THURROCK Council is set to resume committee meetings this week - with members taking part through an online connection.

Thurrock has lagged behind many local authorities who have been meeting online for some time, but now appears to have overcome technical and policy issues.

Members of the public can watch meeting via the council's Youtube channel. [.L]

The first meeting to take place will be the Corporate Parenting Committee tomorrow (Tuesday, 2 June) at 7pm.

Among the agenda items will be a report on the council's performance in children's social care and there will be briefings on how the children's service has been keeping in touch with children and foster carers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The council's Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education will meet on Wednesday at 6pm.

Next Monday (8 June) there will be two controversial items on the virtual planning committee . The first is the application for the redevelopment of Langdon Hills Golf and Country Club, which will include a more than 180 new homes in a retirement complex.

The application was approved by councillors several months ago but has to come back to committee for approval and the drafting of reasons why councillors went against officer advice to approve the scheme, when it was recommended for refusal.

The second item, which is now confirmed as being on the agenda after some confusion about whether it will be debated or not, will be an application to build up to 161 houses on Little Thurrock Marshes - the latest bid by developers to get new homes on this highly controversial site.

There will be a second planning committee on Thursday, 25 June.

The full council is set to meet on Wednesday, 24 June but there has been no meeting scheduled in June for the council's cabinet.