Thurrock Is The Capital For UK Sex Offenders

British National Party Councillor, Emma Colgate, has raised an issue that will concern many Thurrock residents and in particular, women and parents of young children.

Councillor Colgate, speaking in the council chamber said:

“A report issued by the Essex Mappa (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements) found that Thurrock (with Basildon) has more convicted sex offenders than anywhere else in the county, and nearly half of all registered sex offenders live in South Essex, many of whom re-offend.

What measures will the Council take to protect vulnerable members of our community from this threat and will the Council embark on a program to raise public awareness
of this dangerous situation?”

Leader of the Tory run Council Terry Hipsey said:

The figures by the MAPPA report are the aggregated figures for the police area of Basildon and Thurrock. When disaggregated, the figures for Thurrock alone is 67 Registered Sex Offenders living in the Thurrock area. This is actually lower than the figures for all other police areas in Essex with the exception of Colchester.

The rate for sexual offending is similar to all crimes, of around 7%.

MAPPA Meetings are held on a monthly basis and Children’s Social
Care are represented at all meetings, including any emergency or higher-level meetings. Information is shared at these meetings in order to build up a cohesive understanding of the pattern of offenders and that information is then utilised in protecting vulnerable people through further assessments being undertaken. Care plans and agreements are being made with families and disclosure of information being
agreed where risk is identified. Plans are agreed by MAPPA meetings that will include agreement about where RSOs should live, what agencies will support and monitor them, where they can receive treatment and how best to protect others.
Where RSOs have been convicted of an offence against a child, and is thought to be in contact with any child, then referral is made to the Social Care Team as an Bassessment undertaken.

Supplementary question from Councillor Colgate

I’d just like to ask - what concerns me is that we may have some of these offenders living in Council properties that we’re short on, which could benefit other people and I wondered what sort of powers you have to refuse properties to people convicted of sexual assaults, especially on children and if you do have any power to refuse them to actually be in the Borough, let alone in a Council property?

Councillor Hipsey

What I would like to do is I’d like to respond to you in writing, to (inaudible) because obviously there’ll be severe legal implications in this and I wouldn’t like to give you an answer at this moment in time.