THURROCK's Labour group have questioned the possibility of the much delayed Stanford-le-Hope being brought in on its latest budget.

The project has been marred by mistakes and budget-busting controversy and was subject to a 'pause and review' process instigated by the ruling Conservative group last year. At the end of it they declared the scheme was back on track and would be delivered within a new 'budget envelope of £20 million'.

However, last week's meeting of the council's standards and audit committee heard that more than 50 per cent of the budget had already been spent and rebuilding the station and its adjacent transport hub is still to get underway.

That has promoted Labour's shadow portfolio holder for regeneration, to fire a shot across the council's bow.

He says: "When I questioned the Conservative portfolio holder at full council, he assured me that the project would come in within the £20m budget envelope. Yet, here we are, with £11m already spent and absolutely nothing to show for it!

"What's more, £4m has been spent on the Daybreak Windows Site with no firm indication that it will actually even be used as part of this chaotic project. The fact that they are talking to developers about housing on this site raises, yet again, further questions about openness and transparency.

"No wonder the ]L]https://thurrock.nub.news/n/council-left-byrned-as-rail-station-planning-progress-is-put-on-hold-by-unhappy-councillors [L+]planning committee recently rejected the flawed plans![.L]

"Whether it's the bungled A13 widening, the millions for new council offices or Stanford Station it's clear that Thurrock's Tories haven't really got a clue about to how manage infrastructure projects or bring them in on time and on budget. As the 21 per cent tax rise since 2016 shows, it is Thurrock's residents paying the price. Again, and again."

advertisement