Call for rethink on Monmouthshire's £3.9m pothole repairs

New ways to fill potholes will be considered by a council facing an £80 million roads maintenance backlog and which admitted machinery is unused. 

Up to £3.6m is being made available, over three years, from the start of the new financial year in April to address potholes, along with maintenance of footpaths and bridges, but one councillor said his authority’s approach to the problem needs to be rethought. 

Cllr Tony Kear warned a failure to address potholes would lead to accidents and potentially fatalities for cyclists and motorcyclists and his motion called for recognition of the “ongoing decline of the condition” of Monmouthshire’s roads and an “urgent and transparent review of alternative methods of road repairs including a full cost analysis.” 

It also requires the council to bring forward a “clear action plan” within six months with proposals to repair the county’s highways “in a more sustainable and cost-effective way” and publication of “clear and transparent” performance data on highways maintenance spending and outcomes. 

The Usk and Llanbadoc member told the county council’s March meeting he thought he should declare an interest as during the past 12 months he’s had to replace four tyres on his car at a cost of more than £1,000. 

But the Conservative said he wasn’t asking for more money: “This is not a cry for more money, tax and spend is not the answer.” 

He said Monmouthshire repeatedly “patches” potholes, and sometimes uses the back wheels of its lorries to fill and flatten stop gap repairs. Other councils, said Cllr Kear, are shifting to “preventative” measures while Monmouthshire’s approach is “reactive, short term and looks expensive”. 

He also complained the council hadn’t agreed to use a ‘Pothole Pro’ machine from JCB after he organised in free two day trial in July 2023 and that Labour cabinet members and backenchers hadn’t attended the demonstration.  

Councillor Catrin Maby, the cabinet member responsible for highways, said she would agree to the further two day trial, available from this Apri, but said the council shouldn’t limit itself to looking at one product. She also said she should have provided a full written report following the previous trial, which was held while she was on holiday. 

The Drybridge member said she had “no problem” with the motion and the council is already doing what it requests and said it had increased spending on highways every year since Labour came to power at County Hall in 2022. 

Labour’s deputy leader Paul Griffiths said he couldn’t believe the condition of the roads in his Chepstow Castle and Larkfield ward when he stood for election in 2022 but the administration had borrowed £1m in 2024 to fix roads, an initiative since copied by the Welsh Government. 

“Outside the Bulwark shops they weren’t potholes but craters the size of footballs,” said Cllr Griffiths who said the area had since been resurfaced as well as the road leading to Garden City and Chepstow High Street.  

He said roads in Usk were also repaired last year and many other areas of the county. 

The quality of the resurfacing at the Bulwark was questioned by Conservative member for Portskewett Lisa Dymock who said residents are “frustrated” and feel repairs do not last. 

Labour’s Ben Callard, the councillor responsible for finance, criticised Cllr Kear and the Conservative group for voting against the budget which includes the £3.6m figure for repairs, which had been increased by £2m over three years as a result of feedback from residents. 

The Llanfoist and Govilon member said: “You had the opportunity to vote for dedicated funding, and proper repairs, to roads and you voted against it.” 

He also said the council has equipment which it doesn’t have the staff to operate, or money to cover repairs, and said the budget provides for that. 

As well as repairs to roads and footpaths the council is making £4.96m available over two years to restore the grade II listed Chainbridge, near Usk, to two way traffic, with half the money provided by the Welsh Government, and is investing in new gulley-cleaning and street sweeping teams in response to concerns raised by councillors.