THURROCK Council has declined to comment on allegations that it seriously let a member of its workforce down when officers failed to produce the requisite evidence for a court case.

Thurrock Nub News was contacted by union representatives and a fellow worker, following an incident that happened in August 2021 when a bin loader on a waste collection round in Thurrock was allegedly threatened by a resident with a knife.

The incident is reported to have happened in Linnet Way, Purfleet on 27 August 2021 when a resident confronted a bins crew over an issue surrounding collection of his bin.

Police were contacted in the aftermath of the incident and told the resident then threatened the worker with a knife. The man was subsequently arrested and charged.

Statements from three members of the crew were taken and formed a substantive part of the charge.

The alleged assailant initially appeared before magistrates and was released on bail prior to a Crown Court prosecution before a jury.

At that second hearing the man was cleared, based largely - Nub News has been told - because of the failure of Thurrock Council to produce in a timely manner the video camera footage of the incident.

We have now been advised that there has been a formal apology by the council to the bin crew concerned and in particular to the threatened worker who has been traumatised by the incident.

It has been alleged that disciplinary action has been taken against the management staff that failed to support the police investigation and look after the welfare of the crew.

Nub News asked the council for a statement about what had happened.

It did not deny the incident took place or say that reports of its internal response are incorrect.

It simply stated: "The council takes its duty of care to staff seriously and ensures that staff have access to support when they need it. Thurrock Council does not comment publicly on internal staff matters."

Council leader Cllr Andrew Jefferies, who is also portfolio holder for environmental services and who has previously admitted that members of the council environment services department had been poorly managed and let down by the council, was asked to comment.

Cllr Jefferies has been attempting to build bridges with the workforce and recently accompanied a crew on a round collecting bins in a bid to gain first hand experience of the issues teams face.

He has, however declined to comment individually on this matter.

On a wider issue, the council is also the subject of criticism from workers who, together, with union officials, have contacted Nub News to say the council has reneged on a pay and conditions agreement that was agreed across a number of services including environment, social services and other departments.

Part of the agreement, we have been told, was an additional day off per annum.

However, staff - again we are told - have now been told that this part of the deal has been removed from the package and will not be implemented.

Nub News asked the council comment on the statement by workers and union reps and finance portfolio holder Graham Snell says: "Thurrock Council has not reneged on any arrangements that are covered by the local collective agreement on terms and conditions for staff employed by the Council.

"The outcomes of the NJC 2022/23 pay negotiations were matched by the Council.

"The Council's annual leave entitlement of 25 days a year, increasing to 30 days after five years, is higher than the standard NJC conditions of 23 days with an increase to 26 days after five years' service."