Councils told to publish details of pothole spending

Councils in England must provide evidence of work they are carrying out to fill potholes, the UK Government has said.

From mid-April, local authorities will start to receive their share of £1.6 billion in highway maintenance funding. However, to get the full amount, the government says they must publish annual progress reports and prove public confidence in their work, with authorities who fail to comply seeing 25% of their funding withheld.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “The public deserves to know how their councils are improving their local roads, which is why they will have to show progress or risk losing 25% of their £500m funding boost.”

AA president Edmund King said: “Getting councils to show value for money before getting full funding is a big step in the right direction, as it will encourage a more concerted attack on the plague of potholes. 

“At the same time, local authorities can share best practice, so others can learn what new innovations and planned maintenance techniques have worked for them.”