It could take 25 years to fix Wiltshire's roads, meeting hears
A scrutiny committee raised concerns after the council's first annual report was published
It will take 25 years to repair Wiltshire’s “horrendous” roads at the current rate of just over 100 miles a year, a meeting has heard.
The first annual report issued by Wiltshire Council raised uncomfortable questions when it was scrutinised by a cross-party committee of members.
The influential Overview & Scrutiny Management Committee got the first glimpse of the 40-page report, which will go before the council’s Liberal Democrat-led Cabinet and then Full Council before being made public.
The report kicks off with fascinating figures: a £567.947 million budget – just over a pound for each of the county’s 523,700 residents – 13,746 potholes repaired, 6,317 planning applications processed, 3.6 million visits to leisure centres, and 1.447 million library visits.
The document then dives into the key services the council is responsible for – looking after vulnerable adults, and children; keeping residents safe; protecting the environment – and that’s everything from tackling climate change to recycling – for future generations; promoting healthier lives; supporting the economy; transport and highways; building new homes; and supporting culture.
Introducing the document, council leader Ian Thorn said: “This report is important because it shows how we are delivering on the priorities that matter most to residents.
“It provides an opportunity to be open about what we have achieved, where challenges remain, and how we are responding.”
And the council’s Chief Executive, Lucy Townsend, said it reflected: ” a year of strong performance and exceptional commitment from our staff.”
But scrutineers wanted to drill into the report further.
On climate change, Dr Nick Murry (Chippenham Monkton, Independent) said: “If you look at the emissions for the county they’re increasing instead of decreasing.
“We did commit to making the county carbon neutral and yet our ambition seems to have gone out the window.”
Cllr Mel Jacob, the council’s deputy leader, responded: “I don’t think there’s a lack of ambition. There’s still the ambition to make Wiltshire Council carbon neutral by 2030.”
She said making the council carbon neutral would be easier than decarbonising the county – an ambition that Reform UK leader Ed Rimmer said was “impossible.”
Elsewhere Cllr Bridget Wayman (Nadder Valley, Conservative) had questions about had a question about roads.
“The report says over 118 miles of roads have been resurfaced. In the grand scheme of things that’s four per cent of all our highways. It’s going to take 25 years if we’re going to resurface all of them.
“It doesn’t give the whole story. I guess most people in Wiltshire have know how many miles of road we have. Our roads are still deteriorating. There are plenty of horrendous roads that still need replacing.”
She asked for the total miles of roads in Wiltshire – 2,800 – to be included in the report for comparison.
The committee noted the report.