News in Thurrock

THURROCK Council leader Rob Gledhill has apologised to the residents of Stanford-le-Hope for the delay and problems surrounding the rebuilding of the town's rail station.

At a meeting of the authority's cabinet tonight (Wednesday, 15 January) senior councillors gave the green light for what will be a multi-million pound land acquisition that Cllr Gledhill says will deliver 'a fantastic opportunity'.

THE Tilbury Community-Led Local Development Fund (CLLD) has opened its third round of applications offering funding to organisations that support residents into work.

The programme, part-subsidised by the European Structural and Investment Fund, aims to back organisations that support those living in Tilbury St Chads and Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park wards who are unemployed and face considerable barriers to getting into work. The CLLD is a £4.4million programme which will run to March 2022.

THURROCK Mayor and Stanford-le-Hope ward councillor Cllr Terry Piccolo has revealed the location of land Thurrock Council is hoping to buy to complete the rebuild of the town's rail station.

On Wednesday evening the council's cabinet met and agreed to negotiate the purchase of additional land next to the current, abortive station rebuild site.

THE leader of Thurrock Labour Group has expressed her disappointment following the defection of a Thurrock Independent councillor to the Conservatives.

Councillor Allen Mayes has switched to the Tories less than a year after being elected to represent Tilbury Riverside as a Thurrock Independent.

STANFORD-le-Hope's Abbots Hall School has been judged 'good' in its latest inspection.

Friends of Aveley and Kenningtons Parks will be out litter picking again on Saturday, 25 January in Usk Road Park between 10.00 am till Midday.

If you can't make the date don't worry they have a second date Sunday 23 February in the Aveley Recreation Ground again 10.00 till Midday. They would really like to encourage Residents to come and join them!.

EXCLUSIVE REPORT

SENIOR members of Thurrock Council's cabinet gave upbeat messages as they reported on the council's finances at a meeting tonight when they recommended a 3.49 per cent increase in council tax.

THUROCK Council's portfolio holder for corporate performance put a positive slant on her mid year report to the authority's cabinet.

Telling colleagues that the council was hitting 73.8 per cent of its targets by September last year, Corringham businesswoman and Ward councillor Deb Huelin said that timely bin collections, an increase in the number of apprenticeships undertaken at the council and increased satisfaction with housing services were just some of the headline successes for the authority.

THURROCK Council leader Cllr Rob Gledhill has paid tribute to residents' 'Dunkirk spirit' after the recent forced evacuation of Collins House residential home in Corringham.

On New Year's Eve the building suffered a serious power failure which meant the home's residents had to be moved – and they had to stay away from their home for several days while the problem was fixed.

A POLICE officer was dragged along the ground by a car and another female officer punched in the face by a rogue driver trying to avoid a stop check. Despite the assault the officer apprehended the driver!

Essex Police say both officers, who required hospital treatment, were not seriously injured