THURROCK Council tenants could be feeling the pinch as the authority decides whether or not to put rents up by 6.69 per cent.

The council’s Labour cabinet will meet tonight (Friday) to discuss six possible increases for domestic rents, from 6.16 per cent up to 7.14 per cent.

Officers have recommended the cabinet goes for an increase of 6.69 per cent. They are also recommending to put up central heating charges, electricity and water charges by 3.3 per cent and garage rents up by 2.5 per cent.

Councillors immediately clashed over the issue.

Thurrock Council’s portfolio holder for housing, Cllr Andy Smith, said the council is being forced to put up tenants’ rents by the Government.

He said: “It is very sad, but we’ve got no choice, we have to put it up by the amount the Government is telling us to.

“The Government wants us to get our rents the same as Housing Assocication rents.”

Cllr Smith said the council plans to spend more on new kitchens, bathrooms and windows for tenants to compensate for the rise.

But Cllr Tunde Ojetola, the Tory spokesman for housing, said: “I am amazed at this. The council made savings of around £1million when it signed the housing repairs contract with Morrisons last year and that saving should be coming through now. I don’t know why an increase of this amount is being recommended.”

Service charges, such as caretaking and concierge, are recommended for a 5.24 per cent hike.

The cabinet will also discuss whether or not to put up the rent for travellers’ sites by 6.2 per cent, and increassing weekly utility charges by 3.3 per cent.

The report outlines 28 areas the council where improvements are being made.

This includes £1.1million on repairing cladding to nine high-rise blocks of flats, £144,000 installing smoke alarms and £2,974,000 on refurbishments.