NATIONAL celebrities have declined offers to take up posts on a special rural commission for Essex.

Offers to become members and chairman of the commission have been declined by environmentalist Zac Goldsmith; green gastronome Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall and columnist Simon Jenkins.

Responses are still awaited from Countryfile's John Craven and travel writer Bill Bryson.

But a county scrutiny committee was this week assured by Ed Gregory of the county partnerships division that the snub was not against Essex.

Mr Gregory said summer holidays already booked and potentially intensive work have been off-putting to prospective members of the commission.

County environment expert Cllr Kay Twitchen tried to get Environment Agency chief Sir John Harman to chair the commission, but she said he declined because he wanted this summer off after 12 years in his present post.

She suggested approaches Great Leighs journalist Simon Heffer or author and north Essex resident, Germaine Greer.

But Cllr Gerard McEwen said: “Who thought of these people?

“I have in mind someone like a former High Sheriff of Essex.”

Scrutiny chairman Cllr John Aldridge said: “We don't just want rural types, or the pro-hunting lobby or even people with party political intent.

“The aim is to find new ways to make rural communities work better.

“We have until the end of July to appoint a chairman and between five and seven commissioners.”

Later he told the Chronicle “I am not concerned at these refusals.

“My committee is asking to make the appointments because we are independent of the cabinet.”

The commission with an expenses budget of up to £10,000 will examine disadvantages of rural life like decades of loss of amenity, difficult transport and lack of joined up pubic services.

The commission should convene in July and make a detailed report and recommendations by February ahead of next year's county elections.