Thurrock Council's adult social care held up as an example to other authorities

STAFF from Leicester and Greenwich Councils visited Thurrock recently to observe the work that the council is doing to provide care to adults across the borough.

Social Services staff from Leicester City Council were keen to see how Thurrock Council has developed its outcome-based approach to adult social care, as Thurrock provides a home care service that helps clients to decide details of their care packages to suit them.

A number of staff from Greenwich Council also visited Thurrock Council on the recommendation of the Department of Health.

Greenwich Council’s Adults and Older People’s Services team are developing a customer contact centre for their services.

Thurrock Council have already set up a similar centre in partnership with Vertex, so the Greenwich team wanted to see the service in action and meet with staff.

Discussions also included Thurrock Council undertaking work on the new outcome-based care services.

Councillor Amanda Arnold, Thurrock’s £15,822.14 a year Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care said: “Thurrock is on the map for developing the government’s Putting People in Control agenda.

“The Council is aiming to transform all of its adult care services to this new way of working by January 2009. This is not required by law to be in place until 2010.”

She added: “This is a big move away from the way that services have been traditionally provided in Thurrock.

“Councils and government bodies have recognised what Thurrock have achieved.

“Key to this success is our close partnership working with Vertex and our care providers in Thurrock.”

£7.911.07 a year Councillor Anthony Fish, representing people with disabilities in Thurrock, said: “It’s great to see that Thurrock is providing leading services that other Councils want to learn from.

“The outcome-based approach is a great step forward for disabled people as it will mean they will be able to work with the Council to make decisions about their care.

“That way we are putting residents first and carrying out our duty.”

Labour party vandals hit Tilbury Riverside ward

As if the Borough isn't suffering enough from the affects of vandalism and graffiti then we now have Thurrock Labour Party and their supporters defacing parts of the Borough in their drive to get noticed.

These pictures were taken in the viccinity of Hume Avenue, Tilbury.






Car owners are being advised to be alert because the glue on the stickers is known to damage the paintwork.

This vandalism occured just round the corner from Labour Councillor and Council Taxpayers Sponger Lynn Worrall who lives at 41 Kelvin road.

Parents fined over non-attendance

Four Thurrock parents appeared before Magistrates in Basildon on Friday (12 September) after failing to ensure their children attended school regularly.

Three of the parents whose children should have attended Hassenbrook, Belhus Chase and The Gateway Academy failed to appear in court

Each was fined £350 and ordered to pay £120 in costs.

The fourth parent, whose child is on the register at The Gateway Academy, did attend and admitted the offence. They were fined £100 and ordered to pay £60 in costs.

Cllr Sue MacPherson, Thurrock Council's £21.911.07 a year Cabinet member for Children's Services, said: "It is the legal duty of every parent to ensure their child attends school and we at the council take that duty seriously.

"Court action is a last resort in truancy cases, but we will take that final step if it becomes necessary.

"We in Thurrock are doing our utmost to provide the best possible chances for our children and that means regular attendance at school is a must."

Gerard Rice's shame over using school as political football

BNP Councillor Emma Colgate has explained to Councilwatch as to why she abstained from the vote on the future of the Chadwell st Mary primary school.

"I talked to a big group of the teachers and mothers after the meeting
and explained my decision and pointed out the following.

The Conservatives have said they are looking at closing the school next year but I believe that they should be looking at the schools progress and making a decision based on that.

The Labour group have jumped on this and turned it into a political point scoring competition.

Labour councillor Rice had the chance to make a real difference in the chamber by putting a motion forward asking the Conservatives to look at the case with an open mind with the possibility of keeping the school open. Instead of this Cllr Rice decided he would use his powers to put a mention in that would have had the members vote to acknowledge that the conservatives were at fault and were a failing group.

Cllr Rice knew that this motion would fail as no Conservative cllr would realistically vote in favour of such an admission and even if it had been passed it would not have affected the outcome of the school.

I decided I would not be part of this obvious political battle and instead will be doing all I can to help the school and will work with anyone of any political background to help the parents and staff at the school."

Newspaper Editor Raps BNP Councillor

Thurrock Gazette Editor and roaming Labour Councillor Shagger extraordinaire Neil Speight has decided to take a poke (verbally that is) at the British National Party's Emma Colgate.

It would appear that Ms Colgate, Unlike Mr Speight, is afraid to jump into bed with local socialists.

Here is what he said.

A personal view of a crucial Thurrock Council meeting by Gazette editor Neil Speight:

ANGRY mums, excited children and riled residents greeted councillors at Wednesday evening’s meeting of Thurrock Council.

Those councillors who braved a very public protest from residents of Chadwell St Mary had to walk the gauntlet of dozens of people protesting against plans to close the community’s primary school.

And when they arrived in the Council chamber they took part in a polarised debate when political expediency appeared to take precedent over personal opinion.

Even the Council’s solitary radical, BNP councillor Emma Colgate, failed to deliver on her pledge for change when she abstained in the vote over the future of Chadwell Primary School.

The decision has clearly been taken to close the century-old school and to their eternal shame Conservative councillors went through with the ruse of trying to justify ‘consultation.’ They ought to have had the courage of their convictions and say the school is closing. End of story.

There is no consultation. Unless there is some sort of miracle that exists outside of the scope of local education chief Rob McCulloch-Graham, Chadwell St Mary Primary School will close next year, regardless of how emotional residents get over its future.

To be fair to the man, he has little choice as he juggles red hot issues, seeking simple answers to incredibly difficult questions. He inherited a botched job and it may be too early to judge him yet.

But the big question to be answered is who is to blame? Tories at Wednesday’s meeting were keen to say it was the government’s fault because of dictatorial guidelines that have forced them up a blind alley. They have a point.

Labour were keen to say it is callous Conservatism picking on the Labour stronghold and looking at the potential of selling some valuable land to fund an increasing shortfall in their budget. They have a point.

Independent councillors Barry Palmer and John Purkiss has nothing to say but supported the Tory line. They have a point because they want to protect their own East Tilbury stronghold. As councillor Carl Morris quite rightly pointed out, who knows where the poison chalice will land next?

The BNP had the chance to make a bold statement. But scared of getting into bed with the socialists and clearly not wanting to be associated with the ‘upper class twits,’ the eloquence and quick wit councillor Emma Colgate showed in earlier debate was betrayed by her decision to abstain.

Talk about missing a golden opportunity!

In the end a Labour motion proposed by councillor Gerard Rice fell. He never had a chance of making it stick because he drafted it in political-speak rather than common sense.

His proposal said: “The ward councillors of Chadwell St Mary, councillors Marion Canovan, Tony Fish and Gerard Rice, want to register the failure of this Tory council to save the Chadwell St Mary Primary School from the proposed closure.”

That was like asking the Tory turkeys to vote for Christmas.

He had no chance, yet he played the gallery well with some clever rhetoric and emotive patter.

The trouble is much of it came from the same script he used when he pledged to fight, fight, and fight again against the closure of Stifford Clays’ Post Office.

Like the Royal Mail, circumstances meant he couldn't deliver then, and he is unlikely to be able to deliver this time. But give the man credit, he can pick the right issues.

Right is certainly what is on the side of the residents of Chadwell. They live in a closeted community, with lots of crap foisted on them, admittedly quite a bit of it of their own community's making.

But they deserve better than what they are getting.

The best option for their children may well be the closure of Chadwell Primary. It could be the fresh start they need. On the other hand, maybe they have the saving of their own school by building on the progress of recent months as they have battled the stigma of special measures.

Sadly - and it’s an increasing facet of so-called local democracy, it doesn’t look like they get what they deserve from Thurrock Council - nor the nation’s ruling Labour party. Unsurprisingly I don’t think Nick Clegg and his mates on their way home from their seaside jaunt have the answers either.

Nor, clearly does Emma Colgate and her bizarre bundle of Union Jack waving, knuckle-dragging mates. God help us if the BNP ever match intelligence with alleged patriotism.

The future of Chadwell Primary School is rightly in the balance. It might be right to keep it, it might be time for it to go.

What is clear from Wednesday’s meeting of Thurrock Council is that the decision - unless there is a rapid and unexpected change of heart from all concerned, won’t be determined by fair means.

And that leaves a foul stink about the whole process. Consultation should mean just that, with a real chance for those involved to change the outcome.

Cleary this isn't happening here and this has all the making of another PR disaster for the Tories who, despite their best intentions, bumble along from one unnecessary crisis after another.

Thurrock Gazette

Conference tackles major changes to Thurrock's population

Dealing with major changes to Thurrock’s population was the subject of a conference on Tuesday, after it emerged that some primary schools in Thurrock now have 50 per cent black, or ethnic minority pupils, while three years ago that figure was 10 per cent.

The Community Cohesion conference was held at the Culver Centre in South Ockendon.

It was split into two areas, opening with Homophobic Bullying, in conjunction with Stonewall, and following-up with a more general community cohesion focus.

£25,911.07 a year Councillor Sue MacPherson, the Tory council’s portfolio holder for Children’s Services from 26 Drake Road, Chafford Hundred ,said: “Community cohesion is the key to improving the life chances of young people in our borough.

“Community cohesion is about building one community.

“Bullying through lifestyle and gender, or open homophobic bullying must be challenged openly.

“Young people must be able to accept diversity in our community.

“At this conference we have set down a marker that says Thurrock understands its challenges; it underlines the way we educate our young people from naught to when they leave education, helps shape the way they view our community and helps ensure we can all work and live together.”

Thurrock Council is planning further conferences in the future.

John Cowell

John Cowell, Conservative CONcillor for Aveley & Uplands, failed to show up to the same meeting as Yash Gupta on Tuesday.

He still gets paid £395.55.

Yash Gupta

Yash Gupta failed to show up for the performance & overview meeting on Tuesday.

There must be something in the tap water in his ward that makes people so gullible.
Any conmen out there, go to Grays Thurrock ward, they're mugs.

Bukky Okunade

The Labour Councillor for Tilbury Riverside failed to show up for last night's meeting of Performance and Overview.

Maybe she was too busy in her other activities:

Local Government Officer for the London Borough of Southwark.
Justice of the peace at South Western Magistrates Court.
Committee member of the Family Mosaic Housing Association.
Member of Thurrock African Group.
Member of Unison.
Member of Chartered Institute of Marketting.

Since May Ms Okunade has got off of Thurrock Taxpayers £158.22 per week despite spending as little as 12 hours in the last 20 weeks representing her constituents at meetings.

This is another typical example of how Thurrock Council are wasting taxpayers money.

Rumours are abound that Ms Okunade will de-selected and replaced by former independent candidate & ex Labour Councillor June Brown at the 2010 local elections.

Roisin O'Reilly

Roisin O'Reilly failed to show for last night's Performance & Overview and Scrutiny committee meeting.

The Labour Councillor for Stanford East and Corringham Town, who gets a £158.22 per week council salary despite spending as little as 10 hours in the last 20 weeks representing her constituents at meetings, is a typical example of how Thurrock Council are wasting taxpayers money.

Wendy Herd

Mrs Herd has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 4 out of 4 annual council meetings.

She has spent 10 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying her to do.

This works out at £553.77 per hour.

Mrs Herd has also been paid a total of £1,800.00 for attending 2 out of 3 Health & Well-being meetings.

She never turned up on July 8.

She has spent 5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying her to do.

This works out at £360.00 per hour.

So far Mrs Herd has taken out of the pot £4,964.44 since May 2nd 2008.

20 weeks since being elected and she has collected £248.22 per week for attending 6 paid meetings, 15 hours of her time.

Perhaps Mrs Herd(Con)would like to explain to her Aveley & Uplands constituents why she believes she's worth every penny?

Amanda Wilton

Ms Wilton has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 4 out of 4 annual council meetings.

She has spent 10 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying her to do.

This works out at £553.77 per hour.

Ms Wilton has also been paid a total of £450.00 for attending 2 out of 3 Health & Well-being meetings.

She never turned up on July 8.

She has spent 5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying her to do.

This works out at £90.00 per hour.

So far Ms Wilton has taken out of the pot £3,614.44 since May 2nd 2008.

20 weeks since being elected and she has collected £180.72 per week for attending 6 paid meetings, 15 hours of her time.

Perhaps Ms Wilton(Con)would like to explain to her Aveley constituents why she believes she's worth every penny?

Neil Rockliffe

Mr Rockliffe has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 4 out of 4 annual council meetings.

He has spent 10 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £553.77 per hour.

Mr Rockliffe has also been paid a total of £3,296,25 for attending 3 out of 5 Cabinet meetings.

He never turned up on June 11 & June 18.

He has spent 7.5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £412.03 per hour.

So far Mr Rockliffe has taken out of the pot £6,460,69 since May 2nd 2008.

20 weeks since being elected and he has collected £323.03 per week for attending 7 paid meetings, 17.5 hours of his time.

Perhaps Mr Rockliffe(Con)would like to explain to his Chafford & North Stifford constituents why he believes he's worth every penny?

Terry Hipsey

Mr Hipsey has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 4 out of 4 annual council meetings.

He has spent 10 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £553.77 per hour.

Mr Hipsey has also been paid a total of £11,536,95 for attending 2 out of 5 Cabinet meetings.

He never turned up on June 18,July 9 & Sept 3.

He has spent 5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at a staggering £2,307.93 per hour.

So far Mr Hipsey has taken out of the pot £14,701,39 since May 2nd 2008.

20 weeks since being elected and he has collected £735.06 per week for attending 6 paid meetings, 10 hours of his time.

Perhaps Mr Hipsey(Con)would like to explain to his Stanford West constituents why he believes he's worth every penny?

Stephen Veryard

Mr Veryard has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 4 out of 4 annual council meetings.

He has spent 10 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £553.77 per hour.

Mr Veryard has also been paid a total of £3,296,25 for attending 4 out of 5 Cabinet meetings.

He never turned up on June 18.

He has spent 10 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £316.44 per hour.

So far Mr Veryard has taken out of the pot £6,460,69 since May 2nd 2008.

20 weeks since being elected and he has collected £323.03 per week for attending 8 paid meetings, 20 hours of his time.

Perhaps Mr Veryard(Con)would like to explain to his South Chafford constituents why he believes he's worth every penny?

Gary Hague

Mr Hague has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 4 out of 4 annual council meetings.

He has spent 10 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £553.77 per hour.

Mr Hague has also been paid a total of £3,296,25 for attending 4 out of 5 Cabinet meetings.

He never turned up on June 18.

He has spent 10 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £316.44 per hour.

So far Mr Hague has taken out of the pot £6,460,69 since May 2nd 2008.

20 weeks since being elected and he has collected £323.03 per week for attending 8 paid meetings, 20 hours of his time.

Perhaps Mr Hague(Con)would like to explain to his Chafford & N Stifford constituents why he believes he's worth every penny?

Lynn Worrall

Mrs Worrall has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 3 out of 4 annual council meetings.

She never turned up on July 23.

She has spent 7.5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying her to do.

This works out at £553.77 per hour.

20 weeks since being elected and she has collected £158.22 per week for attending 3 paid meetings, 7.5 hours of her time.


Perhaps Mrs Worrall(Lab)would like to explain to her Tilbury St Chads constituents why she believes she's worth every penny?

Philip Smith

Mr Smith has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 3 out of 4 annual council meetings.

He never turned up on June 25.

He has spent 7.5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £553.77 per hour.

20 weeks since being elected and he has collected £158.22 per week for attending 3 paid meetings, 7.5 hours of his time.


Perhaps Mr Smith(Lab)would like to explain to his Stanford East and Corringham Town constituents why he believes he's worth every penny?

Gerard Rice

Mr Rice has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 3 out of 4 annual council meetings.

He never turned up on June 25.

He has spent 7.5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £553.77 per hour.

20 weeks since being elected and he has collected £158.22 per week for attending 3 paid meetings, 7.5 hours of his time.


Perhaps Mr Rice(Lab)would like to explain to his Chadwell St Mary constituents why he believes he's worth every penny?

Joycelyn Redsell

Mrs Redsell has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 3 out of 4 annual council meetings.

She never turned up on July 23.

She has spent 7.5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying her to do.

This works out at £553.77 per hour.

Mrs Redsell has been also paid a total of £3,296,25 for attending 4 out of 5 Cabinet meetings.

She never turned up on June 18 2008.

She has spent 10 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying her to do.

This works out at £392.62 per hour.

So far Mrs Redsell has taken out of the pot £6,460,69 since May 2nd 2008.

20 weeks since being elected and she has collected £323.03 per week for attending 7 paid meetings, 17.5 hours of her time.

Perhaps Mrs Redsell(Con)would like to explain to her Little Thurrock Blackshots constituents why she believes she's worth every penny?

Barrie Lawrence

Mr Lawrence has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 3 out of 4 annual council meetings.

He never turned up on July 23.

He has spent 7.5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £553.77 per hour.

20 weeks since being elected and he has collected £158.22 per week for attending 3 paid meetings, 7.5 hours of his time.


Perhaps Mr Lawrence(Lab)would like to explain to his Ockendon constituents why he believes he's worth every penny?

Sue Gray

Mrs Gray has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 3 out of 4 annual council meetings.

She never turned up on May 21.

She has spent 7.5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying her to do.

This works out at £553.77 per hour.

20 weeks since being elected and she has collected £158.22 per week for attending 3 paid meetings, 7.5 hours of her time.


Perhaps Mrs Gray(Lab)would like to explain to her Belhus constituents why she believes she's worth every penny?

Robert Gledhill

Mr Gledhill has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 3 out of 4 annual council meetings.

He never turned up on July 23.

He has spent 7.5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £553.77 per hour.

Mr Gledhill has been also paid a total of £1,800,00 for attending 3 out of 3 Performance and Improvement meetings.

He has spent 7.5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £360.00 per hour.

So far Mr Gledhill has taken out of the pot £4,964,44 since May 2nd 2008.

20 weeks since being elected and he has collected £248.22 per week for attending 6 paid meetings, 15 hours of his time.

Perhaps Mr Gledhill(Con)would like to explain to his Little Thurrock Rectory constituents why he believes he's worth every penny?

Amanda Arnold

Ms Arnold has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 3 out of 4 annual council meetings.

She never turned up on Sept 17.

She has spent 7.5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying her to do.

This works out at £553.77 per hour.

Ms Arnold has been also paid a total of £3,296,25 for attending 4 out of 5 Cabinet meetings.

She has spent 10 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying her to do.

This works out at £392.62 per hour.

So far Ms Arnold has taken out of the pot £6,460,69 since May 2nd 2008.

20 weeks since being elected and she has collected £323.03 per week for attending 7 paid meetings, 17.5 hours of her time.

Perhaps Ms Arnold(Con)would like to explain to her Ockendon constituents why she believes she's worth every penny?

Roisin O'Reilly

Ms O'Reilly has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 2 out of 4 annual council meetings.

She never turned up on June 25 or Sept 17.

She has spent 5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying her to do.

This works out at £632.88 per hour.

20 weeks since being elected and she has collected £158.22 per week for attending 2 paid meetings, 5 hours of her time.


Perhaps Ms O'Reilly(Lab)would like to explain to her Stanford East and Corringham Town constituents why she believes she's worth every penny?

Val Morris-Cook

Mrs Morris-Cook has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 2 out of 4 annual council meetings.

She never turned up on May 21 or July 23.

She has spent 5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying her to do.

This works out at £632.88 per hour.

20 weeks since being elected and she has collected £158.22 per week for attending 2 paid meetings, 5 hours of her time.


Perhaps Mrs Morris-Cook(Lab)would like to explain to her Chadwell St Mary constituents why she believes she's worth every penny?

Carl Morris

Mr Morris has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 2 out of 4 annual council meetings.

He never turned up on May 21 or July 23.

He has spent 5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £632.88 per hour.

20 weeks since being elected and he has collected £158.22 per week for attending 2 paid meetings, 5 hours of his time.


Perhaps Mr Morris(Lab)would like to explain to his Grays Riverside constituents why he believes he's worth every penny?

Peter Harris

Mr Harris has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 2 out of 4 annual council meetings.

He never turned up on June 25 or July 23.

He has spent 5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £632.88 per hour.

20 weeks since being elected and he has collected £158.22 per week for attending 2 paid meetings, 5 hours of his time.


Perhaps Mr Harris(Lab)would like to explain to his Grays Thurrock constituents why he believes he's worth every penny?

Marion Canavon

Mrs Canavon has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 2 out of 4 annual council meetings.

She never turned up on May 21 or July 23.

She has spent 5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying her to do.

This works out at £632.88 per hour.

20 weeks since being elected and she has collected £158.22 per week for attending 2 paid meetings, 5 hours of her time.


Perhaps Mrs Canavon(Lab)would like to explain to her Chadwell St Mary constituents why she believes she's worth every penny?

Julieann Burkey

Ms Burkey has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 2 out of 4 annual council meetings.

She never turned up on July 23 or Sept 17.

She has spent 5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying her to do.

This works out at £632.88 per hour.

20 weeks since being elected and she has collected £158.22 per week for attending 2 paid meetings, 5 hours of her time.


Perhaps Ms Burkey(Lab)would like to explain to her West Thurrock & South Stifford constituents why she believes she's worth every penny?

Richard Bingley

Mr Bingley has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 2 out of 4 annual council meetings.

He never turned up on June 25 or July 23.

He has spent 5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £632.88 per hour.

20 weeks since being elected and he has collected £158.22 per week for attending 2 paid meetings, 5 hours of his time.


Perhaps Mr Bingley(Lab)would like to explain to his Tilbury St Chads constituents why he believes he's worth every penny?

Yash Gupta

Mr Gupta has been paid a total of £3,164,44 for attending 2 out of 4 annual council meetings.

He never turned up on June 25 or Sept 17.

He has spent 5 hours doing what Thurrock taxpayers are paying him to do.

This works out at £632.88 per hour.

20 weeks since being elected and he has collected £158.22 per week for attending 2 paid meetings, 5 hours of his time.

Perhaps Mr Gupta(Lab)would like to explain to his Grays Thurrock constituents why he believes he's worth every penny?

Thurrock's Polish migrants interviewed in three year survey

NEW research among Polish people working in Grays contradicts popular prejudices about migrants coming to Britain.

The interview results were presented by Essex Euro MP Richard Howitt at a conference of businesses about managing migrant workers.

Interviews with 100 Polish workers show that it is wrong to suggest migrants refuse to learn English Labour’s Richard Howitt MEP told the conference.

The interviews of local Polish workers were undertaken as part of a three year research project funded by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA).

Mr Howitt said: "The biggest reason Polish migrants in Grays give for coming to Britain is to learn English.

"And contrary to popular opinion Poles interviewed here were more likely to have English friends than similar research in other parts of the country."

The Labour Euro MP also warned businesses not to see migrants as suitable only for low skilled jobs.

Mr Howitt added: "Don’t underestimate migrants when over half of those we found actually had university degrees.

"It is time to get rid of the myths and misconceptions and recognise European migrants give a lot to our prosperity and want to be part of the community."

£40 Grand a year Leader of Thurrock Council, Greedier Bastard Terry Hipsey, said: "I think the Polish play a very valuable role in the community.

"It must also not be forgotten that they represented our armed forces in the Second World War.

"They are here legally to work so therefore they can't be criticised if they want to take a career working in England."

Packed gallery hears councillors debate Chadwell School closure

POLITICAL party lines have been drawn around the controversial plan to close Chadwell St Mary Primary School.

Thurrock councillors arrived for their monthly £761.10 meeting at the Civic Offices to be met by dozens of protesting parents, children, residents and school staff but their claims to the school to stay open look set to fall on deaf Conservative ears.

Labour Chadwell councillor, £761.10 a meeting blagger, Gerard Rice proposed a motion to council, wanting to ‘register the failure of this Tory council to save the Chadwell St Mary Primary School.’ While he got support from his own party, Conservatives, backed by East Tilbury’s two independent councillors, shot it down.

Independent my arse.

The Council’s sole BNP representative, Emma Colgate, abstained for political reasons.

The debate was frequently interrupted by cheers and jeers from a packed public gallery, with the Tories on the receiving end of their jibes and Labour members winning warm rounds of applause.

In his opening address councillor Rice said: “It is with great regret that I have to propose this motion. This was supposed to be a consultation process but I have to ask ‘are you running a secret society here?’ "The first place the people heard about this closure was on the front page of the Thurrock Gazette. The head of the school was not informed; the staff were not informed – it is very poor."

Councillor Rice went on to expound his theory that the Council is merely playing lip service to the consultation process, saying: "The Gazette report included a quote from £21,911.07 pa councillor Sue MacPherson talking about consultation taking place this term, involving all consultees and everyone interested in the school’s future.

“That seems pretty fair. But in the next breath she says the report will be brought back to cabinet in January, proposing closure next July.

"It seems to me that you have already made your minds up.

"The director of education has already met with parents and teachers saying the school is going to close so it seems to me that the minds of the Conservative group are already closed to this.

"However, I know there are many good people in the Conservative group. I can only hope they have consciences."

As well as a big fat wallet. What a complete load of bollocks.

Councillor Rice said he believed that a plot had been hatched to force the closure of the school, which is in special measures.

He said: "I’ve been told that parents have been discouraged by officers and dissuaded from sending their children to the school. That has brought numbers down so that the figures on which you based your assumptions about falling numbers are artificial."

Councillor Rice also said that the closure decision took little or no account of the expected population rise in Chadwell.

"The Development Corporation are talking about 500 new homes," he said. "That might generate at least 200 children. Where are they going to go?"

His motion was seconded by another well paid Chadwell councillor, Tony Fish, who said: "This Tory administration has every reason to feel embarrassed. This is not about pupil numbers, it is about the Council failing this school. The people of Chadwell deserve better."

The people of Chadwell deserve all they get for voting for the Liblabcon.

£7,911.07 pa Conservative councillor Mike Revell, until recently the lead member for education on the Council, appeared to accept that the consultation was a wasted exercise and blamed the Government for raising false expectations from it as well as setting the criteria for closure.

He said: "We are obliged to have consultation, obliged to do what the government tells us. This Council is obligated to do what we have done but we have been honest, open and truthful with residents," adding that it was impossible for the school to be funded adequately as the government based its spending on numbers of pupils and Chadwell does not have enough pupils to make it viable in the government’s eyes.

Labour leader, Greedy Bastard, John Kent wanted to know why the Council had appeared to change its policy on the school in midstream.

He said: "Last October the Council was looking at four options. On, closure of the school as it is at present and reopening with a new head and new staff; Two, keeping the school going and increasing investment and support; Three, federating the school with nearby, more successful schools; Four, closure.

"The question I want to ask is why closure is now the only option? Did members of the Cabinet not question that when this was brought before them? And does the Cabinet think that these figures are grounded in reality?"

The third Chadwell councillor, £7,911.07 pa Marion Canavon said: "Consultation is supposed to be about giving people choice. This school is improving and should not be closed until it has been given every opportunity.

"Close it and you are only going to put more people into schools outside the area."

That was an issue taken up by Labour councillor £7,911.07 pa Diana Hale who accused the Council of being ‘piecemeal’ in its planning.

She questioned why the Council should be considering closing any school, saying: “We are going to have a knock-on effect that nobody wants. Where are these children going to go?

"This is one little corner of a big borough. We need a strategy across the whole borough."

Councillor Sue MacPherson, who carried Cabinet responsibility for education, said that the Council had been put in an invidious position because of the way schools are funded and it was not possible to counteract the impact of falling rolls.

She said: "The school has improved because of the efforts of the staff and for that I am most grateful, but there is not the funding to go on."

£7,911.07 pa Councillor Anne Cheale backed up the Conservatives’ position on the school and said that education was one of the Council’s priorities, though it would not shirk difficult decision. "We put a great deal of thought into education, it's one of our primary considerations," she said.

Councillor Rice summed up, to warm applause from the gallery, by saying: "I am quite determined on this. You’ve misappropriated these figures and we will not go down without a fight. I wish to believe councillor MacPherson, but to me this is nothing more than selling off the family silver."

Now he's a fine one to talk about that sort of thing.

The motion proposed by councillor Rice was lost by 25 votes to 18, with one abstention.

For (all Labour): Richard Bingley, Marion Canavon, Charles Curtis, Tony Fish, Oliver Gerrish, Sue Gray, Diana Hale, Catherine Kent, John Kent, Barrie Lawrence, Peter Maynard, Carl Morris, Val Morris-Cook, Bukky Okunde, Gerard Rice, Andy Smith, Philip Smith, Lynn Worrall.

Against (Tory unless stated): Anne Cheale, John Cowell, John Everett, Rob Gledhill, Garry Hague, Eddie Hardiman, Ian Harrison, Wendy Herd, Terry Hipsey, Barry Johnson, Sue MacPherson, Ben Maney, Danny Nicklen, Tunde Ojetola, Barry Palmer (Independent), Maureen Pearce, John Purkiss (Independent), Joy Redsell, Diane Revell, Mike Revell, Neil Rockliffe, Stuart St Clair-Haslam, Pauline Tolson, Stephen Veryard, Amanda Wilton.

Abstained: Emma Colgate, BNP.

Absent: Greedy bastards Amanda Arnold, Julieann Burkey, Yash Gupta, Peter Harris, Roisin O’Reilly.

Thurrock is a blooming success

Thurrock starred at the annual Anglia in Bloom awards with the borough as a whole securing “Silver Gilt” in the City category.

But that was not the end of Thurrock’s successes.

Other winners from the borough included a Gold award and overall victory for Orsett in the Large Village category and Bulphan received the accolade of Best New Entry and was also awarded Silver Gilt in the Village class.

The Neighbourhood Awards Section were also fruitful with Awards of Merit to Belmont Allotment Association; the Ward Avenue Allotments; and South Ockendon Community Forum, while the Beehive Centre Garden in Grays received a Most Improved Entry Award.

Councillor Steve Veryard, Thurrock Council’s £15,822,14 a year Cabinet member for Environmental Services, said: “I would like to congratulate everybody involved at every level.

“We are all working hard to make Thurrock a greener, safer place and it is wonderful when our efforts are recognised in this way.”

At the awards, for the fourth successive year, Orsett has received a gold award and was voted best large village in Anglia. In addition the community received nominations for biodiversity, drought garden, environmental quality and ‘grow your own’ awards. The judges said: “What really makes Orsett so successful is the tremendous community spirit and an ability to achieve the impossible.”

And a Tory controlled Council helps.

Orsett in Bloom chair Sheila Fursedonne said: “We are so proud of our achievements and the support we get. The fact that the judges thought that we achieve the impossible is very flattering but, of course, it’s not impossible.

"If we can do it other communities can, all it takes is enthusiastic people who want to get involved, improve their environment and have some fun.”

But it does help if you get paid shit loads of money from the local taxpayer.

Full Annual Council Meeting

The following got paid £791.10 each and couldn't even be bothered to turn up.

Con Amanda Arnold
Lab Julieann Burkey
Lab Yash Gupta
Lab Peter Harris
Lab Roisin O'Reilly

Councillors in a clash over cash as borough spend goes up and up

THURROCK Council have been criticised for spending nearly £2million in one financial year on consultants.

Between April 2007 to March 2008 the Conservative run council has spent £1,933,681 hiring consultants.

In the same period of time Southend Council, the only other unitary authority in Essex, spent just £428,420 on consultants.

The consultants and interims hired by Thurrock Council are paid anything from £84 to as much as £750 per day, for posts such as ‘Head of Service’ and ‘Operations Manager’.

In many cases the consultants doing the work are paid a fixed salary by their agency, who then keep the rest of the money.

Large sums of money have also been spent on consultants in the previous two financial years.

From April 2006 to March 2007 the council spent a total of £1,061,705 on consultants and £911,756 was spent between April 2005 and March 2006.

The Gazette can also reveal that the tax payer’s purse has received a further dent as the council has been forced to pay out £5million over the last two years in staff sick pay.

Between April 1 2006 and March 31 2008 the council have paid out for 80,728 staff sick days.

This equates to nine sick days per employee in 2006 to 2007, and 9.8 sick days per employee in 2007 to 2008.

These figures include school staff but not any of the borough’s teachers.

Comparatively, neighbouring unitary authority Southend calculated in their last absence review in October 2006 that the annual cost of staff absence is approximately £1.89 million, including all employees who work in Southend’s schools.

Thurrock Labour party leader Councillor, John Kent has now branded the Conservative administration’s leadership a ‘complete failure’.

He said: “The fact that over 80,000 days were lost to sickness in the last two years at a cost to the council tax payer of £2.5m a year, along with the £600k spent on suspending staff over the past two years, the more being £10k spent every single day on paying consultants and a staff turnover rate of, nearly, 25 per cent last year, clearly demonstrates a complete failure of the Conservative administration to offer any competent leadership of the council.”

The leader of Thurrock Council, Councillor Terry Hipsey, hit back at Councillor Kent saying: "And all born about by the government who Councillor Kent disgracefully supports who have failed our borough and this country.

“They have of recent years created a number of unelected quangos (for which Hipsey pockets £15,000 per year) who have created a mountain of bureaucracy and through parliament thrust endless new legislation and red tape onto councils which our staff have to endure and deal with.

“It is no wonder some of our staff are feeling the stresses of local authority work".

"Lets also not forget Thurrock council employs over 5,000 staff.

“All employers have a legal obligation to pay sick pay when members of staff are unwell.

“Where suspensions are concerned, the government have created very tight local authority employment laws so we have to be very careful how suspensions are managed."

He added: "Lets also remember my Conservative administration gave its residents the lowest council tax for 9 years this year and another underspent budget from last year.

“Its a shame Councillor Kent doesn't open his eyes a little wider to see what is happening to families in Thurrock where the Government he supports is robbing everyone blind with taxes.”

Perhaps one day Thurrock residents will open their eyes and see what Thurrock Councillors really are.

Yash calls for park promise to be kept

A GRAYS councillor with an annual paid salary of £7,911,07 has renewed his call for improvements to turn Grays Town Park back into a beauty spot.

Labour councillor Yash Gupta, who has failed to turn up to 2 out of 4 annual council meetings despite being paid £791.10 for each one, has been lobbying the council to make improvements to the park since April 2007 when he took chief executive Angie Ridgwell around the park to point out the dirty toilets, lack of flowers, tired benches, graffiti and the unclean paths.

Soon after he was contacted by the Council’s horticultural manager Luke Love who said that his department would be addressing the litter, the sweeping of broken glass on some sections of the footpath, gaps in the rose beds, and graffiti removal on bins and park furniture.

He also listed the replacement of the damaged wooden benches as a future priority.

But more than a year on the park still has the graffiti, litter and old benches, only one section has flowers and the toilets have been closed all summer.

Fed up with the Council’s lack of action, this was a good opportunity to make it look like he's worth the thousands he's being paid, councillor Gupta met with Street Services Manager Robert Bellamy in the park to voice his opinion on what the Council could be doing to improve it.

Councillor Gupta said: “This park used to be the pride of the town, when my kids were young it was so beautiful, a real family place.

"Why are there no lovely flowers anymore?"

Well Mr Gupta. £7,911,07 could buy an awful lot of flowers for the park.

"I was promised that the old benches would be removed and new ones put in, and the toilets have been closed during the six weeks."

He added: "This park needs investment to make it beautiful and a full time person with gardening skills."

Perhaps Mr Gupta and co would like to contribute to the park investment then.

Council under fire as care home fails the test

Controversy over care homes in Thurrock has flared up again after the borough’s council announced it was stopping putting old folk into a flagship development which has been slammed by government inspectors.

Thurrock Council says it has stopped all new placements at Bluebell Court residential home in Grays following a "poor" report from Government inspectorate, the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) published last week.

The news has angered opposition councillors in Thurrock who fought and lost a campaign to keep a Council-run care home open.

Many of the residents in the doomed Elizabeth House were moved to Bluebell Court, owned and operated by the Executive Care Group, and Labour say they have been let down.

Labour group leader and £30,000 a year councillor John Kent said: "When Tory Councillors forced through the closure of Elizabeth House, they promised the best possible care for the residents who were transferred to other homes including Bluebell Court. It’s clear that was all talk; it's more a case of out of sight out of mind.

“I’m very angry about this - it is neglect pure and simple. The Council should have been looking after the interests of the residents of Bluebell Court from day one as they promised to by carrying out their own regular inspections.”

However, £15,822,14 a year councillor Amanda Arnold, Thurrock Council’s Cabinet member for Adult Social Care, says care of those in need remains a top priority. She said: “We are contacting all Council-placed residents and their relatives to inform them of the situation.”

“Thurrock Council is actively monitoring what the home is doing to rectify the situation and we will keep people informed as things progress. We have a good record of working positively with the privately-run homes in the borough to ensure they meet the standards we would expect for our elderly residents.

“No private company takes the CSCI reports lightly and I am sure that Executive Care Homes will already be putting action plans together to ensure the Commission's concerns are addressed as a matter of urgency."

The Council has written to the owners of the home informing them of its intention to stop sending new residents to Bluebell Court where it currently has 40 people placed.

It says it is also carrying out regular checks on the home in Stanley Road.

CSCI rated the home as “zero stars”, classing its “Choice of Home” and “Management and Administration” standards as “poor”. They rated the “Health and Personal Care”; “Daily Life and Social Activities”; “Complaints and Protection”; Environment and Staffing” standards as adequate.

Paul Musgrave, managing director of specialist services for the Gateshead-based Executive Care Group, said: "We have always been proud of the care and support that we have provided for individuals at Bluebell Court and where we can improve we would always strive to do so.

"We have been challenging our CSCI report as we do not feel that it provides a fair reflection of our home and are pushing for re-inspection as soon as possible.

"We have been working closely and positively with Thurrock Council to address this matter and are meeting with them this week to work together to move this forward.

"We are also speaking to our residents, their friends and families to let them know about the outcome of the recent inspection and that we always welcome their personal feedback about care quality.”

However, councillor Kent remains unmoved by the pledges of Council and company.

He said: “It’s disgraceful that it has taken more than two years and a Government inspection to discover the care for our vulnerable old people at this home is sub-standard. Worse still, this news seems to have come as a complete surprise to Thurrock Council!

“The Tories’ boast that they have a "good record of working positively with the privately run homes in the borough to ensure they meet the standards we would expect for our elderly residents" would be a joke if it weren’t so serious."

Danny's Delight

A Thurrock councillor has spoken of his delight after seeing action taken on issues raised during a recent ward audit after a dozen broken or missing road name signs were replaced.

Broken and missing road signs in Upton Close, Abbotts Drive leading into Wills Hill, Silvertown Avenue, Ceders and The Glen have now been reported by £9,411.07 a year Stanford East and Corringham Town councillor Danny Nicklen.

Councillor Danny Nicklen, who represents Stanford East and Corringham Town ward, With the help of local residents has already identified and made a number of requests for work to be undertaken around the ward and he thinks he's well worth the money he's getting from the taxpayers who voted for him.

He wants to ensure that himself and Corringham and Stanford-le-Hope looks good and want to encourage everybody to take pride in caring for our community even though they're not getting paid and I am.

I would ask residents to bring any issues to me that you feel need attention and please continue to inform me about graffiti, vandalism or even missing or damaged road signs as soon as they occur. With a bit of luck with all this arse licking he's doing uncle Tel will reward him with a place on the cabinet.

'Save Our School' is parents' plea

Parents have reacted with fury and disappointment and united with their ward councillor in opposition to the planned closure of Chadwell St Mary Primary School.

Last month residents in Chadwell St Mary were left reeling at news they may soon lose one of their primary schools.

The Council, which is facing a budget shortfall, could cash in by closing troubled Chadwell St Mary School which it says is massively under-used.

The troubled school has also been placed in special measures by government inspectors.

Labour ward councillor for Chadwell St Mary with a £7.911.07 annual salary, Gerard Rice, said: “This is nothing more than an attack on this school. It’s a good school and all we need is resources put back into it.

“If this school shuts down what will become of the building? Another building site with new houses?

Councillor Rice has vowed to stop the council from carrying out the proposals to close the school and protect his salary.

He added: “I will be calling on the Council to stop this because of the new builds coming into Chadwell from the Development Corporation.

“If this was a school in Bulphan would the council shut it? There has been a total lack of consultation and it’s very poor.”

Chairman of the school Parent Teacher Association Sue Williams, 30, of Seaborough Road, Chadwell St Mary, said: “Director of children, education and families at Thurrock Council Robert McCulloch-Graham put together the proposal and has counted the numbers for Woodside, Herringham and Chadwell schools but hasn’t counted the number of children in Chadwell.

“I know of 14 children that go past all those schools to get to a school in Little Thurrock because that’s where they were allocated.”

PTA member Anne Butler, 38, of Lytton Road, Chadwell St Mary, added: “I’m so disappointed. My son had problems settling at school but now he has settled.

“When he heard of the proposals to close the school we had two-and-a-half hours of him crying because he was so upset that he might have to make new friends. It’s just not fair.”

Chadwell St Mary Day Nursery, which operates within the school grounds, would not be affected by a closure as it is privately owned.

Planning Meeting 11th Sept 2008

Mr Haslam and Mr Palmer turned up to collect their wonga but Barrie Lawrence and Joycelyn Redsell couldn't be tossed for a bit of the old expenses.

Kent cyclist says litter in Thurrock is a national disgrace

A KENT cyclist has branded Thurrock the litter capital of Europe and a national disgrace.

Ted Prangnell from Ashford recently completed a ride from Ashford to Berlin, passing through Thurrock on the way.

The cyclist was disappointed with the amount of litter in Gravesend but says the biggest shock came when he entered Thurrock.

He said: “I have cycled in 12 different countries and the least cycle friendly country to cycle in is the UK.

“Whilst riding on a bicycle one is able to see how clean and tidy a country is.

“There was the usual traditional litter and fly-tipping as I passed through Kent to that litter paradise, Gravesend, but once I was across the Thames into Essex, and Thurrock, I must have found the litter capital of Europe.

“All the way along the roads to Tilbury the drainage ditches were chock-a-block, full with every conceivable item of rubbish.

“This could be serious in the event of any flooding.”

Mr Prangnell was so shocked by the amount of litter in Mucking Wharf Road, which links Stanford-le-Hope to East Tilbury that he stopped to take a picture.

Mr Prangnell added: “Because the Tilbury to Gravesend Ferry crossing carries cycles and it is the first, and almost the only, Thames crossing East of London, it is a natural focus point for touring cyclists heading north.

“What a shocking indictment to the lack of pride in our country this litter presents to anybody visiting this country.”

“This is no simple matter for a few school children to pick up, oh no, it is on a far greater scale than that. It is a National Disgrace!

“We would be certain to win Gold at the Litter Olympics, such serious littering makes be ashamed to me British.”

Thurrock Council spokesperson Andy Lever said of the litter at Mucking Wharf Road: “Thurrock Council is aware that tipping is happening there weekly and our investigations are continuing into them.

“The council has had two instances in the last month which were both cleared by our private contractor within 24 hours of being reported.

“The council relies on members of the public reporting such instances as our CCTV cameras cannot be in all the locations where fly tipping occurs at all times.

“The council does take action where evidence is gathered at the scene of fly tipping.”

Planning Meeting Tonight at 7.00pm

In line for a few bob tonight is Grays Rectory man Stuart st clair-Haslam.
He'll get his hands on a nifty £315.78 even if he don't turn up but word on the street is that now he's being watched he'll do is best to show.

Next in the queue for a bit of extra dosh is East Tilbury Icon Barry Palmer.

His reward for being a secret Tory is a meagre £78.94 plus a bit of petrol money. Still as Barry says "every lit bit elps".

The following bunch will have to make do with expenses but luckilly for them expenses wizard extraordinaire Gerard Rice will be on hand to give them advice.

Con Anne Cheale
Lab Peter Harris
Lab Barry Lawrence
Con Joycelyn Redsell
Lab Gerard Rice
Lab Andrew Smith
Con Stephen Veryard

Stephen Veryard blew out the last meeting so all eyes on him tonight.

Labour Activist joins the party

Last nights Health and well-being meeting was well attended with everybody turning up, even Wendy & Mandy. Making an appearance at the meeting was Aveley Labour party activist Olga Benson. We wonder how much she is getting out of it?

Health and Well-being meeting tonight

A good night for Wendy Herd who will pocket a very respectable £600. Not bad for just a couple of hours work. Also in the frame for a bit of an earner is new girl on the block Amanda Wilton, she will pick up £150.00.

Julianne Burkey, Anthony Fish, Catherine Kent and Stuart St Clair Haslam will have to rely on expenses to make it worth their while.

But only if they can be bovvered to show up.

At the last meeting Wendy and Amanda really took the piss and decided not to turn up earning themselves a lot of taxpayers cash for doing sod all.

Julianne Burkey also blew it out but at her own expense.

Flats plan backed by councillors but not Environment Agency

THURROCK planners have backed the development of 24 flats at the former Lion site in London Road, Grays.

At a recent meeting the planning committee was informed that the proposed development met council criteria, but that the Environment Agency objected because it was at threat from flood.

The agency said that in the event of "a one-in-200-year event, all groups, including emergency services may have difficulty in safely evacuating the site".

However the committee heard that a building directly across London Road fell into a smaller-risk flooding criteria.

Councillor Gerard Rice said if this development was under threat, "so was half of Grays” and he asked why developments closer to the Thames had been allowed quite recently.

And committee chair, Councillor Stuart St Clair-Haslam, speaking afterwards, added: "This seemed a perfect place for a development of flats? unlike many others we see? close to the town centre.

"All of the committee, myself included, struggled to understand why the Environment Agency was so determined to object to this development when it has not done so to similar proposals in the recent past."

He added: "As the agency has objected, this application will now be referred to the Government for a final decision.

"They will have to decide whether or not to call in the scheme for a Public Inquiry."

Thurrock Gazette

60 % cut in Thurrock pool cost .. if you're not white

A THURROCK leisure centre has been accused of taking political correctness too far for offering large discounts to ethnic minorities to take part on a lifeguarding course.

A borough mum, who asked to remain anonymous, spotted the advert for the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification course, on a noticeboard at Blackshots Leisure Centre, in Blackshots Lane, Grays.

She had planned to send her daughter, who is white, on the course, but changed her mind because she could not understand why she should pay more than someone from another ethinic group.

Mike Baden, chief executive of Impulse Leisure – which runs the leisure centre – admitted his firm was offering 60 per cent off the course fee to people from ethnic minorities backgrounds because it is “committed to equal opportunities”.

But Tim Coombs, from Sun Lane, a south Essex firm specialising in legal claims, said: “What they did there could be considered illegal.

“Discounts should only be offered to people on financial grounds, if it’s reasonable to assume they can’t afford it.

“This could therefore apply to pensioners, children and the people on benefits, but not on the basis or race, as this has nothing to do with income.

“White people who read that advert could have made a claim for racial discrimination.”

The same discount was offered to anyone claiming jobseeker’s allowance or on income support.

The leisure centre has now taken down the notice, as the course, which started in July, has finished.

Mr Baden said: “Impulse Leisure is committed to equal opportunities. However, people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds continue to be underrepresented in our organisation.

“We have identified we have a lack of employment applications from black and minority ethnic groups, possibly because we have basic entry level requirements for job roles, such as the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification.

“As a way of potentially boosting applications from black and minority ethnic groups, we have a policy of providing discounted rates to encourage the attainment of this qualification within these groups.”

Thurrock Gazette

Council leader pledges return after heart attack

THURROCK Council Leader Terry Hipsey has suffered a minor heart attack, but has already pledged from his hospital bed to be back at the helm of the authority as soon as possible.

Mr Hipsey, 44, underwent surgery 18 years ago to repair a heart valve and it is believed his current problems may be related, though he has had no problems in the interim.

In a message from Basildon Hospital the Stanford-le-Hope councillor jokingly described his position as undergoing ‘running repairs’ but accepted he may need a period of rest and recovery.

“I will be discussing with colleagues how best to proceed but I am confident of keeping a hand on the tiller, both in the short and long term.

“With my fellow councillors we are steering the council in the right direction through some choppy waters and it is a journey that I very much want to see through and complete.”

Colleagues at the council have expressed their best wishes, summed up by Labour group deputy leader Val Morris-Cook who said: “At times like this political differences are put aside and on both a personal and party level I offer Terry our best wishes and hope he makes a full and speedy recovery.”

Her husband, Labour councillor Carl Morris also expressed his best wishes, saying: “Terry is a thoroughly decent, hardworking man and having come to know him well by working alongside him on the council I look forward to seeing him back in harness and making his contribution to the well-being of the borough.”

Thurrock mayor and fellow councillor John Everett said: “It was a shock to hear of Terry’s illness. I am sure I speak for everyone at the council in wishing Terry a speedy and complete return to health.”

Cllr Sue MacPherson, deputy leader of the council, said: “Of course this is a shock and our thoughts are with Terry and his family. We all wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to him getting back to the helm and leading us forward."

Thurrock Gazette

Residents campaign against plans to use up open space

RESIDENTS have staged a protest against Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation’s proposal to build on amenity land in Waterson Road Chadwell St Mary.

The open space, near Aluric Close, features in the corporation’s South East Thurrock Masterplan as a potential site for high density housing.

However, the proposal has been met with opposition from residents from the surrounding roads who want their amenity space to remain open for their children and grandchildren to play on.

They were joined at the protest by ward councillors Gerard Rice and Tony Fish.

Councillor Rice said: “These residents do not want their green space touched, myself and councillor Marion Canavon delivered more than 200 letters from residents against this to the corporation as well as two petitions signed by several hundred people before the consultation period ended on Monday August 11.

“Residents are annoyed that consultants from the corporation are from outside the area and have not been able to answer their questions fully.

“There is a lot of anxiety around here.”

Thurrock Gazette

Council to carry on toll-free crossing fight

LEADING figures in Thurrock Council have pledged to keep up the fight for a toll-free Dartford Crossing.

Tolls on the crossing will change on the evening of Saturday, November 15, when Thurrock residents will be able to apply for a special Dart Tag to receive major reductions in the toll charges — 50 free crossings per year, with further crossings charged at 20p.

Charges for those not having the special discount tag, those living outside Thurrock (and Dartford) and for commercial vehicles will be going up.

The changes also mean that Thurrock Council and Kent County Council will lose special funding from the crossing which can be used for transport in those areas.

Councillor Neil Rockliffe, Thurrock’s Cabinet member for Transport, said: “Once again the views of this council and Thurrock’s residents have been ignored.

“Although this scheme has been forced upon us, residents can be assured that we will not give up the fight to make the crossing free to local residents.

“While I admit it is good news for a few residents, it is bad news for Thurrock Council — and therefore the majority of local people — as we will lose £1 million in transport funding and local businesses as vans and lorries are exempt from the discount.

“The commercial vehicles of Thurrock-based businesses will be hit by the higher charges when they are introduced adding a further financial burden on local firms who will pass the extra costs onto the consumer.”

For residents seeking the special Dart Tag, a new customer centre opened on Monday at the Dartford River Crossing for drivers wishing to apply for the new local discount scheme.

It will also handle other applications including those for all classes of Dart Tags.

The customer centre will be open between 8.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday with a late opening until 7.30pm on Thursdays.

The centre can be contacted on 01322 280200, or enquiries can be sent by email to admin@ dart-tag.co.uk. More details of the scheme are available at www.dart-tag.co.uk

Thurrock Gazette

Mayor goes up the wall

COUNCILLORS were left “climbing the wall” during a visit to Gable Hall School in Corringham.

The Mayor of Thurrock, councillor John Everett, and the council’s Cabinet member for Children’s Services, councillor Sue MacPherson joined colleagues (including councillor Pauline Tolson) and children at the first of three visits to Thurrock by the Essex Association of Boys’ Clubs’ Climbing Wall.

The wall — which is free to try — is due to be at Hassenbrook School, Stanford-le-Hope on Thursday and at St Clere’s School, Stanford next Monday, August 18.

Councillor MacPherson said: “They couldn’t keep me away. Going up was great fun. I’d like to thank the North East Excellence Cluster and the Extended Services Team.”

Councillor Everett sampled the wall and said: “It was great fun. All the children were enjoying themselves, it’s perfectly safe.”

Thurrock Gazette

Council's Environment Committee take a closer look at recycling

THE new chair of Thurrock Council’s Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee went to Rainham last week to take a closer look at how the borough’s recycling is handled.

Councillor Pauline Tolson, joined by fellow committee members councillors John Cowell and Eddie Hardiman, visited the Veolia Environmental Services’ Materials Recovery Facility to find out what they do with the different materials residents put in their blue boxes.

Councillor Tolson said: “We were told that only a tenth of the materials from Thurrock should not have been placed in the boxes — Items such as bricks, nappies and the occasional training shoe and of course bottle tops, that’s not bad, but we should be doing better.

“Green sack material is turned into soil improver at this site as well and if we all recycle, reuse or compost more, residents can really influence the rate of recycling here in Thurrock.”

Thurrock Gazette

Emergency plan swings into action as residents are evacuated from Tilbury tower block

FAMILIES were evacuated from their homes in a Tilbury tower block because of electrical failure.

Brisbane House, a 16 storey block of 64 council flats, suffered a major electrical power failure following a water leak and Thurock Council’s emergency plan was put into operation to move residents from 15 affected flats to emergency accommodation, with some staying in a nearby community hall for the night.

Without electricity — which supplies smoke alarms in the flats — the council took a safety-first attitude and offered alternative accommodation to the affected tenants. Several families elected to stay with relatives, while others took up the offer of staying at a local community hall.

Social workers from Adult Social Care and Children’s Services were involved from the beginning of the operation and the council’s transport department supplied four buses to take residents to the hall or their relatives’ homes.

Although the water problem was solved early in the crisis which started mid afternoon, reconnecting electricity supplies safely to all the flats is not expected to be complete until later in the week.

Brisbane is one of three tower blocks on Leicester Road, the others being Freemantle House and Tasmania House. All are linked by a concierge entry system but only Brisbane House is affected by the power failure, caused by a water leak when a ball valve failed on the building’s water tank

Initially it was believed the electrical failure affected the whole building, but the problem was isolated to 15 flats, dotted about the structure, affecting around 45 people.

The building, in one of the more deprived areas of Thurrock, has something of a chequered history and the decision to evacuate people because of the lack of a fire alarm may have its roots in an incident in 2002.

Then a man had to be rescued from his blazing 15th floor flat as he attempted to fight flames.

Neighbours broke down the door of the top-floor flat and got the 43-year-old tenant out before fire crews arrived.

Smoke spread throughout the floor and firefighters led two other residents to safety. The fire had not been detected in its early stages because electricity had been cut off from the flat and the battery back-up for the smoke alarm had run out.

At the time a Essex Fire service station manager Roger Lucraft said: “The batteries do not last long without the trickle-charge from the electricity supply, it seems those who may be at greatest risk, those facing hardship, could be losing the chance of early warning of fire."

In recent years there have been several moves to upgrade the flats, including a £2million investment in the concierge system.

Thurrock Gazette

Tilbury councillors' disappointment at regeneration plans for town

TILBURY'S Labour councillors have spoken of their disappointment at plans by Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation to regenerate their town.

The Corporation has recently published its masterplan for south east Thurrock but councillors Lynn Worrall, Bukky Okunde and Richard Bingley have written expressing their views, saying they feel let down.

In an open letter to the Corporation they said: "We write to you collectively in response to the publication of the South East Thurrock Master Plan, which impacts the wards that we are elected to represent in Tilbury.

"This plan has been years in the making but at this point we feel it is unimaginative and demands substantial improvements.

"Tilbury is one of the very most deprived areas in the Thames Gateway and East of England region. But it also has fabulous road and travel links and also rich and largely ignored heritage.

"We feel that Tilbury is a very promising base for regeneration and investment and are hugely concerned that this is a missed opportunity by the Development Corporation."

Particular areas of disappointment are:


no inclusion of a mooted new football and sports stadium beside the Gateway Campus

no serious consultation with the town’s traditionally largest employer the Port of Tilbury over working together to enhance Tilbury Marshes and Fort Road/ferry terminal area

local jobs and companies on Fort Road such as Hyundai facing compulsory relocation because houses are earmarked to be built on the land

no solution offered for tidying and regenerating Hume Avenue and Dock Road currently with a mixture of derelict plots and blighted landscape
The councillors went on to say: "We are concerned that the plan in the town centre, especially by the Civic Square are, lacks imagination. The closed leisure centre blights the centre of town and we urge for the Master Plan to make good its idea to put it to ‘community use’ "Nevertheless, we are encouraged by the vision to develop Tilbury Marshes into a more pleasant and accessible parkland.

"It has been neglected by authorities for too long. Presently in Thurrock, we are far behind national guidelines for leisure and open spaces and would welcome any moves to remedy this.

"We also support the improved public realm by the Gravesend-Tilbury ferry jetty, but remain concerned that the Master Plan does not at the moment clearly link the fabulous heritage of Tilbury Fort area and the town."

Thurrock Gazette

Pledge to fight on for free Dartford crossings

LEADING figures in Thurrock Council have pledged to keep up the fight for a toll-free dartford Crossing.

Tolls on the crossing will change on the evening of Saturday, November 15, when Thurrock residents will be able to apply for a special Dart Tag to receive major reductions in the toll charges — 50 free crossings per year, with further crossings charged at 20p.

Charges for those not having the special discount tag, those living outside Thurrock (and Dartford) and for commercial vehicles will be going up.

The changes also means that Thurrock Council and Kent County Council will lose special funding from the crossing which can be used for transport in those areas.

Councillor Neil Rockliffe, Thurrock’s Cabinet member for Transport, said: “Once again the views of this council and Thurrock’s residents have been ignored.

“Although this scheme has been forced upon us, residents can be assured that we will not give up the fight to make the crossing free to local residents."

He added: “While I admit it is good news for a few residents, it is bad news for Thurrock Council — and therefore the majority of local people — as we will lose £1 million in transport funding and local businesses as vans and lorries are exempt from the discount.

“The commercial vehicles of Thurrock-based businesses will be hit by the higher charges when they are introduced adding a further financial burden on local firms who will pass the extra costs onto the consumer.”

Councillor Terry Hipsey, leader of Thurrock Council, added: “The crossing should be free for all motorists to use, this is the cross-party view of Thurrock Council.

“The cost of the crossing was paid for in full in 2002 and the tolls should have been scrapped in 2003 after a maintenance fund was established, but the Government has continued to charge motorists under the guise of a 'congestion charge' to reduce traffic.

“The only congestion is caused by traffic queuing at the pay booths — there is no justification for the tolls in any form or at any rate to continue.”

For residents seeking the special Dart Tag, a new customer centre opened on Monday at the Dartford River Crossing for drivers wishing to apply for the new local discount scheme. It will also handle other applications including those for all classes of Dart Tags.

The customer centre will be open between 8.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday with a late opening until 7.30pm on Thursdays. In August the opening hours will be extended to 7.30pm each weekday.

The centre can be contacted on 01322 280200, or enquiries can be sent by email to admin@dart-tag.co.uk. More details of the scheme are available at www.dart-tag.co.uk

Thurrock Gazette

Council confirm that pest control service will be cut in October

THURROCK Council have formally announced that they are axing their pest control service.

The Gazette reported back in March that the service was for the chop and the council started scaling down their pest control services in April.

They have now confirmed that the entire service will stop completely from October 31 this year.

The Cabinet discussed the closure of the service, which is not a statutory duty, at its meeting on Wednesday August 6.

A report to the Cabinet said there were more than ten private pest control contractors in Thurrock and over 70 British Pest Control Association members within a 25-mile radius of the Civic Offices in Grays.

The report stated that “a mature market” had developed “to the point where residents within the borough would not be significantly affected were the council to cease its pest control service”.

The report continued: “It should be noted that in consequence of this market, demand for the council’s services has significantly declined to the point where it is no longer appropriate to make this provision.”

The council will continue to offer its pest control service, which it charges for, until the end of October this year.

Councillor Ben Maney, Cabinet member for Public Protection, said: “Value for money is one of this council’s basic principles, and Thurrock Council decided last year that residents would receive as good a service from the private sector.

“That made continuing our paid-for service unnecessary.”

Thurrock Council retains responsibility for ensuring landowners keep their property free from rats and mice and can serve notice for action to be taken.

The Cabinet was informed that the council’s website would be updated, advising residents to use a member of the British Pest Control Association to deal with any problems.

Thurrock Gazette

EAT day success for Thurrock Council

UNTAXED vehicles, television licensing and anti-social behaviour were all targeted during the latest Thurrock Community Safety Partnership Environmental Action Team (EAT) Day.

The Grays area was the focus of Wednesday’s event, which involved officers from various Thurrock Council departments, Essex Police, the DVLA and NCP, a TV Licensing Unit, and the Essex Fire and Rescue Service.

Vehicle, Street and Housing teams were out and about during the morning, while Grays Thurrock ward councillor, Peter Harris, joined the council’s Anti-Social Behaviour team in the afternoon.

The DVLA and NCP removed four vehicles to a pound, clamped four more - so the owners will have to get them taxed and insured before release - and took details of four foreign registered cars which will have to be registered in this country within six months if further action is not to follow.

The team had also been working in the Ockendon and Aveley area earlier in the week, clamping 15 more vehicles.

Thurrock Council’s enforcement officers clamped two other vehicles - preparatory to them being removed - and put stickers on 28 others, again warning owners to make them legal within seven or 14 days.

For the first time, a TV Licensing Unit took part in the event, visiting around 600 homes in the area and taking 70 caution statements for licence evasion.

Thurrock Council’s Cabinet member for Public Protection, Coun Ben Maney, said: "I’d like to congratulate the partnership on another successful EAT Day.

"The message certainly seems to be getting across with the number of actions having to be taken falling again compared to last year in the same area.

"I was particularly pleased to hear that the DVLA and NCP will be targeting Thurrock on a regularly basis in future, for one week a month they will be on the lookout for illegal vehicles here."

The Streets team recorded rubbish build-ups, trip hazards and graffiti for later removal and the council’s Housing Department will be writing to tenants whose Hathaway Road homes back on to Dell Road about graffiti on their fences.

Dozens of vehicles were also found to be illegally parked by the council’s parking attendants - many with out-of-date or no permits, parked in a residents’ only area.

Thurrock Gazette