RIVAL politicians have blamed each other for failing to advance plans to move a hostel for high-risk criminals away from Pitsea.

Campaigners have called for the 28-bedroom bail hostel to be moved from Littlebury Green, on the Felmores Estate.

The Ministry of Justice says it is prepared to relocate the hostel if a suitable alternative site can be found.

But a Freedom of Information request has revealed there has been no correspondence between the ministry and Basildon Council in the past year.

Gavin Callaghan, Labour councillor for Pitsea North West, met Tory MP Stephen Metcalfe and prisons minister Andrew Selous last year to discuss the future of the hostel.

Mr Callaghan said: “At the conclusion of the meeting the minister committed to providing the council with a full specification of what an alternative site would require.

“It now appears the minister did not provide the council with this information and I’m left questioning why Stephen Metcalfe hasn’t bothered to chase this up.

“Mr Metcalfe owes me, Basildon Council and the members of the Pitsea public a full explanation.”

However, Mr Metcalfe insists Basildon Council must identify a suitable site before he is able to lobby the Government.

He said: “My commitment on this issue has been unwavering, I have sought and received regular commitments that if Basildon Council can find a suitable alternative site, then the MoJ will move the approved premises.

“Mr Callaghan’s role is to work with officers at the council to seek alternative sites which he appears not to have done, otherwise he would have known before, that the specification had not been sent.”

Ministry pledges help

ALL suitable alternative locations for the bail hostel will be fully considered, the Ministry of Justice claims.

Last year, minister Andrew Selous said he would be happy to consider a site in Basildon “or any other district of Essex”.

Campaigners, who fear the offenders are too close to homes and schoolchildren, have been fighting for eight years to ensure the hostel moves.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “We have always been clear that if the council finds a suitable site, we would look to fund the new approved premises from the sale of Felmores.”

Offenders living at the hostel are subject to strict licence conditions and room searches.

They also have an overnight curfew and are closely supervised.