EDUCATION and employment are the keys to Thurrock’s future, Council Leader John Kent said on Wednesday (23 may) night.
Cllr Kent was speaking at the annual council meeting where he said: “We have always said our top priority is to improve the education and the aspirations of Thurrock people” and “we want all Thurrock schools to be ‘good’ or better in Ofsted terms”.
He said: “We want to improve the education, skills and aspirations of local people, but – also – because we want those same local people to have the qualifications and the skills and the confidence to successfully apply for and fill the thousands of high-quality jobs that will be created here over the next ten years or so.
“I say to those businesses that will be creating those jobs that I want to see them – wherever possible – filled by local people and I call on them to be transparent in demonstrating where their new workforce is drawn from.
“To that end I would like to pass on my thanks to DP World’s London Gateway for saying exactly that last week ─ local jobs for local people.”
Cllr Kent praised Dilkes Primary School’s recent Ofsted success, achieving “outstanding” results in all categories and added: “Several secondary schools have already achieved this result, and now our primary schools are heading that way too. I don’t want to get bogged down in the dogma of how our schools get to this standard, just that they do.
“We are on the edge of creating a new and prosperous Thurrock. Working together we will get there more quickly and more efficiently. Let’s do that.”
Cllr Kent also named his cabinet for the coming year:
Finance, Leader of the Council, Cllr John Kent
Housing, Deputy Leader, Cllr Val Morris-Cook.
Education and libraries, Cllr Oliver Gerrish
Transport and highways, Cllr Andy Smith
Adult social care and health, Cllr Barbara Rice
Central Services, Cllr Phil Smith
Transformation and community, Cllr Lynn Worrall
Environment, Cllr Victoria Holloway
Public Protection, Angie Gaywood
Many congratulations to cllr Holloway in particular. I was her Tory opponent last year and saw her at close quarters, and it’s clear she is very talented. West Thurrock is a ward with a number of challenges, and all 3 councillors are now cabinet members. I hope their seniority works to residents advantage, rather than their being a disadvantage through lack of availability.
i will ask them if you can cut the ribbon on devonshire rd mr gatsbury,or would that be un-tory?.
I tend to agree more with my local councillors on that particular issue. The Chafford councillors are rightly standing up for there own residents, but I personally hope the weight limit is lifted ASAP.
On the basis that there is nothing un-Tory about saying what you really think, can I point out that my main objection would be the traffic issues caused by blocking the road off with a ribbon…
Perhaps the Comrade would like to clarify and be transparent about what he means by local people. I think many long term Thurrock residents would disagree with his probably very predictable interpretation of what local means.