THURROCK’S mayor Anne Cheale will not stand for re-election in May.

The Corringham and Fobbing councillor made the announcement at the Civic Dinner on Friday.

She said: "This is a very special evening for me tonight as I am nearing the end of my term of office as Mayor of Thurrock.

"It has been a great privilege and honour to serve this borough.

"I will be retiring from council life in May this year, and I would like to thank everyone for their support.

“It has been both enjoyable and challenging at times, and as we celebrate 75 years of Thurrock as we know them today, I am sure that the next 75 years will mark a new era in the history of the borough."

Anne was first elected as a Conservative councillor in April 2000.

She went on to become the leader of Thurrock Council from 2004 to 2006.

In 2005 cllr Cheale was hit by a car on her way to open a new health centre.

She sustained serious head injuries and for several days she was fighting for her life in hospital.

She returned as leader of the council in September that year, and remained in office until Terry Hipsey took over from her in May 2006.

In March last year, Anne sparked the beginning of the end for Conservative rule in Thurrock, when she tabled a motion of no confidence in Tory leader of the council Garry Hague.

Her motion was carried after all 23 Labour councillors, and BNP councillor Emma Colgate, supported it, but cllr Hague refused to step down.

Cllr Cheale was then thrown out of the Thurrock Conservative group, and formed her own group, the Concerned Conservatives.

She was joined by another Tory, cllr Stuart St Clair-Haslam in May.

With his support and that of the BNP’s Emma Colgate, Labour managed to seize control of the council despite losing the local elections just days before.

Anne Cheale was appointed mayor.

Terry Hipsey, former Tory leader of the council in March 2009, who is now with Labour, paid tribute to councillor Cheale.

He said: “My former group, the Thurrock Conservatives, owe a sincere debt of gratitude to Anne.

“It was her inspiration, experience and political knowledge that gave some of my former political colleague’s their election victory.

“As far as I am concerned, Anne is the true Conservative who worked tirelessly for Thurrock during her reign as opposition leader then to become Leader of the Council and who now represents Thurrock as Mayor.

“In some circles, critics have made ill conceived comments of Anne, but she is a far more sincere person who cares about this borough and its people than you could ever imagine.

“As my mentor I will always be grateful to Anne to have been able to share her experience of Thurrock Council and wish her all the very best for her future”.