The Motion, as printed in the agenda was proposed by Councillor J Kent and seconded by Councillor Kerin. The Motion read as follows:

Council resolves to write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities calling for an independent inquiry into the financial collapse of Thurrock Council - along with similar collapses in Woking, Croydon, Slough and Northamptonshire. The inquiry should look at, amongst other things - the impact of austerity on council budgets, the impact of scrapping of independent oversight bodies such as the Audit Commission, the impact of government encouragement of councils to pursue a commercialisation agenda, the role of councils' external auditors, the role of council Monitoring Officers, Section 151 Officers and Chief Executives, and the apparent absence of central government oversight of local government.

Councillor J Kent presented the motion by thanking the inspection team for the work undertaken and the evidence and recommendations presented. The motion called on a full inquiry that would explore in detail the issues that led to the financial collapse of Thurrock council and other local authorities. The inquiry would need to factor the impact in the reduction of central Government grants to councils. With questions being repeatedly asked as to why external auditors had not picked up on the risks that were being undertaken, did not pick up the gaps in insurance or the lack of proper governance around decision making. These issues were not limited to Thurrock, therefore a proper look needed to be undertaken across authorities. The Best Value Inspection had recommended the Secretary of State commissioned a review of external auditors for local authorities and for the roles of three statutory officers to be strengthened. To also look at how central Government had played its part in this catastrophe. A full Government led inquiry into the circumstances would identify the causes and reduce the risk of this happening somewhere else.

An amendment to this motion had been received from the Leader and seconded by Councillor D Arnold and read as follows:

Council welcomes the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities investigation into the financial collapse of Thurrock Council - along with similar collapses in Woking, Croydon, Slough and Northamptonshire. The inquiry should look at, amongst other things - the impact of austerity on council budgets, the impact of scrapping of independent oversight bodies such as the Audit Commission, the impact of government encouragement of councils to pursue a commercialisation agenda, the role of councils' external auditors, the role of council Monitoring Officers, Section 151 Officers and Chief Executives, and the apparent absence of central government oversight of local government.

The leader presented the amended motion by stating the Government were already investigating what actually happened in the councils that were mentioned by Councillor J Kent, the Best Value Inspection had provided answers and Government had accepted those recommendations. The way local Government was funded and ran was also being looked into by the Government.

The following points were made:

·       The substantive motion was more specific as the inquiry would identify what happened and who was accountable.

·       Some members were in favour of the independent inquiry.

·       There should not be a demand for something that was already in place.

·       Thurrock council needed to lead from the front, learn from this and potentially help other councils.

·       Questioned where the evidence of the inquiry was and whether the inquiry had actually happened.

·       The Motion needed to ask Government to do something by asking the Secretary of State to launch an independent inquiry into austerity, the scrapping of independent oversight, the commercialisation agenda, external auditors, the role of CEOs and senior officers and central Government oversight.

·       By tackling each area of the independent inquiry could lead and plot the way forward for local authorities in the UK.

·       The process was already ongoing and could be seen from committee work programmes, the work of the commissioners and the deep dives that were being undertaken and being reported back to the Secretary of State.

The Mayor called a vote on the amended motion to which Councillor J Kent requested a requisition vote.

For: Councillors Abbas, Anderson, D Arnold, P Arnold, Carter, Collins, Coxshall, Duffin, Gledhill, Halden, Jefferies, Johnson, Kelly, Little, B Maney, J Maney, Ononaji, Pearce, Piccolo, Polley, Redsell, Rigby, Snell, Spillman (24)

Against: Councillors Allen, Byrne, Cecil, Chukwu, Fish, Green, Hartstean, Hooper, Hurrell, C Kent, J Kent, Kerin, Liddiard, Manwa, Massey, Morris Cook, Muldowney, Panjala, Raper, Sammons, Shinnick, Speight, Watson and Worrall (24)

Abstain: (0)

With the vote being tied, the Mayor exercised her second and casting vote and announced the amended Motion carried with 25 votes for and 24 votes against.

The Mayor called a vote on the substantive motion, with 24 votes in favour and 24 votes against. The Mayor exercised her second and casting vote and announced the substantive motion carried with 25 votes for and 24 votes against.