TENS of thousands of pounds are set to be spent on urgent repairs at a rundown community centre blighted by vandalism.

Castle Point Council is considering forking out £30,000 on the work at the The Paddocks Community Centre on Canvey, with a final decision due to be made in a meeting next week.

Bosses say the repairs, which include fixing fire doors and electrical circuits, will need to be undertaken if the building is to remain safe and open to the public.

Initial estimates suggest more widespread repairs and improvements could cost around £500,000. 

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Dave Blackwell, leader of Castle Point Council, said: “We are taking control of and resolving this issue for the long term.

“The Paddocks is a hub for the Canvey community and must not be lost.

“In the short term we are looking at vital emergency repairs to ensure the building is safe and can continue to be used, especially as a Covid vaccination centre as we approach winter.

“We are suggesting a group of councillors will then look at what further repairs need to be done in the coming months to keep the building open while a long-term solution is found.”

The Paddocks Community Centre opened in 1973 and has been at the heart of the community ever since.

But a council report outlining the need for urgent repairs states the building’s general appearance is now “poor”.

The report adds: “Little investment has taken place in the building since it was built and the building has been subject to a degree of vandalism with many of the high-level windows boarded up.”

“This work was not forecast in the current budgets and, should it go ahead, the money will need be taken from the council’s general fund.”

Mr Blackwell added: “It an indication of the importance we place on maintaining provision in Canvey that we will look to find the repair money immediately.

“As we look towards the long-term, and before any decision is made about The Paddocks, I can assure everyone that the whole community will be fully engaged and the council will listen to what residents want to see as part of our long-term aspirations for future investment in Canvey.”