STEPS are being taken to bring a lake back to its former glory following concerned residents' calls for action.

Lexden Lake, located off Church Road, suffered from an invasion duckweed during the summer of 2020.

The weed emitted a "foul odour" and the lake's fish died - this caused residents to demand action to be taken.

Local councillors raised the matter of a remedial plan for the lake with a senior councillor on December 3.

Dennis Willetts, Colchester Councillor for the Lexden and Braiswick ward, said he wanted to know when a remedial plan will be published.

"Our concern is that, in the absence of a costed plan, there will be no budgetary provision, and remedial work will be adhoc, rather than addressing this urgent problem in a systematic way," he said.

However, he has received a December activity report from the council's ranger team which has responsibility for the lake and playing field.

The report revealed the duckweed is dying back and creating open areas of water and oxygen levels have risen.

Mr Willetts said the Environment Agency has been consulted on the plans for the work when the spring arrives.

"The Environment Agency advises that the dying duckweed should be cleared from the surface as soon as is practical," he added.

The Rangers have also met with the Fisheries Team of the Environment Agency to discuss flora/fauna, bank management, sediment layer and vegetation management.

Mr Willetts said they have considered the options of a fountain to oxygenate the water of the lake, and two potential contractors have been identified.

Read more >>> Call to tackle 'invasive' weed at Lexden Park lake which is 'suffocating' fish

Further information is awaited on the design, costs and timescales.

An ecological report is due to be delivered by next month.

"This will provide an update to the management plan to ascertain what is required in the way of species surveys and monitoring work before adding a specific section about the lake to the management plan," he added.

"This will be long term work extending over the next year as species surveys are season dependant."

He said the ranger team is confident it can continue to make the lake and area much cleaner for the long term.

"However, all this good work is predicated on the coalition that controls the council agreeing to budgetary provision to enable the remedial plan to proceed," Mr Willetts said.