Castle Point residents should be given more input into how Essex County Council allocates cash for roads, a leading councillor has said.

Council leader Dave Wells is hoping to question the county council's highways bosses in a special meeting on Friday.

The Labour councillor for St George's ward claimed that sometimes the county council was spending money on the wrong things to use up their budget.

He said money needed to be spent on pavements in Castle Point as many had not been repaired for 25 years.

He said: "I will be putting it to the county council that each area should be given a chance to choose where some of the money from the budget is spent. I would like to see more local involvement in what should be done about our roads.

"I believe the residents of Castle Point will want pavements to be the main priority.

"They have fallen into disrepair over the years and we need to find ways of addressing the problem."

Ron Williams, cabinet member for strategic planning and transportation at Essex County Council, said: "The district council's submit bids every year for money for footway improvements and to resurface the road.

"We do our best to allocate money fairly, but unfortunately there is never enough money to do everything in one year. I am always ready to discuss ways of allocating money on the basis of need."

Published Wednesday, March 13, 2002