A NEW war of words has broken out between leading councillors over the future of LED lights in the borough.

The leader of the council, John Kent, has accused the conservative group of creating an obstacle in the council’s plans to introduce LED lights in Thurrock.

Mr Kent said: “Everyone knows that replacing old fashioned bulbs with modern Low energy lights at home saves us money, as does investing in a new boiler or double glazing.

“It's a bit more complicated replacing all 17,000 and more street lights across the borough, but it's the same principal.

“Borrow what's needed and the combination of repayments plus reduced electric bills is less than the old bill!

“It's such a good idea that the deputy leader of Thurrock's Tory group tried to claim credit for it at last week's full council meeting.”

He added: “Now we're being told that Thurrock Conservatives want to use a council procedure, known as a "call in," to stop the council getting on with upgrading our street lights, that the Tory group want to call a halt to the plan their own deputy leader claimed was their idea.”

The Tory group have shot back accusing Labour of “scaremongering”.

Conservative Spokesman for Highways Sue Little said: "Yet again Labour are running around scaremongering that Conservatives want the lights turned off, where the reality is far from the truth in Labours spin based press release.

“The facts are simple, Labour made a public decision about spending £6 million of tax payers money on installing LED lights across the borough without any detailed plan.

“No doubt they had a few meetings, behind closed doors, to agree whatever was presented to them instead of asking basic questions.”