Dudley Council's Pothole Policy Under Fire Following Government 'Red' Rating
Highways chiefs at Dudley Council have been forced to defend their approach to pothole repairs after a recent government report highlighted significant concerns. The Department for Transport's assessment, published on January 11, awarded the authority an overall amber rating for road maintenance. However, in a more troubling development, Dudley was one of only 18 out of 154 highways authorities across the country to receive a red rating specifically for best practice.
Calls for Comprehensive Review
At a meeting of the council's Communities and Growth Scrutiny Committee on January 21, Labour councillor Parmjit Sahota urged for an expansion of an already planned winter maintenance review. He argued that the committee must demand a wider, systematic examination of the council's policies and procedures.
"The committee really needs to ask for a wider systematic review," stated Cllr Sahota. "We need detailed forensics on policies, procedures and processes and why increasing investment has not delivered." He emphasised that the response should extend beyond winter maintenance to address the fundamental issues raised by the report.
Council's Defence and Strategic Shift
In response, Councillor Simon Phipps, Dudley's cabinet member for economy and infrastructure, explained the challenges faced by the council. He highlighted the delicate balance between preventative maintenance and reactive repairs, noting that preventative measures often attract complaints despite their long-term benefits.
"Preventative maintenance is one thing that, every single time the council does it, we get scores of complaints from councillors; then we get complaints for not doing enough preventative maintenance," Cllr Phipps remarked. He detailed that preventative maintenance typically involves Surface Dressing, a technique where a layer of stones is applied to the road surface. These stones break up under traffic, protecting the underlying road structure, though the process can be messy.
Cllr Phipps acknowledged a strategic shift in approach, stating, "We moved away from short-term reactive repairs towards longer term road resurfacing, it is going to take time to get that up to speed." He expressed a preference for full resurfacing but conceded it isn't feasible in all situations across the borough's extensive network of over 700 miles of roads.
Commitment to Improvement
Nick McGurk, Dudley's group director for communities and growth, reinforced the council's commitment to enhancing its road maintenance strategies. He pointed out that the move towards more planned preventative measures is relatively recent, with only two years of implementation so far.
"I don't want to see any red ratings, we are constantly striving to improve," McGurk assured. This sentiment echoes the council's ongoing efforts to refine its processes and deliver better outcomes for residents.
Ongoing Concerns and Future Directions
The red rating for best practice, as opposed to reactive measures, has raised particular concerns among councillors. Cllr Sahota stressed the importance of addressing the root causes identified in the report to ensure sustainable improvements in road quality.
As Dudley Council navigates these challenges, the call for a thorough review underscores the broader pressures facing local authorities in maintaining infrastructure amid budget constraints and increasing public expectations. The outcome of this scrutiny could set a precedent for how similar issues are managed across the Midlands and beyond.
