News

£4.5m awarded to south Essex for gigabit connectivity

11 February 2019
Schools, GP surgeries, care homes and village halls across South Essex are set to enjoy from some of the fastest broadband connections in the UK thanks to a £4.5m boost secured by south Essex councils.
Homes and local businesses are also expected to benefit from the programme.
The broadband boost is the result of a successful bid to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) by south Essex councils working under the banner of the Association of South Essex Local Authorities (ASELA).

Planning team gets national recognition as finalist for prestigious award

11 February 2019
Thurrock Council's planning team has been recognised as one of the best in the country after being announced as a finalist at the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Awards for Planning Excellence for 2019.
These are the most established and respected awards in the UK planning industry. Running for over 40 years, they celebrate exceptional examples of planning and the contribution planners make to society.

Fly-tippers face prosecution

11 February 2019
Thurrock Council is launching a hard-hitting campaign to let fly-tippers know that their criminal behaviour will not be tolerated in the borough.
The campaign warns anyone using Thurrock to illegally dump rubbish that they face prosecution, which can lead to a huge fine or prison sentence and a criminal record.
As well as targeting fly-tippers, the council is giving residents the information they need to avoid having their waste taken by unlicensed and unscrupulous waste carriers, which could end up landing them with a hefty fine.

Council addresses obesity at borough's first dedicated summit

11 February 2019
Professionals and community groups gathered together today (Friday 8 February) to tackle obesity throughout Thurrock at the borough's first Whole Systems Obesity Summit.
Hosted by Thurrock Council at Orsett Hall, the Whole Systems Obesity Summit showcased the council's new approach to challenging increasing obesity trends in Thurrock to over 100 attendees. Those present first listened to a range of speakers including the Director of Public Health, Ian Wake, and Mark Cortnage, who founded Shift the Timber – a physical activity programme for Thurrock residents.  

Litter offenders pay in excess of £4,000

8 February 2019
Thurrock Council has continued its crackdown on littering in the borough after 8 litter bugs were forced to pay more than £4,000 between them.
On Monday 4 February, a hearing at Basildon Magistrates Court saw 8 people prosecuted and found guilty of littering offences in Thurrock, given a criminal record and ordered to pay a fine and costs. All 8 had been previously issued a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) by enforcement officers.

Notice of Vacancy - Aveley and Uplands Ward

6 February 2019
A Notice of Vacancy has been published for the Aveley and Uplands Ward following the resignation of sitting councillor, Tim Aker.
A by-election to fill the vacancy will be held within 35 days of the required notice being given to the Returning Officer in writing by 2 electors from the borough of Thurrock.
More information can be found at: thurrock.gov.uk/elections

Programme up and running to help residents into construction industry

5 February 2019
Aspiring construction workers in Thurrock are being encouraged to sign-up for a new skills programme.
Thurrock Council is working with councils in south Essex on a project to support the training of 650 people for jobs in the construction industry by 2020.
It follows a successful bid for £1million of funding from the Construction Skills Fund and will see 3 construction hubs created, including one in Thurrock.

Thurrock Museum launches public vote for collection tour

4 February 2019
Thurrock Museum is taking a selection of artefacts on tour around the borough later this year – and it's up to residents to decide which objects make the cut!
From Monday 4 February to Friday 15 March, local people can vote for their favourite item out of a shortlist of 10 artefacts from the museum’s collections which illustrate the story of Thurrock's rich heritage. The 3 most popular artefacts will then be showcased in the upcoming Thurrock Museum Collections on Tour, which will circulate the borough later this year.

Wicked Wednesdays are back this half-term

31 January 2019
Wicked Wednesdays are returning to Thameside Theatre, offering a fantastic family film deal this February half-term.
This exciting scheme offers two free adult tickets for every child ticket purchased at the Thameside Theatre in Grays, with child tickets priced at just £5. To make the offer even more tantalising, each child also receives popcorn and a drink.
The offer is available for the following films during the half-term:

Public protection and anti-social behaviour successes

31 January 2019
n his first report as portfolio holder for public protection and anti-social behaviour, the Leader of the Council, Cllr Rob Gledhill outlined a number of successes achieved over the last year.
The newly-created portfolio covers a wide range of services including:
public protection
anti-social behaviour (ASB)
environmental enforcement
Thurrock Community Safety Partnership
CCTV
Major successes include:

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