THE new Mayor of Thurrock is Cllr Sue Gray, appointed unchallenged at Wednesday (27 May) evening’s annual meeting of Thurrock Council.
Cllr Gray stepped up from the deputy position, and after admitting a little nervousness, she thanked Thurrock people for their history of welcoming outsiders – including her parents who came to South Ockendon in the fifties, a year before she was born there.
She said: “Thurrock has a proud history of accepting and integrating people from outside, whether it was the Irish who came for the docks at Tilbury, the Dutch at van den Bergh, the Vietnamese, or even Londoners with the overspill estates of the 50s and 60s.”
She added: “So, as I said, I’m a Thurrock woman and having this honour bestowed on me tonight would have been beyond my wildest dreams until a year ago.
“I am just thankful that, during the past year, I have had such a wonderful teacher as Steve; somebody who has thrown himself wholeheartedly into the role of representing our great borough far and wide, as well as at home.”
But she also added a warning: “The first duty of a mayoral year is what is happening here and now, chairing the meetings of Thurrock Council and I want to make something clear.
“All 49 of us in this chamber are here as representatives of Thurrock and Thurrock people. It is incumbent upon each and every one of us to behave appropriately and while I want and expect to see good debate and discussion, I will not tolerate or put up with rudeness or shouting across the chamber.”
She went on to say she would consider using a “naughty corner or a naughty step” adding she intended “to uphold the dignity of Thurrock Council. We are here as representatives of the good people of Thurrock and they deserve the best from us as councillors in all respects”.
As well as congratulating the new mayor and wishing her luck, the leaders of political groups also paid tyribute to outgoing mayor, Cllr Steve Liddiard.
Cllr John Kent, Leader of the Council and the Labour group, pointed out Cllr Liddiard had the rare distinction of being an officer, a councillor, mayor and Returning Officer at a General Election. He added: “Steve threw himself into the role with real energy and real enthusiasm as well as demonstrating good humour.”
Conservative group leader Cllr Rob Gledhill said he had spoken to people at many events the former mayor had attended and he had been told: “Wow, what a statesman, what a really nice chap, what a really honest, real human being.”
And Cllr Graham Snell, leader of the UKIP group, added that Cllr liddiatrd had been a “fantastic ambassador for Thurrock”.
Cllr Liddiard himself said: “This has been an amazing year, the greatest privilege of my life. The borough and its residents have made me feel proud to live in Thurrock.
“The assortment of tasks has been diverse, playing Father Christmas to singing solo, achievement awards to renaming cruise liners, remembrance services to receiving Prince Edward.”
And he added that his mayoral charity, The Thurrock Community Chest “has raised over £15,000 for dozens of charities and community group across the borough over the past 12 months.”
Cllr Gray announced the Community Chest would also be her charity as it has “done such a great service to local groups, organisations and people since it was created by somebody sitting in this chair 15 years ago”.
She said: “My Mayor’s consort will be Tony Lane, I have asked Darren Barlow to continue as the Mayor’s Chaplain.”
