THURROCK Council has launched a campaign to highlight how the council workers you see around the borough are here to help, and what a positive difference it makes when they are respected as they go about their work.

Counci leader Cllr Andrew Jefferies said: "We have people working across the borough, delivering vital services and motivated by a desire to help people, provide services for residents, keep the borough clean and green, and make sure that our roads, parks and streets are safe, clean and clear.

"I know that the vast majority of people who live here appreciate the work our teams do, but I would call on everyone to keep in mind that our hard-working staff are here to help and that they do not deserve any kind of abuse or rudeness.

"Believe it or not, a small number of people are deliberately rude and sometimes abusive to them as they go about their duties.

"It is not fair on them and not something anyone should have to put up with at work. These hard-working people dedicate their working lives to making Thurrock a better place and work extremely hard to do that.       

"We have launched this campaign to remind everyone that our staff deserve to be treated with respect and politeness as they deliver vital frontline services.

"You will start to see signs on vehicles used by waste crews, parks teams, fly-tip clearance teams, enforcement officers and highways crews promoting this campaign."

This will be supported by a social media campaign on the council's channels.