GRIEVING relatives of road accident victims are to be consulted over the length of time flowers and tributes are left at the scenes of fatal traffic accidents.

Councillors meet this week to thrash out a policy over the emotive issue and to make a ruling on roadside memorials.

Council action was triggered by a memorial request from pals of schoolgirl Jenny Williamson, who lost her life when she was mown down by a car travelling at twice the 30mph speed limit in Eastham.

Jenny's father Peter Williamson conceded that the local authority was in a Catch 22 situation. He said: "They have to keep the pavements clear, but as long as the flowers and tributes are maintained they should be allowed to stay.

"It is Jenny's school friends who want the plaque and I will back them all the way."

Tory group leader Cllr Jeff Green said the situation needed handling sensitively: "I think a rigid policy is something that could lead to a lot of upset. I think a sensible decision is called for that is respectful to the memory of the victim and that also takes account of relatives' feelings and concerns.

"We need to ensure we have a balance between the victim's families and the public. As opposed to having a policy that tributes should be removed after so long, discussion should take place between loved ones and local residents on an individual basis after a respectful period of time."

Cllr Dave Mitchell, spokesman for the council's environment and transportation select committee, which meets tonight, said he had no objection to memorials, as long as they were not obtrusive.

He remarked: "You need to realise what the residents' views are. By a freak accident you could end up with a bench outside your house. You just can't force these things on the general public.

"Would you like to be reminded every time you left your house that a kid had been killed outside?"

Cllr Mitchell said he supported the concept of roadside plaques, but his own preference would be the planting of trees at accident sites. In a report to tonight's select committee, technical services director Dave Green warned that beyond the tragic circumstances involved, there were practicalities such as long-term maintenance, vandalism and suitability of location to be taken into account.

He said: "It is difficult to implement a policy that balances the needs of those wishing to place a dedication of some form on the highway with those citizens who may feel matters of this nature to be private and should perhaps be confined to appropriate places of remembrance."