Labour and Tories at loggerheads over local spending

There's not as much money being spent on road and pavement repairs in Acton as in previous years.

The Conservatives say W3 has lost £3 million of road spending since Labour took charge.

They point to figures that show from 2007 to 2011 (when they were in power) a total of £25.5 million of council funds was committed to repairing roads and footpaths. Since 2011 and up to to 2015 the council only intends to spend £15.5 million - a 10 million (or 40%) cut. 

Acton has had £340K on repairs - previously the average ward spending in Ealing was £1.1 million.  

Conservative spokesman for Transport and Environment, Cllr Phil Taylor, said:

''Too many of Acton’s roads are in poor shape.  Not only has Labour cut spending on roads and footpaths by 40% overall but it has cut back even harder in Acton.  In the 3 years that Labour has been in charge it has only allocated £339,018 to Acton.  When the Conservatives were in power we spent £1.1 million per ward on average.  So Acton has lost £3.0 million of road spending. 

“Labour would rather spend your money on the Ealing civic quarter and a car park in Southall.  The road where you live is not a priority for them.” 

But Labour's Cabinet member for Environment and Transport, Cllr Bassam Mahfouz says:

'' In each of the past four years we have had independent assessments on the condition of every road across the borough with the worst roads coming in line for resurfacing.  This year we are investing £5.5m, despite the government’s slashing of our budget, and are able to resurface roads that scored 70 or above (meaning they are in need of resurfacing - 100 being the worst condition and 0 being the best).

'' What Cllr Taylor appears to be suggesting is that we should manipulate the scores to allocate road resurfacing budgets on a geographical basis rather than one of greatest need.  Given in the last year of his administration his own ward of Northfields ward got 15 roads resurfaced whilst most other wards across the borough got only a fraction of that, perhaps there is something more he needs to be telling the people of Acton?''

Acton Road Repair info:

In 2011 Acton Central ward had Essex road resurfaced at a cost of £72K.  No other roads have been tackled and no pavements. 

One side of two pavements have been tackled in East Acton (Station Road  £16K in 2011 and Maple Avenue £33K in 2012).  No roads have been tackled in East Acton. 

South Acton has done slightly better with three roads resurfaced to the value of £219K (Acton Lane, Danehurst Gardens, Granville Gardens).  No pavements have been renewed in South Acton. 

What are the roads/pavements like near you? Discuss on the forum.

26th June 2013