A VIOLENT attack has prompted a council to splash out £60,000 on a security refit.

In an incident at Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council offices in Kings Hill, a customer smashed equipment and furniture in the main reception and hurled abuse at staff.

As a result the council was forced to carry out a risk assessment and suggest changes to ensure employee safety.

The plan includes modifications to eight council-owned buildings including Larkfield Leisure Centre, Tonbridge Castle and the Angel Centre in Tonbridge. Improvements include extra door locks, rails on counter tops to prevent people clambering over and emergency exit doors.

None of the main council offices has CCTV coverage and the cost of installation is understood to be about £23,000.

Installation of a £20,000 camera system outside the building in Gibson Drive is also being considered as a consequence of persistent vandalism.

The council’s chief executive David Hughes said the incident highlighted a number of ways in which security could be improved.

He said: "It is important not to overreact to what was thankfully an isolated incident, but there is a legal duty on all employers to provide safe working conditions.

"We are looking at a range of measures that strike a balance between security and making sure that our residents have a good environment to conduct their business with the council."