CALLS to improve fire safety at Southend’s tower blocks has been dismissed, despite evidence of faulty fire doors and poor safety measures.

Labour councillor Cheryl Nevin claimed there are holes in fire doors in the 12-storey tower block Bewley Court, on Whittingham Avenue, and at Longbow, Sherwood Way.

Labour councillor Matt Dent also claimed to have visited Malvern House, on Coleman Street, where he witnessed “deficiencies” with the fire safety arrangement.

As a result Labour members on Southend Council called for sprinkler systems and improved fire safety measures at blocks of flats in the borough, particularly at those more than ten storeys tall which the fire service do not have the equipment to reach the top of.

However, deputy leader Tory James Courtenay said they would continue to wait for a report from fire safety experts.

The councillors went on to urge the council to conduct safety assessments which would see accredited fire safety engineers conducting detailed investigations into the risks in each building.

Mr Courtenay said: “These are undertaken when a new landlord takes over a block of flats, the history of works carried out is unknown and there is a reason to suspect serious risk to residents in their own flat and in a neighbour’s flat.

“We have not recently taken over these flats, they been under Southend Council’s control and South Essex Homes control since before I was born, and we do know the history of the works.

“However, that is not to suggest this council does not take fire safety seriously, we do. “There are different levels of fire assessments that need to be undertaken and we work with Essex fire service who also review the inspections we’ve made and have looked at our buildings. Since Grenfell the amount of capital expenditure accelerated and additional work has taken place to ensure our tall buildings are looked after as best we can.”