AFTER Thurrock Council's annual meeting last night (Wednesday, 21 May), the council's Reform group leader Cllr Alex Anderson launched an attack on the ruling Labour group and the authoriy's 12 Conservative councillors, accusing them of cullision to share out personal allowances.

At the meeting, newly appointed Labour leader Cllr Lynn Worrell announced she was extending the cabinet by one member, meaning additional allowance of £11,994 to the new incumbent, and also the creation of two deputy cabinet member roles which are expected to come with allowances just short of £6K. See Thurrock Nub News' report of last night's events here.

In total, despite the council being in austerity and cutting costs, £23,988 was alled to the personal allowance bill, all mopped up by Labour members. 

The meeting saw a series of protest votes from the three Reform councillors (Cllrs Anderson, Russell Cherry and Alan Benson), who opposed nominations for all the mayoral and senior cabinet posts - though they offered no nominations.

Reflecting on the meeting today, Cllr Anderson said: "Last night Thurrock Labour and Thurrock Tories colluded to divide up the various council positions that come with big allowances.

"While the Tories supported a Labour mayor, deputy mayor and leader of the council, the Labour Party supported all Tory nominees to be chair and vice-chair of various council committees.."

Reform, who now have three councillors on the authority after a by-election in Ockendon earlier this month, contested six chair positions, but were significantly outvoted in them all, with the Tories taking three overview and scrutiny committees.

The exception was the Place committee which will be chaired by Non-Political alliance of Independent Councillors' Cllr Roy Jones. His colleague Cllr Neil Speight, who was chair of the previous People committee, was deposed from its successor in the vote to the newly Adult & Health Overview and Scrutiny committee where Labour's members were under political instruction to support the winning Conservative candidate, Cllr Elizabeth Rigby.

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Labour and Conseravtives also hold all bar two of the 11 vice-chair committee roles.

Later in the meeting, Conservatives returned a favour by supporting the appointment of new deputy cabinet members Cllrs Cici Manwa and Aaron Green.

Cllr Anderson continued: "Earlier this year Labour and Conservatives joined forces, both voting to cancel this year's elections in Thurrock.

"Had democracy prevailed, none of them would be councillors anymore, Reform's storming victory in the three way marginal of Ockendon and across the country on 1st May shows this.

"If it wasn't clear before, it is now - Labour and the Tories act and govern as one, they're two sides of the same coin. Vote Tory, get Labour."