A MEMBER of European Parliament and Thurrock councillor is calling on Thurrock Council to provide funding for a community forum.

Aveley Community Forum shut down in October following issues surrounding funding but now planning permission has been granted by Thurrock Council for a new Aveley Hub.

The development will take place at Aveley Recreation Ground, High Street, Aveley.

Following the news Tim Aker, MEP and Ukip councillor for Aveley wants to see the council step up and support the community service.

Tim Aker said: “This is great news for Aveley and Thurrock Council should cough up and invest in Aveley.

“The forum offers incredible services and support for Aveley’s residents. The Forum needs financial support to see it through to the creation of the new hub which will build on the incredible work the forum has done to date.

“Many grants and bids were conditional on the new building. Now this has been given the green light its time for Thurrock Council to support the people of Aveley and provide the much needed funding for the forum.”

The proposed hub building will measure 570 square metres with the idea of accommodating various community based activities and events such as a nursery, soft play area, a library style area and other activities and services.

A spokesman for Thurrock Council said: “Thurrock Council is working closely with the Aveley Village Forum in a number of ways to support a community-led offer.

“In addition to the £1.061m Section 106 money allocated to the construction of the community hub, council officers are also commissioning and project-managing the development of the building.

“The council is keen to support the Forum on developing the business case for a self-sustainable offer from the new build – to generate income and allow the forum to be less reliant on external grants in the future.

“In the short term, we are working with the Forum to support the development a community hub from the current resource centre managed by the Forum.”

The hub building would be situated 40 metres away from the closest residential properties on the High Street to the north and 32 metres away from the residential properties at the New Maltings to the north east.

The Thurrock Gazette approached the forum for a comment.