CONCRETE cancer is destroying the headquarters of two Gwent councils - and it could cost £21 million to repair.

A survey conducted on County Hall, Croesy-ceiliog for Monmouthshire and Torfaen county councils revealed the massive scale of the problem.

Even though the building is only 25 years old it is believed that rain has penetrated the cladding, rusted the steel supports and damaged the concrete - a condition known as concrete cancer.

Now the two councils will have to decide whether to spend up to £21 million on repairs or use the money to meet the costs of relocating.

Just last year they spent around £750,000 on re-roofing the office part of the building, a figure dwarfed by this new repair bill.

The authorities may decide to go their separate ways and have the current building demolished.

Councillors and staff were told yesterday that the future of County Hall, opened by the Queen Mother in 1978, was in doubt.

Council chiefs are now planning to investigate alternative office space and compare the cost to that of repairing the current building.

Leader of Monmouth-shire county council, Councillor David Waring, said: "You can see the concrete coming off the building because of the concrete cancer. The Civic Centre also needs a new roof - at the moment we're just patching things up.

"We do have four or five years to come up with a solution but I don't know where we would find the money; we have a maintenance grant, but nothing on this scale."

He added: "I understand that this is unsettling for staff but we are making sure they are kept informed as things progress.

"Most importantly the building is a safe place to work and we will maintain the standard of the work environment for all staff."

Deputy leader of Torfaen county borough council, Councillor Bob Wellington, said: "Costs have clearly reached a level that puts the long-term viability of County Hall in question.

"If, as seems possible, we have to find a new location for our offices, this council is totally committed to an alternative that is in, or very near, Cwmbran town centre."

Both councils say they will work together to try to solve the problem of the crumbling headquarters, with unions and staff being fully involved.