ESSEX County Council has been accused of “stealing from the people of Basildon” because it has allegedly reduced its weeding efforts in the borough reports the Local Democracy Reporter.
Local councillor Kerry Smith says the “weeds are at a substantial height” at the Langdon Hills, Five Links and Vange Hill Drive estates in Basildon because of a county council “cut” to weed spraying.
The county council, which manages the highways in the estates, says it “routinely sprays weeds twice a year during the growing season to limit the damage they can cause to highways and footways”.
During a Basildon Council meeting, Mr Smith, an Independent councillor for Nethermayne ward, said: “I had a walk around the Langdon Hills estate, which is partially in my division, where [Essex County Council] is supposed to spray the walkways three times a year. They have cut that first spray out completely and those estates will not be sprayed in July. The complaint I have received is the weeds are now growing at a substantial height as we’ve had a damp spring and its now lovely warm weather.
“We are arranging for our teams to spray the weeds. This shouldn’t be done by the Basildon taxpayer. This is Essex County Council stealing from the people of Basildon, so they can go around Epping High Street, Maldon, wherever the snobs live, and go: ‘we’ve trimmed your bushes up’.
“Roll on May 2028, when this Government is abolishing Essex County Council, we will have Bas-exit and towns like Epping, Maldon, Chelmsford, that have been living off the fat of the Basildon taxpayer will be phoning up their councillors going ‘oh the village green isnt as twinky, one can’t play billiards here any more’.
“The money they’ve been robbing off Basildon is going back to Basildon and long may that happen once we get Bas-exit.”
A spokesperson for Essex Highways said: “Across our county, we routinely spray weeds twice a year during the growing season to limit the damage they can cause to highways and footways. District, city and borough councils are responsible for removing the remaining dead weeds, while landowners are responsible for ensuring vegetation does not grow from their land onto public roads and footways.
“Untreated weeds can grow quickly, ultimately causing damage to drains, footways and roads, and must be prioritised based on the risk to the public. More information about vegetation maintenance and responsibilities can be found at www.essexhighways.org/roads-and-pavements/grass-and-vegetation”.
