AN opposition councillor has called on council bosses to spend taxpayer’s money on a crumbling road… rather than “squirreling it away”.

Council taxpayers are set to stump up an extra £5 next year as Tendring Council looks to increase its portion of the bill to £172.64 for an average Band D property in 2020/21.

The figure is in addition to the levies set by county council and police and fire commissioner.

The expected increase is set to stay despite an unexpected windfall in the form of a £429,000 revenue support grant from the Government.

It had been expected that the central government grant would end this year.

Opposition councillors criticised the council for continuing to increase council tax when the authority has more than £4million in savings.

Frinton councillor Terry Allen called on the extra cash to be spent on much-needed projects in Tendring, including repairs to roads, including Central Avenue and Rainham Way, in Frinton.

The private roads are deteriorating rapidly and it is feared that if Frinton’s railway gates are blocked following an accident again, emergency services would struggle to access the town from Walton due to the damaged roads.

Mr Allen said: “This money was a big surprise and there are a couple of things it could be spent on to help our area and put this council back in the good books of the people.

“Spending money on the transition project - better offices for staff - or more allowances for councillors is the sort of stuff that just winds them up.

“Within six months the second road out of Frinton is going to be impassable, but officers are not concerned.

“It’s all well and good squirreling away money, but we should do something for people now.”

Ian Davidson, chief executive, said the council isn’t squirreling away money", but was making “prudent savings” because of its decision to move from a short-term budget to a ten-year approach, which creates more significant risks – including with commitments to build 200 new council homes and improvements to Clacton Leisure Centre.

Mr Davidson said the only alternative than to take a long-term approach would have been to cut services.

He added that highways issues are not a district council responsibility.

Council leader Neil Stock added: “We must have reserves but the question is how much we should have.”

He added that there may be a perception that money has been squirrelled away, but that this year’s extra cash from Government was a "one-off" and shouldn't be allocated in the budget going forward.

When asked by the Gazette last month whether Essex County Council would make repairs to Rainham Way and Central Avenue, a spokesman for Essex Highways only responded to say the roads are privately-owned.