A SENIOR councillor has called for controversial plans for a community centre to be heavily scrutinised.

Dave Blackwell, chairman of Castle Point Council scrutiny committee is calling for answers over the plans to rebuild the Paddocks Community Centre on Canvey.

He said: “I am calling it in for scrutiny.

“I want to ask questions about the consultation and how they have got the costing together.

“We have the power to ask the questions and they will have to answer them.

“I think it should be held at the Paddocks and it will be interesting.”

Norman Smith, Tory leader of the council, said: “He is scrutinising the consultation process and that’s all he can scrutinise.

“I did not say we will be building homes to pay for the new Paddocks.

“It went through cabinet and it was agreed that we will have a new centre, that will not change.

“We consulted pretty heavily and we got a lot of response to that consultation.

“Due to the design process we don’t know what the cost will be and we will then work out how to find the funding.”

Last Friday, the Echo revealed that work on the new multi-million pound Paddocks Community Centre could start in a year, according to a council boss.

The controversial plans for the popular centre will see the current building demolished and a new one built despite huge opposition from islanders.

Some 8,000 people have signed a petition against the proposals.

The decision surrounding the future of the centre has seen campaigners demonstrate outside the council’s offices in Kiln Road, Benfleet, in favour of a revamp.

In a report published by the council, bosses say a refurbishment of the hall would cost £4.1million, just £200,000 less than demolishing and replacing the building entirely.

A public consultation on the proposals ended last month.

The public consultation, launched in December and finished last month.

It received more than 600 responses, with 540 of them coming from island residents.