BASILDON Council has pledged to save a £25million town centre cinema regeneration project which has been delayed for over a year.

Despite setting a summer 2023 launch date in March for the Empire Cinema complex in East Square, Basildon, a definitive announcement on when its doors will open to the public is yet to be made.

In a meeting on July 20, Basildon councillors vowed to work closely with the Empire Cinema chain, which entered administration earlier this month.

Presenting the motion, Councillor Maryam Yaqub (Lab., St Martin's) said that transparency and communication are essential to ensure the site "doesn't become another empty building in the town centre".

However, Cllr Yaqub's outlook and criticism of the council's Conservative administration polarised other members, who passed the motion once amended by Councillor Craig Rimmer (Con., Pitsea South East).

Cllr Rimmer suggested the council's "positive approach" be made explicit in the motion. He also broached the subject of possibly repurposing the complex as a hybrid use facility should it transpire that the new Empire branch is no longer viable.

He said: "We are thinking about Plan B and Plan C in terms of the site."

Other members, such as Councillor Kerry Smith (Ind., Nethermayne) supported both Cllrs Yaqub and Rimmer's calls for decisive action to be taken, but recommended proceeding with caution.

"Only in communist countries do taxpayers subsidise a cinema," he said. "The market has changed from when this development was first agreed."

However, Basildon Conservative leader Councillor Andrew Baggott (Burstead) argued that, although it remains uncertain whether the planned cinema "will see the light of day", perserverance and cooperation from all council members would be needed to increase its chances of success.

He said: "What's in front of us is a risk to the council and to the taxpayer… And we'll have to deal with it.

"Let's be proud of Basildon."

Despite this call for unity, Cllr Yaqub remained adamant that Basildon's Conservative administration was to blame for the unpredictable future of the project.

"It is painfully clear that this administration lacks the necessary skills and capabilities to handle setbacks of this nature," she said.

"We must work towards a future in which regeneration is not just a buzz word, but a material reality that brings lasting prosperity to our borough."