CAMPAIGNERS’ hopes for better roads in Jaywick have been dashed after the coastal regeneration leader branded them “a bit of a waste of money”.

Lord Hanningfield, leader of Essex County Council, said the £7million spent on the resort’s potholed roads in recent years should have been invested in homes.

Resident Mary Puddick, who has campaigned for improvements, said Mr Hanningfield’s attitude was “disgusting”.

She said: “It is their moral duty to at least make it so people can walk along properly. If Lord Hanningfield wanted to do it, there are ways, but he just doesn’t want to. That is what people feel.”

Mrs Puddick helped lead the former Jaywick Sands Freeholders’ Association, which owned many of the roads The group broke up in March this year, hoping the move would force Essex County Council to take action on around 28 unmade roads in the Brooklands area.

But the council has said there is no cash to deal with the road improvements.

Lord Hanningfield, who is leading the county’s regeneration charge, said: “Jaywick has had quite a lot of investment, but perhaps it has not been the right kind of investment.

“We have spent something like £7million over seven years just tarting it up a bit and perhaps we should be spending in future on the longer term.

“What is the point in spending £7million on potholes? It could be spent on houses.”

In a recent interview, Mr Hanningfield also said the roads were so narrow and poorly made, there there was no realistic hope to getting them into a good condition and protecting them from flooding.

Michael Page, a spokesman for Essex County Council, said: “We have been talking to local groups about how we can improve private roads, but it is too early to go into any further details at this stage.”