THURROCK Conservatives voted against Labour’s budget at Thurrock Council’s annual budget setting council on February 26th.
The government has announced that there will be local government reform and Thurrock Council will be abolished in the years ahead.
The budget made little provision for Devolution and Local Government Reform, and the cost that it would entail.
Interim Leader of Thurrock Conservatives said:
“This budget does not prepare Thurrock Council for local government reform, it does not prepare Thurrock Council staff for local government reform, it does not prepare Thurrock residents for local government reform, the only people it prepares for local government reform is the party that cancelled elections.
Rather this Administration has chosen to burn through our contingency reserve, with no details on how much Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution will cost the Thurrock taxpayer.
I have long been an advocate for local government reform – having fewer councils is good for the Essex taxpayer and has the prospect of delivering better services to our residents.
However, it now means we needed a completely different type of budget. We need a budget that seeks to maximise Thurrock’s position in this new reality.”
