Sixty of the worst potholes across the Maldon district will be repaired after County Hall pledged to spend millions of pounds.

Essex County Council has asked each of its 75 members to submit a top 20 list of the worst offending defects in their areas.

This equates to 1,500 potholes being repaired across the county – 60 of which will be in the Maldon district.

Mark Durham, who represents Heybridge and Tollesbury, Penny Channer, who is the Maldon ward member, and Ron Pratt, who represents Southminster, have all written to parish and town councils asking for recommendations.

County Hall is using £2.4 million to fill the potholes by spring.

Mr Durham said: “I have written to all the parish councils in my ward asking them to nominate four potholes or footway defects with photographs and details.

“I will pick my 20 and get them fast tracked.

“I think it is a golden opportunity for parishes. It is devolution down to parish level to get their absolute worst potholes tackled.

“It doesn’t mean what isn’t on the list won’t get done but it is an opportunity for parishes to nominate anything which has been neglected and needs really urgent attention.”

Hundreds of potholes appeared across the county after the Beast from the East struck in March.

Kevin Bentley, Essex County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “I want to make sure that the extra money we’re putting in to pothole repairs is used to maximum effect in each area.

“Not just what engineers think is the safety priority, but the ones that really frustrate people locally.

“That’s why I am asking all Essex County Councillors to consult quickly with other local councils and give us their list. We’ll fix them over the next few months with the extra resources we have allocated and, in some cases, with new types of machines, to eliminate the worst problems and help everyone use our roads more smoothly.”

And residents have already come forward with suggestions.

Jeff Groves said: “Bad pothole on the bend from Latchingdon through to Mundon. Already two incidents there but nothing done about it.”

Dawn Bontoft, who has reported a pothole in Victoria Road, Maldon, said: “The state of roads around Maldon really is poor and our pothole has caused two accidents.”