THE future of Thurrock’s community hubs programme is secure after the government announced on Friday that the council had won a £½ million grant to support the scheme.

The community hubs scheme – a partnership between Thurrock Council, the voluntary sector and local communities - is aimed at changing the way local services are provided and the way in which local people receive those services.

The South Ockendon Centre – which has been running two years – has proved a huge success and more recently the Chadwell St Mary hub also opened.

The letter from the Department for Communities and Local Government informing Thurrock of its success in securing the £550,000 grants states: “I am delighted to inform you that your Council’s bid has been selected for funding from the Transformation Challenge Award 2015-16.”

The funding will support work at the five initial hubs, Aveley, Tilbury and Stifford Clays as well as Ockendon and Chadwell and includes a £100,000 el;ement directly targeted at them.

A further £300,000 will be used to help council services change the way they work so they become a better fit for working through the hubs and the remaining £150,000 will help build capacity in the five areas and train local people in the new ways of working.

Graham Farrant, Thurrock Council’s chief executive, said: “The continuing national squeeze on public sector spending means councils have to find new ways of working and providing their services.

“No longer can we rely on the old way of councils telling people what they need, instead we have to work with the community, enabling local people to help each other.

“Thurrock is a vibrant place, full of people with amazing skills and the success of the Ockendon Centre shows that we were right to follow this path. This grant enables the council to take the next steps, preparing the hubs, training the people and helping our service providers change the way they work.”