The council has upped its cleaning services after fed-up residents sent in a petition about rubbish in Grays town centre. 

The petition was sparked after an unhappy resident complained to Thurrock Council, who he said told him the litter-strewn High Street was the responsibility of local residents and not the authority.

An angry backlash, from those who work and shop in the town, followed.

The authority agreed to “put things right” and since announced twice-daily town centre clean-ups will resume.

The council has since put high street cleaning services back to twice a day again, up from once a day on weekdays as it was in April. 

Robert Seaman, 33, from Blackshots, set up the petition to get the council to act.

It had gathered 174 signatures by the time the Gazette went to press.

Mr Seaman said: “What gets me is the council want businesses to come to Grays, and if this is their first impression then how is that going to happen?

“It’s a pride thing.

“Grays is never going to be what it was 40 years ago, but the council could at least try to do something about it.

“To say it’s not responsible is not acceptable.”

Mr Seaman added: “It shouldn’t take residents to form a petition for the council to see the problem.

“Of course there is a responsibility on people dropping litter, but if the fines and the systems aren’t being adhered to, then I don’t know what much else the public can do.”

A council spokesman said: “We agree it isn’t clean enough and we will put it right.

“People will see a difference within the next few days,  but we are having to look at where else the money can be saved.”

To sign up to the petition go to change. org/p/thurrockcouncil- tidy-up-grays-highstreet