FACT NO 1. Labour leader John Kent is annoyed at the Tories playing the “merger with Barking and Dagenham” tactic.
FACT NO 2. The Tories used it extensively on the doorstep at the recent by-election in Stifford Clays.
FACT NO 3. Looks like quite a few residents are “buying it”
FACT NO 4. Looks like quite a few Labour councillors are concerned that even though there is an economic case; even though they share with many other councils, the Tories have found a political mantra that resonates with the Thurrock resident and voter and could threaten the slender Labour majority in May 2014.
The Conservatives have released the following statement regarding the announcement that Thurrock’s bin collection service is to be “placed under management” from the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.
Cllr Simon Wootton commented: “It was good to see the Labour Leader admit that his administration was letting residents down on bin collections. But I was shocked to hear that his so-called solution is to move further forward with his back door merger with Barking and Dagenham. Less than a week ago Labour were accusing us of scaremongering over their Barking merger plans. Now they are going full steam ahead with handing over control of a service that affects every Thurrock resident. ”
Meanwhile, cllr John Kent has responded to shadow environment spokesperson, cllr Simon Wootton.
Cllr Kent said: “I do not know why Cllr Wootton seems incapable of grasping a simple concept without trying to make incomprehensible, disingenuous and inaccurate political comment.
“There is no merger – back door or front door and no Thurrock services are being “handed over” to another council to run. A new Head of Environment – currently working in Barnet – has been appointed, and we will share a very experienced Director with Barking and Dagenham.
Thurrock’s management policy has been praised far and wide, by the Prime Minister, and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, among other high-profile Tories.
The question I want answered is: Where does Cllr Wootton suggest the £1½ million savings we are making by sharing management services with several other authorities should come from?
No doubt Cllr Kents claims of savings will be tested soon, and then we will all see if this merger is saving us money?
I am glad the Tories are consistantly speaking up about it. To pair anything with Barking and Dagenham is insulting considering the mess that Labour administration has made of that once proud borough. A trip to Barking shows you what is in store for Grays, hence the years of running the place down and housing the third world there.
I’m not a massive fan of Basildon Council but I’d much rather closer links with them or Castle Point, Southend, Brentwood or Chelmsford rather than Barking and Dagenham.
The link is nothing more than political.
The Conservatives are telling a blatant lie and they keep repeating it.
During the recent by-election they had Conservative canvassers were telling people Labour Thurrock were going to merge Thurrock with Barking and Dagenham.
Will Councillor Anderson make a clear statement that if the Conservatives take control of Thurrock Council will they immediately take back control of all shared services and that no Thurrock Staff will also work for Barking and Dagenham and vice versa?
Otherwise this political posturing will be nothing but hot air if all the shared services remain in place?
So come on Cllr Anderson a challenge for you and your Conservative Group please make a clear statement that no more shared services with Barking and Dagenham under the Conservatives and an immediate repatriation of those services already shared if you take back control.
Of course you will be able to demonstrate where you will make £1.5 million of savings if you have no shared services won’t you Cllr Anderson?
Ed, if Cllr Kent allowed the opposition to chair scrutiny committees perhaps they would be able to help him fin £1.5m savings without selling out to Barking & Dagenham
Surely Ed if the Tories were to take control next May they could make savings by merging services with one of the councils I have listed?
I would much rather a link to councils who are in better financial position than us over a council who is swimming in debt.
chickenfeed1 – you don’t need to chair a committee to find savings (although Cllr Anderson was very enthusiastic when shared services with B&D were first announced – Cllr Anderson sat on a committee that discussed the idea)
Bernard87 – so have the Conservatives made the electoral pledge to merge services with other councils? All we hear is Conservative moaning and blatant bare faced lies – with no alternatives. It is no good lying and saying you are against something if you offer nothing in its place. Will the Conservatives go back to the status qua or merge with other local authorities?
Why doesn’t the glorious leader list the councils that we share services with? Why did he choose to share services with Barking and Dagenham when Havering, Brentwood and Basildon are our neighbouring borough’s?
Why, if we don’t need full time management at Thurrock, did The glorious leader appoint these people on a full time basis when he could easily have appointed them on a part time basis and thus achieve the savings that way?
Can the glorious leader list the £1.5 million in savings made by merging services with Barking and Dagenham and allow some transparency into a deal that seems murkier than a swamp.?
The only conclusion that can be drawn is that the gl;orious leader has taken the decision to merge with Barking and Dagemham for political reasons and has no desire to share those reasons with the public in any way. As usual uter contempt for the people that pay his fat allowances and expenses deal.