An Essex community centre which local Tory councillors were “in debt” to could get a second phase of refurbishments costing more than £2million.

Basildon Borough Council’s Conservative-run cabinet will meet next week (March 16) to vote on phase two of works at Laindon Community Centre.

This comes after an independent review said there had been “no transparency” in the decision to award a 25-lease on the community centre to a newly-formed charity, members of which ran an anti-Labour campaign during the May 2021 local elections when the Conservatives gained control of the council.

According to a council report, the first phase of works, which cost £1m, have already been completed.

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A section read: “Additionally, works to the dance studio and surrounding corridors was also completed early in August 2022 ahead of the main works in Phase 2 in order to support income maximization for the centre.

“The only outstanding works are associated with heating in the sports hall and some plastering and associated works which have been deferred to be undertaken a more appropriate time, in consultation with LCC.”

Additionally, an asbestos survey, fire and water safety works, new toilets, windows and decorations have been undertaken. The report continues to say the second phase is expected to cost £2,008,000 and that Morgan Sindall Property Services will be appointed to undertake the works if the plans are approved by the cabinet.

It is set to include “significant” mechanical and electrical works, refurbishing meeting rooms, building changing rooms and creating a gym. Certain areas would be demolished and “extensive” works to roofs and walls would be involved.

The cabinet previously met in January to discuss the independent review, and senior councillors said they hoped it would allow a line to be drawn under the issue.

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A section of the review, by Melvin Kenyon of Kenyon Brabrook Limited, read: “There appears to have been no transparency in the decision to award the lease of the newly-refurbished Centre to the newly-created charity. No effort appears to have been made to establish whether there were other organisations who might have been interested in running the Community Centre.”

A later section read: “It is nevertheless difficult to conclude anything other than that the new administration and the ‘Save the Laindon Community Centre’ activists were in each other’s debt and that the new arrangements helped settle those debts.”

Council leader Andrew Baggott (Con, Burstead) said at the meeting the investigation had been thorough and that the council would always strive to be better.