Thurrock Council is the local authority for the borough

Non-metropolitan district

Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...

 of Thurrock

Thurrock

Thurrock is a unitary authority with borough status in the English ceremonial county of Essex. It is part of the London commuter belt and an area of regeneration within the Thames Gateway redevelopment zone. The local authority is Thurrock Council....

 in Essex

Essex

Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...

, England. Since 1997, Thurrock has been a unitary authority

Unitary authorities of England

Unitary authorities of England are areas where a single local authority is responsible for a variety of services for a district that elsewhere are administered separately by two councils...

, combining the functions of a non-metropolitan county with that of a non-metropolitan district.

Thurrock is divided into 20 wards and elects 49 councillors. The council comprises 22 Labour Party

Labour Party (UK)

The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...

 members, 21 Conservative Party

Conservative Party (UK)

The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...

 members, 3 TCC Group members and 3 independent members. One third of the councillors are elected in each of three years out of a four year cycle. The last election of one third of councillors was part of the United Kingdom local elections, 2010

United Kingdom local elections, 2010

The 2010 United Kingdom local elections were held on Thursday 6 May 2010, when the 2010 general election also took place. Direct elections were held to all 32 London boroughs, all 36 metropolitan boroughs, 76 second-tier district authorities, 20 unitary authorities and various Mayoral posts, all in...

 and the next election of one third of councillors will form part of the United Kingdom local elections, 2011

United Kingdom local elections, 2011

The 2011 United Kingdom local elections were held on Thursday 5 May 2011. In England, direct elections were held in all 36 Metropolitan boroughs, 194 Second-tier district authorities, 49 unitary authorities and various mayoral posts, meaning local elections took place in all parts of England with...

, with the remaining third of councillors standing for election as part of the United Kingdom local elections, 2012

United Kingdom local elections, 2012

The 2012 United Kingdom local elections are due to take place across England, Scotland and Wales on 3 May 2012. Elections will be held to 131 English local authorities, all 32 Scottish local authorities and all 22 Welsh councils, alongside elections for the London mayorality and the London...

.

Policies

The planning function for large developments was exercised by the Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation in the whole of the borough, but in 2010, the government announced that the development corporation would be merged with Thurrock Council.

Summary election results

Since 1997 political control of the council has been held by the following parties:

Party in control	Years
Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...	1997 - 2004
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...	2004 - 2007
No overall control No overall control Within the context of local councils of the United Kingdom, the term No Overall Control refers to a situation in which no single party achieves a majority of seats and is analogous to a hung parliament...  - Conservative administration	2007 - 2010
No overall control No overall control Within the context of local councils of the United Kingdom, the term No Overall Control refers to a situation in which no single party achieves a majority of seats and is analogous to a hung parliament... - Labour administration	2010 - present