Deprived seaside village set for pothole repairs

Potholes that have blighted a main road at England's most deprived neighbourhood for years look set to be filled, a council has said.

Tendring District Council said it was considering funding emergency repairs at Brooklands in Jaywick Sands, which local people had described as their top priority.

The authority said it was a private road and therefore not the responsibility of the district or county council.

But with the council unable to identify who owned the land, which is near Clacton-on-Sea in Essex, officers have recommended the authority agrees to fund the improvements when its cabinet meets next Friday.

Deputy council leader Ivan Henderson said the local roads were a "core issue that impact people's lives every day".

The government announced there would be investment of almost £20m in a series of projects in Clacton and Jaywick in 2024, and the local council is leading on a wider £126m regeneration of the village.

Henderson said the funding meant improving Brooklands was "an opportunity to act which we simply cannot pass up".

"Not only can we fill in the potholes soon, but we can also explore what can be done to ensure the road stays in decent condition for the next few years," the Labour councillor added.

If the cabinet approves the funding for Brooklands, £1m would be reallocated from a planned project to create a nearby walking and cycling route, the meeting agenda said.

A council spokesman said the reallocated funds would be added to the budget for a variety of open space projects in and around Jaywick - including the potholes at Brooklands.

In October, government research revealed the Brooklands estate was once again England's most deprived neighbourhood.

At the time, the Reform UK leader and local MP Nigel Farage said parts of the village were "very depressed".

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