More abusive graffiti is sprayed onto roads

Last week, we reported how Embleton Parish Council chairman Terry Howells and chairman of the Embleton Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan steering group, David Ainsley, were targeted in the spray-painted rants.

The messages, daubed onto rural roads in the area at the end of last month, branded the pair dodgy and accused members of the steering group of holding ‘secret village plan meetings’.

In last week’s paper, Coun Howells and Mr Ainsley said that they wanted to move on from the sorry saga and put a lid on the incident and had received lots of support from residents after the attacks.

But since then, more messages have been sprayed onto the roads. One rant read: ‘Dodgy Terry, dodgy Ainslie (sic) carve up’, with the words ‘Why so secret?’ left nearby.

Coun Howells told the Gazette on Tuesday that further graffiti only named him, but was directed at the whole parish council, with vandals spraying the words: ‘Dodgy parish counsel’ (sic) and ‘secret PC meetings’.

Reflecting on the spate of vandalism, Coun Howells said: “I am disappointed that the individual or individuals carrying out this crime do not feel able to come along to a parish council meeting and express any concerns they have about the work of the council.”

Longhoughton county councillor Wendy Pattison spoke of her concern and condemned the graffiti.

Last week, Coun Howells and Mr Ainsley told the Gazette that the neighbourhood plan steering group – made up of 14 people, including five parish councillors – is putting the strategy together following accepted procedure and the public will have the chance to have their say on the plan, which aims to create a ‘sustainable and thriving community’.