Surrey gets less pothole money than Hampshire and Kent
The Liberal Democrats have called for Surrey County Council to improve the speed and quality of pothole repair in Surrey.
Councillor Ian Beardsmore said "Surrey has received less additional government funding for pothole repair and weather repair compared with other neighbouring councils such as Hampshire and Kent. Kent received over £8 million more than Surrey in total additional funding and Hampshire received over £5 million more than Surrey. Other councils that have been successful at obtaining more money have invested in new technology and initiatives to repair their roads.
"Surrey desperately needs this extra money. The county's roads are riddled with potholes, it is very disappointing that Surrey roads will not benefit from the extra cash that other councils will receive.
"The County Council needs to learn from the best practice of other councils to increase the speed of pothole repair in Surrey. Also the Conservative administration at County Hall must do more to get its message across to central government that Surrey needs more money to repair its crumbling roads."
ENDS
NOTES
Department for Transport Press Release:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/councils-given-168-million-to-fix-local-roads
June 2014 Pothole Funding Allocation | March 2014 Weather Repair Fund | Total Additional Funding Received in 2014 | |
SOUTH EAST | £28,077,823 | £44,575,080 | £72,652,903 |
Hampshire | £6,086,445 | £11,509,673 | £17,596,118 |
Kent exc Medway Towns | £6,295,590 | £8,602,389 | £14,897,979 |
Surrey | £3,890,662 | £5,341,676 | £9,232,338 |
Oxfordshire | £3,106,730 | £4,782,149 | £7,888,879 |
West Sussex | £2,508,556 | £3,475,968 | £5,984,524 |
East Sussex | £1,443,474 | £2,645,187 | £4,088,661 |
Buckinghamshire | £1,463,514 | £2,507,486 | £3,971,000 |
Windsor and Maidenhead | £293,212 | £2,123,047 | £2,416,259 |
West Berkshire | £798,707 | £1,489,480 | £2,288,187 |
Milton Keynes | £471,427 | £371,011 | £842,438 |
Wokingham | £332,849 | £395,353 | £728,202 |
Medway Towns | £440,847 | £266,288 | £707,135 |
Brighton and Hove | £230,632 | £295,048 | £525,680 |
Southampton | £232,889 | £221,057 | £453,946 |
Bracknell Forest | £206,705 | £162,840 | £369,545 |
Reading | £163,833 | £151,947 | £315,780 |
Slough | £111,751 | £87,613 | £199,364 |
Portsmouth | ** | £146,868 | £146,868 |
Motion proposed by Ian Beardsmore to Council 15 July 2014
This Council welcomes the recently announced additional funding allocation from the Pothole Repair Fund and the Weather Repair Fund totalling £9.2m.
This Council notes that the government allocated a greater share of funding to a number of model councils that were able to demonstrate best practice in highway maintenance. These councils have invested in new technology and initiatives.
This Council agrees that Surrey County Council will:
(i) learn from best practice of other Councils to improve the speed and quality of pothole repair in Surrey
and
(ii) review the way in which the County Council bids for funding from government so that Surrey receives its fair share of funding in future.