CONTROVERSIAL signs about a council "telling us how good they are" have been taken down along Worcester's Southern Link Road - after they were put up without formal consent.

Almost £2,000 of taxpayers' money were spent placing PR-style messages along the A4440 to publicise Worcestershire County Council's £41 million dualling.

But after an intervention from a nearby councillor the boards have been removed, leading to a furious dispute at County Hall.

Councillor Tom Wells, who represents Powick, said he asked planning officers to establish whether the signs had formal approval - and the answer came back as a 'no'.

Within days the whole lot came down, with Cllr Wells blasting them as an "obscene waste" of money.

Incredibly, it comes despite years of concern about private business owners placing 'unauthorised adverts' along the A4440, leading to threats of prosecution.

The likes of St Peter's Parish Council and the city council have described it as a "blight" on the area.

The county council has responded to the criticism saying they were only meant to be temporary, and that the intention was always to "relocate" them around the route as the work progresses.

Strictly speaking people who place adverts along public routes require 'advert consent', a form of planning permission, although the law is a grey area when it comes to councils promoting a statutory service.

Cllr Wells said: "I asked a planning officer if the signs had planning permission and was told 'no, they needed planning permission, they are being taken down'.

"Imagine if a member of the public tried to put signs up like that without planning permission, they'd be removed immediately.

"But on top of that these signs were self-indulgent, self-congratulatory publicity that should never have been there.

"The last thing taxpayers want their money spent on is this, it's an obscene way of spending public funds, the council telling us how good they are.

"They were a distraction, drivers have been telling me it obscured their view of genuine highways signs, and they were a safety hazard.

"So many people have been saying they were distracting."

Ledbury Reporter:

Bosses at County Hall say the signs were aimed at "keeping residents informed" of the big overhaul.

Councillor Marcus Hart, cabinet member for highways, said: "Corporately keeping residents informed about the reasons for our major infrastructure projects that are underway in Worcestershire, is really important to us.

"Signs are one small part of this activity, which includes direct engagement with residents and businesses, media relations and messages shared across the council website and our social media channels."

He added: "The signs were always intended to be located temporarily and relocated from time to time."

He said each sign cost around £139 with the bill coming to £1,954, something hotly disputed by the Lib Dems.

The huge dualling project, from Whittington island to the Ketch roundabout, is due to finish in 2019 - and by then bosses hope to have secured £70 million in Government cash to enlarge Carrington Bridge.

Ledbury Reporter:

It is not the first time local authorities in Worcestershire have appeared to exploit planning rules for their own gain.

We revealed last month how Worcester City Council's signage on the £10.5 million Perdiswell swimming pool was put up without approval - despite employing its own 'enforcement officer' to go around making sure the general public toe the line.

Similar signs still appear around other parts of the county including ones down the Hoo Brook Link Road in Kidderminster, and the 'Worcester 6' business park near Junction 6 of the M5 telling passers-by how 5,000 jobs will be created - although that depends on all the units being filled.