Thurrock Council Leader, Rob Gledhill, announced that he intends on scrapping the proposed Grounds Maintenance Charges - which have been dubbed as the 'Grass Tax'.

During a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, January 10, Councillor Gledhill addressed the decision but by a Scrutiny Committee which recommended that the controversial charges should be scrapped.

He said that we was "mindful to accept" the recommendation but added that a final decision will "obviously have to come before the next Cabinet meeting before it is made."

The announcement has been welcomed by both Opposition parties, who were against the tax ever being implemented.

Thurrock Labour Leader, Councillor Oliver Gerrish, said: “This outcome is a massive victory, and a huge tribute to the very strong campaign put in by hundreds of Thurrock residents.

"Nobody other than the Tory administration thought this was a good idea and I’m delighted that they have now been forced into a humiliating U-turn.

“I hope the message goes out loud and clear that Thurrock residents will not stand for this. This attack on Thurrock tenants should never have been brought forward in the first place.

"I’m proud that the Labour Group have been fighting it for over a year since it was first discussed, and very pleased that it has finally been scrapped.”

Councillor Luke Spillman, UKIP Thurrock Housing Spokesman, said: "This was an attempt to enforce an entirely flawed, unfair and regressive tax on council tenants across Thurrock.  

"A tax designed to plug a funding gap created by a disastrous Tory government policy that has created a funding crisis in every housing department up and down the country.”