Rockfire and the Collapse of Public Trust in Thurrock Council

The Thurrock Council Scandal is one of the most shocking stories to hit a local council in years. It’s about big investments that went wrong, public money being wasted, and a businessman accused of taking millions from taxpayers. The scandal has rocked public confidence in local government finances and exposed significant weaknesses in oversight and accountability. This blog breaks down what happened, why it matters to people across the UK, and what could happen next. What went wrong? Between 2016 and 2020, Thurrock Council in Essex gave hundreds of millions of pounds to a man named Liam Kavanagh and his company, Rockfire Capital. The money was to be invested in solar energy projects that would earn money for the council. But according to reports, Kavanagh told the council the solar farms were worth far more than they actually were. Based on that, the council continued to send more money. Ultimately, Kavanagh is alleged to have received around £130 million in public funds and used it t...