Sweeping reforms of Basildon Council were today revealed to thrust decision-making into the 21st century.

Senior councillors have backed plans for a modernising blueprint with a ten-strong multi-party executive cabinet backed up by area committees and groups to scrutinise decisions. The current committee system is to be scrapped.

Southend Council trail-blazed a similar scheme around two years ago.

It prompted an Echo campaign because the cabinet initially agreed to meet behind closed doors.

Basildon Labour leader John Potter said all executive, scrutiny and area committee meetings will be held in public.

Supported by Geoff Williams of the Liberal Democrats, he said the framework was the result of an "awful lot" of hard work and late-night discussions with officers and councillors.

He said: "We do not support much of this modernisation, but these reforms are something we can all be fairly proud of.

"It is not the standard Government model. We have severe reservations about some of the Government's objections, but we have met others, such as connecting with residents and openness."

Mr Potter said the model avoided concentration of power in a few councillors' hands by devolving budgets and increased power to committee members in areas such as Wickford and Billericay.

Published Thursday November 29, 2001