A REPORT to Thurrock Council's Place overview and scrutiny committee has highlighted different opinions on the effectiveness of local enforcement and policing.

Last week Thurrock Nub News reported on a presentation to local councillors which highlighted criminal activities in the borough.

The meeting took place last night (Tuesday, 10 September) when Michael Dineen, assistant director for counter fraud, enforcement and community protection at Thurrock Council, gave councillors a run-down of the work of Thurrock's Community Safety Partnership following its annual report for 2023/24.

Priorities for the partnership during the year included tackling violence against women, gang crime and antisocial behaviour as well as illegal sales.

At the meeting, Mr Dineen revealed a shop had been ordered to close over illegal vape sales.

Though he didn't identify the shop, Mr Dineen said: "A closure order was placed on a vape store that sold illegal vapes to residents and visitors to Thurrock and indeed likely children which would have an adverse effect on their health and antisocial behaviour in general.

"I do believe 9,000 vapes were seized from that property last year."

Cllr Gary Byrne, chairman of the committee welcomed the result.

He said: "That vape shop has now re-opened and it's totally legal now so they've learnt their lesson so they are back up and running and still paying their rates so a job well done."

Mr Dineen said specialist intervention in Grays and Tilbury secondary schools had helped young people at risk of being targeted by gangs.

In addition 154 pupils at risk of exclusion were supported with just two being permanently excluded following the intervention.

The report shows there were 2,216 vehicle offences, including thefts and interference in the borough 12 months April 23 to March 24. This was down more than 11 per cent from the previous year.

However, Conservative Cllr Tom Kelly, who represents Little Thurrock Rectory, said "Clearly it looks like theft from a motor vehicle has gone through the roof. This is an issue across the country and across Essex but that's an area the police need to focus on. A lot of residents come to us and we can really do is pass that on to police."

Police figures show there were 16,014 all crime offences in Thurrock, down by 5.7 per cent on the previous year.

Cllr Aaron Green, Labour councillor for West Thurrock and South Stifford, said: "In the report it says that there is a decrease in residents who have confidence in the police and Thurrock has seen a decrease in all crimes.

"I believe they are linked to each other because people have a decrease in confidence. They actually won't report crime."

Cllr Green added: "We still see continuous crime coming out of Lakeside.

"As a ward councillor, with Cllr Lee Watson, we have pushed and pushed the police to address Lakeside but it seems to be getting worse."