THURROCK Conservatives are backing calls for Serco to start making savings or face their contract with the Council being cancelled.
Conservative Group Leader Rob Gledhill said "The contract was signed before I was a councillor and at a time when councils were ending these partnerships because of restrictive contracts or performance failures.
"The advice given to councillors at the time was, as I understand, that it was an excellent deal for Thurrock and it would help it save money.
"I am sure back then no one could have predicted the austerity measures to help reduce the national deficit. I remember how difficult it was to get any savings from Vertex, now Serco, when I had cabinet responsibility for that area.
"Serco and Thurrock are supposed to working in partnership and they should be looking at sharing the requirement to make savings.
"It is about time Serco stepped up to the plate on the savings front or risk losing the contract with Thurrock.
"This is not a time for party politics; we share the concerns of the administration and are more than willing to work together for a sensible solution to ensure Thurrock residents are getting best value for every pound they pay in tax."
Cllr Shane Hebb, Conservative spokesman for Corporate Service, said. "There is no doubt that Serco need to get in the game and start delivering. Thurrock as a whole has been patient with this contract, but enough is enough.
"Any act to hold Serco to account for their failures is welcome and supported all the way by Thurrock Conservatives".
