Corporate and Improvement Plan
Foreword
Thurrock is an incredible place, with proud and passionate residents. It is a place with great potential.
In recent years we have faced significant, well-publicised challenges, which have led to a loss of trust in the council. We still have a long way to go to overcome those challenges, but with challenge comes opportunity. We have had the opportunity to stand back and scrutinise our council, and to understand what is important. We believe the changes we are making can make Thurrock an even better place to live, work and visit.
While 2024/25 has seen significant improvements made in many parts of the council – of which we are rightly proud – there remains a long way to go. The commissioners appointed by the government to support us through our intervention and improvement journey have worked closely with us and their latest report highlights specific areas which require renewed focus in 2025/26 and beyond.
The commissioners’ assessment is one we recognise and support entirely. Our joint priority for 2025/26 is to steer the organisation to achieve meaningful transformation: a council which delivers excellent, sustainable services and meets the budget challenges we face.
A top priority is engaging with residents. We need to listen to local people who know what matters most in their neighbourhoods - and often know the solutions too. We look forward to our Ask the Council public question time events going from strength to strength in 2025/26 alongside other opportunities for residents to talk to us, share their thoughts and ideas for our borough, and listen to some of the work we’re doing as a council and with our partners.
The next phase of the local government journey for Thurrock is going to be very exciting. Devolution and local government reorganisation offer a once in a lifetime opportunity for our small borough to become part of something stronger, more ambitious and more impactful for our residents.
It is therefore vital we keep our foot on the pedal and continue to focus and commit to our own improvement, to financial sustainability and to ensuring we have the leadership, vision and capacity in place to drive forward all three of these significant programmes simultaneously.
We have come a long way, but there is still a lot to do. Our thanks go to all involved in this effort, whether that be our staff, our elected Members, our partners or – most of all – our residents.
Cllr Lynn Worrall,
Leader of Thurrock Council
Dr Dave Smith,
Chief Executive and Managing Director Commissioner
Corporate Plan pages
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