Purfleet regeneration has been talked about for ten years now and we still don’t have any spades in the ground. It isn’t surprising that residents feel it is all talk. I am told that the planning application is imminent. We live in hope.
The current proposals are centred around film studios, which I am advised by officers at Thurrock Council ‘will be transformational for the image and perception of the borough’.
I am quite sick of people talking our borough down. Thurrock is the logistics capital of the UK. I don’t know why some of those charged with promoting our borough don’t show more pride and support for it. Our borough motto is ‘By Thames to all peoples of the world’. Our community was built around our ports and access to the river. It is who we are and where many of us work.
It seems that officers running Thurrock Council place little value on jobs which don’t involve sitting behind a desk in clean air conditioned offices. They would do well to remember that without the taxes paid by genuine wealth creating businesses they wouldn’t be able to draw their hefty salaries.
Of course there are some jobs in the industry that are lower paid, but that is true of any sector. There are also excellent opportunities for training and personal development. And do not forget that average wages in the Port of Tilbury are significantly higher than average.
I am proud to represent Thurrock. It’s a shame that others are less so.