Urgent work is to be carried out to strip some council homes in Castle Point of asbestos, it has been revealed.

However Castle Point Council today threw a veil of secrecy over the location of the homes - because the tenants themselves do not yet know they are affected.

The asbestos, which can cause serious health problems, was discovered in a roof area during a routine inspection. Councillors last night agreed to spend £39,000 to get rid of the material.

The council's housing committee was told that the asbestos needed to be removed quickly on health and safety grounds.

Alan Longford, housing director, told the meeting that the removal of the asbestos should be carried out with a degree of urgency.

He said: "Now we know about it we should deal with it as soon as possible.

"Normally this work would to go out to tender, following the council's rules.

"However, these rules can be waived with the agreement of the council where circumstances justify it. I would consider this to be an appropriate case on health and safety grounds."

Today Mr Longford was insistent that he would not identify the homes until the tenants had been informed.

"The location has been kept confidential as we have not told the tenants in question.

"We want to inform them by letters in an informed and controlled way rather than panicking them through the newspapers. They have the right toknow before anyone else. Additionally, the council could not move forward until it had been agreed at committee.

"The asbestos is contained within a roof area and there is no access to that area by the tenants. We believe it to be mainly white asbestos with some brown asbestos.

"We will advise the people concerned and it will be dealt with in a safe and controlled manner.

"We must now arrange with contractors a timetable for the work. It is not an imminent health risk but it has got a high priority."

Cyril Gray, chairman of the Castle Point Tenants' Association said he had no idea about the location of the asbestos.

He said: "It is a concern for tenants. If it is in people's houses it has to be removed soon. It does cost a lot, but it has to be done. It did shake me that the association had not been told."

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