THURROCK Council has announced that it has scrapped plans to hold its next planning committee meeting on a virtual basis.

The meeting was called off last Thursday (23 April) and rescheduled for 7 May, by which time it was hoped councillors and officers would be equipped to take part using IT equipment.

The committee has several important applications to consider, not least the deferred and controversial approval of a major new retirement and health village at Langdon Hills. It needs to return to the committee to be rubber-stamped - or possibly kicked out at a second time of consideration.

Though a number of councils across the country have initiated virtual meetings, for example South Kesteven District Council , the technology has proved beyond Thurrock's capabilites so far.

Thurrock Council issued the following statement today (Wednesday, 29 April): "The Planning Committee scheduled for 7 May has been postponed.

"This postponement has been made to support the development of the process around the meeting, to ensure that we can deliver it effectively.

"The Council will keep this under review and will set a date for further Planning Committee meetings as soon as practical."

All other scheduled Thurrock Council meetings have been postponed, while the scheduled annual meeting and Mayor-making on 27 May has been scrapped altogether and won't now happen until May2021!