NO-NONSENSE security guards who have the power to tackle troublemakers have led to a drop in antisocial behaviour at a notorious tower block.

Basildon Council bolstered security at Brooke House, in Basildon, in May, changing its previous concierge service to “robust” patrols by officers.

A council review of the changes has reported a 42 per cent drop in antisocial behaviour since the patrols began.

In the four months before the changes there were 72 incidents of antisocial behaviour reported and since the guards took over in May there have been just 47, according to the council.

Tina Brooks, Basildon Council’s antisocial behaviour manager, said: “Our work has brought some much-needed stability to Brooke House and it’s also allowed the team to focus its efforts on other pressing issues in the borough.”

The new guards have the authority to remove people from the block if they pose a threat to others or property.

Other changes still being implemented at the block are delisting it as accommodation suitable for families with young children, but existing ones have yet to move out.

So far a policy has been introduced to enable families placed into Brooke House on a temporary tenancy to be accepted on to the housing register to be moved to permanent family accommodation.

Future plans include converting two-bedroom flats in the block into one-bedroom to avoid bedroom tax applying to single occupants placed there.

Plans to block the bin chutes and get residents, except the disabled, to carry their waste down to ground-floor bins, are also set to get planning permission.

More long-term proposals could include a major revamp of BrookeHouse as part of the town centre £1billion masterplan. A report will go before councillors later in the year.