“Ruining Electoral Chances”
“The Buck Must Not Stop Down The Hall”
Labour Call on Beleaguered Leader and Administration To Resign
IN A DRAMATIC MOVE, Conservative Central Office is set to order Thurrock Tories to remove Thurrock Council Leader, Terry Hipsey from office.
Until recently, Westminster Tories were confident that both constituencies, Andrew Mackinlay’s Thurrock and Angela Smith’s South Basildon and East Thurrock were target seats to be toppled at the next General Election.
But the recent catalogue of controversies - from the “stepping down” of Chief Executive Angie Ridgwell and highly rated Director of Education Robert McCulloch-Graham to the U-turns on Freedom of the Borough for the Burma Star Association and the closure of Chadwell St Mary Primary School - have put the Tories' General Election hopes at risk.
However it is believed that the 'tipping point' is the disastrous handling of the plans to impose car parking charges in Corringham.
One Tory insider revealed:
“For four years, (prospective Tory candidate) Stephen Metcalfe has been confident that he can overturn Angela Smith’s slim majority (3,142).
He attended the meeting at Corringham Village Hall and was privately fuming at the Tory Councillors' performance.”
Subsequently, Mr Metcalfe issued a statement publicly criticising Thurrock Council’s own proposals.
He said: “I have spoken with a number of traders and fully support their opposition to any introduction of charges.
“I understand that the Council has a difficult job to do, and that they have to set a balanced budget, but filling the hole left by lack of proper Government funding and the deepening recession by introducing parking charges in Corringham is not the answer.”
The decree from Central Office is set to come before the next full council meeting where the Labour opposition have tabled a motion of no-confidence in the Council Leader and Stanford-le-Hope Councillor, Terry Hipsey.
Chair of Thurrock Labour has demanded the resignation of Cllr Hipsey and the rest of his administration.
At last night’s Tory Cabinet meeting, the Tories discussed the Audit Commission report where Acting Leader, Garry Hague pledged to move forward.
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