Labour: give residents say on repair priorities

Labour Is promising to give local people a role in setting the priorities for maintenance schemes if they take control of Southampton City Council.

The Local Government Information Unit says Southampton is one of 9 unitary councils that will be closely fought on the 3rd May. Labour needs to gain six seats to take control of the Conservative-run authority. 

The Southampton Labour manifesto promises “to consult residents and businesses on the priorities for highway and footway repairs and renewal” undertaken for the authority if they win. The roads and pavements to be treated each year are  informed by the priorities in the Transport Asset Management Plan and are approved by the council’s cabinet.

The Southampton Conservatives’ manifesto in contrast says the party will “work with the council’s commercial partner Balfour Beatty to continue to improve the city’s infrastructure”.

The Audit Commission claimed the move by some councils towards a “more localist, resident-led approach” to managing maintenance budgets was “worrying” because  “residents’ concerns may push councils towards a worst-first strategy... limit[ing] funds for preventive work” .

Discuss this an more at LTT's Future of Highways Delivery event in Manchester on the 27 June 2012