News | Thurrock Council

Government responds to the sixth Commissioners’ report into Thurrock Council’s progress under intervention

27 January 2026

The Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness has responded to Thurrock Council Commissioners’ most recent report into the council’s improvement journey,

Get active to stay active

27 January 2026

Impulse Leisure has launched its 2026 season of Stay Active Stay Well classes which will run year-round.
Pilates Classes, Aveley Library & Community Hub
Mondays from 10:30am to 11:30am
Chair-Based Exercise, Aveley Library & Community Hub
Fridays from 1:00pm to 2:00pm
Chair-Based Exercise, Chadwell Village Hall
Tuesdays from 1:00pm to 2:00pm
Chair-Based Exercise, Lansbury Gardens Sheltered Housing Complex Tilbury
Mondays from 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Fresh funding boost supports milestones for Reanimating Coalhouse Fort project

23 January 2026

The Reanimating Coalhouse Fort project has taken a significant step forward due to an award of £10,000 from Historic England’s Capacity Building Grant Programme.
This vital investment will support essential project foundations, such as the recruitment and training of volunteers. The funds will also assist the development of a business plan and long term funding strategy, plus establish a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).

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.