Good Services in Thurrock

Rather than remain silent, my response to the recent press issues about Thurrock is:

You elected a Conservative administration in 2004 because you were fed up of the hike in Council Tax without the services to go with it.

Our challenge to officers has been to ensure that our election manifestos are delivered such that residents receive a positive difference in services.

The Result:

1. A recent inspection of Thurrock Council’s Adult Social Care by the Commission for Social Care Inspection has concluded that “good” personalised services are provided for older people and the authority's capacity to improve is ““very, very promising”.
   
2. Thurrock Energy Partnership this week won a European Wide award for their work in Sustainable Energy.
   
3. Thurrock Learning Campus is being commissioned Thursday 19 March.
   
   
4. The Royal Opera House project in Purfleet is on track
   
   
5. The £ multi-million DP World contract in Thurrock is progressing ahead, due to bring up to 12,000 jobs to the community.
   
   
6. Residents now benefit from the discounted charge at the Dartford bridge crossing.
   
7. The Society of Information Technology Management has again rated Thurrock's website as in the top half of all UK Web sites. "Excellent site, well structured, clear, concise and citizen focused. A pleasure to use."
   
   In the same area, Thurrock came joint first out of 460 Local Authority websites across UK.
   
8. Thurrock has been nominated for the national GO Skills Pledge Award.
   
9. Thurrock has secured £700,000 from the Dept for Health for the purchase and development of 2 houses and 2 cars for people with learning disabilities.
   
10. Coalhouse Fort restoration is in progress, with £160,000 being paid for by partners, so only £40,000 of Council Tax money is going into the project.
    
11. Government Departments praise for the Council's Library Service, Theatre and Cultural Forum.
    
12. Thurrock Building Schools for the Future is bidding for £200m for the educational growth of the community.
    
13. Weekly bin collection
    
14. Roads being constantly repaired and maintained
    
15. Partnership with the Police to provide PCSOs in the Community

Statement: Thurrock has had 2 Chief Executives over the past 2 years.
Reality: Thurrock has had 2 Chief Executives over the past 7 years. (David White 2002 - 2006; Angie Ridgwell (2007-2008). The facts are quite clear.

Statement: Thurrock has a breakdown in the relationship of Members and officers.

Reality: Councillors are elected to hold officers to account. In some cases, where officers were unwilling, unable, or reluctant to deliver the improvements in the community which residents desire, they left the organisation.

Like every viable organisation, there is a need for improvement and cultural change.

Thurrock now have an Improvement Board, Chaired by the Leader of Council with the very aim to ensure that we keep improvement on track and that we appoint a permanent chief executive.

I intend to keep you posted here when there are further developments.

NB - these are my personal views, not Thurrock Council or the Cabinet.