ON the 9th August 2020 “Your Thurrock” published an article titled “Older people’s security under threat from new Thurrock Tory proposals”.
The article stated that Local Councillors had been told that the Tory Administration was proposing to remove the electronic security gates protecting sheltered housing complexes. The gates needed to be updated or replaced but due to cost and lack of money the Tory run Council wanted them removed instead.
Labour Councillors, Lynn Worrall and Victoria Holloway, fiercely criticise the proposal, Holloway saying she is “truly appalled” whilst Worrall says she is “calling on the Tories running Thurrock Council to scrap these plans before they go any further”.
I am assuming the gates are no longer fit for purpose and that their efficiency has been deteriorating over a considerable period of time. I am not aware that any Councillor, Conservative, Labour, Thurrock Independent, or other, has recently raised this issue as a cause of concern.
I am disappointed that Cllrs Worrall and Holloway are trying to score political points. A case of complaining about the gate after the horse has bolted.
Just a few weeks ago Cllr Hebb, strongly supported by all Conservative Councillors, was robustly defending the Council’s “billion pound investment policy”. He claimed that borrowing large amounts of money and investing .“wisely” enabled the Council to provide services it would not otherwise be able to afford.
If the Council can afford £10 million for the building of new Council premises then surely it can afford to provide replacement security gates for sheltered housing complexes? Security should never be sacrificed, whether it be in your home, sheltered housing complexes or residential homes.
I am not entirely opposed to the building of new Council offices, however, if it means other services become “unaffordable” then serious prioritising must prevail.
Come on the Conservative run Council, make our day, assure us you can afford both!
