News in Thurrock

A FLORAL bed designed to commemorate the 2012 London Olympics and the passage of the Olympic flame through the borough could be scrapped by Thurrock Council which has once again allowed it to degenerate into a state of disrepair.

The bed, created in Blackshots in 2009 to symbolise Thurrock's commitment to the Olympics and planned to be a lasting legacy is situated at Blackshots, adjacent to the A1013 Stanford Road on the approach to Daneholes roundabout.

A SIGNIFICANT cannabis factory in Chadwell St Mary has been put out of business by Essex Police's West Disrupter team.

The task force has started a '24 days of Christmas' campaign whereby they aim to carry out and publish some form of positive activity every day, whether that be a warrant or an arrest of a high harm offender.

CONCERN about the potential danger of the Covid variant Omicron has led to a downgrading of planned celebrations in South Ockendon to mark the switch on of the town's Christmas lights.

Belhus and Ockendon Community Forum which organises the event, due to take place on Friday (3 December) says: "It is with great regret that due to the increase in Covid cases, and the new Omicron variant, the forum has made the decision that the Christmas light switch on will now be a low key event.

MEMBERS of the Stanford-le-Hope community gardening group, Stanford Blooming Marvels, have been celebrating after topping a shoppers' poll and winning a £500 grant from ASDA at Tilbury.

The store has hosted an online poll featuring three local good causes, inviting local people to nominate them for a cash award.

A MUM of three young children, who is due to have another baby in four weeks, has spoken up of the nightmare of living with large rats that invade her home and have terrified her children.

She lives in the much-criticised Keir Hardie House tower block in Grays – which along with neighbouring blocks has been the subject of national media attention over their condition with damp and mould penetrating many of the residents' flats.

Thurrock Council's total debt now stands at more than £1.459 billion, councillors will be told next week.

A CHARITY football match is being planned in the borough for next year to raise funds for charities supported by local firefighters and ambulance service staff.

Teams representing the two emergency services will play a match at East Thurrock United's Rookery Hill ground on Wednesday, 2 February, kicking off at 7pm.

RIVAL Thurrock councillors have become embroiled in a war of words over the fate of site of the former Adult Community College in Grays.

Earlier today (Tuesday, 30 November) Labour councillor Lynn Worrall launched an attack on borough council plans, saying the demolition of the college building on Richmond Road was premature and the whole scheme was short on detail and had been created with a lack of consultation with residents.

THE end of work on the much-criticised, delayed and massively over budget A13 widening project has slipped back to February next year - and Thurrock Council continues to remain tightlipped about how much it will all eventually cost.

A meeting of the council's transport overview and scrutiny committee will get an update on the project when they meet on Tuesday, 7 December. They will be told it is now anticipated that the three 'mainline' carriageways in either direction will be completed by the end of February.

THURROCK Council may start charging to park in recreation grounds across the borough to bring in £160,000 a year in fees.

The council is set to discuss installing pay and display machines in nine car parks that serve four recreation parks and are currently free.