THURROCK Council's obsession with secrecy and denial of key information to the media, councillors and public has taken a new twist with its own officers appearing to contradict a view expressed in a personal message by its CEO to staff.

Earlier this month Thurrock Nub News reported on a personal message from the council's top boss Lyn Carpenter to staff in response to claims and news reports about the new civic offices extension.

She denied reports, despite photographic evidence being produced to show otherwise, that the new civic chamber had been created for just 35 councillors, rather than the requisite 49! The story was first broken by Thurrock Nub News – see this link: https://thurrock.nub.news/news/local-news/has-calamity-council-struck-again-with-chamber-blunder and we then backed up our story with photographic evidence. – See this link https://thurrock.nub.news/news/local-news/the-picture-that-exposes-a-truth-the-council-did-not-want-you-to-know-now-we-call-for-accountability-and-a-public-enquiry-into-thurrock-council39s-administration-capability-and-malfeasance

There has been considerable speculation about the total cost of the new extension, with estimates going as high as £26 million. But Ms Carpenter was adamant that the building had been brought in on budget – the fixed price of £9.8 million set when the project was commissioned several years ago.

Ms Carpenter told staff: "The cost remains at budget of £9.8 million, not £26m as is being claimed."

Thurrock Nub News has been seeking answers and a response has now been received from the council via its Freedom of Information Service - which says it cannot come up with any figures.

We were told: "The work on this development is not complete, therefore at this stage costs cannot be firmed up. Please note, when work on this project is complete the council will publish project costs within the public domain."

Which, says Nub News editor Neil Speight, immediately begs a question?

"If the council does not know how much all this has cost – which is the official line that we now have in writing - how does the CEO come up with a very specific figure of £9.8 million and assures everyone that it is a firm figure?

"There is one seemingly undeniable fact. Either the CEO or the council's information governance officers are not telling the truth. We have asked for an explanation of this significant disparity in information but have received no response as yet. I am sure the Local Government Information Commissioner will be interested to know if it is the FOI officers who are putting out false information. And equally the there will be public outrage if it is the CEO who is not telling the truth."

The questions we put to the council about the Civic Office extension were as follows

Please can you detail costs associated with the civic office extension on New Road, Grays by category - going back five years (1January 2018).

1. Total spent on design fees and consultancy. No specific companies need to be listed.

2. Legal fees.

3. Land acquisition costs and business compensation. No individual names of companies or individuals need to be listed.

4. Full demolition and construction costs, including internal fixtures and fittings.

5. Overall total project cost including the above and any other related charges.