Basildon Council has descended into chaos as councillors butt heads over a lack of meetings after it emerged the authority is the only one is Essex not to meet fully since lockdown.

Political spats have ensued between the Labour and Tory party as senior councillors continue to argue over why full council meetings have been halted.

Council chiefs cited limited technology and poor behaviour from councillors as reasons behind the delay.

A committee meeting on September 24 turned into an “embarrassing shouting match” after Andrew Baggott, leader of Basildon’s Conservatives, accused independent councillors of “taking the silver bag” and “continually voting for Labour”.

Gavin Callaghan, leader of the council, said: “If the leader of the Tories cannot behave himself in a committee meeting, it does not bode well for a full council meeting.

“We have held more committee meetings than anyone else in the UK.

“I will defend any councillor’s right to be a pain, but at the moment full council meetings will be impossible to manage.

“Every time someone shuffles, they appear on the screen. Officers cannot mute councillors microphones like in a usual chamber to stop it becoming a shouting match.”

However Mr Baggott accused the council leader of “making excuses” and said he has asked officers if Basildon Sporting Village or Towngate Theatre could be used.

“I’m sure Gavin is as frustrated as I am.”

Basildon Council cancelled a full council meeting on September 24 due to coronavirus restrictions.

Andrew Schrader, Conservative councillor of the Billericay East ward, said: “We are the only council in Essex not to have one.

“It’s nothing to do with Tory behaviour at all. It’s rubbish.”

A spokesman from Basildon Council said: “In April all the group leaders within the council agreed that they would prefer to have physical full council meetings at the council offices, as opposed to remote meetings.

“A number of options are being explored to ensure the next scheduled full council meeting on October 22 can take place.”

They keep saying nobody will be able to be heard.