THE leader of Castle Point Council has been dubbed the new “Iron Lady”, following a bitter row with her Tory Party colleagues.

Pam Challis, leader of Castle Point Council, is believed to have clashed with her colleagues in a “full and frank” manner over controversial plans to build 5,000 new homes on Castle Point green belt by 2026.

Rebel councillors say they should have been more involved in last year’s public consultation over the proposals, which caused hundreds of residents to complain they were not given a chance to raise objections.

One councillor, who asked to remain anonymous, said the matter came to a head at a private Conservative group meeting on Monday and most councillors now wanted a new leader.

The councillor said: “She’s a dictator and I would say a majority of Conservative councillors want a new leader.

“A lot of us jokingly say she’s like Margaret Thatcher – because she wants to be the conductor of the orchestra and play all the instruments. She resents any other councillor getting publicity and wants to be the figurehead.

“She thinks councillors shouldn’t be involved in the decision-making and everything should be left to officers who are answerable to her, but that isn’t democratic. If we could have been involved in the consultation, we would have had a better idea where there was strongest feeling against green belt development and could have avoided the protests.”

Furious public protests forced the council to ditch plans to build hundreds of new homes in Daws Heath last month.

Dave Blackwell, leader of the Canvey Independent Party, said he had been aware of Tory in-fighting.

He said: “This has been brewing for a long time and splits are starting to show because the Tories are seriously worried about the local elections.”

Despite repeated attempts to contact Mrs Challis, she failed to return our calls, but her colleague and secretary of the Conservative councillors’ group, said: “This was a private meeting and it was a good thing that it provided the opportunity for a full and frank discussion between members.

“There was no mention of changing the leader or anyone making a bid for it.”