Castle Point Council has employed a new health and safety officer who will be put in charge of clearing asbestos from the leisure facilities in the borough.

The council has already discovered seven out of its 62 buildings contain some form of asbestos and was due to check the other 55.

However, the checks and any repair work, set to cost the council about £250,000, have been delayed until the new officer to took up his post this week.

The asset management committee has already agreed to put £25,000 aside for the work and has agreed to invite tenders for an analyst and contractor for the remainder of the checks.

Highways and leisure chairman Ray Howard said: "We have a new health and safety officer and we will seek his advice on this."

Published Tuesday August 17, 2004

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