HOPES of saving Canvey’s under- threat flood sirens have moved a step closer.

Senior officers from the emergency services and representatives from Calor and Oikos, who run the island’s two energy terminals, met with Castle Point councillors to discuss how to make sure the warning signals avoid the scrapheap.

Essex County Council is set to replace the island’s nine flood sirens – and one in Benfleet – with text and radio alerts to save money.

However, Canvey councillor Ray Howard, who is spearheading the campaign, is hopeful a new method of operating the sirens can be set up.

He said: “It was very pleasing to get everyone around the table and voice what they could and can’t do.

“All parties were very enthusiastic about the plans and it gave me great hope this can be done.

“Now it is a case of going away and getting costings.”

Oikos and Calor are both considering financing the operation of the sirens, which is expected to cost roughly £4,000 per year to maintain, and a further one-off cost to set up.

Essex Fire Service has agreed to allow Canvey fire station, in Long Road, to be used as a base to operate the warning system, which is currently controlled from the basement of the town hall in Chelmsford.

Benfleet councillor Alf Partridge, who is offering his service as a qualified electrician, said: “There was a general discussion over who would control the sirens.

“No final decisions were taken, but I’m sure it will be a quite straight forward system to set up.”

Essex County Council is currently tendering for a firm to remove its siren equipment and has not yet fixed a date for when it will be scrapped.