbas was next up and said: "This report confirms our commitment to improve services and, probably for the first time ever, we are undertaking consultation on options to deliver cultural activities.

"Not just in Grays, but across the borough. 

"The allocation of £1.2 million to improve our library and our museum services means I am happy to support this recommendation."

Finance portfolio holder Cllr Graham Snell said: "I think it's important, given we have got your (Cllr Coxshall's) commitment to involve all 49 councillors, that we have responded to overview and scrutiny and acted upon some of their wishes.

"We have £1.2 million in the capital programme for improvements, that's a good news story in an otherwise not so good story for the council generally.

"We are able, even in these straightened times, to do good things for the community."

Cllr Ben Maney

Cllr Ben Maney seized on the rapidly becoming commonplace can kicking. He said: "You were quite right when you said we can't keep kicking the can down the road.

"At the very heart of this process is the cost of maintaining and running the Thameside

"That's the whole reason we are doing this. we didn't wake up one day and say 'let's close the Thameside'. There are burgeoning costs associated with running the Thameside and bringing it up to standard and that's not going to go away

"When we were debating this at last full council, and I think it's not the only time I have heard it in debate, whenever that issue is raised - and it's in the report tonight - the cost of bringing the building up to standard is between £18 and £20 million."

That statement was immediately decried by a shout from the public gallery, followed by more angry words, prompting Cllr Maney to say: "There you go, that's just the response, it's dismissed. It's just dismissed." 

He then responded to further comments from the gallery, who he described as 'very rude people' and went on to say his critics should have waited to hear him say 'What confidence can we have in that £18 million to £20 million pounds, adding: "It's so easily and summarily dismissed but nobody has ever given me an explanation why. I need to satisfy myself as a member of cabinet that that ball park figure is genuinely accurate."

Cllr Coxshall confirmed there 'was an issue about that £18 million and we need to make sure what that's for and what we can do. It is over a 30 year period and I think that is the next stage in this consultation process - to see the facts.

"We have got to make this decision in the open. We can't just say £18 million and not prove it. That's what's got to happen.

"We need to do that and the director has already said that. We will be confident in our figures and then we can disprove them, we can' t just do things in secret ever again.

"Everyone in the room needs to prove that that figure is legitimate. And dispute it in public and if it isn't discount it. That can be part of the consultation, which is why we are moving forward and not deciding to close now.

"I'm bringing a new way of working with openness and transparency and less emotive issues.    

"People have been told the wrong facts, that has happened for many years here."

Cllr Spillman then turned attention on independent Cllr Gary Byrne who was sat in the public gallery, saying: "If you have got something to say, you are allowed to ask questions, why don't you come down and say it?"

Cllr Spillman appeared to be mildly rebuked by Cllr Coxshall who said: "We were trying to keep it to a cabinet meeting. If we can move forward..."

And he then proposed the new recommendations which were all approved.

Cllr Byrne's comments from the gallery were later singled out, despite being barely audible among other voices, by the council's monitoring officer who has, says Cllr Byrne, asked him in for a disciplinary meeting to discuss comments which have been described as 'outrageous'.

The original proposals put before cabinet were:

1.1 Cabinet notes the bids from Thurrock Lifestyle Solutions/Thurrock International Celebration of Culture and Waltham International College and thanks them for their efforts to try and offer a financially sustainable alternative for the future of the building.

1.2 Cabinet notes the significant concerns regarding both proposals and that neither is recommended as a financially sustainable alternative for the future of the building.

1.3 Cabinet authorises the Director of Place to undertake consultation on alternative options for the delivery of cultural activities and events in Grays.

1.4 Cabinet authorises the Corporate Director of Adults, Housing & Health to undertake consultation on the relocation of the Library from the Thameside Building to the Civic Offices.

1.5 Cabinet authorises the Director of Place to undertake consultation on the relocation of the Museum from the Thameside Building to the Civic Offices with a view to achieving Accredited Museum status.

1.6 Cabinet notes the allocation of £1.2 million in the Capital Programme agreed at Council on 1st March 2023, funded from asset sales, for the relocation of the Library & Museum.

The new (and approved) recommendations are:

1.1  Cabinet notes the bids from Thurrock Lifestyle Solutions/Thurrock International Celebration of Culture and Waltham International College and thanks them for their efforts to try and offer a financially sustainable alternative for the future of the building.

1.2 Cabinet notes the significant concerns regarding both proposals and that neither is recommended, in its current form, as a financially sustainable alternative for the future of the building. Cabinet agrees that negotiations and discussion will continue with Thurrock Lifestyle Solutions and Thurrock International Celebration of Culture to try and facilitate a financially sustainable bid.

1.3 Cabinet authorises the corporate director of place to undertake consultation on all options for the delivery of cultural activities and events in Grays and the wider borough. A report on this recommendation to be brought back to the corporate overview and scrutiny committee and cabinet on completion of the consultation."

1.4 Cabinet authorises the Corporate Director of Adults, Housing & Health to undertake consultation on the relocation of the Library from the Thameside Building to the Civic Offices. A report on this recommendation to be brought back to the corporate overview and scrutiny committee and cabinet on completion of the consultation."

1.5 Cabinet authorises the Director of Place to undertake consultation on the relocation of the Museum from the Thameside Building to the Civic Offices with a view to achieving Accredited Museum status. A report on this recommendation to be brought back to the corporate overview and scrutiny committee and cabinet on completion of the consultation."

1.6 Cabinet notes the allocation of £1.2 million in the Capital Programme agreed at Council on 1st March 2023, funded from asset sales, for the relocation of the Library & Museum.