FORMER Southend council leader Tony Cox is seeking an "urgent meeting" with officers tomorrow after a deal to save the Blues was dropped at the weekend.

On Saturday Daniel Cowan, the leader of the Labour-run council that swept to power following the the May 2 local elections, put forward a revised plan after identifying "red flags" in the deal proposed by the previous Tory administration.

Yesterday we revealed the plan that would secure the sale of Southend United to a consortium led by Justin Rees and unlock a deal to build 1,300 new homes at Fossetts Farm had failed to pass the council's 'due diligence' stage.

Instead, in a letter to fans Mr Cowan said he had tabled a revised plan based on proposals from 2021 that was financially viable and not put "public money at undue risk."

However, Mr Cox has claimed that he did not have any knowledge of these "red flags" before leaving office and will now be seeking an urgent meeting.

He said: "Up until the time I left office, there were no red flags seen.

"The statement appears to be in direct contradiction to the leader's statement last week and I will be seeking an urgent meeting with officers on Monday."

In Mr Cowan's statement, he said that a new deal had been put forward to Citizen Housing along the lines of the agreed 2021 model, which included building homes at Roots Hall.

He said in an open letter to fans: "The terms we have set out are workable, achievable and deliver on the aims and demands of Cosu and the council."

The consortium called Cosu, Custodians of Southend United, are yet to issue a statement on the latest update.