County Council Under Attack For 'Making Stansted Look Like A Scrapyard'

7.35.21am GMT Sun 25th Feb 2007

A rusty pole outside the memorial gardens in Chapel Hill, Stansted with St. John's Church in the background. To the left of the rusty pole is the new pole supporting a pristine sign directing traffic to Stansted Airport.

Essex County Council has come under attack for degrading the street scene in Stansted Mountfitchet. At a public meeting last Wednesday night, Stansted District Councillor Alan Dean called for Essex County Council to be prosecuted, if they don't improve their ways.

"I am appalled that they leave redundant rusty poles all over the place and will not cut them down. It makes Stansted look like a scrapyard. They should be prosecuted by Uttlesford District Council under something like the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act," said Cllr Dean.

He was speaking after a well-attended public meeting organised by the District Council to review the conservation areas in Stansted. "There is little point the District Council asking residents to smarten up and conserve their attractive homes when another local authority seems to have little regard for the part it plays in the quality of the street scene", added Alan Dean.

Over several years, Parish and District councillors, together with the Women's Institute, have been battling with the county highways authority to get action on this problem but all have failed to get action. "I think we need to get tough if they won't respond," concluded the Stansted councillor.