A CONTROVERSIAL plan to shift an entire council department – including its staff – to a private company has been put before councillors.

The Gazette revealed last month how secret blue pages outlining the plan had been accidentally published on Tendring Council’s own website.

Blue pages are not available to the press or public due to their confidential nature.

The document outlined a number of options for the council’s regeneration department, including transferring or seconding council staff to INTend, a private regeneration company set up by the council earlier this year.

Councillors have now decided that staff will not be transferred from the council permanently, but will only be seconded to the company.

The plan was put to councillors at a meeting on Tuesday, although the press and public were excluded for the item.

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