News in Thurrock

POLICE are investigating a collision that left a motorcyclist seriously injured last month and are appealing for witnesses who saw what happened.

A white motorbike and a white BMW X5 were in collision near the level crossing in Station Road, East Tilbury, at 3.45pm on Wednesday, 23 June.

A MAJOR new building at Basildon Hospital could be given the green light today (Wednesday, 7 July).

Proposals for a new two storey flat roofed addition to the existing hospital will be debated by Basildon Council's planning committee – with a recommendation for approval.

THE impact of the proposed Lower Thames Crossing on public health may not have been adequately assessed and those at risk not consulted enough, members of Thurrock's crossing task force will be told next week.

An independent review of the Health and Equalities Impact Assessment, compiled for the task force which next meets on Monday, 12 July, questions whether assessments of health risks and mitigation to lessen the risks have been 'robust' enough.

EVEN as construction is underway on a new special school in Thurrock, the borough council is making provision to have to send more children with special needs outside local boundaries.

Next week's meeting of the children's services overview and scrutiny committee, which meets on Tuesday, 13 July, will hear that more than 200 children with special educational needs are currently being sent outside Thurrock if they need residential accommodation.

POLICE have thanked a Grays couple who helped them locate a missing man.

An urgent appeal for help to find missing Alan Whitley, 75, was made yesterday (Monday, 5 July).

COUNCILLORS will hear later this week that Thurrock Council's internal auditing process still has considerable progress to make, with two out of three prime indicators failing to improve year on year.

The council's standards and audit committee will receive a presentation on Thursday (8 July) from its chief internal auditor Gary Clifford that some issues about the awarding and management of major contracts – including the A13 widening and the Stanford rail station rebuild - by the council remain.

A PETITION has been launched to try and force Thurrock Council to introduce a weight limit on a road through a local village.

The petition has been organised to try and impose a reduction in HGV traffic on Church Road and Fen Lane in Bulphan and has been set up by local community stalwart Janet McCheyne.

GRAYS Athletic's second pre-season friendly at Parkside last night (Monday, 5 July) ended in a 3-2 defeat against Cray Valley PM but it was an entertaining match that featured a debut for Grays U16 player midfielder Henry Lynch.

He is the second U16s player to feature this season, following the debut for keeper Sam Griek against Three Bridges on Saturday.

TALENTED Michael Onilogbo, 16, from Stanford-le-Hope, made his Team GB debut in the 100m guest race and 4x100 relay team in the Under-20 Loughborough International competition recently, winning third and second places respectively.

The Stanford & Corringham Sixth Form student has been running competitively since July 2018 and since has recorded a personal best of 10.67 seconds in the 100m and finished last year's season ranked first in the Under 17s 60m and 100m sprints.

STUDENTS at the Gateway Academy in Tilbury have shown their support for others less fortunate than themselves by backing another Foodbank collection.

Previous collections have been a big success and the latest as students move towards the end of the school year proved to be no exception.