Over the past few months, I have spoken about our determination to restore civic pride across Thurrock. For me, civic pride is about much more than keeping our borough clean and tidy. It is about creating places that people feel proud to live in, work in and visit. It is about investing in our communities, improving our public spaces and ensuring residents can see the positive difference their council is making.
That work is gathering momentum across the borough.
A key part of our Civic Pride programme is giving councillors and officers the power to make positive changes in their neighbourhoods and the tools they need to identify local issues and act on them quickly. Environmental audits and ward walkabouts are now being rolled out, helping us take a closer look at the condition of our towns, villages and neighbourhoods. By recording and tracking issues more effectively, we can ensure concerns are addressed and improvements delivered.
We are also strengthening our expectations of organisations that have responsibilities for maintaining infrastructure in Thurrock. This includes working closely with partners such as National Highways to ensure assets are managed to the standards our residents rightly expect.
Community involvement remains at the heart of our approach. Through engagement with local forums and residents, we are identifying opportunities for future investment and listening to ideas that can improve neighbourhoods across the borough. Civic pride is something we build together, and local knowledge is invaluable in helping shape our priorities. To help us achieve this we are sharing more regular updates via social media and our other council comms channels, and we hope you are finding them useful. We feel it’s really important that residents are kept informed about the decisions we make and the improvements we deliver. By communicating more openly and creating meaningful opportunities for participation, we can build stronger relationships with residents and ensure local voices help shape the future of Thurrock.
We are also committed to being more open about the work we are doing on behalf of residents. Whether that is sharing updates on investment in our neighbourhoods, reporting on improvements being delivered or highlighting how public money is being spent, we want local people to have a clearer understanding of the work taking place across Thurrock and the difference it is making.
Across Thurrock, residents are already seeing the results of this work. From highway improvements and enhanced green spaces to heritage projects supported by local volunteers, positive changes are being delivered across the borough. Recent examples include road resurfacing works in Tilbury, improvements to access and habitat management at Langdon Hills Country Park, and volunteer-led work helping bring new life to the historic Coalhouse Fort site.
We are also embracing innovation to improve how we maintain and manage our infrastructure. Recently, Thurrock Council successfully trialled drone technology to inspect drainage structures beneath the highway network. The technology allows engineers to gather detailed information safely and efficiently, helping us make informed decisions about future maintenance and investment while reducing risks and disruption.
Civic pride is not a single project or campaign. It is a long-term commitment to creating cleaner, safer and better-maintained places while fostering stronger communities and restoring confidence in our borough. There is still much more to do, but the progress being made shows what can be achieved when residents, partners and the council work together towards a shared goal.
Together, we are building a Thurrock that everyone can be proud of.
Civic Pride in Action:
Coalhouse Fort Volunteers
Volunteers are helping restore and preserve Coalhouse Fort, improving access and supporting plans to bring this historic landmark back into wider public use.
Langdon Hills Country Park
Partnership working between the Ranger Service and Clean and Green Team has improved access along a popular route while protecting important wildlife habitats.
Tilbury road resurfacing
Road resurfacing works on Fort Road and Cooper Shaw Road are helping create smoother, safer journeys while supporting long-term investment in Thurrock's highway network.