News | Thurrock Council

A Fresh Start for Thurrock: Listening to our communities

18 July 2025

Our Corporate Plan, "A Fresh Start for Thurrock", focuses on rebuilding trust — both with our residents and our staff. We know that to create a council that works for everyone, we must work with the people who live and work here.
A big part of that is improving how we engage and communicate. People want to see positive changes happening in their communities — and they want the chance to help make them happen.

Driving up standards for second-hand car dealers

17 July 2025

A series of visits to second hand car dealers by Thurrock Council’s Trading Standards team will help protect residents from buying unreliable, or even potentially dangerous, cars.
The visits will give dealers the advice and guidance they need to prevent problems after cars have been sold, including information about the safety and quality standards cars need to meet to safety and consumer standards laws.

Thurrock Council responds to ministerial statement on intervention

17 July 2025

Thurrock Council has today (17 July) welcomed the decision by the Minister for Local Government, Jim McMahon MP, to extend the period in which dedicated commissioners remain at the authority. Following the existing commissioners’ fifth letter to Government last month, which noted sustained progress made by Thurrock Council as it navigates its recovery and improvement journey, the government has today confirmed to maintain intervention help the council sustain its progress and improve services to local residents.

Start planning your Summer family days out

17 July 2025

Keeping the children entertained over the Summer holidays can be a challenge.
That’s why the Council has launched an online guide of things to do for children and families over the break.
Our Summer Fun guide is filled with ideas, events and places to take the family – and most of the suggestions are free or at a low cost.
The activities run from the Big Lunches to open air theatre; from free inactive shows to the summer reading challenge, from paddleboarding to reptile safaris, and free exhibitions uncovering Thurrock’s past.

Thurrock Council seeks residents' views on changes to local government across Essex

16 July 2025

Thurrock Council launched its public engagement today (16 July), inviting residents and local stakeholders to share their views on the issues important to them as proposals to reshape local government across Essex progress.
This follows the government’s decision to reorganise local government across Essex, aiming to simplify the current system. Under these plans, the 15 existing councils, including Thurrock, will be replaced by a smaller number of larger authorities serving Greater Essex.

Hundreds visit Thurrock Council's care-focused Careers Fair

16 July 2025

Residents from across Thurrock were at the Thameside Theatre on Friday 11 July to discover some of the exciting job and training opportunities in and around the borough.
The Early Years and Health & Social Care Jobs Fair, which was hosted by Thurrock Council in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), was a free event that gave Thurrock residents the chance to explore career pathways and opportunities in two vital job sectors:

Local pupils in harmony with Royal Opera singers

11 July 2025

Over 1,000 pupils from primary schools across Thurrock joined singers from the Royal Opera and Ballet House to perform in the Thurrock Junior Music Festival
Between Tuesday 8 July and Thursday 10 July, over (750 children), aged 7 to 11, performed a variety of musical hits including rock, pop, gospel and opera songs.

Thurrock Council marks 30th anniversary of Srebrenica genocide

11 July 2025

Communities from across the Thurrock came together in remembrance of the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, during a special commemorative event organised by Thurrock Council and Thurrock's Bosnian community.
'Remembering Srebrenica' honours the memory of more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys who were murdered in July 1995. Bosnian refugees were rescued and brought to the UK with a small community transported to Orsett Hospital. With treatment and support, they now live in Thurrock, contributing to the Borough and helping others learn of their experiences.

Purfleet Community Pantry & Café achieve 5-star food hygiene rating

9 July 2025

Purfleet Pantry and Café has been operating for 11 months, providing essential support and a welcoming space for residents or visitors to Purfleet. This week, a major milestone has been achieved with a 5-star Food Hygiene Rating from the Food Standards Agency - a testament to the volunteers’ unwavering commitment to their community.
Initially target was to try and get 50 resident’s register to the pantry in the first six months, this target was hit within just two weeks of launch. The Pantry is now supporting over 120 residents!

Sniffing out illicit tobacco and vapes

4 July 2025

A boroughwide operation by our Trading Standards officers has seen 39,000 counterfeit cigarettes, 11kg of illicit hand rolling tobacco and over 700 illegal vapes seized.
Officers were joined by Billy the tobacco detecting dog as they carried out inspections of shops in Aveley, Grays and Tilbury. Billy can help sniff out tobacco no matter where it is and make sure that unscrupulous shop keepers cannot hide illicit or counterfeit stock.