THE leader of Thurrock Council's opposition Labour group has condemned the authority's leadership and Conservative government following the announcement that borough residents can expect to face another council tax increase of 9.9 per cent in the new year.

Thurrock Nub News reported this week on the announcement by government minister Michael Gove that he was giving cash-strapped Thurrock dispensation to raise its share of the tax by up to eight per cent without having to ask residents via a referendum if they approve.

Michael Gove

It's a second successive year that Mr Gove has given the green light to an above regulation increase in Thurrock.

Coupled with the two per cent rise likely to cover adult social care costs, it means Thurrock is set to impose the maximum local increase.

That, says Labour leader Cllr John Kent, means residents will be further punished for the failings of the Conservative administration which ran up more than a billion pounds worth of debt, effectively bankrupting the council and causing the government to intervene.

Big cuts are already being proposed across some services next year and the council is currently engaged in a fire sale of its properties and a divestment of its assets in a bid to cut the over-arching debt mountain.

Speaking after Mr Gove's  local government finance settlement announcement, Cllr Kent, said: "Once again we see the direct consequence of years of a catastrophic Conservative failure to run the council's finances.

"Having borrowed over a billion pounds to fund their dodgy investments, the Conservatives have lost hundreds of millions of pounds and saddled the people of Thurrock with this toxic Tory debt that will be a millstone round our necks for many years.

"On top of £75 million of cuts to council services, it looks like, once again, it's hard-working Thurrock folk who will be paying the price of Conservative failure.

"Another 10 per cent hike in Council Tax will hit local people really hard - it would be an average increase of £160 a year, a burden which many will struggle to cope with as the cost of living crisis continues.

"It's clear that the Conservatives can't be trusted with the council's finances, they have broken Thurrock and we will all be paying the price for years to come."

Roger Hirst

And there could be further tough news in the new year. Essex's Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst has already indicated he may be seeking a substantial rise for 2024-5.

Prior to launching a survey of county residents'' wishes, which concluded last month, he said: "We want to do more, we don't want to stand still.

"We want to bring crime down further, reduce the number of fires in Essex and bring down the number of people killed on county roads. I need to know your appetite for investing more in our emergency services to achieve these aims."