News in Thurrock

WARD councillors in Chadwell St Mary have welcomed welcomed the placement of an additional bench at the bottom end of Orsett Heath by Thurrock Council.

Cllr Sara Muldowney said: "Chadwell residents approached us last year saying that they wanted to be able to get out and about on the Heath, and asked if they could have another bench so that those with mobility issues had somewhere to take a breather."

A LEADING Thurrock councillor has conceded the authority has a significant problem with its communications strategy and he has told the BBC's local democracy reporting service: "It starts from the top."

Cllr Mark Coxshall was speaking in the wake of a number of criticisms of the authority from councillors from across the political spectrum of the authority who say they are frequently kept in the dark by a lack of response to internal enquiries to the democratic services department and by a lack of communication with the media and the wider Thurrock public.

'IF at first you don't succeed' appears to be the mantra of the owners of a property in Chadwell St Mary who have gone back to Thurrock Council with a second bid to build an infill home in a residential area.

Last year an application to build a three bedroom home at the side of a property at 61 Cedar Road was rejected by the council when planning officers decided : "The proposed dwelling, by reason of its scale and siting beyond of the notional building line on Cedar Road, would appear as an overly dominant and incongruous feature on a prominent corner plot."

Thurrock 17, Shelford 29

THURROCK really needed to find some inspiration in this injury-ravaged season and, on Saturday, it came from an unexpected source.

A NEW Thurrock-based cruise line company that was created out of the ashes of the failed Cruise and Maritime Voyages (CMV) company has announced that it has purchased its second ship.

In May last year Thurrock Nub News reported on the creation of Ambassador Cruise Lines which features a number of the senior management of CMV on its board including CEO Christian Verhounig.

BUSINESSES in Thurrock that have been impacted by the Omicron variant of coronavirus can now apply for an Omicron Additional Restrictions Grant of up to £6,000.

The grant has been created to support businesses that are not eligible for the government's Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant, such as personal care services or those that supply the hospitality and leisure sectors.

CHILDREN from schools in Grays were among those who took part in the annual commemoration service in the town's Palmers Rest Garden today (Thursday, 27 January) to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.

Pupils from Belmont Castle Academy, Grays Convent High School and Woodside Academy read poems and prayers at the service which was led by Rev Canon Darren Barlow and celebrated this year's theme 'One Day'. Young people from Lansdowne Primary Academy, Hathaway Academy and The Prince's Trust also featured at the event.

THE 2022 edition of Thurrock Neighbourhood Watch's desktop calendar has been launched.

The calendar, which is being produced for a fourth consecutive year as a popular initiative for residnts across the borough served by a number of Watch groups, contains useful information and Essex police vehicle crime prevention top tips. This year theft of and from the vehicles is highlighted in the calendar which is published with the support of Lycamobile UK Limited.

NEW equipment is being planned for a park in Thurrock where vandals struck last year and set light to existing equipment.

And residents in East Tilbury are getting a chance to have an input into what is put in place at Gobions Park in the village, which was hit by the vandalism last year.

ONE of the key managers at the Port of Tilbury has taken on an expanded role within the wider Forth Ports organisation, though he will continue to run the local port's London Container Terminal.

Ross McKissock has been appointed as Director of Unitised, responsible for integrating the commercial team on unitised container and trailer cargo across the Group and growing volume. Ross will retain his responsibilities for running London Container Terminal and will continue to report to Paul Dale, Asset & Site Director at the Port of Tilbury.