Waltham Forest council is set to be sentenced today for failing to protect staff and visitors from deadly asbestos at the town hall.

Representatives from the authority will attend Southwark Crown Court this morning.

The council has already admitted two counts of failings under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 after asbestos was left in the basement, despite warnings.

Staff at the Forest Road building were exposed to all three kinds of asbestos between 2002 and 2012, an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) uncovered.

The HSE was tipped off about the failings by Leytonstone campaigner Nick Tiratsoo who submitted a Freedom of Information Act request about expenses.

When he was told he could not have documents he asked more questions and found out the documents he needed were contaminated with asbestos.

The HSE investigation found that the three main types of asbestos were present, all of which have the potential to kill. Immediate measures had to be taken to prevent any further risk of exposure.

Unison’s health and safety officer Bill Palmer said: “In our view it is criminal to have placed our members in this extremely distressing and possibly life-threatening situation.

“We have called for Martin Esom the Chief Executive officer of the London Borough of Waltham Forest to resign as it is clear that under his leadership the council failed to provide a safe working environment.

“Asbestos is the country’s biggest industrial killer, claiming the lives of thousands of people every year, all of which is predictable and preventable.”