A CAMPAIGNING councillor has been given a slap on the wrist for reporting a pair of problematic potholes too many times.

The double divots at the junction of Winstree Road and Holly Road in Stanway have been reported by Stanway councillor Lesley Scott-Boutell (Lib Dem) who claims different people are telling her different things about when they will be fixed.

She said: “I keep getting a lot of different information depending on who I speak to.

“It has been painted orange which their guidelines say means it should be dealt with within five days.

“But it has been like that for three-and-a-half weeks and when I have actually seen a member of staff on site I’ve been told they will be fixed soon.

“In one email I had told me they were a low priority.

“Now I’ve been told they have been painted orange in error when they should have been marked up in purple to say they are a lower priority.

“I saw the inspector on site and he told me it was being painted orange, so who is right?

“It seems as if they are making things up as they go along depending on who you speak to at certain times.

“They are dangerous, Winstree Road is a busy main road.

“The last time I reported it to Essex Highways I was given a telling off.”

In an email from Essex Highways customer services team, Ms Scott-Boutell was told constantly reporting the craters would not make anything happen any faster.

She was told: “Regrettably, repeated contact about this matter will not result in the escalation of the priority of this defect.

“We can confirm the next annual safety inspection will take place in March and if there has been any deterioration, this will be identified at this time.”

Ms Scott-Boutell said this is the latest in a long line of battles with highways bosses including an on and off plan to stop water collecting outside Fiveways Primary School She said: “All I am trying to tell them is how dangerous it is.

“If you are local then you know about it and you can avoid it as you work your way through, but if you are not then you would have no idea.

“I think it could do some damage.”

An Essex Highways spokesman said: “These markings have not been made by our officers. We will continue to monitor these defects in case they deteriorate, and they will be repaired within the usual time scales.”