AN opposition leader has described a council's 'revolutionary' budget as "out of control".

The leader of Basildon Council announced his new budget plans to build a 5,000-seat arena, a new construction academy, and thousands of new homes at a heated meeting last week (February 13).

Cllr Gavin Callaghan also told the meeting that the budget would also bring in new homes just for Basildon people, a new mortgage guarantee scheme, tougher landlord rules, and a huge regeneration project for the town centre with a hotel, area, new homes, and shops.

He said that Basildon was still a "place of possibilities" for young people where they could "start a family, buy a house, and start a business."

Cllr Callaghan also plans to "sack" the council's housing repairs firm, Morgan Sindall, if "diabolical" issues are not dealt with by Christmas. 

Wickford Police Station will also be reopened as a Community Safety Hub to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour, and new funding will be made available for new CCTV cameras and community safety measures.

Cllr Callahan said: "In the space of just one year, this council has seen the election of a new administration, the election and appointment of a new leader and chief executive, we have a new Government in Westminster with the second largest mandate in British political history, we have seen the election of a populous new MP, and we've had it confirmed that after 50 years local Government is to be reorganised and Basildon Council to be abolished.

"For one of those things to happen in a municipal year would be challenging for all of them, which is extraordinary, so it makes the budget setting even more important.

"We are not just setting the budget tonight; we are being asked to set the direction for the beginning of the end and the start of a new era for our residents and businesses. As we do so, we need to reflect for a minute about what the public has been telling us, why we have reached these series of moments, and what the public call for change tells us.

"Basildon wasn't built on fear of what can't be done. It was built with a view on the possible. I still believe it's possible to create a Basildon where people feel proud to live. I still believe it's a place where young people see it as a place of possibilities to start a family, buy a house and start a business. I still believe it's a place where first-class infrastructure is within reach, where you can learn skills needed to secure a job for life, can be placed where people believe their council is on their side."

Andrew Baggott, Tory opposition leader, told the meeting: "What we saw was a smoke and mirrors budget from a smoke and mirrors administration.

"We've seen refurbishment for play areas suspended, so the youth can't even go out and enjoy the areas they were looking forward to. Borrowing is as good as out of control; it's the gamble of Councillor Callaghan that devolution will solve all ills, that somehow, when they merge with Thurrock and its huge debt, the Government will wipe it all away.

"The council's finances are on a knife edge. What we've heard is a lot of promise and vision, which is to be applauded but very little substance; what we have is a council financially on the brink of catastrophe."