THE LEADER of Basildon Labour group has accused the ruling Tories of not being fit “to run a whelk stall” after proposals to close the borough’s golf course emerged.

Last week the Echo revealed proposals from the Conservative administration to shut Basildon Golf Course on June 30 after no firm could be found to run it at no cost to taxpayers.

Councillors on the cabinet are expected to vote through the plan on Thursday ending eight years of unsuccessfully trying to privatise the course.

Nigel Smith, Basildon Labour group leader, said: “The Tories treatment of the golf course has been a shambles. It seems they couldn't run a whelk stall.”

The privateisation bid began in 2005 before plans by course operator Jack Barker to recontour it with thousands of tonnes of building spoil were approved in 2007.

However, a legal challenge by angry residents saw that over turned before Jack barker surrendered the lease owing thousands of pounds to the council.

Mr Smith added: “The Conservative council has spent thousands of pounds of public money trying to privatise the course. They ignored the views of residents.

Time and again Labour councillors were prevented from discussing it at full council or in committee. “Residents will be angry that the Council is cutting staff and services and even threatening hot meals for pensioners, yet they squandered thousands of pounds on the failed golf course privatisation.”

He said critics, including his wife Angela Smith, Baroness of Basildon, who raised it in the commons when she was an MP, had now been proved right.

He added: “Now it seems the Golf Course, one of the best in the area and valued by many, will close forever. “The closure and the huge amount of money the council has wasted makes it a scandal.

Council leader Tony Ball and his colleagues need to apologise for their failures since 2005. They cannot be trusted with our facilities or our money.”

More than 75 firms expressed interest in running the course but only six made actual bids, with none able to run it without a subsidy.

Stuart Sullivan, Tory cabinet member for resources said: “Officers and members have worked very hard to attract someone who could operate the golf course.

Unfortunately, we have not been able to get anywhere close to agreeing a good deal for the council and for local people so we have no choice but to recommend the closure of the course.”