A NEW Finance Commissioner for Thurrock Council has been appointed by the Government.

Denise Murray will replace Nicole Wood who stepped down last month and joins incumbent commissioners Gavin Jones (Lead Commissioner) and Dr Dave Smith, MD Commissioner, in their work to support the council on its recovery journey, and ensure its financial position continues to improve.

Ms Murray has been a Best Value Finance Commissioner since 2023. Part of that time overlapped with her role as finance director at Bristol City Council, which she joined in December 2016.

Her previous appointments include spells with Essex County Council, where she worked for four years, and more than six years as head of finance in the London borough of Barnet.

She is also currently the Finance Commissioner for Slough Borough Council, where commissioners, who have the power to take control of council decisions, were sent to the Berkshire town after it was effectively declared bankrupt in 2021. Mr Jones is also a lead commissioner at Slough.

Ms Murray took up her position in Slough in May, 2023 and receives a fee for each day acting as Commissioner of £1,100 per day, plus 'reasonable' expenses.

Details have not been given but it is likely she will receive the same remunaration for time spent at Thurrock, where her Government appointment runs until 1 September 2025.

Responding to the announcement, Cllr John Kent, Leader of Thurrock Council, said: "I am pleased to welcome Denise Murray to Thurrock as our new Finance Commissioner.

"There's no doubt the job of helping the council turn its finances around is a big one, after the significant mistakes of the past, but Denise can build on the work of her predecessor to help us keep heading in the right direction.

"The council has made really good progress over the last year in recovering lost money; finding millions of pounds of savings; and getting our budget into a much better place.

"We all look forward to working with Denise and our excellent Chief Financial Officer (Dawn Calvert) to maintain our close focus on financial recovery."