Cllr John Mylod (Residents’ Group, St Andrews) believes the council is steamrolling ahead with improvement plans for Hornchurch High Street without talking to the residents.

Cllr John Mylod (Residents’ Group, St Andrews) believes the council is steamrolling ahead with improvement plans for Hornchurch High Street without talking to the residents.

He said: “We are hearing so much about the big society at the moment and a major part of that is supposed to be talking to people, so I don’t understand why they are not showing the ideas to the public.”

The plans for High Street, which were orginally unveiled last year, include Hornchurch being developed as a cultural centre, a successful town centre and more emphasis being put on daytime attractions and evening activities.

But despite a public consultation at the Fatlin and Firkin pub car park in November last year, he argues residents have had little chance to put across their views on the regeneration of the area.

He said: “The council is saying that it is committed to consulting with the public, but one of the things it said it would do when area committee meetings were stopped was hold special meetings.

“Well this is a big issue and the council has not held any special meetings and when the consultation did take place everyone seemed against it.

“Since then it has not offered any further consultation for people to see the plans.”

Cllr Mylod believes one reason behind the council’s haste is that it has been given a grant of �700,000 from Transport for London and fears that it will lose the cash.

He said: “It is good we have this money coming in, but I don’t think the council should push through with the plans just for the money.”

The final decision about the future of the Hornchurch High Street is due to be made at a Highways Committee meeting on February 22.

Cllr Mylod said: “The council seems happy for me to be shown the plans but the important thing is members of the public get to see it.

“If not the council will just go ahead and they will have no say.”

Councillor Robert Benham, Cabinet Member for Community Engagement said: “We always give residents the opportunity to comment on large regeneration programmes and two different options were on display in November at the Fatling & Firkin pub and in the library.

“These exhibitions were heavily publicised in the media and residents were encouraged to give views.

“We have developed a revised proposal taking on board comments which will be presented to the Highways Advisory committee.”