A MYSTERY, a degree of controversy and the laying to rest of a Labour myth that its councillors were not voting to oppose local elections in May were outcomes of an extraordinary meeting of Thurrock Council this evening (Wednesday, 14 January).

A special meeting of the council was convened at the behest of the authority's three Reform UK members and independents John Allen and Neil Speight.

It came 24 hours after Labour's cabinet passed a number of recommendations relating to the planned 'all-out' election for 49 seats and its members agreed to ask the government to consider the council's capacity to deliver local government reorganisation (LGR) and the elections recommended by Commissioners, who have taken charge of the authority in the wake of its 2022 financial collapse, at the same time.

In their Best Value Inspection report in 2023 commissioners, who include CEO managing director Dr David Smith, said the way forward for Thurrock was to create a new council, under new boundaries with all councillors elected for four year terms.

The decision for all-out elections prompted plans for a borough-wide poll in 2025 – but the elections were postponed by the Labour government and rescheduled for 2026. In December last year the government said it was concerned about the ability of Essex councils to deliver LGR and elections in an overlapping period and government minister Alison McGovern invited councils to give assessments of its ability to do both.

That was widely regarded by Labour's political opponents, particularly Reform UK, as a way under-threat Labour council members might avoid having to stand for election. Thurrock Labour leaders had trod warily around that suggestion, saying they has never, nor would not, vote against elections taking place – and that it was a matter for government, not them.

However, that grammatical standpoint was disproven tonight when 20 Labour members voted to cancel May's elections under the cosh of a Reform recommendation that all-out elections should take place.

In a bizarre conclusion to the extraordinary meeting, a compromise amendment calling for a 16 seat election, proposed by Cllr Speight, was heavily defeated by a combination of Labour, Conservatives and Reform.

That set up a dramatic vote. Earlier in the meeting Conservative group leader Cllr George Coxshall had said all his members present, nine of them, would support the Reform motion.

Moments before the vote took place, Tory councillor, Jacqui Maney left the council chamber. When the vote took place, the nine remaining Conservatives, three Reform councillors and eight independents voted to support the motion for all out elections.

Twenty Labour members all voted against – which should have meant the matter went to the Labour mayor's casting vote. However, the Mayor, having been advised by CEO Dr Dave Smith, announced the vote as 19-20 against and the motion was lost. The meeting was immediately closed by the mayor who hurriedly left the chamber while opposition members called for an explanation and a recount. Their pleas fell on deaf ears.

It is almost certain the mayor would have voted against the motion, so it would have been lost on her casting vote but opposition members say that is immaterial. Protests have been lodged by the Conservatives and the Non Political Alliance of Independent Councillors (NPAIC).

No explanation has been given by the Conservatives about why member Cllr Jacqui Maney left the chamber. Had she stayed and voted against – and the count been recorded correctly - Thurrock Council would have voted for all-out elections, a message that its leader Cllr Lynn Worrall had promised would be relayed to the government.

After the meeting Cllr Anderson said: "Counting 19 votes despite 20 councillors voting for my motion is a farce. I'm sure they have votes like that in Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea, I didn't think we had them at Thurrock Council.

"Where on earth the missing Tory went when it came to vote is anybody's guess. The least residents deserve is that their councillors stay in place, vote and represent their voters to the best of their ability.

"Had the truant Tory been present and council officers capable of key stage 1 maths, Reform's motion calling for elections to proceed would've been successful.

"The disdain with which this council has treated the democratic process is barely believable. They have a lot of explaining to do, and while they're at it, they can apologise to Reform and the people of Thurrock for botching such an important vote."

Cllr Speight said: "It was an extraordinary end to the meeting, but perhaps it just encapsulated what a dog's breakfast of a council we have. I was disappointed that my compromise motion was lost as I believe it offered all parties and members benefit but it was comprehensively defeated, and that is democracy.

"I had previously said I would find it difficult to support the Reform proposal but after being rebuked and restricted the previous evening at cabinet and denied the opportunity to ask pertinent questions, and having heard the conviction from Cllr Anderson and his colleagues, plus the views of Cllr Coxshall, I was minded and swayed, albeit at the last minute, to vote for the all-outs.

"It was not a decision taken lightly by myself, or some of my NPAIC colleagues, nor I suspect by Conservatives. It is disappointing our view did not prevail – but at least the meeting has blown apart the myth Labour members had tried to propagate; that they are not voting against elections. 20 of them did tonight and that fact now sits on their record."

The meeting can be viewed via this link.