THURROCK Council's Labour leader has announced he is stepping down from the post.

Cllr John Kent, made his announcement this morning (Monday, 28, April), saying: "I have always been totally committed to carrying out the role to the very best of my ability. The Labour group will now select its new leader and they will become the new leader of the council.

Cllr Kent's notice of intent to resign reads:

"Thurrock Council remains in a precarious position.

"The council's debt - a result of the disastrous Conservative borrowing and investment policy - remains unsustainable, at around £900 million.

"To set this year's budget the council had to, effectively, borrow £72 million - £64 million to service the debt.

Cllr John Kkent has had to manage the huge debt left the Conservative administration as well as serve under intervention and the guidance of government-appointed commissioners.

"The Best Value Inspection report of 2023 laid bare the council's failings.

"Much progress has been made since then - the council's scrutiny system has been streamlined and improved, the approach to risk has been significantly strengthened, there is a Corporate Plan in place, financial management is stronger and legal action to recover money from some of those implicated in the council's financial meltdown has been launched.

"But there is much, much more to do.

"We are also working on the greatest reform of English local government for a generation.

"Devolution to Essex will mean powers currently exercised by central government or its agencies will be passed to a directly elected mayor of Essex.

"Alongside this the current system of district, unitary and county councils is being replaced with a single tier of new unitary councils.

"This gives us, here in Thurrock, a real opportunity to be part of a stronger, more resilient council that has the capacity to be more ambitious and deliver better quality services for those we serve.

"It is against this backdrop that I have decided, having spent most of the past 21 years as leader of the council's Labour group, that it is time for me to stand down as both leader of the Labour Group and as leader of the council.

"Being leader of the council for a second time has been a tremendous honour and a role I have always been totally committed to carrying out to the very best of my ability.

"The Labour group will now select its new leader and they will become the new leader of the council on the 21st of May.

"It goes without saying they will have my unequivocal support in continuing the work of improving the council and creating that stronger new authority for our residents.

Cllr Kent resumed leadership of the Labour group in 2020, when they were in opposition. He suceeded Jane Pothecary who was later to stand down as a councillor.

Cllr Kent was first elected to the council in 1993 and his service since then has been unbroken.

He was a long time group leader, including a spell as council leader, before standing aside to concentrate on his role as Labour's parliamentary candidate for the 2017 election.

Cllr Kent failed in his challenge to topple Conservative MP Jackie Doyle-Price by 345 votes.

He stood again in 2019 in the snap election called by Boris Johnson over Brexit but like many Labour candidates suffered a crushing defeat. He still attracted a third of the share of the vote, getting just 3,222 votes less than two years earlier, but the absence of a UKIP candidate saw Brexit supporters polarise behind Ms Doyle-Price who won by a majority of 11,482.

Today's announcement by Cllr kent comes just days ahead of a double by-election in the ockendon ward where Labour are fielding two candidates, Shalini Bhatt and Haruna Hamza. The full list of candidates is here.