Strings attached to Rotherham's pot hole cash

The Government recently announced increased funding for road repairs across the country, with £48m split between local authorities in Yorkshire and Humber.

However, they have now all been told they will have to prove the results of the progress they are making, or face losing a quarter of the cash allocated to them.

Over the whole Yorkshire and Humber region, that means £12m is at risk.

Rotherham Council was promised £4m from that Network North programme, adding to £12m the authority was already intending to spend from its own budget.

The new rule means from now on, Rotherham Council will have to publish and annual progress report and demonstrate public confidence in their work.

Those which fail to satisfy the Government will see a quarter of their funding removed - which would mean £1m in Rotherham.

The reports must be available to see on websites by the end of June.

Rotherham Council’s current package of highway repairs made up of 235 maintenance schemes, covering more than 34 miles of road and more than five miles of footpaths.

At the time, the council said they deployed “innovative” surface treatments and materials to help provide cost effective solutions.

Customer satisfaction was positive, they said, with numbers of complaints also reducing.

In the first six months of 2024, the council filled 8,000 pot holes, and fewer were being reported by residents.

In recent years, the council has been investing heavily in the boroughs roads, with £24m going into improvements over a four year period which ended as the new £16m package was announced.

The Government’s tough approach on accountability is intended to help save drivers the cost of repairs for damage caused by broken roads.

Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer said: “The broken roads we inherited are not only risking lives but also cost working families, drivers and business hundreds - if not thousands - of pounds in avoidable vehicle repairs.

“Fixing the basic infrastructure this country relies on is central to delivering national renewal, improving living standards and securing Britain’s future.”