BASILDON Council "need to get on top" of a "pretty dismal performance" regarding finances after overspending more than £3 million.

The authority is looking to balance the books after huge bills in housing homeless families, bin collections, housing repairs and other costs. Labour council leader Gavin Callaghan revealed his budget in February with various changes and new projects. 

At a meeting of the cabinet Cllr Callaghan said a report into the finances "makes for pretty grim reading." He also raised concerns about overspending on security at housing developments and other council owned buildings and sites.

He said: "It sets out a pretty dismal performance, as things stand the council is £3.1 million overspent, the latest amount of that comes from the waste service that was introduced by the previous administration, which is an overspend to the tune of around £2.1 million. As you can see there are a number of alarming statistics around where the council is spending money on legal fees for housing disrepairs and on many other areas. 

"Which is why I think it's important we bring a housing improvement board so that we can start to get on top of exactly what is going on in the housing and repairs service and in the legal challenges we are facing as a consequence of how the housing team is operating.

"We know the new waste from April 28, will help to reduce those costs, particularly around the staffing, the vehicles and fuel which we are having to suspend now due to the disastrous service that was brought in previously.

"One of the things around the housing revenue accounts, is an overspend on security costs on Acorn House, one of the things we need to do is look at security more generally and look at what we are spending across the town centre on the various assets we own and have a bit of a review on where they are going."

The Labour council leader insisted the council "cannot be overspending to the tune of £100,000″ on security.

He also said there are savings when it comes to plannig appeals with fewer large scale appeals taking place. He added: "When you look at this report it makes for pretty grim reading and we really do need to get on top of this so we are in fit shape in to enter into the new unitary authority."