TOWN Hall bosses hope Tendring can “exploit” Brexit...even if the country as a whole is left facing huge challenges.

Neil Stock, leader of Tendring Council, told the authority’s cabinet the district would seek to take advantage of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union.

Mr Stock has asked council officers to draw up a report looking at how Tendring can address any issues created by Brexit and to identify any opportunities.

He said: “As Britain prepares to leave the EU on March 29, there is still much uncertainty as to what our future trading arrangements are going to be, particularly the customs and regulatory arrangements for goods being imported and exported to the EU.

“New arrangements, new systems and new ways of doing business might well create a lot of challenges for the business community and indeed the country as a whole, but amidst that fog of uncertainty there could be opportunities to create new jobs and employment in this district and specifically in and around the international port of Harwich.

“I am determined that we explore every possible opportunity that could arise regardless of the sort of Brexit we end up with.”

Mr Stock said he made no comment on what Brexit could mean for the national economy, but said every dramatic change that has befallen the country creates both problems and opportunities.

He added: “I want us to be on the front foot as a district, seeking to exploit any possible advantages for this area and for our residents.

“Fortune favours the bold, and this council has always been at its best when it has bene bold.

“I am not going to attempt to prophesise what those opportunities will look like as it depends on the precise details of the deal that gets agreed.

“It might simply be that Harwich could provide additional capacity for Felixstowe, where 40 per cent of all UK imports are landed.

“Or perhaps we could see a requirement for new customs posts to inspect goods or collect import duties coming in from the EU - and we cold help top establish that facility in Harwich.

“Whatever the scenario is, we need to do all we can to identify, as soon as possible, the impact of leaving the EU and to exploit any opportunities we can to the benefit of this district.”

Ivan Henderson, the council’s Labour group leader, said he had been calling on Mr Stock to carry out a Brexit impact study for some time.

He added he was “concerned” that goods at the port could be held up by various agencies - and would be “devastating” to small business in other sectors.