Harlow Council's Liberal Democrat leader Chris Millington has spoken out against a BBC Breakfast News feature which claimed that the town centre is declining.

The feature, broadcast on Tuesday, was part of a week-long series that the BBC is running examining the decline of the British high street.

The broadcaster used neglected areas poised for regeneration work and empty shops to suggest that the town centre is in decline, ignoring the newly developed Water Gardens area and playing down multi-million pound plans for regeneration. Liberal Democrat Leader Chris Millington said:

"They simply can't have done any research. They did not contact the Council or speak to anyone who could have explained the plans for the north area of the town which is obviously in need of improvement.

They were not interested in showing areas such as the Water Gardens, which people all agree has done wonders for the south area of the town. Encouragingly, we have even been contacted by Harlow residents who are very angry and have complained to the BBC about the feature."