News

Start planning your Summer family days out

17 July 2025
Keeping the children entertained over the Summer holidays can be a challenge.
That’s why the Council has launched an online guide of things to do for children and families over the break.
Our Summer Fun guide is filled with ideas, events and places to take the family – and most of the suggestions are free or at a low cost.
The activities run from the Big Lunches to open air theatre; from free inactive shows to the summer reading challenge, from paddleboarding to reptile safaris, and free exhibitions uncovering Thurrock’s past.

Thurrock Council seeks residents' views on changes to local government across Essex

16 July 2025
Thurrock Council launched its public engagement today (16 July), inviting residents and local stakeholders to share their views on the issues important to them as proposals to reshape local government across Essex progress. 
This follows the government’s decision to reorganise local government across Essex, aiming to simplify the current system. Under these plans, the 15 existing councils, including Thurrock, will be replaced by a smaller number of larger authorities serving Greater Essex.

Hundreds visit Thurrock Council's care-focused Careers Fair

16 July 2025
Residents from across Thurrock were at the Thameside Theatre on Friday 11 July to discover some of the exciting job and training opportunities in and around the borough. 
The Early Years and Health & Social Care Jobs Fair, which was hosted by Thurrock Council in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), was a free event that gave Thurrock residents the chance to explore career pathways and opportunities in two vital job sectors: 

Local pupils in harmony with Royal Opera singers

11 July 2025
Over 1,000 pupils from primary schools across Thurrock joined singers from the Royal Opera and Ballet House to perform in the Thurrock Junior Music Festival 
Between Tuesday 8 July and Thursday 10 July, over (750 children), aged 7 to 11, performed a variety of musical hits including rock, pop, gospel and opera songs.  

Thurrock Council marks 30th anniversary of Srebrenica genocide

11 July 2025
Communities from across the Thurrock came together in remembrance of the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, during a special commemorative event organised by Thurrock Council and Thurrock's Bosnian community.
'Remembering Srebrenica' honours the memory of more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys who were murdered in July 1995. Bosnian refugees were rescued and brought to the UK with a small community transported to Orsett Hospital. With treatment and support, they now live in Thurrock, contributing to the Borough and helping others learn of their experiences.

Purfleet Community Pantry & Café achieve 5-star food hygiene rating 

9 July 2025
Purfleet Pantry and Café has been operating for 11 months, providing essential support and a welcoming space for residents or visitors to Purfleet. This week, a major milestone has been achieved with a 5-star Food Hygiene Rating from the Food Standards Agency - a testament to the volunteers’ unwavering commitment to their community.
Initially target was to try and get 50 resident’s register to the pantry in the first six months, this target was hit within just two weeks of launch. The Pantry is now supporting over 120 residents!

Sniffing out illicit tobacco and vapes

4 July 2025
A boroughwide operation by our Trading Standards officers has seen 39,000 counterfeit cigarettes, 11kg of illicit hand rolling tobacco and over 700 illegal vapes seized.
Officers were joined by Billy the tobacco detecting dog as they carried out inspections of shops in Aveley, Grays and Tilbury. Billy can help sniff out tobacco no matter where it is and make sure that unscrupulous shop keepers cannot hide illicit or counterfeit stock.

Annual electoral canvass in Thurrock begins

4 July 2025
Residents should check to make sure they are registered to vote as Thurrock Council begins its statutory annual electoral canvass.  
Between Friday 4 July and Sunday 20 July, households across the borough will receive a form requesting that occupants verify the accuracy of the information on the electoral register.  
Residents must advise the council if any changes are needed to the details listed on the form, or confirm the details are correct if the form states a response is required. 

Safety day sees 100 drivers stopped by police

3 July 2025
Thurrock Council joined partners, Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP) in Grays to tackle dangerous driving and work towards Vision Zero, the ambition to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries on Essex roads by 2040. 
On Wednesday 2 July, Thurrock Council, the SERP engagement team and Essex Police held a Vision Zero Day in Grays, which saw the teams working together to tackle the Fatal Four: speeding, mobile phone use, seatbelt offences, and driving under the influence. 

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