One of the men whose investigations led to Waltham Forest council being fined for putting town hall staff and visitors at risk from asbestos has called on the authority's chief executive to resign. 

Last week a fine of £66,000 was imposed at Southwark Crown Court after the council admitted it breach health and safety regulations.   

It continued to allow the basement of the building in Forest Road, Walthamstow, to be used despite warnings it contained three types of the substance, including the most deadly variety. 

The issue only came to light when residents Nick Tiratsoo and Trevor Calver were told documents they requested under the Freedom of Information Act were contaminated with asbestos. 

An investigation was launched when they notified the Health and Safety Executive. 

It later emerged that town hall chief executive Martin Esom was on the board of the company tasked with managing asbestos in council-owned buildings. 

Mr Calver, of Larkshall Road in Chingford, called Esom to resign.  

He said: “The way the council have handled the whole thing is diabolical. 

Scrutiny committees should be holding people to account for things like this but that doesn’t seem to happen. 

“There has been too much waste by this council.  

"They have been fined £66,000 and court costs as well as over £300,000 to correct the mistakes. 

“They have wasted our money yet again. 

“Martin Esom has a background in health and safety and he should resign.” 

Norfolk Property Services London (NPSL) was formed in 2007 as part of a multi-million pound deal between the council and Norfolk Property Group. 

NPSL was created to act as a consultant to the authority and procure services for construction matters. 

The council took 20 per cent ownership of NPSL and secured two seats on its board, including one taken by Esom. 

He insisted there was no conflict of interest as his deputy Shifa Mustafa briefed cabinet on NPSL matters. 

It later emerged there was no record of these briefings as they were described as "verbal".  

Mr Tiratsoo, of Odessa Road in Leytonstone, said: “I am very pleased that the HSE took up the case and pursued it. I think they did a really great job, particularly the case officer, Chris Tilley. 

“It just goes to show that the Freedom of Information act is invaluable and allows residents to hold the council to account. 

“I was appalled, and I still am, at what we discovered about asbestos at the town hall. There are no excuses for the way the council has behaved and I feel they have tried to downplay it at every opportunity. 

“I am very, very sorry for all of those people who may in later life suffer as a result.” 

The authority has promised to act correctly over asbestos management in the future.