Councillors Agree To Over £15M Investment In East Sussex Highway Repairs

East Sussex County Council is set to invest an additional £15.7m in its highway repairs this year.

On Tuesday (June 27), cabinet members agreed to draw £5.6m from reserves to pay for extra patching and drainage work around the county, as well as  increase the capital programme by £5.1 million, funded through borrowing.

Cabinet members also agreed to ask for full council sign-off on an additional £5m for early improvements intended to make the road network more resilient.

The recommendation comes after cabinet members asked at the start of the year for detailed modelling of how extra investment could be most effective and, when put together, would bring the council’s spending on highways this year to almost £34m.

Introducing the proposals, Cllr Claire Dowling, lead member for transport and environment, said:

“Last winter we experienced the wettest November on record, followed by days below freezing in December and the wettest March for 40 years. This saw significant deterioration in the condition of the road surface, with over 15,000 potholes repaired since January. 

“Cabinet requested work to be undertaken to understand the condition of the network and the following modelling and maintenance strategy has been developed. 

“By increasing the capital programme by £5.1m per annum, to give an annual investment of £23.2m frontloaded with an additional early investment of £5m on top focused on the largest proportion of the network, the unclassified roads which are in the poorest condition.

“This will provide early improvements and better resistance against extreme weather.”

While opposition groups broadly welcomed the investment, there was some criticism over the timing and scope of the proposals. 

David Tutt, leader of the council’s Liberal Democrat Group said:

“Every year there is something in the weather that is abnormal, there is always a reason we can point to with the weather as being a cause.

“But, what I believe we have, is a backlog. Whilst the additional money will go someway to address [the backlog], it won’t totally address [it].

“I could point to and I guess many, if not all, councillors could point to roads in their divisions that actually need to be totally resurfaced, relaid.”

He added:

“We will always need the quick fixes. We will always need, when a pothole appears to address that. 

“But alongside that I think we need a long term  programme to look at the roads which really do need relaying so we don’t end up wasting money putting in quick fixes.”

There was also criticism from Labour councillor Godfrey Daniel, who said: 

“I am not against all the extra investment into highways. I have always spoken up for highways in all my time on this council. But the main question I’ve got is why has it taken you so long? Why is it only now you are doing it?

“Yes, the local weather has been challenging at times perhaps, but the local elections were even more challenging for the present regime. Maybe you are conscious of the next election, because reputationally, I have to say, the county council is identified with potholes. 

“It is always nice to welcome the conversion of a sinner, so it is nice that at long, long last you are making real attempts to put real money in to deal with this problem. Personally, I am very supportive of what you are doing, I just wish it could have happened a long, long time ago.”

These comments prompted a response from council leader Keith Glazier, who said:

“The bottom line is that you had the opportunity to increase funding every year as we do. 

“We’ve always done it based on evidence, you I guess would have just plucked this £300m out of the air or lumbered the council tax payers with more bills. But who knows?”

The £300m referenced by Cllr Glazier is the additional money officers estimate would be need to be invested to raise the condition of all of the county’s roads to a ‘good’ condition. 

As it stands, officers are recommending a more limited additional investment of £5.1m each year for the next 10 years. When combined with other investments, this is expected to move 40 more miles of roads into good condition and significantly reduce the proportion of roads in East Sussex needing repair.