News in Thurrock

VOLUNTEERS are making a big difference in smartening up a wooded area and adjacent open space in Little Thurrock.

The community project at the Rookery continues apace and one of the volunteers, Glynus Harrington, says: "We are making great progress.

THURROCK Council is missing more than one in four of its key performer indicator targets, members will be told next week.

However, the authority is putting an upbeat slant on the figures which show that 55 per cent of its services are performing better than last year.

SCHOOL councillors from Ortu Corringham Primary school met East Thurrock MP Stephen Metcalfe during a visit to London and the Houses of Parliament today (Wednesday, 8 January).

The youngsters enjoyed 'an exciting day' and headteacher Lorna Hamilton and staff have spoken of their pride at the way their students represented the school.

CALLS for a new homes scheme to be sent back to its planners because of concerns about a lack of parking provision were knocked back by a majority of planning councillors at this evening's Thurrock Council planning meeting (Thursday, 9 January).

Despite pleas from Cllr Gerard Rice that plans for 61 new homes on land adjacent to Church Hollow in Purfleet meant that the number of available parking spaces on the new development was 'nonsense' a majority of his colleagues chose to back the scheme.

PLANS to build eight new homes in Stanford-le-Hope were unanimously thrown out by planning councillors this evening (Thursday, 9 January).

The proposal for the new homes in the back garden of a bungalow known as Windy Ridge on Branksome Avenue were recommended for refusal by planning officers and though officer Nadia Houghton told members that in principle there was merit in the plan, it was considered to be overdeveloped.

DEBATE over a controversial new homes site in Grays was postponed this evening after Thurrock Council's planning committee deferred consideration of an application to build on land in Grays.

Local residents and ward councillors have been 'implacably opposed' to the plan for eight new homes on land adjacent to Curling Lane, Helleborine and Meesons Lane.

EXCLUSIVE REPORT

THURROCK MP Jackie Doyle-Price could find herself under cross examination in court after a man alleged to have continually harassed her, two local councillors and a council worker pleaded not guilty.

THE community work of a Thurrock school and the way it motivates and works with its pupils has seen it nominated for a top borough honour.

Arthur Bugler School in Stanford-le-Hope has been recognised as one of the 'happiest schools' in the country thanks to a series of initiatives.

THE mayor of Thurrock has been at the forefront of a residents' campaign, joining them in a battle against a planned major quarrying development in the east of the borough.

As exclusively revealed by Thurrock Nub News last month plans have been submitted to Thurrock Council for a large new minerals extraction site and processing plant adjacent to Linford. Read the story at: https://thurrock.nub.news/n/20-year-extraction-plan-for-local-landscape

PLANS have been submitted to Thurrock Council for a large new minerals extraction site and processing plant adjacent to a rural village.

The submission for land close to Linford - which cost potential site operators Ingrebourne Valley Ltd £78,000 to put in for consideration - would see the loss of agricultural land around Walton Hall Farm.