In 2022 the council's level of debt arising from failed investments led to it issuing a Section 114 notice, being the local authority equivalent of declaring bankruptcy. The government directed neighbouring Essex County Council to take over Thurrock's finances and also appointed a new managing director for the council.
Since 2024, the government has planned to abolish the council and merge it with other parts of Essex as part of its planned reorganisation of local government in Essex in 2025, with the next local elections in 2025 likely postponed until 2026.[5]
Urban districts were abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. A new non-metropolitan district called Thurrock was created covering almost the same area as the former Thurrock Urban District, with just a minor change on the border with Basildon to place the whole designated area for Basildon new town in that district.[7][8] The reformed Thurrock district was given borough status at the same time, allowing the council to call itself "Thurrock Borough Council" and letting the chair of the council the title of mayor.[9]
The council was made a unitary authority on 1 April 1998, taking over county-level services in the area from Essex County Council. The way the change was implemented was to create a new non-metropolitan county of Thurrock covering the borough, but with no separate county council; instead, the existing borough council took over county council functions, making it a unitary authority. Since 1998 the council has generally styled itself "Thurrock Council" rather than "Thurrock Borough Council".[10] Thurrock remains part of the ceremonial county of Essex for the purposes of lieutenancy.[11]
In 2020, it emerged that the council had borrowed £420 million to buy into the solar power market, eventually rising to a total investment of £655million.[14] One of the companies in which the council had invested, Toucan Energy, went into administration on 11 November 2022.[15][16] Businessman Liam Kavanagh is accused of cheating the council out of as much as £130 million in relation to the deals.[17] Thurrock also made a £94million loan to the Just Loans Group plc, a business lender which went bankrupt in June 2022.[18]
On 2 September 2022, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities intervened in the running of Thurrock Council, passing financial control of the council to Essex County Council, as well as ordering a Best Value Inspection, in response to concerns about the council's level of financial risk and debt.[19] The council's financial exposure arises from loans of more than a billion pounds used to fund commercial investments. Council leader Rob Gledhill resigned on 2 September 2022, the day the government intervention was announced.[20]
On 29 November 2022, Thurrock Council admitted that in that financial year it had a near £500 million budget deficit, mostly from failed investments. It asked for emergency financial assistance from the government.[18][21] On 19 December 2022 the council issued a Section 114 notice barring any new expenditure, being the local authority equivalent of declaring bankruptcy.[22][23] In March 2023 the government appointed a new managing director for the council, Dave Smith.[24]
Governance
As a unitary authority, Thurrock Council provides all local government services, albeit with oversight of the council's finances from Essex County Council since the government intervention in September 2022. There are no civil parishes in the borough, which is an unparished area.[25]
The role of Mayor of Thurrock is largely ceremonial, usually being held by a different councillor each year. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1989 have been:[29]
Of the nine independent councillors, eight sit together as the "Non-political Alliance of Independent Councillors", the other does not belong to a group.[38] The next election is due in May 2025.[39]
Premises
Civic Offices, New Road, Grays: The 1986 original building to the right of the entrance, 1992 central block in the middle and 2022 block to the far left.
The council is based at Thurrock Town Hall on New Road in Grays.[40] When the council was created in 1974 it used the former offices of the Thurrock Urban District Council in a converted house called Farley and adjoining buildings around the junction of Whitehall Lane and Palmers Avenue in Grays.[41] In 1986 the council built itself a new headquarters at the corner of New Road and Derby Bridge Road in the centre of Grays.[42] The building has subsequently been extended westward along New Road with a large central block added in 1992 and a new wing at the corner of New Road and High Street completed in 2022.[43][44]
Since the last boundary changes in 2004, the council has comprised 49 councillors representing 20 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, electing a third of the council each time for a four-year term. In the fourth year of the cycle there is no election.[45] This system will change from 2025, with elections being held every four years for the whole council.[46]
Wards
The wards, with their numbers on the map below, are:[45][47]
Aveley and Uplands (1)
Belhus (3)
Chadwell St Mary (14)
Chafford and North Stifford (6)
Corringham and Fobbing (17)
East Tilbury (15)
Grays Riverside (7)
Grays Thurrock (8)
Little Thurrock Blackshots (10)
Little Thurrock Rectory (11)
Ockendon (2)
Orsett (20)
South Chafford (5)
Stanford East and Corringham Town (18)
Stanford-le-Hope West (16)
Stifford Clays (9)
The Homesteads (19)
Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park (12)
Tilbury St Chads (13)
West Thurrock and South Stifford (4)
Arms
Coat of arms of Thurrock Council
Notes
Shield and crest originally granted to Thurrock Urban District Council on 17 January 1957. Supporters granted on 14 May 1976.
Crest
On a wreath of the colours an Albatross rising Proper from a bollard Sable roped Or.
Escutcheon
Argent on a fess wavy between in chief a ship's screw and a wheel Azure and in base a Celtic cross also Azure charged in the centre with a Tudor rose Proper three lymphads Argent.
Supporters
On the dexter a sea-lion guardant Or gutty Sable the tail Vert gutty Or and Argent holding in the dexter claw a block Or tackle Sable and on the sinister a knight in armour tempus 1370 resting the exterior hand on the hilt of his sheathed sword a hound at his feet all Proper upon a compartment per pale water barry wavy Argent and Azure and a representation of a stone quay Proper.
Motto
Secundum Tamesim Quovis Gentium (By The Thames To All The Peoples of the World).[48]
