News | Thurrock Council

Waste strike called off after agreement reached

6 April 2018

After coming to agreement with Thurrock Council, strike action proposed by Unite during the month of April has been called off. This is great news for residents as it means their waste service will now not be disrupted.
The council met with Unite again yesterday as part of the ongoing discussions. We addressed misunderstandings and clarified our intended usage of cameras with Unite – the council's position on their use has not changed since the start.

Further fixed penalty notices for littering

27 March 2018

Thurrock Council continues to issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for littering in the borough. Litter offenders who spoil the borough and don't pay their fine will face a criminal record.
A spokesperson for Thurrock Council said: "The message is getting out there, it is not acceptable to litter our streets. The appearance of the borough has improved and enforcement officers will continue to patrol Thurrock.

Magical events arrive at Thurrock libraries this Easter

27 March 2018

Youngsters will have a chance to walk with dinosaurs or take a trip beyond the stars thanks to a series fun and educational events taking place at Thurrock's libraries this Easter.
From Tuesday 3 April to Wednesday 11 April, two new workshops will arrive offering fun for all the family.
Digital Dinosaurs will bring the ancient beasts back to life along with spiders, sabre tooth tigers and the solar system in a thrilling augmented reality experience.

Thurrock elections 2018 launched

26 March 2018

Thurrock Council has officially launched this year's local elections – the poll will be held on Thursday 3 May and the Notice of Election was published on Friday 23 March.
Nominations to stand as a candidate for the local elections – which will be held in 16 of Thurrock’s 20 wards – close at 4pm on Friday 6 April.
Polling cards will be delivered to eligible electors between Friday 23 March and Monday 2 April and will give details of:

Grays Convent students crowned Next Top Boss winners

26 March 2018

A team of students from Grays Convent High School have been named winners of this year's Thurrock's Next Top Boss.
The student awards evening, which took place at South Essex College's Thurrock Campus on Thursday 22 March, also saw students from Gable Hall School in Corringham win the runners-up award.

Ockendon ward by-election result

23 March 2018

The result of yesterday's Ockendon ward by-election has been announced and Andrew Jefferies, Conservative, was declared the winning candidate following a tie and the drawing of lots.
Mr Jefferies and Labour candidate Les Strange tied on 696 votes each, which meant that lots were drawn to decide the winner. Following the drawing of lots, Returning Officer Lyn Carpenter declared Mr Jefferies the winner.
The result of the poll was:

Fixed Penalty Notice charges to increase

22 March 2018

Thurrock Council will increase the value of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) to tackle forms of anti-social behaviour and help keep the borough clean.
Last November, legislation was introduced to allow councils to increase the level of FPNs for littering, graffiti and fly-posting to £150 as part of the Litter Strategy for England.
A council spokesperson said: "The new rules, which increase charges to £150 per offence, will begin 1 April 2018. The increase in fine values will help to deter those who choose to make our borough untidy.

Suffragettes exhibition at Thameside Complex

20 March 2018

Thurrock Museum Volunteers are presenting a free exhibition exploring the Right to Vote this April at the Thameside Complex in Grays.
‘Vote!’ tells the story of Suffragists, Suffragettes and their fight for the right to vote, which was granted to some women 100 years ago.
The exhibition will feature some of the most prolific campaigners including Millicent Fawcett who led the peaceful campaigns of the Suffragists and Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters who were at the forefront of the Suffragette movement.

Celebrating Commonwealth Day in Thurrock

6 March 2018

Thurrock Council will join organisations and groups worldwide at 10am on Monday 12 March in raising the Commonwealth flag to celebrate Commonwealth Day as part of the 'Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth' initiative.
Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth is now in its fourth year and sees organisations from across the commonwealth raise the flag to celebrate the values the Commonwealth upholds and the opportunities offered for friendship and cooperation with fellow Commonwealth citizens around the world.

School preference offers rise again

2 March 2018

The number of parents offered a place for their child at their preferred secondary school has risen again from last year.
Nine out of ten parents in the borough have been given one of their top three preferences as Thurrock Council continues to invest in schools.
More than three-quarters of pupils will attend their parents' top choice school, with 76.7% of parents offered their first preference – up from 73.4% in 2017. A further one in ten parents were offered their second preference, and 4% of parents were offered their third preference.