The controversy surrounding the naming of a new road in Tiptree will continue after Colchester councillors could not decide what to call it.

The council's overview and scrutiny panel declined to say whether or not it should be named after a boy who died of cancer when it met last night

Peter Chillingworth (Con, Great Tey) said: "There can hardly be a more emotive or difficult matter to make a decision on."

The overview panel had been asked to make a ruling on the matter, but transport portfolio holder Christopher Arnold has now been given the task of finding an appropriate solution for naming the road.

He had originally agreed it could be named Frederick Drive in memory of Frederick Hartigan, a nine-year-old boy who died in 2000, after a battle against cancer.

Mersea Homes had applied to name the street after him because he had made friends with builders on the estate off Newbridge Road.

But Tiptree parish councillors felt it should be called St Nicholas Close, after the patron saint of children rather than one specific child.

Published Wednesday, January 15, 2003

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