ACCLAIM and criticism have come out in almost equal measure today as the community of Tilbury and wider Thurrock continue to respond to support families who have been moved out of their homes following the flooding at Brisbane House.

Those families are now staying with friends and relatives or in hotels across the borough - but most have lost a lot of their possessions.

Over the weekend Tilbury Community Centre, with the support of its manager Danny Pyman-Brickwood and a team of volunteers, have been acting as drop-off point for donations of items including clothing, blankets, toys and toiletries and sanitary items, as well as acting a place where displaced families can meet and obtain refreshments.

However, the hall was booked for use from tomorrow (Thursday, 20 November) so a new holding centre had to be found.

In stepped Vickki Jarmyn and her team at JTD ARTS who offered its premises as a new focal point. Members of Vickki's staff are also helping out – though a call has gone out for anyone who could help.

Vickki said: "We will be acting as the main hub for distributing donations to anyone affected by the Brisbane flats. However, there is a lot that needs to be organised to ensure everything is easily accessible—and we need extra hands to make it happen.

"If you can spare a few hours, we're especially looking for help with sorting and organising, as well as listing and bagging donations.

"Please get in touch if you can support us on 07856 869296 or via our Facebook page."

The efforts of all local people have been praised by Craig Austin, chair of the Tilbury Community Forum who said: "The huge amount of donations collected by the amazing residents and volunteers has now been moved from the Community Centre.

"The wonderful people at JTD have kindly offered to step in and will sort, store and distribute the incredible volume of clothing, toys and other items.

"Residents can reach them via the contact information on their Facebook page where you can also learn about the other services that they offer. "

Mr Austin then expressed his gratitude to all who have come forward, saying: "Residents, volunteers, anyone involved in getting this all done, you have made a difference to people's lives when they really needed it.

"You're the example of what a community can achieve when it looks out for each other.

"A special thank you also to Balin Distribution who today, when the pressure was on, at the drop of a hat sent a lorry down with a member of staff to help us move the items."

However, while the community's rallying role has been praised, Thurrock Council, which has responsibility for housing, caring and supporting the displaced residents, has won few friends for its low profile and engagement.

Tilbury councillor John Allen is among the fiercest critics, saying: "The lack of information the lacjk of presence and the general lack of interest from the council to a community it should be caring for is astonishing.

"The council has not shared information, it has been poor in its approach to engaging with local people, it has offered little practical help in terms of supporting those in need and it's been shameful.

"It seems the council has a problem with people in Tilbury, who are there to be tolerated, not supported.

"This isn't something that just happened, the complaints over many years about these tower blocks have been ignored and the condition of the tower blocks has got worse and worse.

"But because it's Tilbury it doesn't seem to matter."

Cllr Allen's disappointment at the level of support for people in the three blocks, Brisbane House, Tasmania House and Freemantle House is not new.

In March 2021 he featured in a report on Thurrock Nub news, damning the council for its lack of care and absence of investment in flats across Thurrock.

Councillor's fears were aired more than four years ago when council's response to a leaking flat in Brisbane House was 'use an umbrella indoors!' Watch the video from March 2021:-

Cllr Allen told readers of an occasion when a tenant whose flat was subject to water dripping through the ceiling for a number of weeks was told by housing officers to use an umbrella when indoors!

He also questioned the commitment of the council to maintaining the flats, repeating the accusation he made more than four years ago when he slated the council for its 'cheapskate policies' with regard to council home repairs.

Today he said: "I don't think anyone is suprised this has happened. There has been so little investment in these properties it was an incident waiting to happen. I've been trying to get more information and possibly an invitation into the building to see the damaged but there's little response.

Thurrock Nub News has also been pressing for updates and information from the council, with limited success.

After several days of no communication from the council despite requests for updates, yesterday (Tuesday, 18 November) we asked: " The cost of refurbishing Brisbane House is going to be significant, in all likelihood involving structural work as extensive rewiring. Does the council have the appropriate and effective buildings insurance in place to ensure the full cost will be covered?"

The response was: "The council's first priority has been to make sure that residents of Brisbane House are safe and have secure places to stay. Officers have been assigned to work with households and will continue to work with them throughout the recovery. These officers will provide a consistent point of contact between residents and the council keeping them up-to-date and helping to make sure they get all the help, support and information they need.

"This is a highly complex situation and the council is working with its insurers and contractors to assess the extent of the damage and the works required in the building as a whole and each individual flat. The one objective in all work taking place is to make sure that residents can return to their homes, and every effort will be made to make sure that can happen as soon as possible.

"As this work is ongoing there is no update that we can give publicly at this time, other than to reassure everyone that a great deal of work is taking place and we are keeping residents of Brisbane House informed directly and will continue working with them to meet their needs until it is safe for them to return home."

Give a lack of specific information and clarity, we repeated the request for confirmation that repairs and the cost of the emergency rehousing will not have to come from existing budgets, saying: "Can you assure residents all appropriate insurances are/were in place?"