Waltham Forest council has been hit with a £66,000 fine for failing to protect its staff and contractors from deadly asbestos dust, putting them at "serious risk" of future health problems.

Despite warnings to the authority dating back to 2002, an investigation at the town hall in Forest Road, Walthamstow, in 2012 found asbestos was on pipes, walls, ducting and units in the basement.

Today at Southwark Crown Court the authority received a fine which the judge said was "substantially less" than it would have been if the offence had been committed by a private company.

In January 2015 the authroity pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and two breaches of the asbestos control act.

Essex-based company called GBNS was called in to investigate asbestos at the town hall.

Prosecuting for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Claire Harden explained how the company found the council failed to keep an asbestos plan, management strategy and did not warn employees of the dangers.

She said: “On January 19, 2012 Mr Stafford was tasked with carrying out a survey of the town hall.

“He was not provided with any documents of previous surveys, as one would have expected.

“Results of the tests showed three types of asbestos, commonly known as blue, white and brown, on various surfaces.

“It was found behind skirting boards in the corridor, which in his opinion means it was swept under there or was the result of a previous botched asbestos stripping job.

“During that meeting Mr Stafford looked at the 2002 report. He noticed that photographs of his looked exactly like those taken in 2002.

"In his opinion this showed that asbestos had not been managed since 2002.

“We have not been able to find any evidence of the defendant taking any action over asbestos.

“During the course of our investigation we found they did not have an adequate system for managing asbestos or any written records.”

“There are no previous convictions but what we do have is previous warnings.”

Ms Harden said the authority was warned in both 2010 and 2013 that its strategy was inappropriate and should be amended after concerns were raised over schools.

In mitigation for the authority, QC Mr Richard Matthews said there was “great regret” at the council for the whole saga.

He said: “There is no attempt in mitigation by the council to do anything other than accept what has been said in terms of the gravity of the breach.

“I can say on the council’s behalf there is enormous regret and since the survey in 2012 it is hoped a watershed has been passed.

“The resources that have been put into making it right are substantial.

“Everybody at the council wants there to be a different approach to the management of asbestos going forward and for everything to be dealt with in the appropriate way.”

Mr Richards also revealed the council spent £300,000 on remedial works after the 2012 findings.

He also asked the judge to “temper the financial penalty” because of the burden on taxpayers and the cash-strapped council.

Judge Deborah Taylor agreed to issue a smaller fine, saying it would have been £100,000 had the authority not pleaded guilty.

She said: “In this case there is no doubt that employees and contractors were exposed to asbestos as a result of the failings of the authority which posed them serious health risks.

“The dust must have been airborne to land in the places that it did. There was no action taken in relation to the 2002 survey, this meant employees and contractors continued to be exposed to asbestos until 2012.

“I take into account that this is a local authority, that is no excuse for the level of failings, quite the contrary. But its means are far less than that of a profitable company and any fine will impact on the delivery of services to the people of Waltham Forest.”

The council was also ordered to pay HSE legal costs of £16,000.