Council does not rule out selling 10,000 homes

The Conservative Thurrock Council leader, Mark Coxshall, said "everything is on the table"

A council leader has refused to rule out selling 10,000 homes in order to help pay off a £1.5bn debt.

The government appointed a commissioner earlier this year to take over the running of Thurrock Council because of a "serious financial situation".

At a full council meeting, Labour member Lynn Worrall asked whether the local authority's entire housing stock would be sold.

The Conservative leader, Mark Coxshall, said "everything is on the table".

Labour councillor Lynn Worrall said she "could cry" for residents living in Thurrock Council's housing stock

"They [the houses] are probably our most treasured thing we have here in Thurrock and I thought it was Chinese whispers I was hearing," said Ms Worrall.

"I wish the cabinet members had just asked a few more questions about where our money was going, because it's why we've got here, because nobody went deep enough and I am so angry.

"So will 10,000 residents. [They are] going to be angry out there, that they could end up with a housing association running our houses.

"I could cry for those residents."

Thurrock Council reportedly helped buy 53 solar farms

Mr Coxshall said he could "not at this stage" provide reassurance that the housing stock would not be sold, and that "everything is on the table".

He said, however, there would be no fire sale, whereby homes would be sold at discount prices.

The meeting heard the homes generated £50m for the council's Housing Revenue Account.

Essex County Council was appointed as a commissioner to take over the running of Thurrock

Luke Spillman, the Conservative councillor responsible for housing, said there had been "no discussions" about selling the homes.

An investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism revealed in July that Thurrock Council had borrowed about £1bnrom other local authorities to fund investments, which included the purchase of 53 solar farms.

Avoiding bankruptcy

The previous council leader and former cabinet member for finance resigned after the government intervened.

At the meeting on Wednesday, the Labour leader of the opposition, John Kent, asked whether the council "can avoid declaring bankruptcy".

Mr Coxshall said: "That's not my decision."