THURROCK Council has issued a significant apology after it has been forced to admit it has fallen short of the high standards residents should expect.

Last week Thurrock Nub News reported on the arrival of a crew and cast of around 150 people to film part of a new TV series called Tailspin. For three days the crew were based at Blackshots car park and filmed in the immediate area, blocking roads and closing a layby in the process.

After being contacted by ward councillors in Blackshots and concerned residents, who feared coronavirus guidelines were being broken, we queried the wisdom of the filming with Thurrock Council but met a wall of effective silence other than a statement that the filming was nothing to do with the council and it did not know about it in advance so it had not sanctioned it.

That now appears not to be true as further investigations and pressure by Nub News have brought out the truth.

This morning the council has issued the following statement: "Thurrock Council issued a statement to Thurrock Nub News on 21 January 2021 regarding the filming at Blackshots. Despite significant checks being made within the council before issuing the statement, the internal information supplied to inform it fell way short of the appropriate attention to detail required and the high standards the residents of the borough rightly expect.

"On revisiting the detail again, it is now clear that officers had been contacted by the production company regarding the filming. However, the information was not passed on to those who should have been notified meaning the council was not in a fully informed position to raise any concerns it may have had or to provide information proactively as residents would expect.

"The council wholeheartedly apologises to residents and to Thurrock Nub News for issuing a statement without full appreciation of the facts. The council also unreservedly apologises to Impulse Leisure, who acted throughout in good faith, for unknowingly misrepresenting their position with regards to the arrangements associated with the filming.

"By way of reassurance to residents who raised concerns about this matter, the filming took place on private land and is permitted during the current national pandemic lockdown in accordance with government regulations as long as COVID-19 measures are fully implemented. The production company confirmed that they were complying with the British Film Institute standards (who they are governed by) and all COVID secure requirements.

"If any resident is worried that they might have contracted COVID-19 they can get a free test in a number of ways - for more information please visit our website.

Ward councillor Ben Maney had raised his concerns with Nub News after speaking to ward colleague Joy Redsell, saying: "As ward councillors we were more than a little alarmed that filming took place.

"Regardless of whether it was in compliance with Government guidelines, it is completely unacceptable that in an area with one of the worst COVID-19 infection rates in the country, dozens of outside people were able to descend on Blackshots.

"Whilst the filming was on private land, much of the associated activity took place in and around the leisure centre and carpark. The area would have been busy with local people taking legitimate recreation, including at the children's play area. I cannot think of a worse place for this to happen in Thurrock at the current time.

"Many local residents were rightly concerned and I would appeal to Impulse Leisure to reflect on its decision to allow the use of its facilities. This sends completely mixed messages and is a bad reflection.

"I have sought assurances at the most senior level of the council that the authority did not give permission for the filming, or in any way help facilitate it.

"It has been made clear to me that the council did not consent to the use of the leisure centre, car park or surrounding roads and no such requests were made of the council.

Officers visited the area to ensure there were no highways or other such violations and also requested that the company be mindful of local residents when parking their vehicles. I believe the council has done all it reasonably can to help manage the situation, but that does not undo the fact that this was an ill-conceived idea."