THE Towngate Theatre, Wat Tyler Country Park and swimming pools could be sold off as Basildon Council attempts to save millions of pounds, its leader has warned.

Phil Turner is working hard to balance the books, with central Government funding set to be slashed by 53 per cent this year. It means the authority is expected to be £9million in the red over the next three years.

Mr Turner has warned council-run services such as the theatre, in St Martin’s Square, the country park, in Pitsea, and Wickford Swimming Pool, in Market Road, could be offloaded if savings are not made.

It comes as the authority is expected to announce a council tax rise for the second successive year.

Mr Turner said: “Whilst we are in a healthy position because of our reserves, which are about £18 million, there’s still a lot of work to be done.

“I’m a Basildon boy and I am representing everyone and have their best interests at heart.

“We have to rethink how our services are offered. It means the pools, Wat Tyler and even Towngate are at risk. Our hands are tied as if we tried to raise council tax by more than two per cent, we would have to spend £40,000 or so on the referendum.

“Taxpayers will obviously reject the increase. We inherited a difficult set of finances, and have managed to transform how things are run for the better. But there is still work to be done.”

Mr Turner hit out at rival parties for making his job “more difficult than it needs to be.”

It comes after Labour, UKIP, the Wickford Independents and other independent councillors last month voted to replace the council’s cabinet and return to a committee system.

Currently there are seven Tory councillors holding the power over key decisions. From May, decisions will be made by a series of cross-party groups who have no political majority and are headed up by chairmen.

Mr Turner said: “We are trying to balance the books with an opposition who are making our job a lot harder than it needs to be.

“I would welcome suggestions on how to make the savings we need. They rejected the plans to change our refuse collection, and these could have saved more than £1million.

“I have said all along that we are faced with an unholy alliance.”

The Towngate Theatre has experienced its fair share of real-life drama since opening in 1989. In the Nineties, spiralling costs even prompted the council to close it.

It is now thriving, with Sleeping Beauty breaking panto ticket sale records.

It comes after a £1million revamp of its auditorium, foyer and dressing rooms in 2012.