POLICING in Stanford-le-Hope and particularly in Corringham took centre stage briefly when Essex's Police and Crime Commissioner and the borough's divisional police commander Richard Melton faced Thurrock councillors this evening.

At a meeting of the full council Commissioner Roger Hirst was asked by Cllr Shane Ralph, who represents the Stanford East and Corringham Town ward when Coringham be policed in a similar manner to other areas of the borough including Grays, Tilbury, South Ockendon and neighbouring Stanford.

"When will we see town centre police in Corringham," he asked, highlighting the continued amount of anti-social behavior in the town which he alluded was partly caused by a low police presence.

Ch Insp Melton said: "We have had ongoing discussions around policing Corringham. There are discussions taking place about the viability of extending the Stanford team to Corringham.

"At the moment we are full resourced and full staffed in Grays, Ockendon, Purfleet, Stanford-le-Hope and Tilbury. So subject to a review, the town centre teams are really doing what we want them to and we want them to be more visible in 2021."

Another Stanford councillor, Gary Byrne from the Homesteads, said he believed Stanford and Corringham appeared to be being given a rough deal in terms of policing and he accused the police of massaging crime figures in the area and that figures put before the council tonight (Wednesday, 27 January) were much less than those given to a town forum meeting previously.

He said: "Figures brought before the council tonight were different to those discussed at forum" and said that he had been told by police: "We can't show the real figures it will scare people."

Both Mr Hirst and Ch Insp Melton rejected that and the divisional commander added: "I can assure you we are reporting the full story."