WARD councillors have welcomed news that blighted blocks of flats in Grays look set to be demolished.

And they have confirmed that work to remove substantial amounts of cladding from the three towers will not be happening any time soon.

Cllr Ben Maney, speaking on behalf of himself and fellow Little Thurrock Blackshots ward councillor Joy Redsell, told Nub News (which exclusively broke news of the flats' pending demolition this week): I speak for both councillors when I say that the comments of Cllr Luke Spillman reported by Nub News are extremely welcome and give us hope that we are edging towards the day when the three blocks are consigned to history.

"It is pleasing that we have a portfolio holder who believes in doing the right thing when it comes to the towers. Naturally we reserve final judgement until we see more information, but we are led to believe that an update paper could be issued in the spring.

"Whatever the case, it doesn't change our view that the flats are poor quality housing and beyond satisfactory refurbishment. The only solution is to bring them down, following which I would hope a long term plan to replace other outdated council owned blocks in the borough could be formulated."

An item 'Blackshots Estate - Proposals for the way forward' has been tabled for the next meeting of the council's cabinet in March, though no details have yet been released about the plans.

Meanwhile Cllr Maney has reported on concerns by residents that work is about to start on the three blocks, Morrison House, Keir Hardie House and Bevan House, which each are 12 storeys high and each house 56 flats, and has been able to offer reassurance that major work is not planned to start soon.

Similar work has begun on six tower blocks in south Grays but has been much delayed and residents there have had to endure cold - and the consequences on increased damp and mould, because the new replacement windows were all wrongly designed and built!

Cllr Maney says: "Joy and I met with officers last week and expressed bluntly our concern at the lack of communication with us as ward councillors, especially as they know our particular interest in the flats and what happens there. We were assured that there were no immediate plans to remove the cladding and the letter received by residents appears to have been poorly worded.

"Small sections on cladding are to be removed as part of exploratory works, in order to assess the condition of the fittings and material underneath. We have been categorically assured that no wholesale removal of the cladding will take place until a timescale for its replacement has been agreed with the contractor.

"We have requested regular diarised meeting for the foreseeable future so that we are kept abreast, not only in relation to the cladding, but the regeneration project as a whole."