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Dozens of vehicles were also found to be illegally parked by the council’s parking attendants - many with out-of-date or no permits, parked in a residents’ only area.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