THURROCK Council has failed to meet another landmark deadline for one of its showcase projects.

Following years of broken promises on major infrastructure projects including the A13 widening and Stanford-le-Hope rail station, the authority had set great store by the building of its multi-million pound civic offices extension, which includes a new council chamber.

January 2022 had been earmarked as the month when councillors – who have been wandering Grays for months at various meeting places because of an electrical failure and flooding in the established council chamber – would finally get together in the controversial new showcase building.

However, today (Tuesday, 18 January) the council has had to concede defeat and announce that the new building will not be ready for the meeting to be held on Wednesday, 26 January.

Councillors have been told: "Following issues in the supply chain and contractor workforce linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent spread of the omicron variant it will unfortunately not be possible to hold this month's Full Council meeting in the new Chamber in the newly built part of the Civic Offices.

"Instead the meeting will take place in the South Essex College auditorium at 7pm on Wednesday 26 January.

"Work is ongoing on the new Civic Offices building. Major construction is now complete and work is taking place to finalise it ready for occupation in stages.

"We will update members, residents and the local media with more details about the Civic Offices in the future."