By Local Democracy Reporter
Steve Shaw
COUNCILLORS in Thurrock have voted to scrap controversial plans to redevelop council offices in Grays at a cost of £10million – despite desperate claims that they could “make Grays great again”.
The future of the plans were discussed during a council meeting on Wednesday night after a motion was tabled by Labour leader Councillor Jane Pothecary, who urged the Conservative administration to abandon the scheme.
She told councillors: “People out there simply cannot understand why we would be spending £10million in the age of austerity on a new council building and yet this council seeks to push ahead with spending, at minimum, £10million on a new building for councillors to sit in.
“At a time when the council is actively encouraging residents not to come to the Civic offices our residents are expected to foot the bill for a grand entrance you don’t even want them to use.
“Not only will this project spend money on a white elephant, it will have a devastating effect on our heritage. Essex County Council heritage consultant state the plan will ‘remove the last legible vestiges of the historic High Street in what is the historic core of Grays.
“Should the proposed plans be approved the area will be dominated with large modern buildings leaving the listed church isolated and removed from its historic context’ all to replace a building that is 30 years old.”
Labour Councillor Oliver Gerrish, who chairs the overview and scrutiny committee, told councillors that “no one has provided sufficient explanation of what the benefits of this project are” and they should be “enormous” to justify it.
However, Conservative Councillor and cabinet member for regeneration, Mark Coxshall, hit back at the opposition saying there is “no better time to move our plans forward”.
He explained that selling part of the existing building and extending the other will allow for “much needed homes in the town centre” and avoids having to build on green belt land.
Furthermore, he said it was an opportunity to regenerate Grays town centre.
Speaking of objections from residents, he said: “I hear that the Civic offices don’t matter to residents and they ask me why and I don’t think it is a priority for residents, but we are here as leaders to say what is best.”
When he was told his time speaking in the chamber had come to an end by Mayor Terry Piccolo, who chaired the meeting, Mr Coxshall desperately listed a series of unrelated Grays regeneration plans before shouting, “make Grays great again – what is wrong with that”.
Hallelujah common sense at last from our council to kick into touch this plan that nobody wanted apart from Mr Coxshall .
Well done Cllr Pothecary for tabling the motion against this pointless waste of public money. Labour, once again, takes the lead against frivolous Tory expenditure.
I have to agree with both the above.
This was an air brain scheme and something that no one wanted. Well done to all those concerned who voted to reject this.
Time politicians listened to the voice of the people.
Oh and as for “making Grays great again”..lol. Are you kidding me?
It is a dump, the only ones who think it’s great are the drug dealers trading in the High Street and the barber shops.
Coxshall “make Grays great again – what is wrong with that”.
absolutely nothing and if you don’t start shaping up you’re out next election. Because we want to
“make Grays great again”
With Police not Golden Thrones for cutprice pounland presidents.
Correction more 25p Store presidents.
Coxshall your name keeps coming up for shouting and swearing at the chamber and public in the chamber.
keep it up and your be a bit of a Cockshall
[…] Cllr. Jane Pothecary (Lab) tabled a motion urging the Tory administration to abandon the scheme. After a debate, the motion was voted on and carried with 26 councillors voting in support and 15 against. The problem is that the ruling cabinet do not have to abide by the vote and can still push this destructive, hubristic vanity project through. Full coverage of the proceedings can be read here: Thurrock Councillors vote down plans for £10 million civic offices (despite Trump-style protest fro… […]
Well said, Catching the Bus!
Well you know what they say
Cockshall by name Cock by nature.
I am Doing comedy Every Saturday nights at the comedy club. (Council offices) well there’s enough Fing Comedians in there these days. So it might as well be a Comedy Club. 🙂
Grays would be a better place if, instead of allowing Wetherspoons to take over The State for a pub, the council opened it up as a multi-purpose conference centre with a living history cinema usage run by volunteers like the one I heard about in East Sussex but better run, of course.
Mr Coxshall Seriously.
Please leave the vanity project. Because you will not get to sit on that Golden Throne. It will be Musical chairs time. You will lose office.
Agree with all your comments, the way the LA conduct themselves now all they need is a unit and act out a call centre role, with no face to face consultations but plenty of back room dealing’s it makes the expenditure futile.
Even when you go into the Civic they point you in the direction of the phone. no contact with officers at all and they wonder why we moan, 5-10 minutes face to face is better than numerous phone calls and weeks of waiting for a response.