News | Thurrock Council

Council recoups significant amounts of public money from past investments

22 January 2026

A report to Cabinet on Wednesday 21 January shows that Thurrock Council has now recovered £661m from past investments as part of its ongoing work to reduce debt and stabilise the council’s finances following its financial collapse in 2022.
The Cabinet report sets out the progress made so far and the work still underway to divest the council of its investments and says that a further £131m is expected to be recovered in the coming years, meaning around £800m is aimed for recovery by 2030.

Thurrock Council opens Re-use Shop to reduce waste

21 January 2026

On Monday 19 January, Cllr Sue Shinnick, Mayor of Thurrock and Cllr Victoria Holloway, Cabinet Member for Place and Environment officially opened the brand-new Re-use Shop at Linford Household Waste and Recycling Centre, to help reduce waste and encourage reuse within the community.

Small Sparks that can make a big difference

20 January 2026

Residents in Chadwell St Mary now have a chance to bring to life their great ideas for improving their community.
The Chadwell in Action: Small Sparks Fund allows residents to apply for up to £250 to support small projects or activities.
It forms part of the wider Chadwell in Action programme, shaped by local conversations about what matters most to the community, and supported by Thurrock Council and Thurrock CVS.
Chadwell in Action has already allocated £15,000 to support initiatives that local people said were important to them.

Thurrock Council’s Cabinet meeting, 13 January

20 January 2026

The Council’s monitoring officer has advised the Leader of the Council that the legality of a decision made by Thurrock Council’s Cabinet on Tuesday 13 January is unlikely to be affected by the omission of the publication of an online version of a ‘urgency notice’ which was posted at the council’s Civic Offices on 5 January.
In the interests of transparency, a copy of the briefing setting out this advice in detail can be found here.

Residents invited to have their say on plans to keep Grays safe and welcoming

20 January 2026

Residents, businesses and visitors are being invited to have their say on new plans aimed at reducing anti-social behaviour and helping people feel safer in Grays.
Thurrock Council is launching a public consultation on proposals to continue measures that tackle behaviours such as street drinking and other issues that can negatively affect people’s day-to-day lives and enjoyment of the town.
By extending these measures, the Council aims to continue supporting a safe, welcoming environment for everyone who lives in, works in or visits Grays.

Have Your Say: Stanford-le-Hope area improvements

19 January 2026

Residents and businesses are invited to take part in a public consultation on proposed transport improvements to Stanford-le-Hope, aimed at improving safety, accessibility and connections for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users in the town centre.
Funding has been secured from recent local developments to fund these proposed improvements. The aim is to create a safer environment for pedestrians and cyclists and connections between Stanford-le-Hope Station and the High Street.
The consultation will run from 16 January to 1 March.

Thurrock to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2026 with memorial service and library reading events

19 January 2026

Thurrock Council will mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2026 with a public memorial service and a special shared reading session, giving residents the opportunity to remember the victims of the Holocaust and more recent genocides.
Holocaust Memorial Day is observed annually on 27 January, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, and is a time to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, alongside the millions of others persecuted under the Nazi regime and in subsequent genocides.

Top employers to attend Apprenticeship and Jobs Fair

16 January 2026

Residents can speak to some of the UK’s leading employers and training providers at an upcoming Apprenticeship and Jobs Fair.
The free event, which is taking place at the Thameside Theatre in Grays between 10am to 1pm on Tuesday 10 February, will give residents the opportunity to speak directly to both local and national employers across a wide range of industries about their apprenticeship and job vacancies.
Local training providers will also be in attendance to discuss the qualifications and training that could support residents career development.

Ways for young people to get active in Thurrock

15 January 2026

A new survey by Sport England has revealed that over half of children in Greater Essex are active, and there are plenty more opportunities to enjoy physical activities across Thurrock.
The Active Lives Children and Young People Survey found 51.6% of children in Greater Essex take part in physical activity for at least 60 minutes a day, which includes walking, cycling, scootering, active play, sport activities.
There are a range of free and low-cost ways parents and carers can help their child to keep active.

Free creative arts programme designed by and for Thurrock residents returns

13 January 2026

A two-week programme of exciting, free creative activities is returning to Thurrock for the third year running between Monday 9 February and Sunday 22 February.
Organised by Start Thurrock, each activity, workshop or show in the Green Light programme has been booked as a direct response to feedback from residents on the types of fun activities they would like access to locally.