THURROCK Council's portfolio holder for regeneration and senior directors of the authority want to scrap the authority's independent Lower Thames Cross Task Force Group - saying its work is no longer needed.

The news comes just days after a new chairman was elected for the group who delivered a significant 'shopping list' on behalf of borough residents and gave a damning indictment of proposals put forward by Highways England.

However, the work of independent council member and new task force chairman Cllr Fraser Massey may be short-lived.

At a meeting of the council's General Services Committee on Monday, 3 August, Cllr Mark Coxshall will deliver a report, endorsed by Director of Place Andrew Millard and Major Transports Project assistatnt director Anna Eastgate, recommending the task force be shut down.

Cllr Coxshall's report says:"In July 2017, Council considered a report which provided an update on the LTC scheme.

"As part of the consideration, a recommendation was made to invite General Services Committee to establish a task force or working group with suggested terms of reference.

"The Lower Thames Crossing Task Force was established consisting of nine elected members (3 Conservative, 3 Labour and 3 independent) as well as four co-opted members including a resident, business community, Thurrock Business Board and opposition group representation.

"The LTC Task Force has provided input into the Statutory Consultation in December 2018, Supplementary Consultation in March 2020 and latterly the Design Refinements Consultation in July 2020.

"As the DCO application is expected to be submitted in September 2020, the opportunity to influence as the project moves into examination phase is extremely limited and key components of the scheme will be fixed.

"The Council will continue to play a role in the DCO process as an affected local authority however, it is considered that as the final consultation will be concluded in August 2020, the work of the LTC Task Force is complete.

"In the unlikely event of further public consultation, this can be addressed by a further report to General Services Committee."

Cllr Massey had pledged to use the task force to represent residents' interests going forwards, saying: ""The Task Force does not feel the design refinements in any way benefit Thurrock overall, we are still opposed to this project as currently proposed and will accelerate work with our partners going forward as this scheme moves towards the submission of the Development Consent Order."