COUNCILLORS have pledged to try to return the rundown Kursaal to its former glory despite watering down calls for “legal action”.

Tory councillors Judith McMahon and David Garston called on Southend Council to take legal action against the company in control of the Kursaal for “breaching the lease” by the failing to maintain the outside of the building.

However, an amended version of their motion was backed by councillors at Thursday’s full council meeting. The agreed revisions included the council “publicising” to the leaseholder - property company AEW - that the council will “take swift enforcement action if the interior and exterior of the building is not properly maintained”.

The initial motion included “taking steps to acquire back the lease as the freeholder for breach of the lease agreement”. The building has recently been listed by the Victorian Society among the most “endangered” Victorian buildings in the UK desperately “in need of rescue”

Ms McMahon, who represents Shoebury, said: “This evening the leader said that he was pursuing robust action for tourism and yet this iconic, historic building is part of our tourist offer and we have the legal ability without the amendment to make the changes that this city needs with immediate effect.

“I am convinced that the original motion without the amendments would actually ensure we would get the action required. We have had, by previous Labour-led administrations, ideas that consumed many hours of council time that failed.

“Now the building is in a state of disrepair and is frankly not becoming to the city status.”

Currently, the Kursaal building stands empty aside from a Tesco Express on the ground floor.

Labour councillor Ian Gilbert hit back at the motion querying why the former Tory administration did not take action when in power.

He said: “It does feel like Groundhog Day. Every time the Conservatives are in opposition they insist we buy back the lease of the Kursaal immediately. When they are in administration there are valid reasons why it can’t be done.”

Leigh resident Anita Forde, who successfully nominated the Kursaal to the Victorian Society, said: “There are loads and loads of different things that could go in there that would make money. There has to be action. At the moment there is a buzz about it and there is a lot of opportunity to find out exactly what the company that own the lease are going to do with it.”