News | Thurrock Council

Fun day out for our foster families

30 May 2025

Foster families from across Thurrock attended a special event at Grangewaters Outdoor Education Centre to celebrate the launch of a new support network for carers.
Over 72 foster parents and children enjoyed a memorable day of fun, taking part in free outdoor activities such as kayaking, climbing and abseiling.
The families were invited to the centre to mark the successful launch of the Mockingbird programme.

Helping shops in Thurrock get ready for the single-use vape ban

30 May 2025

Thurrock Council’s Trading Standards Officers have visited 179 local shops to give them advice on how to get ready for the single-use vape ban, which comes into force on Sunday 1 June.
The ban means that vapes that cannot be both recharged and refilled are banned from sale. It has been brought in to reduce waste and stop potentially dangerous batteries ending up as litter or in the waste, where they can cause fires.

Thurrock celebrates Volunteers’ Week

30 May 2025

Thurrock Council is marking national Volunteers’ Week (2 June to 8 June) by celebrating the invaluable contributions volunteers make to our community every single day.
There are a host of volunteers supporting the council’s work, often advising and supporting residents across the borough.
Councillor Sue Shinnick, Mayor of Thurrock, said: “We’re so grateful to these amazing people who give their time and energy to provide invaluable assistance to their fellow citizens and their community. We owe them a lot.”

New Blackshot redevelopment proposals could mean no new buildings on any part of King George Playing fields

23 May 2025

Thurrock Council is consulting on new proposals to redevelop the Blackshots Estate which could mean that no part of King George Playing Field is used for new homes.
Under previous proposals the three tower blocks - Keir Hardie House, Bevan House and Morrison House - were to be demolished and replaced with 258 new, modern and energy efficient homes in a series of medium-rise flat blocks and houses. In order to do this part of King George Playing Fields would be redeveloped as part of the new housing estate.

Meet Jackie, the carer who's fostered over 50 children

22 May 2025

Children and young people can come into care at any age, from birth up to the age of 18. While there can be a variety of reasons why a child may need to be looked after, there is one thing all of them need; a stable, loving home for them to continue to grow up.
Thurrock is home to amazing foster carers, and thanks to their care, they have helped to ensure some of the borough’s most vulnerable children are set up to live happy, healthy lives.

New Leader and Cabinet for Thurrock Council

22 May 2025

Cllr Lynn Worrall has been elected as new Leader of Thurrock Council and a new Cabinet appointed at this evening’s Annual Council.
Since May 2024 Cllr Worrall has been the council’s Deputy Leader, and succeeds Cllr John Kent in her new role as Leader.
Cllr Worrall said: “It is a real honour to be elected as Leader of Thurrock Council and a responsibility I take extremely seriously.
“Councillors are elected to represent the views of the borough’s residents and in my time as Leader I will make sure that their voices are heard and reflected in all that we do.

Family activities to keep you occupied over the May half-term

20 May 2025

As the May half-term approaches, there is a fantastic range of family activities in Thurrock to keep people entertained.
While school children have the week off school, there are opportunities to get creative with arts and crafts, get active and outdoors, or enjoy some theatrical entertainment.
Celebrate Elmer Day at Thurrock's libraries
Get ready to celebrate the most colourful day of the year as libraries across Thurrock host a range of exciting activities for Elmer Day on Saturday 24 May.

Council acts to reclaim village hall for use by the whole community

16 May 2025

Thurrock Council has written to the Trustees of Belmont village hall in Grays, requesting that they step down from managing the hall and return it to the council in the next two weeks.
This action follows months of attempts to negotiate with the trustees and arrange mediation with a local Scout group that has been prevented from using the hall by the trustees. Unfortunately the trustees have failed to engage with the council.

Urgent need for foster carers in Thurrock

16 May 2025

Thurrock Council is encouraging more people to consider becoming foster carers this Foster Care Fortnight.
Over the next week, Thurrock Council will be out and about across Thurrock and Essex to raise awareness of the life-changing impact fostering can have.
To kick off the start of Foster Care Fortnight on Monday 12 May, Councillor Vikki Harstean, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Education, joined a fostering information pop-up stall at C2C Chafford Hundred Station.

Meet Shirley, one of Thurrock's foster carers

15 May 2025

When it comes to fostering, no one placement is the same. It is understandable for people to look at fostering as providing long-term care for a particular child, and while that may be true for many cases there are plenty of circumstances where foster parents provide care for a number of weeks, days or even hours.
This type of short-term care relief is often known as respite care.
For the past five years Shirley has been one of the foster carers helping to provide respite care for children in Thurrock.