COVENTRY’S conservative councillors have called for action after raising concerns about the ‘appalling’ state of the city’s highways and footpaths.
A motion was put forward by Coun Mattie Heaven at last week’s full council meeting after receiving several complaints from Coventrians about the issue.
Coun Heaven said although she acknowledged there was less funding available due to the pandemic and the Ukraine war, funds needed to be ‘more effectively used ‘ in the city.
“The quality of repairs needs to be under scrutiny so that we do not have to repair a poorly finished job that is ultimately not costing more in the long run.
“There is always money for the council to loan to other projects such as Coombe Abbey and the City of Culture Trust, but while the council tax increases we never have enough money for basic repairs in our city.”
Coun Heaven suggested introducing a community infrastructure levy so developers who want to build houses on the Greenbelt would need to contribute towards infrastructure such as roads and pavement repair.
She also recommended looking into a sponsorship programme for highways.
In February, Conservative councillors proposed allocating an additional £275,000 per year for improving highways and tackling potholes in a rejected alternative budget.
In an amendment to the motion, Coun Patricia Hetherton referenced 13 years of cuts to Coventry’s funding from Westminster and Labour’s plans to invest £13million to repair the city’s roads and pavements.
She also revealed only seven miles of road would be resurfaced or treated in 2023/24 as £1million would buy 64 per cent less resurfacing than it did in 2010.
“Capital funding has remained static over the past ten years and delivered less due to inflation.
“Inflation costs are very real- it’s not just what we would like to do it’s about what we can do.”
Coventry conservative leader Gary Ridley contacted the Observer earlier this month raising his worries about footpaths in Woodlands ward.
He said: “I recognise the financial situation is difficult and that there is a national problem with highways.
“The reason we brought this motion forward wasn’t to pull the wool over people’s eyes and say this is a Coventry-only problem.
“The point is that there are things we could be doing that we’re not doing.”
