DISAPPOINTED councillors want Dovercourt pavements to be added to a cleaning scheme to help the town centre look shipshape in time for the cruise season.

Tendring Council has announced that pavements in Clacton town centre and Frinton’s Connaught Avenue will be pressure-washed next month to ensure they are clean prior to the height of the tourist season.

But Dovercourt High Street has been left off the initial list, despite Harwich Town Council asking for the pavements to be washed last year. Town councillor Garry Calver, whose East Central ward includes the town centre, said a number of parties had been working hard to ensure the area looked attractive when tourists arrived.

He said: “I am extremely pleased Tendring Council has recognised the importance of having town centre pavements as clean as possible to encourage tourism and would ask that Dovercourt town centre is included in the pressure-washing work presently intended for Clacton and Frinton.

“This being the case, I have requested the oversight is immediately rectified and that the pavements in Dovercourt town centre are pressure-washed at the same time as those in Clacton and Frinton.”

Nick Turner, Tendring Council’s member for coastal protection said the jet washing was part of an agreed maintenance programme for key areas of Clacton town centre.

“This has now been extended to also cover Connaught Avenue, Frinton, following the Essex County Council capitally funded environmental improvements, which included new pavements in the main retail part of Connaught Avenue,”he added.

“The high pressure jetwashing process used is suitable for paving slab areas, but is not appropriate for Tarmac footways due to the damage likely to be caused to the surface.”