In 2022 the council's level of debt arising from failed investments led to it issuing a Section 114 notice, being the local authority equivalent of declaring bankruptcy.

[15][16] Businessman Liam Kavanagh is accused of cheating the council out of as much as £130 million in relation to the deals.

[19] The council's financial exposure arises from loans of more than a billion pounds used to fund commercial investments.

Council leader Rob Gledhill resigned on 2 September 2022, the day the government intervention was announced.

[20] On 29 November 2022, Thurrock Council admitted that in that financial year it had a near £500 million budget deficit, mostly from failed investments.

[18][21] On 19 December 2022 the council issued a Section 114 notice barring any new expenditure, being the local authority equivalent of declaring bankruptcy.

Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:[26][27] Lower tier non-metropolitan district Unitary authority The role of Mayor of Thurrock is largely ceremonial, usually being held by a different councillor each year.

[40][41] Members are elected from schools or local youth groups to represent one of the 20 wards of Thurrock and have to live, study or work in the borough.

[50] The wards, with their numbers on the map below, are:[49][51] The mayors since 1982 have included: Thurrock, the area with borough status which this council administers.