THE leader of Southend Council claims the town’s Tory MPs don’t want to be involved with the future of the borough because they refuse to meet him.

Independent Ron Woodley has criticised MPs James Duddridge and Sir David Amess, claiming they have never met with him since he took office in 2014, and suggested they “don’t wish to be involved in the future of the town”.

Mr Duddridge, who represents Southend East and Rochford, made no apologies for his actions and insisted he regularly met council chief executive Rob Tinlin and Tory group leader John Lamb.

He described the ruling Independent, Labour, Lib Dem and Southend Independence administration at Southend “anti-Conservative.”

To highlight his case, Mr Woodley said Sir David, who represents Southend West, was only aware of his Government’s decision to move HMRC out of Alexander House by 2020 a day after the decision was announced.

Mr Woodley said this highlighted the lack of correspondence between him and MPs as a “hindrance to Southend”.

He said: “It’s a sad situation whereby they are wrapped up in their own political parties and don’t wish to be involved in the future of the town.

“I’m responsible for the whole town and it’s a shame they won’t correspond or be involved in the direction of the town.

“There are things I could ask them to lobby for in Parliament, but I’m unable to.”

It is understood that Mr Amess, who has represented Southend West since 1997, held a health summit earlier this year and invited Mr Tinlin, Mr Lamb, and Conservative councillor Lesley Salter, shadow cabinet member for health and adult social care.

But when the council pointed out that neither the leader of the council nor the councillor responsible for health and social care, James Moyies, had been invited, he withdrew the invitation for the council’s chief executive without explanation.

Mr Duddridge, who has been an MP since 2005, says he has met Mr Tinlin since 2004, and invited other political parties to join up with the Conservatives to take back control of the council, after they were kicked out of power in 2014.

He said: “I meet all the other councillors at civic events which are a useful way for me to keep up to speed with their views.

“In addition I have political meetings with John Lamb, who would be the leader of the council if we did not have an anti- Conservative coalition trying to run the council.

“I am more than happy for any others to cross the floor and participate in a more joined up Conservative team.”

Sir David did not respond to the Echo’s request for a comment.