News

Support grants for businesses that close due to restrictions

17 November 2020
Applications for the government's new Restrictions Support grant are now open.
The grant is available to all businesses that were open on 4 November but, by law, have had to close or cease their main business during the current lockdown.
Each eligible property will receive a one-off payment of:

Thurrock Council welcomes funding for vulnerable families

16 November 2020
Thurrock Council will be using newly announced government funding to support those most in need with the cost of food and essential utility bills.
Cllr Andrew Jefferies, Cabinet Member for Education, said “I am delighted with this announcement from the government and thank them for the additional funds to ensure vulnerable families in Thurrock will be provided for this winter, and on into next year during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Changes to boost borough recycling rates

12 November 2020
Recycling rates across Thurrock will be improved thanks to the new cross-party developed Municipal Waste Strategy for Thurrock approved at a meeting of Cabinet this evening (Wednesday 11 November).
The strategy – created by a cross-party Waste Management Working Group comprising of members from Conservative, Labour and Thurrock Independent parties and chaired by Cllr Mike Fletcher – has been designed to help boost recycling rates in the next decade while ensuring that weekly collections of food waste and dry recycling are maintained.
Other measures in the strategy include:

Painted poppies honour Thurrock fallen for Armistice Day

10 November 2020
Special commemorative poppies have been painted near war memorials across Thurrock to mark the Remembrance period.
Thurrock Council and contractor Henderson and Taylor painted the poignant road and pavement markings for Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day near local memorials including:

Households benefit from flats recycling scheme

10 November 2020
More than 2,000 households in blocks of flats across Thurrock now have access to recycling facilities.
During September and October, 222 new recycling Eurobins or wheeled bins were rolled-out in 47 high-rise and low-rise blocks across the borough, including South Ockendon, Grays, Purfleet-on-Thames, Corringham and Tilbury.
Residents in these blocks also received recycling packs, including advice and guidance and a new recycling waste bag to help them sort recycling from general waste.

Tough action against rogue landlords continues

9 November 2020
A Grays landlord has been ordered to pay more than £18,000 after failing to provide adequate living conditions for his tenants.
Chelmsford magistrates fined Palmview Estates and the company's sole director Hersch Sternlicht for letting undersized rooms following a hearing last Thursday (5 November).
The court heard that Prohibition Orders were made on the four undersized rooms by Thurrock Council in September 2017. Officers reviewed the Orders in 2019 and found that two of the rooms had been let to new tenants.

Unscrupulous landowners face paying significant costs

9 November 2020
Unscrupulous landowners who had carried out unauthorised development on green belt land in Buckles Lane have been halted in their tracks thanks to a final Court Order obtained by Thurrock Council preventing unauthorised development on land to the north of the Buckles Lane site.
The council took legal action after hardstanding and septic tanks were built on green belt land north of Buckles Lane without planning permission. The council also took legal action concerning land to the south of Buckles Lane and has been granted an interim injunction in relation to that land.

Reckless party organisers will face consequences

4 November 2020
The organisers of a party at the Pilgrims Lane traveller site could now face fines and possible eviction from the site as a result of their reckless and dangerous decision to invite more than 50 people to a party on the evening of Saturday 31 October.
Residents at the site had previously assured police officers that they had abandoned plans for the party when they were seen erecting a marquee on Friday afternoon. Instead they moved the marquee to a location where they hoped it wouldn't be spotted and pressed on with their scheme to host the illegal event.

Funds for Grays accessible play area and bus terminal improvements

2 November 2020
Grays is set to benefit from a fast-tracked cash injection of £750,000 that will see the delivery of a new fitness zone and accessible play area in Grays Beach park, as part of the government's £3.6billion Towns Fund.
Multiple projects have also been identified by Grays Town Board to share in the accelerated funding, including improvements to the bus terminal, a new wayfinding system and Towns Fund Hub to enable local residents to directly engage in the process of securing further funding next year.

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