A FORMER Conservative leader of Thurrock Council was damned by fellow councillors, including the current Labour leader, as the authority set its latest budget this week.

Cllr Rob Gledhill was leader of the council when it made 'catastrophic mistakes' by investing in solar power - plunging it into a billion pound debt.

The loss has mean government intervention with the council having to sell off hundreds of millions of pounds of assets and cut services.

And in setting the latest budget thed impact of the financial loss continued to shape local thinking, with millions more shaved off its operational costs.

The budget was passed by a majority, with current Labour members ou in enough numbers to force it through - but opposition parties either abstained or voted against it.

The budget — was passed with 26 votes in favour, five against and 11 abstentions.

Council leader Lynn Worrall said her Labour administration had been "consistent and disciplined" in confronting the problems it inherited.

She told members the council had now delivered or secured 94 per cent of its required savings, supported by a transformation programme, digital improvements and tighter commissioning.

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"Our residents are at the centre of decision making," she said.

"We have paid down debt faster than expected, reduced treasury costs by around £10 million, and delivered significant underspends for two consecutive years. But this does not remove the full debt burden. The Treasury will not write it off."

Ms Worrall warned that any return to "reckless decision making" would put families at risk and potentially trigger tougher intervention from government commissioners.

She added that political promises of minimal council tax rises were unrealistic: "Those days are long gone."

The Labour leader said she was disappointed but unsurprised that independent councillor Neil Speight and Reform leader Alex Anderson opposed the budget, but took aim at former Conservative leader Rob Gledhill, who oversaw the investments that plunged the council into crisis.

In a strongly-worded attack, she said Cllr Gledhill "should have had the decency to walk out of this building and never come back".

Current Conservative group leader George Coxshall said his members would abstain, raising concerns about proposed charges – including a £2,000 fee for an e-gulley for tenants with electric vehicles, selective licensing fees for landlords – and questioning whether some income projections were reliable.

"I just don't think I quite have the confidence yet to say I'm comfortable with these figures," he said.

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Cllr Anderson, leader of the Reform Group argued staff were perhaps being inappropriately deployed on projects such as drawing up the Local Plan, which he said could be redundant under planned local government reorganisation.

Cllr Speight said the council was still too reliant on "exceptional financial support" from government and lacked a credible strategy for generating income.

Independent councillor Gary Byrne was among a number who levvelled criticism of Cllr Gledhill, damning him for his actions and lack of apology for the financial failure.

The budget includes a 4.99 per cent council tax rise.