News

Grays vape shop forced to close after illegal cigarettes and vapes were found

2 May 2025
Magistrates have ordered a Grays vape shop to close for a month after Thurrock Trading Standards officers found illegal tobacco and vapes during an inspection.
Officers carried out the inspection at Shelby's, in Clarence Road, Grays, at the start of April after concerns were raised that the shop was selling tobacco and vaping products to underage children. During their search, which was assisted by Billy the tobacco-detecting dog, officers found over 22,000 illegal cigarettes and more than 250 illegal vapes.

Planning Team making good progress

2 May 2025
A programme to improve the council's planning function is making good progress according to a peer review team.
The peer review team revisited Thurrock Council in late January after carrying out a review of planning in Thurrock in late 2023. They were looking into what progress had been made based on recommendations they made following their review.

Ockendon Ward by-election results

1 May 2025
The Ockendon Ward by-election results have been declared and Alan Benson (Reform UK) and Russell Cherry (Reform UK) have been elected as councillors.
Votes were as follows:
Alan Benson (Reform UK) - 1,214
Russell Cherry (Reform UK) - 1,138
Sue Johnson (Conservative Party) - 533
Shalini Bhatt (Labour Party) - 478
Graham Snell (Conservative Party) - 439
Haruna Hamza (Labour Party) - 438
Ri Goodyear (Green Party) - 93
Daniel Fallows (Green Party) - 86
Brad Hayman (Liberal Democrats) - 74

Single parents make great foster carers: Caroline’s story

1 May 2025
Caroline, a single mum and now proud grandma, has been fostering with Thurrock Council for eight years and has helped change the lives of around 30 children.

Her journey into fostering wasn’t immediate. It took several years of thought, attending information events, and the right life circumstances before she decided to apply.

While working full-time at a local council, Caroline was concerned about how she could balance fostering with the demands of her job.

Ongoing support available for new and expectant parents in Thurrock

30 April 2025
Ahead of Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week (Monday 5 May to Sunday 11 May), Thurrock Council is highlighting the vital free support available to new and expectant parents through regular sessions at Family Hubs across the borough.
Family Hubs (previously known as Children Centres) bring together in one place the free health, education and parenting support that families may need for their children aged 0-19, young people up to age 25 with SEND, and parents/carers.
All sessions offered by Thurrock's Family Hubs are free.

Thurrock Council to elect a new Leader at Annual Council in May

29 April 2025
Cllr John Kent, who has been Leader of Thurrock Council since May 2024, has announced he will be resigning as Leader, with a new Leader to be elected at Annual Council on 21 May.
Thurrock Council’s Annual Council marks the start of the new municipal year when Thurrock councillors meet to appoint a new mayor and deputy mayor, confirm the membership of the council’s committees including Cabinet and the Overview and Scrutiny committees, as well as agreeing the timetable for the year ahead.

Making holiday memories as a foster carer

25 April 2025
Claire and Danny have been fostering for nearly four years, but their dream of becoming foster carers has been many more years in the making.  
As parents to a young family, they had always hoped to open their home to children in care, but they waited until their own children had grown up and moved out to free up the space and time they needed to foster. Since then, their home has become a place of love, laughter, and life-changing memories. 

Hundreds register to play outdoor activity game in South Ockendon and Aveley

25 April 2025
Almost 800 players have already registered to play an innovative physical activity game that has been launched in South Ockendon and Aveley.
Beat the Street launched on Wednesday 23 April and is running until Wednesday 21 May, thanks to funding from a National Lottery Grant from Sport England.

Embrace the great outdoors in Thurrock

24 April 2025
Spring has arrived and it’s the perfect time to explore the unique and outstanding parks and open spaces in your borough.
Whether you’re hoping to get closer to the local wildlife, enjoy a picnic with friends and family or take a short stroll, there are many stunning parks across Thurrock, each with its own unique charm.
If you’re ready to explore Thurrock’s outdoor spaces but aren’t too sure where to start here are a few suggestions:

How fostering changed the lives of two of Thurrock's foster carers

17 April 2025
Every day foster carers across Thurrock provide safe, loving homes for children who cannot live with their birth families, whether for a few nights, several months or even years.
The decision to become a foster carer may come with plenty of questions about how it could affect your life, but often it will be one of the most fulfilling choices you could ever make.
We spoke to foster carers, Dave and Rachel, who started fostering in 2021, about how fostering had changed their family's life.

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