Conservative Surrey throws £1m of Council Taxpayers money into the gutter

Commenting on the announcement that Conservative run Surrey County Council expect to save £200,000 a year on road markings through a new contract, County Councillor Stephen Cooksey, Liberal Democrat spokesman on Highways and Transportation, said: "It would be very difficult to strike a deal with anyone that didn't improve on the appalling contract for Surrey highways that is about to come to an end, or not to secure better value for money

"If the claim by the Conservative administration that £200,000 a year can be saved by the new road marking contract is in any sense accurate, it indicates that at least £1 million must have been wasted on carrying out the same work over the last 5 years which is little comfort for Surrey taxpayers.

"Of course, we hope that these saving can be made, but the basis on which the calculation has been structured seems somewhat flimsy and there is every reason to suspect that the claims might be exaggerated. The new contract is untried and untested and we will be watching very carefully to see if these claims can be justified."