Liberal Democrats Demand Immediate Action on Pavement Repairs

9.04.54pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 25th Jun 2007

Uttlesford Liberal Democrats are calling on the Conservative-controlled County Council to repair Uttlesford's pavements.

The new leader of Uttlesford District Council's Liberal Democrat group, Peter Wilcock, is calling for more action on pavement repairs now that Tory-controlled Essex County Council is pressing ahead with switching off street lights overnight in Uttlesford's towns and villages.

Cllr Wilcock said: "The deteriorating state of repair of roads and pavements in our area is a disgrace, with the extra insult that people will not see some of the potholes until it is too late - because the street lights are being switched off."

"The Conservatives will be held to account when accidents happen due to the lights being turned off and if people hurt themselves on poorly maintained pavements. Tory-controlled Essex County Council have had plenty of time to sort this out and they have failed miserably", said Cllr Andrew Yarwood, pictured highlighting the problems of poorly maintained walkways in Newport.

After years of pressure, Liberal Democrats at Essex County Council have succeeded in pushing the Conservative administration into prioritising pavement repairs. This year Essex Lib Dem county councillors proposed putting money in the budget to do the job, but Essex's ruling Conservative county councillors voted the proposal down, claiming that the funding was not necessary.

In yet another spectacular U-turn, Essex Conservatives recently admitted that the money must be spent. At a meeting of the County Council's Cabinet in May, a proposal to increase spending on footways maintenance by £6.5 million over the next two years was agreed by Essex Conservatives.

At the Cabinet meeting, Essex Lib Dem leader, Tom Smith-Hughes, said: "I can't resist pointing out that the Liberal Democrats have been proposing such a cash injection to start dealing with the unacceptable state of pavements in the county for some years. Until now we have been told this was not necessary. I am glad that the Conservative administration is at last beginning to recognise the serious problem of not properly maintaining pavements, the unsatisfactory state of which the residents in Essex have had to experience for far too long."

Cllr Martin Foley, representing Thaxted, Duton Hill and Little Bardfield, added: "At the recent elections, Uttlesford Tories promised to repair pavements and footpaths, even though Uttlesford District Council has no responsibility for them. Hopefully they will be holding the County Council to account."