THURROCK Council’s pilot scheme to tackle dampness and mould is now well underway.
The pilot scheme has brought together both housing and public health officials for the first time in the borough to look at the problems caused by damp in houses.
The pilot focuses on the Flowers Estate in South Ockendon and some specific areas in Belhus and cuts across all housing tenures aims to develop solutions to control the problem which will then be rolled out across the whole borough.
The bases of the pilot is to remove all signs of mould growth, treat any damp and service all heat recovery units in the pilot area before the end of September. This will then be followed up by a visit to every family in the pilot area from November onwards when damp and mould would have returned if the solutions and heat recovery units put in place are not working.
The council will carry out a full survey to see if the damp has returned and complete a comprehensive questionnaire which will look at any health issues such as asthma or allergies. The purpose of this questionnaire will be to investigate the whole living environment, and see if a range of factors as well as damp could be affecting the general health of residents.
The hope is that where the heat recovery system is working and tenants have been able to use them, dampness and all its associated problems will be reduced. However it is also clear that keeping homes dry and warm and in good condition is a complicated business and some structural problems are also emerging through these visits.
Cllr Val Morris-Cook, Portfolio Holder for Housing at Thurrock Council said “We are the first local authority to be running a pilot scheme to combat damp and mould, and already it is highly reassuring to see we are making some headway, thanks to the sterling effort of some of our residents. As this scheme progresses, I am sure we will continue to uncover more information that will help us find a way to understand and resolve this problem”
The council will be holding another drop-in event at the Flowers Estate on the 21 September 2012 and all residents are welcome to attend by contacting their local housing office in South Ockendon.
The Housing Private sector team will also be running a forum on 10 October 2012 for accredited private landlords to give them advice and information and offer them an incentive grant of up to £1000 towards the cost of installing a heat recovery system in one of their properties.
i have read with interest this article with regards to the campaign against Toxic Black Mould in council properties throughout Thurrock, there is no mention of all the good and excellent work that was carried out by Mrs Deirdre Lodge and her husband and team of helpers over many years, without her efforts this campaign wouldnt have come to the public’s notice in the first place.
It seems that once again the six councillors who live on the Flowers Estate, have hijacked the campaign to make it go away, why are they holding a drop in event at the Flowers Estate, why not the Forum in Derwent Parade where more residents could attend, they way the story reads is that it only seems to have affected the Flowers Estate. It was the three Labour Cllr’s who sent a letter on official note paper stating that consider that Black Toxic Mould was only category 4 and not category 1and they all live on the Flowers Estate, what as happened to drop in meeting in Tilbury and Stanford-le-hope, and Belhus ward, or dont we count when it comes to dying from Black Toxic Mould whilst being a tenant of TBC, the three Labour Cllr’s all live on the Flowers Estate they are Mr.Charlie.Curtis. Mrs.Wendy.Curtis. Mrs.Sue.Gray.