Investigation launched into Basildon Council

The government has launched an investigation into "serious cultural and governance" concerns at Basildon Borough Council.

A Best Value Notice (BVN) has been issued amid "evidence of deteriorating relationships between councillors and officers online and in council meetings", the government said.

Local Government Minister Alison McGovern said she would commission an independent review into the council to report by the end of October.

The move has been welcomed by the Conservatives, who run the council as a minority administration, and by Reform UK and Labour councillors.

The BVN states there are "concerns about member conduct and culture" and there has been "significant instability" in council leadership, with seven monitoring officers – the most senior legal figures – within 18 months.

Over the past few years, meetings have often been fraught and become personal between councillors.

The government said there were "significant audit and assurance concerns including the backlog of accounts".

As well as the review, the government has asked the council to "continue to implement and measure cultural change, particularly in improving relationships between members as well as officers and members" and "increase senior officer capacity and stability".

The government also said the authority needed to continue to improve how it operated its social housing after "very serious failings" were found recently.

Basildon Borough Council was run by Labour and independent councillors until May, when the Conservatives took over as a minority administration.

Council leader Andy Barnes has urged all members to co-operate with the process.

"After years of concerns being raised by councillors and external auditors, the government has now confirmed that it is launching an independent investigation into Basildon Council's governance and performance over the last two years," he said.

Gavin Callaghan, the former Labour leader of the council, welcomed the announcement and said: "For many months, Labour councillors have raised serious concerns about the way the council is being run."

Reform UK group leader Sam Journet said: "This is a huge moment for Basildon. The days of brushing concerns under the carpet are over."

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