By DAVID COULTER

Last updated at 08:00, Wednesday, 13 March 2013

ALTHOUGH the district’s roads are in desperate need of repair, Northumberland County Council thought it would be a good idea to resurface its own depot in Bellingham.

Coun. John Riddle inspects the newly relaid surface on the road into the council depot at Bellingham.

But the decision to lay 60 tonnes of tar in the council yard has caused outrage in the village, where motorists are plagued by potholes littering local roads.

Bellingham county councillor John Riddle said :“It’s a red rag to a bull, especially when local garages have never been so busy replacing springs and suspension parts as a result of people driving into potholes.

“More often than not, they get nowhere with their complaints and have to pay for the repairs themselves. So, for the council to waste three wagon loads in its own depot is indefensible.

“The roads have never been in a worse condition and I don’t think the council can justify this decision.

“I could give the council a long list of areas where the tar would be better used. I can’t for the life of me think that the council yard was a priority.”

A spokesman for the county council said the work was deemed necessary.

“It is not the policy of the council to give priority to repairing assets used for service delivery over repairing more urgent defects on the highway.”

First published at 07:39, Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk