News in Thurrock

"If this new policy of turning a blind eye to Travellers is to continue, no public park or open safe space will be safe from illegal traveller incursions" - Kerry Smith

ESSEX County Council has confirmed it is currently operating a policy of not moving Travellers on from unauthorised encampments because of government guidance.

A THURROCK man has told how he came through a two week hospital-battle against the Covid-19 virus and has praised one of the nurses at Basildon and Thurrock Hospital, who he describes as his angel.

When told he had to go onto a ventilator, Pastor Peter Nembhard, 52, of Grays, thought he was going to die after he was admitted to Basildon Hospital with coronavirus in the beginning of April.

RESIDENTS in east Tilbury have been alerted to new surveys being carried out by the tam plotting the way for the Lower Thames Crossing – but concern has been expressed about where they will be working and why.

Highways England, who are carrying out survey work prior to submitting a bid for development consent for the controversial crossing, have informed local people that they have authorised magnitude surveys that will be starting in East Tilbury village from tomorrow (Thursday, 11 June).

THURROCK's town centre policing teams in Grays and South Ockendon have reported a number of successes in their bid to curtail anti-social behaviour.

On Sunday, 7 June, PC Dedman and PC Plom located a vehicle in North Stifford following reports of anti-social behaviour. Four occupants were stopped and searched and around 200 nitrous oxide canisters were seized along with a small amount of cannabis.

THE east of the borough is set for significant traffic disruption this coming weekend, with a major closure of the A13.

As work on the widening of the carriageways in both directions continues the A13 will be closed in both directions between the Stanford Interchange (Manorway) and the Orsett Cock Roundabout from 9pm on Friday (12 June) until 5am on Monday (15 June).

A POLICE operation to track down illegal immigrants in transit through Thurrock failed to find anyone attempting to sneak into the UK – but it did net 39 driver infringements.

Officers from Essex Police assisted colleagues in Immigration Enforcement and Border Force in a joint operation last week.

YOUNG people aged five to 18 years living in Purfleet have the chance to win one of two new laptops in a competition being run by Purfleet Centre Regeneration Limited (PCRL) - the development consortium planning a £1bn regeneration of the town.

Ironically the promotion was launched made on the day the borough's MP, Jackie Doyle-Price, repeated her assertion that the organbisation was struggling and was not fit for purpose. She was speaking as she criticised the ability of Thurrock Council, which is a major partner in PCRL, to manage its affairs and suggested that the Purfleet regeneration project had lost its way.

THURROCK Council leader Rob Gledhill has explained why the authority does not have responsibility for an unauthorised encampment of Travellers at Langdon Hills Country Park - even though the park is run and managed by the council.

And the council has even posted its signs at the park, which spread across the Thurrock and Basildon boundary, warning it is illegal to camp there.

A second Thurrock teenager has been honoured by the The Jack Petchey Foundation and awarded one of its community awards.

Last month Thurrock Nub News reported on an award presented to Josh Bateman for his efforts in making hundreds of personal protection visors for health workers.

THURROCK Council's director of finance – who has found himself at the centre of a storm of concern over his decisions to borrow more than £1 billion – spoke bullishly about the authority's financial position this evening (Tuesday, 9 June), but warned there were tough times ahead.

Sean Clark delivered a financial update to the council's corporate overview and scrutiny committee which met virtually.