A local union branch office has called for the chief executive of Waltham Forest Council to resign after the council admitted health and safety failings in the town hall. 

The problems came to light when a local campaigner's request for councillors expenses documents was refused as the papers could be contaminated by the asbestos. Nick Tiratsoo said: ‘It makes me sick to my stomach to think the public authority did not do the most fundamental of checks and protect its own staff and people who visited the town hall.