Wiltshire Council do not know the cost of highway repairs

Independent Wiltshire Councillor Terry Chivers has been told that the council are unable to tell him how much eight temporary repairs to a pothole in Atworth has cost to repair. 

Cllr Chivers made a freedom of information request to the council to find out the cost to the taxpayers, after the council’s contractor Balfour Beatty filled the large hole eight times rather than doing a permanent job.

In their reply to him Wiltshire Council said, “In response to your request, officers have confirmed that the information you are requesting is not recorded at the level requested. Unfortunately, officers within our Local Highways service area are unable to get a price to how much eight potholes cost to fill as this is part of a service we pay for as a lump sum within the community team payment.”

Cllr Chivers said, “It’s little wonder that the council’s finances are in such a mess, if they don’t know how much a simple job such as filling a pothole is costing them. It’s nothing but a joke, you couldn’t make it up if you tried. Both I and local residents are sick of all these temporary jobs being done, no one seems to want to take responsibility and they keep passing the buck.

“The trouble is, that it’s not a joke; customers using the Bear Garage in Atworth have been damaging their cars as they enter and leave the garage as its in the edge of the road at the entrance. I would advise those that have damaged their cars to make a claim against the council.”