SOUTHEND Council missed its target for responding to freedom of information requests because of the number of residents concerned about fire safety following the Grenfell disaster.

Requests for information about cladding, fire doors and other safety measures at blocks of flats in the borough dominated during the past financial year.

The council revealed it receives about three requests per day in total - or 1,192 between April 2017 and March this year. The council managed to answer 75 per cent within the 20 working day limit, against a target of 90 per cent.

Leader John Lamb said: “Over the past two years, the number of FOI requests Southend Council has received has increased by over 12 per cent.

“The required timeframe of 20 working days can be challenging, especially where requests are complex or when there are peaks of interest, particularly in relation to national or local events.

“In 2017-18, public interest in the information supporting proposals to change school catchment areas put particular pressure on available resources, both in the number of requests received and their complexity. Fire safety-related requests also increased following the Grenfell fire. Against a background of diminishing resources, this has made responding to enquiries on time a challenge.” The council is working on ways to reduce the time taken including by publishing more information itself.