THURROCK Council has lowered a veil of secrecy over changes at the head of its planning services – which have been mired in controversy in recent weeks.

Thurrock Nub News has reported on the disquiet over a number of planning decisions and the structure and composition of its planning committee, with a cross-party group of councillors calling for an investigation.

And the arrival of a former senior planning officer back on the borough planning scene where he has been endorsed as a consultant liaising with the council to highlight development opportunities has also raised concerns.

Andy Millard is the chair of a commercial venture called Thurrock Residential Partnership (TRDP) which is aiming to build up to 25,000 houses across the borough.

The company has met with council leader Cllr Andrew Jefferies to discuss its plans and Cllr Jefferies responded by saying: "Thurrock continues to be open for business and the council is keen to work with proactive partnerships like TRDP".

A call for a further statement by Cllr Jefferies to be delivered at July's meeting of the full council – whereby he would have had an opportunity to speak publicly about planning issues - was rejected by the Mayor.

Planning remains a hot topic and now the council's senior officer, its government-appointed managing director and commissioner, Dr Dave Smith, has turned up the temperature by axing the authority's senior planning officer.

Thurrock Nub News understands that Leigh Nicholson, assistant director for planning, transport and public protection, was given an ultimatum by Dr Smith – accept a demotion or leave the authority. He accepted the latter option, cleared his desk and ended his near 18-year career with Thurrock Council – where he started as a planning officer in 2005.

Thurrock Nub News also understand that the council's major planning applications manager, Matthew Gallagher, who has handled many senior planning applications is to leave the council. Mr Gallagher has taken a lead on a significant number of controversial green-belt projects, recommending they be refused, only to be overruled by the planning committee.

Most notably and recently they include an application to build 230 homes on fields adjacent to East Tilbury Road, Linford, and the decision by councillors to reject the recommendation to refuse a car preparation plan in Aveley. Both attracted widespread controversy and were driven through by Conservative members on the council against Mr Gallagher's advice.

Matthew Gallagher.

Thurrock Nub News asked the council to confirm the situation regarding Mr Nicholson and Mr Gallagher, outlining what we have been told by sources within the authority has happened. We also asked what the impact of Dr Smith's directive would be and 'what happens next?' but the council has refused to comment.

It has not denied the scenario we have reported, given the option to do so, but just said: "Thurrock Council cannot comment publicly on internal employment matters."

Nub News understands that just a few senior members of the administration have been briefed, but no further information has been shared internally – nor to the concerned councillors who have called, in writing, for a probe into planning affairs.

And we have been told the search is now on for a senior planning expert to join the council, probably as another 'interim' director.

As well as Dr Smith's arrival, six interim directors are now in place at the council and together with the fees paid for commissioners from Essex County Council, the bill for 'management services' at the cash-strapped organisation is running into tens of thousands on a weekly basis.

But very little by way of information about change at the debt-riddled local authority comes out of the town hall, with councillors complaining about the lack of briefings and 'autocratic' directives being handed down.

In short, the council appears to have changed little by way the promised 'transparency, honesty and openness' pledged in the wake of its collapse and the downfall of despotic CEO Lyn Carpenter.