Staffordshire allocates an extra £15M from reserves to fix potholes and unblock gullies, addressing climate change impacts on roads.
The £15 million comes from a reserve fund. They will use it for climate change road fixes, helping roads adapt to climate effects. Councillor Parry said climate change impacts the budget.
Staffordshire has had many storms and heavy rains. Managing floods has become difficult. Last year, they spent more on winter damage repair, and they will keep that level of funding. This means more gully cleaning and defect repairs.
They will take £15 million from reserves, as this contingency fund was larger than needed. They will reinvest this money in climate response, on top of the £5 million already allocated. They might add pothole repair teams and more teams could tackle flooding too.
They expect more gully emptying and dig downs, which should help stop climate change issues. Councillor Parry said this is just a start; they face a struggle for years. He thinks this investment is significant, and taxpayers and road users should welcome it.
Last year, the county invested extra in road fixes. This was on top of the regular road budget. A council report said this keeps resources steady, and highways will have the same support as last year.
They propose extra utility work inspections, a problem residents see. The county will increase small transport projects and improve their communications. This investment will increase road work.
They can repair 14,000 more potholes and fix 1,400 more drains. Plus, they can clean 46,000 more gullies yearly. This improves roads and reduces future needs, cutting down on damage claims.
Mark Deaville said last year’s money helped a lot. They fixed many roads after a wet winter, fixing 153 potholes each day, inspecting 18% more gullies also. Climate change affects the roads and they must prepare for extreme weather.
So, they will use the funding to address long-term issues, including enforcing drainage rules on landowners. Nigel Yates wanted a £2 million fund for climate change. He said Parry took on his idea, and Yates’s idea was mitigation.
Yates said climate change effects are obvious; rain is increasing, and weather is extreme. His fund would improve flood defenses, including better drain construction, being a one-time reserve use. The amendment did not get enough votes.
Councillors approved the Conservative budget. Labour and an independent abstained. Band D households will pay £1,621 for county services, £1.48 extra per week versus last year.
Despite the 4.99% rise, council tax is low. Councillor Parry said they cannot borrow and must stay within their budget. Almost £7 of every £10 goes to vulnerable people; the rest funds everything else.
Careful planning allows them to maintain services and invest in jobs and quality of life.