A call for councillors to have more clout over budgets for some road works has been backed.
Clr Nicola Turner forced a re-think of how Kirklees Council deals with the priority roads budget for unclassified roads.
And it was revealed at a Kirklees Full Council meeting this week that Kirklees leader, Clr David Sheard, had admitted to councillors that there had been a “balls up” to how the unclassified roads budget had been dealt with this year.
An unclassified road is defined as road intended for local traffic, not a main commuting route.
A motion was backed which called for Cabinet to amend its approach so District Committees will be given a final say over which unclassified roads should receive investment.
Clr Turner, Colne Valley Lib Dem and also party leader, said: “I was told the criteria had changed and 25% of the roads have been reappraised and that this had been done alphabetically.
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“I asked the officer if they were kidding me, where is the joined up thinking?
“You don’t prioritise roads starting with ‘A’ and then ‘B’, it doesn’t make sense. They came back and said ‘Yes, that doesn’t seem right’ but I asked to see the priority list for my ward and was told I couldn’t have a copy.
Some of Huddersfield's biggest potholes over the past few years.
“Instead I’d have to go to officers with a list of roads I wanted to know about and they’d tell me.
“I want to work with the council and officers and if there is a list of works in my ward that will be patched or repaired tell me so we can let people know.”
The motion called for District Committees to have greater powers over the list for unclassified road works instead of it being “dictated” by others.
It was Clr John Taylor, Kirkburton Conservative, who revealed that the council leader, Clr David Sheard, had told members of the Rural District Committee that there had been a “balls up” with this year’s unclassified roads budget.
Clr Sheard gave him the thumbs-up as he revealed the comment.
Clr Taylor added: “He admitted that. Let’s give him his dues because at least he’s been honest enough to own up.
“I’ve spoken to highways and asked to seek some influence and got some changes, so that is progress.”
