A FUMING councillor has expressed his outrage over “unsafe” roads on Canvey not being included in Essex County Council’s agreement to repair or improve streetlights before winter.

The complaints were raised after Essex County Council agreed to replace defective streetlights in some unadopted roads as a “one-off gesture of goodwill”.

This was a part of an ongoing discussion between Castle Point leaders and Essex County Council to decide which authority would be responsible for the street lighting on unadopted roads across the borough.

Independent councillor Barry Campagna, representing the Canvey Island South ward, told The Echo Bramble Road and Cleveland Road were not on the list.

He said: “It’s very odd a lot of the Conservative wards in Benfleet and on Canvey got the light repairs. Our residents are furious nothing is done about their street lights.”

Residents of unadopted roads, also known as private roads, usually have the responsibility for maintaining the streetlights in their roads.

Mr Campagna suggested the Conservative wards received the favours because Essex County Council is held by the Conservative majority.

The names of the roads that received the one-off deal were Keswick Road, Bassenthwaite Road, Windermere Road, Ullswater Road in Benfleet, Haarlem Road, and the Dutch Village area on Canvey.

Mr Campagna added: “We have been trying to get these two roads to become adopted roads for years because these roads are so dangerous for residents to walk down when it gets dark. They don’t have a footpath so they should be the first ones to have an adopted road.

“We can’t expect residents to change the streetlights themselves. It’s a total disrespect to the residents. It’s just pathetic.”

Mr Campagna said he has been speaking with Truddie Bragg, head of environment at Castle Point Council and Colin Riley, leader of Castle Point Council, to push for the two roads to become adopted roads. Janice Payne, another councillor from the same ward, said: “There are so many potholes in Bramble and Cleveland roads. There’s no pavement along the roads so come winter it’s dangerous for residents.

“A lot of people access these two roads because people take short cuts to get to May Avenue and Ash Road to get to the seafront or the town centre.”

Mr Riley said: “The council is still in discussion with Essex County Council over which roads and streets should have an adopted status. Bramble and Cleveland roads are also part of the discussion and they are still under consideration by the county council.”

Essex County Council was contacted for comment, but were unable to do sobefore the Echo went to print.