RESIDENTS in Grays will get the chance to vote for two new councillors tomorrow (Thursday, 23 July).

By-elections were called just days after May's 'all out' elections when Reform councillors in the Grays Riverside and Grays Town wards stepped down.

Their replacements will be elected tomorrow.

Grays Riverside looks set to be a closely-fought affair, with the Green Party confident its candidate Pauline Weir can bridge the gap of just 17 votes when Chloe Anderson narrowly missed out on being the borough's first Green councillor in May.

Ms Weir has mounted a strong campaign and has focused on the council's debt and reasons behind it.

She says she wants to hold the council to account and adds: "If I am elected I shall insist that this mandate from the Riverside electorate means I replace one of the Reform UK councillors on the Corporate Oversight and Scrutiny.

"When Reform UK took control of the council in May, they took the chair and control of all of Thurrock's Oversight and Scrutiny committees. Given the history of Thurrock it is wrong. This committee has nine Reform UK councillors, and the only two Conservatives on the council. How is this scrutiny?"

Labour candidate Jo Potter says: "I'm working hard to win this seat back for Labour and send a loud message that voters are backing our message of hope and rejecting Reform's divisive rhetoric."

Conservative candidate Srikanth Panjala, who joined the Tories after losing his Labour seat in Aveley in May, says: "I am committed to being visible, accessible, and accountable throughout my time serving residents."

Reform candidate Jason Mitchell's campaign has been relatively low profile, but his supporters have been out and about lobbying residents.

In the adjoining ward of Grays Town, there are six candidates.

THE Greens have fielded Rhea Sylvia Nathan, who works locally as a bookseller at Lakeside and graduated from South Essex College, but the party's focus appears to be on the Riverside ward campaign.

Reform have put up John Pearson as their candidate. Mr Pearson was one of the few Reform candidates not to get elected in May, finishing third behind two Conservative candidates in West Thurrock and South Stifford. Again, support in terms of profile and campaigning from his colleagues appears to be relatively lukewarm.

Probably favourite in the Grays Town race is Labour's Amin Hoque, who sets great store on his local profile saying: "I've lived in Grays Town for 16 years! Humbled by the opportunity to serve my neighbours on the council."

His election material adds: "Amin is passionate about safer streets, protecting green spaces, improving local services and supporting families through the cost-of-living crisis."

Lib Dem candidate Simon Lancaster is standing again in the ward where he finished last of 12 candidates. His campaign has been extremely low key.

Joglur Rahman represents Conservative interest in the ward battle, switching from neighbouring Little Thurrock Blackshots ward where he polled a respectable 499 votes in May but was swept away, like many others, by the tidal wave of support for Reform.

The same could be said of independent candidate Neil Speight, who was an unaligned councillor in Stanford West and doubled his personal ward vote in May's election for Stanford South – but still fell victim to Reform's landslide. His election ticket is local people first and he has pledged to start a non-political Thurrock Residents' Party if elected.

Grays Riverside results in May 2026.

Polling stations tomorrow:

Grays Town results in May 2026.

Polling stations tomorrow.

Polling stations will close at 10 and the count, taking place at the Civic Offices, Grays, will follow.