News

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. 

Mental Health and Well-being support in Thurrock

13 May 2025
When it comes to mental wellbeing, no one should feel like they have to face their struggles alone. This Mental Health Awareness Week, we're supporting the theme of community by sharing some of the organisations and local services that offer support and a helping hand with mental health. 
Mind Wellbeing Group 
If you're looking for a safe, welcoming space to talk, connect with other people in the community, the Mind Wellbeing Group could be just what you need. 

Thurrock marks VE Day

9 May 2025
Hundreds of people were in attendance for special memorial events yesterday (Thursday 8 May) to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day. 
The commemorations started with a flag raising at the Town Hall in Grays. This was followed by a service at the Grays War Memorial, organised by Grays Royal British Legion, before a two-minute silence was held at 11am.  
Tilbury Royal British Legion held their service at the Tilbury Memorial.  

Sign-up for Thurrock News – our monthly email newsletter.

Media enquiries

Journalists and media professionals can make enquiries from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, 01375 652 017 or at communicationsteam@thurrock.gov.uk.

For emergency media enquiries outside of these times, phone 07912 782 470.

The communications team email inbox is not monitored outside of office hours, so email media enquiries received out-of-hours may not be answered until the next working weekday.

We advise our staff, when approached directly by a member of the media, not to answer questions themselves but to refer you to the communications team who will provide our response.

We do not normally comment on individual cases or enquiries relating to council staff.