TOWN Hall housing bosses have been accused of deliberately’ ignoring graffiti that has plagued a run-down council estate in London’s East End. Tory councillor Tim Archer suspects Tower Hamlets council of letting families at Poplar’s Robin Hood Gardens live in “shocking conditions” to get them to agree to controversial regeneration plans for the estate

By Else Kvist

TOWN Hall housing bosses have been accused of deliberately’ ignoring graffiti that had plagued a run-down council estate in London’s East End.

Opposition Tory councillor Tim Archer suspects Tower Hamlets council of letting families at Poplar’s Robin Hood Gardens, next to the Blackwall Tunnel, live in “shocking conditions” to get them to agree to controversial regeneration plans for the estate.

“The top floors of one stairwell has been covered in graffiti,” he said. “The families tell me the council is no longer clearing it or using anti-graffiti paint on the walls.

“You can’t expect people to live in such unliveable conditions. It’s shocking.”

The council said it was committed to tackling graffiti “wherever it occurs” at Robin Hood Gardens, regardless of the future of the block.

A Town Hall spokesman said: “We are aware of an ongoing issue with one of the stairwells due to the texture of the walls and a problem with water penetration. Anti-graffiti sealant cannot be applied.”

But the authority later sent in its grime squad’ following the East London Advertiser’s inquiries and cleaned up the staircase. All the graffiti has since been removed.