"Can you just fix our roads, please" - Calderdale councillors discuss costs to repair potholes

The Calderdale Council Cabinet member was addressing the issue of potholes which a number of councillors say are an issue most frequently raised with them by residents.

At a meeting of the full Calderdale Council, Coun Abigail Carr (Lib Dem, Warley) said: “This is representative of what we get in our inboxes all the time – ‘can you just fix our roads, please’.”

Cabinet member for Public Services and Communities, Coun Jenny Lynn (Lab, Park) said scrutiny councillors had a recent session on the process for repairing potholes and recent budget provision had been made for road repairs.

But sometimes potholes were indicative of more major repairs needed.

“If we have a situation where potholes are being repaired and repaired and repaired, and the repair fails, sometimes that is a sign that the overall asset of the road needs comprehensive repair.

“The requirement to repair all of our highway assets in Calderdale is something like £278 million to bring them all up to scratch.

“We have got somewhere between £7 million and £8 million that we’re going to be spending on this.

“That gives you some indication that over a number of years, the cutbacks we have experienced – not just us but all local authorities – particularly from central government have meant that we recognise that in many ways much of our infrastructure is not what it should be,” said Coun Lynn.