The Conservative Party today chose Clacton Pier as the site to launch its seaside policy - promising more cash and less red tape.

Peter Ainsworth, Shadow Culture Secretary, chatted to tourism bosses about how to regenerate the area.

Also present was Iain Sproat, the former Culture Secretary, and Tory hopeful for the Harwich constituency.

Mr Ainsworth launched a seven-point plan called Common Sense for Coastal Towns.

He said: "Tourism is one of Britain's largest and most important industries. It is essential to the economic vitality of many coastal towns and a vital source of new jobs."

After visiting the pier, Mr Ainsworth and Mr Sproat went to Clacton Town Hall to address a meeting of tourist board officials, representatives from Tendring Council's regeneration committee and members of the chamber of commerce in the Essex Hall.

The policy sets out seven key pledges aimed at tackling problems currently faced by seaside resorts. Its aims are:

To give local authorities new powers to promote tourism and economic development

To increase partnership funding for the tourism industry and cut down on costly red tape

To house asylum seekers in national reception centres, not coastal hotels and guest houses

To fight to restore national, regional and local control over fishing rights

To offer stronger protection of our coastline, and clamp down on litter and graffiti

To provide local authorities with new powers to deal with nuisance travellers

To improve transport links to coastal towns and oppose Labour's anti-parking taxes.

Shadow Home Secretary Ann Widdicombe is also due to visit the Clacton area tomorrow (Friday) in the Tory push in the run-up to the forthcoming General Election.

By Mark Beales

Reporter's e-mail: mark_beales@thisisessex.co.uk

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.