HOW Gloucestershire highways goes about fixing potholes on the county’s roads is so bad even Shire Hall Tories are speaking up about it.

Gloucestershire County Council, which is a Conservative-run authority, has been criticised countless times in the past over the state of local roads.

But now a Conservative councillor has also added his voice to the criticism, expressing his frustration over how teams go out to repair potholes and leave nearby “nearly potholes” without fixing.

Tuffley councillor Andrew Miller spoke of how the county council only deems defects in the road to be a pothole when they are more than 50mm deep.

He spoke at the corporate overview and scrutiny committee on April 19 of several “nearly potholes” which were left untouched when highways workers went out to fix a pothole in his constinuency.

“I’ve had an example quite recently in my area and there were about seven or eight which were 49mm. Within a few feet away from the 51mm one which was done,” he said.

“So, I saw it. I actually drove past as it was being filled. I drove past while it was done but I didn’t actually check what had been done.

“Funnily enough when I said, ‘hey this is a success on social media’, everybody said, ‘no it’s not really fixed, they’ve filled the 51mm one and all the other ones which are in exactly the same area, they didn’t fill.

“Now I’ve asked for some patching which will be extra money. I’ve had technical answers why highways do it.

“They only go out with the amount to fill that particular pothole but actually it doesn’t really cut it with the public.

“We would create a better impression if there was some discretion given to those people who are executing the job to fill nearly potholes. It would create a better impression with the public.

“I’m not the first person on this council to say it. That is the biggest single thing we could do to improve the customer experience.”

Deputy council leader Lynden Stowe (C, Campden-Vale) said he would not undermine the cabinet member for highways Dom Morris (C, Fairford and Lechlade on Thames).

But explained he is acutely aware of the comment county councillors make and the hundreds of comments parish councils make on a monthly basis about potholes.

“I wouldn’t disagree. We need to somehow look at that practice to see if there is a better way of doing it. I agree with you. I’m never not going to disagree on that one.”

However, deputy chief executive and executive director corporate resources Steve Mawson poured some cold water on the councillors’ hopes. He said: “Just to set some expectations, that’s not something the customer experience group are looking at. That is the work the highways team and Dom are looking at. I wouldn’t expect I would be chasing an update on that.”

Liberal Democrat group leader Ben Evans (LD, Churchdown), who attended the same meeting, said he was completely amazed to hear Conservatives criticism the way potholes are repaired.

“It’s the Tories’ own policy and under-investment that has led us to this point”, he commented.