The report followed a petition that had been presented at Cabinet on the 8 November 2023 by Mr Sandu, relating to a public inquiry into the financial collapse of Thurrock Council. The petition exceeded the threshold of 1500 verified signatures and in accordance with Chapter 1, Part 2, Article 3 of the Constitution qualified for debated by Full Council.

Mr Sandu was given the opportunity to present his petition.

The Leader in his response reassured residents that there had been changes on how the council operated and learnings were being made from those errors of the past. A public inquiry would help understand more about the financial collapse and the errors that took place. The Leader read out a statement received from Essex Police in regard to specialist police officers liaising with the council, the best value inspection team and insolvency practitioners and wider enforcement partners about the sufficiency for a potential criminal investigation, a decision which had not been made on. The Leader stated he agreed with the Member of Parliament for Thurrock that by holding a public inquiry would not produce anything new and that public money could be better spent. 

The Leader recommended a letter from himself, and the Leader of the opposition be sent to the Secretary of State to request holding a public inquiry, the Leader reminded residents that the council did not have the power to call for or set up a public inquiry.

The following points were made:

·       Leader of Opposition agreed that a letter should be sent to the Secretary of State with the caveat that Councillor Speight’s signed the letter also.

·       Referred to a motion that had been raised six months ago asking for a public inquiry which had been rejected, in that this evening’s meeting could have been spent looking at the outcome of that inquiry rather than just now accepting that one was required in asking for that inquiry.

·       Referenced the motion above by stating this was not Thurrock specific, that motion was about local government on a wider scale.

·       Welcomed Alex Powell the new Assistant Chief Executive to the council.

·       Praised the work of officers to members and residents.

·       Genuine leadership was required in rebuilding the trust that had been lost.

·       It had taken the steadfast of residents of the borough to do what the leadership within the council should have done some time ago.

At 8.00pm the Mayor extended this item by 15 minutes.

·       A public inquiry needed to be heard in public and for the results to be made public, no accountability had been made of specific officers, members, services, or processes that were in place and this was what the public inquiry should deliver.

·       A full public inquiry needed to be undertaken to ensure the council had undertaken everything it could to ensure those culpable were held to account.

·       A detailed analysis of account was required to ensure this did not happen again.

·       Referenced the limitations of the Best Value Inspection report and whether Thurrock had met and able to demonstrate its duty to deliver best value and how it would continue to carry out its work.

·       The inquiry needed to establish the facts, find out what happened, why, who was accountable and to learn lessons.

·       Gratitude was made to the Corringham Fobbing and Homestead forum in their help in getting this item debated this evening.

·       A full enquiry would satisfy resident’s hunger for justice.

·       With the council meeting in February to discuss the budget, those budgets could not be balanced this year or subsequent years without borrowing millions of pounds.

·       The public enquiry needed to go further than what the best value inspection had carried out.

·       This was a very motive debate and residents wanted accountability and all 49 members needed to accept their responsibility.

Actions:

·       Letter to be written to the Secretary of State regarding Public Inquiry.

RESOLVED

That Full Council considered the petition and made any recommendations it felt appropriate as a response to the petition. A letter to be sent to the Secretary of State from the Leader, Leader of the Opposite and from Councillor Neil Speight requesting to hold a public inquiry.