THURROCK Nub News editor Neil Speight offers a personal COMMENT on the situation at the borough council after a very difficult day for staff.

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AFTER attending last night's meeting of Thurrock Council I was left with a distinct distaste on my palette after listening to a succession of banal, arrogant and ill-conceived comments by members of the ruling administration as a succession of issues relating to the council's much-documented financial collapse were debated.

Over the past three or four years I have become increasingly disillusioned by the petty, self-effacing antics of a significant number of Conservative councillors as they have ridiculed, mocked and lambasted opposition councillors and the media as we have raised concerns about the authority's financial plight.

Since the bombshell finally dropped in September last year that all those fears were justified and the council was in a state of utter financial collapse, a number of top Tories have continued to ridicule their critics and deny the reality of the situation.

To his credit, Tory councillor Mark Coxshall was about the only one who publically recognised the severity of the situation and he stepped up to the plate and took on the responsibility of becoming council leader. The role is, and always was, an impossible one due to the magnitude of the calamity. He is a 'dead man walking'.

Cllr Coxshall was far, far away from any position in which he might be able to extricate himself from blame. He was at the heart of the decision-making process. But, while his colleague distanced themselves from blame, at least he accepted the responsibility of donning the captain's hat and  he looks set to hold his dignity as he disappears, with his ship, into the Titanic-sized abyss facing the authority.

Sadly, he appears to have little or no control over his acolytes in the cabinet who grin, chunter and gossip with what appears to be no perception of the catastrophe unravelling around them.

Cllr Coxshall stood up at last night's meeting of the full council and spoke about working together in leadership, of abandoning political difference, or working together despite differences, for the common good.

Yet within minutes of the meeting ending members of his own cabinet took to social media with statements that were not only an incorrect reflection of what went on in the chamber, they were solely motivated by political opportunism and a bid to save face at the expense of others. It was, in my opinion, simply sickening. I hardly feel able to write reports of what happened – please judge for yourself and watch the meeting.

It was an almost inescapable conclusion from last night's meeting that Conservative councillors have yet to reconcile themselves with the outcomes of their actions and pomposity.

But 24 hours on, I have an inescapable conclusion of my own about just how bad things will be.

Today members of the staff, around 2,000 honourable, decent people, were given an online briefing into the current situation.

These are people who have been told for months that they don't need to worry, that their jobs are safe, that speculation is all wrong and their futures are secure.

Reality hit like a bomb blast today!

It's no secret that Thurrock Nub News has sources within the council. Thanks to their courage, we have been able to give insight and clarity to many issues.

This evening, my sympathy is with those people.

I can't bring you a transcript of what they were told or show you a film clip. I wish I could.

What I can tell you is that they were told 'no one's job is safe'. No stone will be left unturned to save money.

And that service levels to the public will be reduced to the lowest level.

If there is a key performance indicator that rates service from 1 to 5 - the aim going forward is to just maintain the lowest level.

In short – the people of Thurrock will have to pay the price.

This administration has already applied to the government to raise council tax levels to heights beyond those that it can lawfully impose. That should involve the people of the borough in a referendum but the council is asking for the referendum option to be cast aside.

We already know cuts in services are planned. The next decade in Thurrock is going to painful and the repercussions will go on even longer.

But spare a thought today for the local people who work for the council.

What has happened is not their fault. But they are the front-facing representation, and they will be the ones to face up to your questions, your concern and your anger.

Many of them will suffer alongside the very people they have to deal with. They remain in the borough while the bosses who caused this catastrophe slope off into the sunset with gilt-edged pension payments and thousands in the bank.

The collapse of Thurrock Council has been shameful. But the anger and frustration needs to be aimed at the top – not the bottom.