Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox - Gravesham Borough Council

18/07/2026

18/07/2026

Great to have had the new Leader of the The Labour Party Andy Burnham here yesterday in Gravesend and some great pictures of the Borough in this video. Together with Gravesham Labour and our Labour MP Dr Lauren Sullivan MP and Labour run Gravesham Borough Council we can do far more for residents.

18/07/2026

Had my regular monthly Gravesham Borough Council Councillor Surgery for Coldharbour and Perry Street residents this morning. Cases gained and will be worked on! Takes place on the third Saturday of the month 9.30am-10.30am at Shears Green Court off Haynes Road in the Communal Lounge. All residents of Coldharbour and Perry Street welcome.

17/07/2026

Great to have had the new Leader of the Labour Party and PM as of Monday Andy Burnham in Gravesend this afternoon as part of his very first visit after becoming Labour Leader. Gave support for the Gravesend to Tilbury Ferry Campaign as well!

16/07/2026

Ministers have made their decision today on the new council boundaries that will affect Gravesham. There will be four unitary councils in Kent with Gravesham in the new North Kent one along with Medway and Dartford. This was the so called ‘4b’ option. While not the 5a option that was unanimously supported by Gravesham Borough Council on a cross party basis this is still an option that is more local and closer to communities than some of the other options and retains some of the local identity. We will now work with partners to implement.

Government ministers have today announced the number of new councils that will serve the people of Kent and Medway, and the areas they will cover.

Kent County Council, Medway Council and the 12 district, borough and city councils that currently deliver services in the county will be replaced with four new unitary councils.

These new unitary councils will deliver all of the services in their area, much like Medway Council does today, including education, social services, highways, libraries, emptying your bins, leisure centres, and housing services.

Under this proposal, Gravesham will be joined by Dartford and Medway in our new unitary council.

For the full details and answers to questions you may have: https://kentcouncilleaders.org.uk/

16/07/2026

Come and join the Gravesham Borough Council FREE family fun day in Coldharbour and Perry Street Ward held at Shears Green Community Centre which will also be the regular Housing Hub for residents to speak about housing issues and repairs. Taking place on the 29th July 2026 from 10am - 2pm. No booking needed just turn up! We will be there as your local councillors.

11/07/2026

Very well done to all the organisers and participants in this year's The Northfleet Carnival Official - great to have seen it this afternoon in my ward of Coldharbour and Perry Street outside All Saints Church Northfleet on Perry Street with Rev Jim Fletcher St George's Church, Gravesend and to see so many great floats including from Copperfield Academy Shears Green Infant School Shears Green Junior School Iron Pier Beer Northfleet Traders Club (Northfleet & District Traders Association) and many more! Great to the parade led by the excellent HappyGenny Jones our Mayor Gravesham Borough Council Cllr Alison Williams and our MP Dr Lauren Sullivan MP - nice tribute in laying a wreath at All Saints Church in Perry Street as well. Everyone participating did Northfleet proud again this year in keeping up this great local tradition and thanks again to the volunteers and organisers at The Northfleet Carnival Official

11/07/2026

Attended with Dr Lauren Sullivan MP the KCC Conference on flytipping yesterday in Ashford on behalf of Gravesham Borough Council. Glad to see that the statistics presented showed that Gravesham Borough Council has a lot of reports but also a lot of action with the council and the Administration having created a dedicated Environmental Enforcement Team in 2020 and since then has investigated 2705 cases, issued 559 fines, took 146 offenders to court with 72 offenders handed down court sentences.

I raised that the courts and justice system were missing from this conference as the sentences need to fit the crime and at least cover the costs of clear up either for public land or those private landowners that are impacted (the law is there for example for unlimited fines but courts rarely use them). The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) spokesperson there said that courts require their independence and take other things into account but the point was understood.

I feel that at a minimum judges and magistrates should be handing down 1) a fine to cover the cost of clear up and admin, 2) a fine to claim any and all monies flytippers made if clearing on behalf of someone else and 3) a punishment and deterrent element to the fine. This should be in addition to vehicle seizures and forfeit (which Gravesham working with partners have done) and criminal records. Custodial sentences should be for those that continue down this line or for more serious cases (again Gravesham have been successful here with custodial sentence given).

I raised that the above should be imposed by changes in the law if needed or stronger.

I also raised that in the sprit of partnership where GBC fund all the above enforcement on behalf of local residents then KCC should also do their bit and remove the £1000 'flytipping enforcement' tax on all local authorities in Kent for seeking to put up temporary enforcement cameras on lampposts. I genuinely no matter which party involved believe we all want to see this issue tackled so all barriers to enforcement like this should be removed and have asked KCC to do so. I have followed this up with the relevant KCC Director as well as the KCC Leader.

09/07/2026

Had the below notice come in from Kent County Council for local ward residents. SOUTHERN WATER SERVICES LIMITED - Temporary Road Closure & REVERSE ONE WAY - Salisbury Road, Gravesend - 5th August 2026 for 3 days

The road will be closed at the side of 65 Pelham Road South. The One Way will be reversed to allow access.

The alternative route is via Pelham Road South, B261 Old Road West, Cecil Road and vice versa.

Pedestrian access will be maintained during the works.

The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while works are undertaken by SOUTHERN WATER SERVICES LIMITED.

For the most up to date information on these works please visit: https://one.network/?tm=GB148606791

For information regarding this closure please contact SOUTHERN WATER SERVICES LIMITED, who will be able to assist with the scope of these works.

Gravesham Borough Council

06/07/2026

What a great event! It was great to attend the annual Riverside Festival and well done to the teams at Gravesham Borough Council for pulling off another very successful Riverside Festival today. A great annual free event for everyone with so much to see and do for the whole family. Was good to see some of our partners present such as Kent Police and GCLL Cascades, Cygnet and Swanscombe and NHS Kent and Medway