CONSERVATIVES have branded opposition councillors a “coalition of chaos” after the Tory budget was torpedoed by sweeping last-minute amendments. 

The administration’s “carefully balanced budget” designed to help avoid a £35 million deficit from accruing over the next four years was hijacked by an amended opposition budget aimed at “softening the blow of cuts”.

Part of the amended budget, agreed on Thursday night, includes more money for potholes, funding for three new community safety officers, as well as saving the civic plant nursery and retaining a council graduate training programme.

The opposition group maintains its proposals are fully costed and signed off by finance officers but Conservatives have branded them “fantasy figures”.

Tony Cox, leader of the Conservative Group, said: “The ominous “Coalition of Chaos” has shamelessly reared its head once again.

“This same group of Labour, Lib Dem and Independent councillors pushed the council to the brink of bankruptcy, and now they have come together again to push through more unfunded promises.

Mr Cox added: “They have not learned from their past mistakes and continue to make reckless decisions and false promises to residents, which will take us back to square one. Local Conservatives will not stand idly by while they jeopardise the progress we have made.”

Despite concerns over the Tories’ ability to deliver a budget devised by the opposition, leader of the Labour group Daniel Cowan believes it is “deliverable” and insisted the plan would “balance the budget”.

After the meeting, he said: “I think the budget is entirely deliverable, just as deliverable as their original budget. Amendments have to be signed off as robust and achievable and that’s what’s happened here.”

Asked if there might be a vote of no confidence if Tories resist the new budget, Mr Cowan said: “The new budget doesn’t start until April 1 at which point we will be in the election campaign anyway. So if the Conservatives look to undermine local democracy, we will make that clear in the election campaign and let the people of Southend decide.”

Paul Collins, leader of the Lib Dem Group, welcomed amendments that include more care of the environment.