News | Thurrock Council

Purfleet Family Fun-day a huge success

14 August 2018

Crowds flocked to join the fun at the Purfleet Family Fun-day on Wednesday 8 August with hundreds of people turning up at the community event.
As well as stalls, bouncy castles and a climbing wall for youngsters there was advice and information from Thurrock Council, community groups and Essex Police.

Enforcement and prevention to stop trucks parking illegally along The Manorway

13 August 2018

A scheme to crack down on inconsiderate lorry drivers parking on cycle lanes and grass verges in The Manorway has seen more 125 lorries moved on as Thurrock Council prepares to trial preventative measures to stop lorries parking illegally.
Over the last few months civil enforcement officers have visited the road on a weekly basis issuing 129 Community Protection Warnings telling drivers to move on, 18 notices to those that didn’t heed the warning and fining 2 drivers and 5 companies that refused to move after being given a warning and a notice.

Calling all whizz kids! Computers, robots and dinosaurs at libraries this summer

9 August 2018

Thurrock libraries have a series of high-tech events which will help turn youngsters into robot controlling and computing whizz-kids.
Activities on offer include a session which will teach children aged between 11 and 17 years-old how to programme robots using the Scratch and Python coding languages. 4 sessions take place in August and September and cost just £5 each.
There are also classes that teach youngsters how to write computer codes and lessons where youngsters can learn more about computer coding through the massive hit game Minecraft.

War memorial restored to its former glory

7 August 2018

The war memorial at Turps Corner, Little Thurrock, has received an extensive clean and maintenance work, including experts re-etching the names of those whose sacrifice it commemorates.
The work has taken place as part of a scheme to clean and restore all 8 of the war memorials for which Thurrock Council is custodian, so they are ready to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War this November.

Tesco fined for health and safety violation

7 August 2018

Supermarket giant Tesco has been fined £160,000 after a member of staff at their Chadwell St Mary branch was seriously injured when a cage full of goods fell on them as they were unloading it from a lorry.
The employee suffered severe injuries, including a fractured pelvis, as a result of the incident and had to be rushed to hospital.

Wicked Wednesdays offers family fun this summer

1 August 2018

Wicked Wednesdays has launched at Thameside Theatre this month, offering a tremendous deal for family fun throughout the summer holiday.
This exciting scheme offers two free adult tickets for every child ticket purchased at the Thameside Theatre – child tickets cost just £5. To make the offer even more tantalising, each child will receive popcorn and a drink!
The offer is available on a range of films showing on Wednesdays this summer:

Local plan issues and options report deferred

26 July 2018

Publication of the government's new national housing planning strategy has meant that Thurrock Council has deferred making a decision on the next stage of its local plan.
The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF):

Balanced budget will allow more to be spent on vital services

26 July 2018

Millions of extra pounds will be available to spend on crucial services and initiatives after Thurrock Council balanced its budget for the next 4 years.
The achievement was highlighted by Cllr Shane Hebb, Deputy Leader of Thurrock Council and portfolio holder for finance, when he provided his annual report at the full council meeting last night (25 July).
Through a combination of self-sufficiency and an investment approach, the council has been able to balance the books as well as generate a surplus over the 4-year period.

Council services more accessible thanks to digital advances

26 July 2018

Residents are now able to access Thurrock Council services more quickly and easily than ever before thanks to its latest customer services improvements.
Cllr Gary Collins, portfolio holder for central services, praised the developments during his annual report at full council tonight.
Big improvements have been made to online services as part of the council's Digital and Customer Services strategies, while the customer area at the Civic Offices in Grays has also been refurbished, with a number of new self-service tablets installed.

Business ideas bloom at Thurrock Soup event

24 July 2018

Thurrock Soup returned this month for its eighth event, which took place at Thurrock Adult Community College in Grays on Friday 20 July.
Four residents took to the stage to pitch their business ideas to members of the local community. Residents in the audience then voted for the business idea they wanted to see launched in the local community and receive the prize funding.