A SCATHING critique of Southend High Street has been published by a former council leader.

Nigel Holdcroft has raised concerns over the future of Southend High Street and in a blog criticised the council’s long-term plans for Southend as a waste of precious resources.

Deputy leader James Courtenay had said the council is working on its vision for 2050 by gauging public views.

Responding in the blog, Mr Holdcroft said: “In circumstances where we are constantly being told that the council’s budget and staff have been cut to the bone and we are facing massive and urgent issues which need immediate action to include the challenges of social care, the decline of the High Street, the pressures on the town’s infrastructure, I would question the urgency of this work.

“I would say this is a local government officer policy made in heaven. No pressure and more importantly no accountability on the basis by the time the target date is reached most of those involved will be dead or elsewhere and certainly the officer group will be long gone.”

He added: “Never mind about engaging the public with hypothetical speculation about the future, when in any event changes to life which we can’t currently even contemplate will have taken place to change the way local government is provided. I would suggest time would be better spent developing a deliverable plan for the next two to five years.

“Or would it be better simply spending months and precious council resources going in ever decreasing circles and ending up looking up our own backsides.”