Council bosses have appointed a temporary director  of children's services - despite councillors voting down the plan. 

Thurrock Council's chief executive was forced to use delegated powers to appoint Roger Harris - who is already corporate director of adults, housing and health. 

Concerns had been raised previously over how he would cope with both roles and wether it was appropriate to seemingly reduced the children's services role - which has come under fire in recent months. 

Last week, the council’s management team asked councillors to back a last-minute plan to merge the vital department with another.

The controversy is the latest to hit the department. Last year whistleblowers accused the council of missing opportunities to prevent the death of a toddler in Grays in January 2018.

Now the head of the department has retired and rather than replace him, council bosses want to merge his responsibilities with those already held by the director of people, housing and health.

However, councillors were not told until days last Wednesday and asked to back the proposal.

During the meeting, the move was fiercely criticised by all parties and eventually rejected, leaving the council with the possibility that no-one will oversee the vital children’s department - which is illegal.

And on Sunday the council used to delegated powers to make the appointment. 

A council spokesman said: "The Chief Executive of Thurrock Council has used delegated powers to appoint Roger Harris, Corporate Director of Adults, Housing and Health as Interim Director of Children’s Services for six months pending a report to the council’s General Services Committee to consider options for the future of this role. 

"The council is required to appoint a Director of Children’s Services to fulfil its statutory obligations and comply with legislation."