Southend Council is to ask the Government for more than £70 million to improve its 7,000 council houses.

Last night councillors voted to submit a bid for £70.765 million - £11,370 per home - to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

They say the money is needed to meet the Government standard of decent homes by 2010.

But there is no guarantee the council will get all the funding it is asking for.

Gwen Horrigan, executive councillor for housing, said: "We are putting this figure before the Government. Hopefully, we will get it, but we have to be realistic.

"Any additional funding into this council will improve what we have now. Any sum would be of assistance to the housing future of this town."

Council leader Howard Briggs (Con, West Leigh) stressed the need to submit an application soon to get a bigger slice of Government funding.

He said: "We need to get hold of any money from the Government now while we can."

Tory and Liberal Democrat councillors voted in favour of the bid 38 in total during the special council meeting yesterdaywhile Labour members withheld their vote.