MALDON's council leader has set out his ideas to make improvements to the way the authority is run.

The leader of Maldon District Council, Richard Siddall made a speech to the council last night.

The councillor hopes the council, made up of multiple different political groups, can work together in “the best interests of the council, residents and the district.”

The Maldon District Independent group is the minority administration at the council following the local election.

The council is looking to review many of the ways in which it works, including the structure of planning committees and the way it interacts with residents.

Mr Siddall said: “Leading from that change we need to look at how the organisation and leadership is structured.

“We are unusual in not having a chief executive. We need to come up with the right structure for the organisation and also learn from other authorities and what has worked for them.

“We have therefore asked the Local Government Association for advice on this matter, and they will present possible structures for our size of council.

“Like all local authorities we are under financial pressure and need to focus on what and how we need to deliver.

“We are an authority that is debt free as in the past the council has been risk averse to commercial strategies.”

The council hopes to review its corporate projects and look at how its assets can be utilised to benefit the district.

The council is working on the local development plan with the idea to “balance the need for new homes and businesses”, have a “clear high street plan” and improve transport links in the district.

Mr Siddall said: “That also has a negative consequence for the council, as unlike other authorities, we have no commercial income.

“We are therefore reliant currently on our revenue from tax, the government, revenues and fees, and grants.

“Commercial strategies should have been developed when the opportunities were allowed by Government, however previous administrations did not develop or exploit that situation.

“Those opportunities are much narrower now and has been complicated by the lack of resources and appetite for risk.”