AS THE thaw reveals scores of potholes, it has emerged that the amount spent on repairing roads in the borough has fallen 42.6 per cent in five years.

The figures were obtained by county councillor Ron Hussey through a Freedom of Information request.

Cllr Hussey, a Liberal Democrat who represents the Basingstoke Central division, called the reduction in expenditure “shocking” and made worse by inflation.

His figures show that in 2004-05, Hamp-shire County Council spent £2.8million on routine and special maintenance in Basingstoke and Deane, but by 2008-09 the amount spent on this and the county’s “pothole-busters” campaign had fallen to £1.6m.

Cllr Hussey said there are some serious problems with potholes in some parts of the borough, with the concrete beneath the road surface crumbling.

And a county officer had admitted in an email that there was insufficient cash for proper pothole repairs.

Cllr Hussey said: “By making do all the time, gradually the fabric of the road is being downgraded.

“I would agree with pothole-filling and patching as a short-term measure provided there is a longer term plan to do it properly.”

The county council did not answer Cllr Hussey’s criticism, when The Gazette requested a response.

However, on the subject of pothole repairs, council leader Cllr Ken Thornber, a Tory, said in a statement: “We will review our plans, of course, in the light of this unprecedented spell of freezing weather, but at the moment you will appreciate that in terms of the highway, all available resources are concentrated on keeping the main roads clear and doing what we can to tackle the minor roads and footways.”

Cllr Thornber said the council already has an extensive maintenance programme, including pothole repairs.

Last year, the council allocated £2m, specifically for road repairs, on to its £58m annual road maintenance budget.

The Basingstoke-based AA has called for councils and the Government to provide emergency funding for road repairs.

Paul Watters, the AA’s head of road and transport policy, said: “Potholes need to be filled in quickly.

“There are a lot of people with damaged wheels and tyres.”

*Tell us about any potholes that are causing you grief. Call the newsdesk on 01256 33744 or email newsdesk@basingstokegazette.co.uk.