Bill for road repair goes up by over 200% in three years

12.59.52pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 1st Feb 2006

Residents in Springfield Terrace, Idle are furious that the bill for making up their street has risen by over 200% because of Council delays. The disgraceful catalogue of delays started exactly three years ago

**February 2003 The Council started discussions with local residents promising

that the scheme would be completed in the autumn of 2004

**Autumn 2004 Residents told that the legal work would start in spring 2005 a

the works to be carried out in the summer.

**February 2005 Residents told that the work would start within the next six weeks

**May 2005 Told that legal work would start in the summer

**June 2005 Contact again by angry residents

**January 2006 Individual residents told that the cost of the scheme had risen by

32%. One resident who had been told that the bill would be

£410, not faces having pay a massive £1,292.No timetable for

the start or completion of the work.

Councillor Ward said,

'We were shocked when we saw how much the costs has escalated over three years because of the complete failure of the council to get on with the job. We want to know how the costs have been calculated and why they have increased so much and whether the Council can offer any payment options as many pensioners will find this a very heavy burden to bear.

Council policy is clear that residents are expected to pay for the adoption of the roads outside their houses but we believe that they should not have to shoulder the burden of increased costs due to Council delays.'