A COUNCIL is facing stinging criticism after being accused of putting children in danger and hiding its decision behind complicated language.
 

Overgrown vegetation and nettles have been forcing children into the road on their way to school, according to ward member Dave Harris.
 

But rather than clear them an inspector from Essex County Council turned up and declared they didn’t meet the required “investigatory levels”.
 

So a furious Mr Harris, who has campaigned for safety improvements along School Road, Colchester, since Tiana Page was seriously hurt walking in the road, decided to cut them back himself.
 

He said: “After the disgrace of them not cutting them back in the interests of child safety Mike Lilley and I cut it all back and cleared it.
 

“The parents and school were very grateful.”
 

The Plain English Campaign has called on the council to be more up front in the future.
 

After Mr Harris made his initial complaint he was sent the following message:
 

“One of our inspectors recently made a site assessment of the location and the imperfection at the above location currently does not meet the investigatory levels as set out in our maintenance strategy.
 

“Therefore we are unable to take any action at present; however we will continue to monitor this location as part of our regular programme of routine inspections and in addition when enquiries are raised with us.
 

“Thank you for contacting us in respect of this matter and I trust the above information clarifies the current position.”
 

Steve Jenner, spokesman for the Plain English Campaign, responded:

“Children have been hurt stepping into the road to avoid being stung by nettles.
 

“I rather doubt the children involved considered the question of whether ‘the imperfection at the above location’ meets ‘the investigatory levels as set out in the maintenance strategy’.
 

“They were trying to avoid being stung.
 

“At Plain English Campaign we prefer it when a council which is trying to duck responsibilities at least has the courage to avoid attempting to use obscure language as a baffling smokescreen.
 

“Dock leaves are often used to take away the discomfort of a nettle sting.
“Here, we feel a fig leaf of misleading language has been used to attempt to hide the council’s true intent.”
 

In December 2011 eight-year-old Tiana Page had to be airlifted to hospital after being hit by a car in School Road.
 

She was seriously injured.
 

A campaign and petition was launched for safety improvements.

A spokesman for Essex County Council claimed, despite the statement, the vegetation had been scheduled to be cut back within a fortnight.

They added: "We always try to use plain English and we apologise to the councillor if on this occasion we could have been clearer.”