News | Thurrock Council

Council Tax proposals for continued investment in the environment, social care and tackling anti-social behaviour

13 February 2020

Thurrock Council’s Cabinet has recommended a modest increase in Council Tax with all additional funding being used for social care, environmental improvements and tackling anti-social behaviour.
Budget proposals approved by Cabinet today are for an increase of 1.49 per cent in general council tax and a 2 per cent increase in the social care precept having applied no council tax increase the previous financial year.

Aveley Library reopens its doors

13 February 2020

Aveley Library is set to reopen next week at a brand new location and as part of the new Aveley Community Hub.
The hub which includes the library, a café and activities for local residents will open at 10am on Tuesday 18 February at its new home in New Maltings, High Street, Aveley, RM15 4BY after closing the doors on its Purfleet Road building for the last time on Saturday 1 February. It will initially open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 5pm and Saturdays from 10am to 1pm.

Thurrock prepares for an action-packed half-term

11 February 2020

Looking for some family friendly fun this February half-term? Reconnect with nature and enjoy some free activities in Thurrock's parks and green spaces.
Thurrock Council is hosting its latest Active Parks programme of crafts and sports activities from Monday 17 February to Friday 21 February to enhance residents’ experiences in the great outdoors and the borough's parks. Daily morning and afternoon sessions will be held across the week in Grays, Aveley, Bulphan, Tilbury, Purfleet, Corringham, West Thurrock, South Ockendon, Chafford Hundred and Horndon on the Hill.

Creative workshops are a hit

11 February 2020

Sheltered housing residents and school children in Thurrock have been taking part in intergenerational workshops with Creative Generations to boost their connections within the community.
Residents at Vigerons Way Sheltered Housing complex, Grays, have spent an hour each week for the past month with students from Herringham Primary Academy working together and exploring a range of topics using art techniques such as drawing and collages. At the end of each session, the children and residents present what they have made and learnt to the rest of the class.

Council wins top honour at national awards

7 February 2020

Thurrock Council has been named Team of the Year at the prestigious Keep Britain Tidy Awards 2020.
The council's dedication to tackling environmental crime saw its environmental enforcement officers named Team of the Year at the Keep Britain Tidy Network Conference yesterday (Thursday 6 February).

Social care transformations reported

6 February 2020

A report presented at Full Council on Wednesday 29 January highlighted the incredible transformation of children's and adults social care services in Thurrock over the past 3 years.
Cllr Sue Little, Cabinet member for children's and adults social care, shared many of the impressive results that Thurrock’s services have achieved since her appointment in May 2016 and particularly in the last 12 months. These include:

Essex Book Festival returns to Thurrock

6 February 2020

Join Thurrock libraries and celebrate our literary stars at this year's Essex Book Festival.
From Friday 28 February to Tuesday 31 March, more than 100 events featuring 300 writers and artists will be held in more than 45 venues across Essex as part of the annual festival. Thurrock will host 3 events, in Grays, Corringham and South Ockendon.

A soup-er business opportunity

6 February 2020

Residents in Thurrock are invited to have their business ideas turned into reality thanks to another Thurrock Soup event.
Thurrock Soup is a series of events to inspire social enterprise and business ideas from the local community. The next one will take place on Wednesday 19 February 2020 from 6pm to 9pm, at the Community House, Seabrooke Rise, Grays, RM17 6DR

Council to formally recognise WW2 veterans for VE Day 2020

3 February 2020

Cllr Deborah Huelin, Portfolio Holder for Communities, has announced Thurrock Council's plans to recognise the brave contribution of World War Two (WW2) veterans as part of Victory in Europe (VE) Day celebrations later this year.
The plans, which were formally announced at Full Council on Wednesday 29 January, include inviting Thurrock's WW2 veterans to a series of events to mark VE day, which takes place on Friday 8 May 2020. Current plans include a special tea party alongside additional events hosted in collaboration with the Grays Royal British Legion.

New name for Thurrock town

3 February 2020

Proposals to formally rename Purfleet as Purfleet-on-Thames have been approved.
Thurrock Council unanimously agreed to re-name the town at Full Council on Wednesday 29 January 2020 following a public consultation.
The name change follows a petition being presented to Full Council in January 2019, that included 611 signatures from Purfleet residents organised by Purfleet-on-Thames Community Forum.