Reform pledges to resurface 'hundreds of miles of roads'

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE County Council’s leadership has pledged to resurface hundreds of miles of roads over the coming years as it increases spending on fixing potholes.

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

County Council leader Councillor Mick Barton (left) and cabinet member for finance Councillor Stuart Matthews

(OLIVER PRIDMORE)

Reform released its first full budget since taking over the county council on Wednesday.

Plans include one of the lowest council tax rises for the last 10 years - although opposition councillors said the planned 3.99% rise should still make Nottinghamshire residents angry, given promises made before the election.

A leaflet sent out during the campaign by John Semens and Wendy Lukacs, who both went on to be elected as Reform councillors, said: “We believe in putting local people first, delivering real results, not just empty words.

“Three issues we believe are important to highlight are: fix all potholes, freeze council tax, zero tolerance on crime and antisocial behaviour.”

Responding to promises about council tax on leaflets, council leader Mick Barton said: “Not from me. I never put council tax on the leaflets.

“If we do, we'll say we'll try and keep them as low as possible, and that’s what we're doing.”

One leaflet featuring Mr Barton during the election included the line: “Cut taxes to make work pay.”

The budget plans also include the spending of £49 million on highways maintenance over the next financial year, from April.

That is higher than the £44.7 million spent on highways maintenance for the current financial year, planned under the previous Conservative administration.