THE Leader of Thurrock Council, Cllr John Kent, says he is pleased the council is “heading in the right direction” on many of the “key indicators” reported to cabinet on Wednesday (14 November) evening.
Each month the committee is given a report which highlights areas that are “in focus”, where they have moved in a positive – or negative – direction or where it looks like there may be an issue by year’s end in March.
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Kent said: “The fact we have these discussions each month shows we are open and honest about potential problems as well as highlighting the positive stories that we should be shouting about.
“For example, if we look at the anti-social behaviour and alcohol misuse figures they are below target, but that could be a good thing because if reports of ASB have fallen – which they have – then there’s less for our teams to do in simple number terms.
“We also have to look at the comparative figures where there is a 15 per cent fall over the last year – a good thing – and the report highlights a major cut in fly-tipping over the previous 12 months.
“I asked about fly-tipping and that figure reads 89 reported incidents this September compared to 206 in September 2009 – still too much but a dramatic improvement.”
He added: “Paying invoices on time is another issue, here the problem has been recognised and is being put right, but because the average figures used take a year to pass through the system, previous delays leave us with a legacy.
“Homelessness provides great complexity behind the figures. More people are becoming homeless, which is a worry and there’s little this council can do on a national scale to combat that; but this figure shows where we’ve actually intervened and prevented people becoming homeless, which is a positive.
“Much has already been said about the re-let turn-around times and all I’d like to say here is that I know the council met with Morrison’s new owners today – I am looking forward to seeing what was said there.”
I think every resident would also like to hear what Morrison had to say.
You know when the place is really going down the toilet. It’s when a bit of less fly tipping is a giant leap forward in the eyes of the council leader. Someone should tell the comrade to take the blidfold off. Or is he still wearing those rose tinted glasses from 3 years ago when everything was wonderful.
Can Mr Kent explain how the council had an impact on any of the positives he cited? Surely he can’t claim that lower ASB and alcohol abuse figures are anything to do with the council? If so, how? You only have to take a walk around Grays these days to realise the truth of what is happening in Thurrock. The place is a dump and a very pale shadow of it’s former self. That is probably a better guage of how well the council is doing.
He must be wearing those rose tinted glasses again, Thurrock is getting worse every week, the ASB and drunks can be found in almost every park and public area in the borough and nothing has been done to tackle this, the Council initiative of designated no alcohol zones are being ignored on a daily basis.