THE leader of Thurrock Council' Labour group has spoken of his anger at the continued reticence of leading Conservative group members to accept responsibility for the financial calamity that has stricken the authority and brought it to its knees with a range of Draconian cuts to be made to services.

The council has an operating shortfall of hundreds of millions of pounds caused by the Tory policy of borrowing to invest in green energy schemes – a policy they have championed for years and frequently ignored or mocked opposition concerns and innumerable stories from local and national media highlighting the jeopardy the council was in.

When the full extent of the failure – described at the time as 'catastrophic' – then Tory leader Cllr Rob Gledhill resigned his post, saying: "As Leader of the Council the political buck stops with me and as such it would only be right, and expected, that I resign as Leader of the Council."

That's almost the full extent of contrition, though his successor Cllr Mark Coxshall was eventually hounded by the media to publicly say 'sorry'.

Other Conservatives, including former finance portfolio holder Shane Hebb have kept their counsel and their mouths shut.

Which is all in stark contrast to the months of catcalling and bragging when they thought they had found a silver financial bullet to boost the council's coffers.

For example, in December 2021 Cllr Hebb bereted Labour, when he spoke about an early return on of dividends, saying: "This money has paid for services that residents rely on daily and has helped maintain the third lowest Band D council tax of any unitary authority.

"Thurrock finances are in better hands under this Conservative council versus the mess that Labour left."

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That bragging about how low the council tax was – and the championing of the Conservatives' low council tax strategy which featured in their election manifestos - has suddenly turned into condemnation of Thurrock residents for 'living beyond their means'.

That statement came from deputy leader Cllr Deb Arnold at last week's full council meeting. She said: "Thurrock's not in a bubble of special pricing. We're having to pay increases and prices that all other boroughs are having to pay but we're not bringing in enough.

"The responsible thing for me to do is to support this budget and grit our teeth and recognise we've been living above our means as residents in this borough with the types of services we want to support."

That statement – and the continued lack of personal acceptance of blame by leading conservatives, has angered Cllr John Kent, Labour's leader.

He says: "I am increasingly angry at the Tory attempts to whitewash the past. Whether it's Cllr Coxshall claiming the budget is "a new start" or Cllr Arnold telling us the council has been "living beyond their means."

"This pair have been sitting on the council's cabinet every day since May 2016. They have overseen the bankruptcy of the council and colluded in the spending of council taxpayers' money in trying to keep it secret.

"They are now proposing £8 million of cuts to services now, a further £4 million in the summer and a promise to increase fees and charges both now and again in the summer.

"On top of this a 10 per cent hike in council tax is described by Cllr Coxshall as 'a modest' increase. I dread to think what he would consider a large increase!"

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