AN embarrassed council officer and colleagues have been knocking on doors and saying sorry after blundering and missing a meeting with residents he had set up.

As reported on Nub News residents from Lionel Oxley House in Grays turned up for a meeting organised by the council's strategic lead for housing operations Peter Doherty - only to find no-one there for the first three hours!

In the wake of our story, Mr Doherty has apologised to residents - and to ward councillors, telling them he and colleagues have made personal visits to residents to say sorry and post the following letter:

"I am writing to apologise regarding the issues surrounding the drop-in event that was arranged to discuss the fire of 26 December 2021 within Lionel Oxley House.

"On 4 February 2022 we sent a letter to all residents within the block to invite them to attend the Seabrooke Rise Community House on 9 February 2022 between 1pm and 5pm. The purpose of this drop-in event was to discuss the way that the fire incident was handled, what the council could have done better and to address any other concerns or questions that residents may have wanted to share.

"We understand that residents visited the Community House to discuss the fire and their concerns in line with the details shared on the invite and may have been left feeling disappointed and frustrated to find that there was no member of the Housing service present when the meeting started.

"Whilst a housing officer did attend the meeting, it was not until much later than the start time advertised on the letter. This was a significant error on our part, one that I apologise for sincerely.

"The council takes its roles and responsibilities as a landlord and building manager incredibly seriously, especially in relation to building and fire safety. The events surrounding this drop-in session have fallen far below the high standards that our residents expect and that we aim to achieve.

"I want to assure you that the council is committed to supporting all those who live in our properties, working to ensure that residents feel safe and listened to. We will be taking steps to ensure that such a failure does not occur again.

"We will be holding a meeting at the Seabrooke Rise Community House on Monday, 14 February between 6pm and 8pm to ensure that residents can come and share their views with us regarding the fire incident of 26 December 2021. Ewelina Sorbjan, Assistant Director of Housing will be in attendance with me at this event."

Ward councillor Cllr Martin Kerin says: "I welcome this apology from Thurrock Council. It was definitely needed after the way residents were messed around.

"Residents in Lionel Oxley House are going through the aftermath of the trauma of the fire, along with the ongoing scandal of mould and cold. They need to know that the Council is actually helping them - not making life harder for them.

"I look forward to seeing the further steps that Thurrock Council will put in place to support my community during this difficult time."