CASTLE Point Council has been branded a disgrace by a furious Tory for attempting to reclaim over £280,000 from the family of a dead chief executive while writing off £872,173 paid to senior council officers.

Andrew Sheldon, Tory leader from May 2021 and May 2022, set up an investigation into the payment and has slammed the Independent-led administration for targetting the estate of David Marchant while others have “taxpayer money in their pockets”.

The Essex County Councillor for South Benfleet accused the council of “choosing to do what is easy” by writing off the additional payments made to councillor officers.

The payments - totalling over £1.1million - were made under a Conservative administration but Mr Sheldon pointed the finger at Independent leader Dave Blackwell for chairing a “secret meeting” in August 2022 to discuss the payments.

Mr Sheldon said: “First the Independents called my attempt to set up a cross-party committee to investigate those involved a ‘witch-hunt’.

“Then the Independent Coalition Leader chairs a secret council committee meeting there is no public record of, then they fail to ask the auditors to release a public interest report into these payments.

“Yesterday they voted to let those involved still alive keep almost £1 million of these payments.

“Instead, they voted to only try and retrieve money from the estate of someone who has passed away, the whole thing stinks to high heaven.

“Their excuse will be they won’t be able to get more grant funding to pursue the matter further, but I have seen no evidence they have even tried. Yes, justice costs money, but it will cost us all more in the long term if people can see they can get away with it.”

The payments were initially uncovered in January this year after the council’s auditors refused to sign off the council’s audits.

Mr Sheldon added: “The fact remains there are people walking around today with money in their pension pots, money in their bank accounts, and money in their pockets that rightfully belongs to the taxpayers of Castle Point and the political leadership of the Council have just let them get away with it.

“It’s a disgrace. The council has voted to do what is easy, when they should have voted to do what is right.”