Thurrock council leader to stand down from role

Thurrock Council is set to elect a new Leader at Annual Council in May after the resignation of Councillor John Kent.

Councillor Kent has been Leader of Thurrock Council since May 2024, and has led the Labour group in Thurrock for about 21 years.

A new Leader will be elected at Annual Council on 21 May, a meeting that marks the start of the new municipal year.

At this meeting, Thurrock councillors are expected to appoint a new mayor and deputy mayor, confirm the membership of the council’s committees, and agree the timetable for the year ahead.

With devolution the council is due to be dismantled, and a new all-purpose council covering both Thurrock and Basildon could be set up.

The local authority was bankrupted by a series of failed investments in solar farms and declared by government to be in "severe financial distress".

They received £76 million from the government to "protect services and ensure their sustainability."

Cllr John Kent, outgoing Leader of Thurrock Council, said: “I am extremely proud to have led the council over the last year, as we have made great progress in getting our finances back on track; improving services for local people rebuilding our relationships with residents; and working with our neighbours to get ready for devolution and local government reorganisation.

"I want to thank staff across the council for working so hard to put things right after the mistakes of the past.

"There is still a huge amount to do, but I know colleagues are committed to working hard to improve how we work and what we do, for the benefit of our residents who deserve better.

“With so much change coming, I feel now is the right time to step back as Leader and allow someone else to take the reins and help the council navigate the next few years, but I will continue to play an active role locally.

"Thurrock is my home and I will never tire of making a positive difference here.”

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