April 19th, 2023.

Lewes Lib Dems release:



New research from the Liberal Democrats has revealed the scale of the pothole crisis at Conservative-run East Sussex County Council. The Lib Dems submitted Freedom of Information requests to County Councils about the number of potholes in the last financial year (2021/22) and the longest time in days it took to fix one. East Sussex reported an astonishing 13,081 potholes with one pothole taking 463 days to fix - well over a year!

Many residents have raised potholes as a top issue ahead of the local elections on the 4th of May. They have also raised council tax, which the Conservatives running East Sussex County Council once again raised this year by the maximum 5%. East Sussex already has one of the highest rates of council tax in the country and many residents want to know what the Conservatives are spending their money on when the roads are so clearly falling apart.

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Lewes, James MacCleary, said: "Over 13,000 potholes for a relatively small county like East Sussex is an astonishing number. You would think the Conservatives would be apologising, but of course they are only interested in deflecting blame as usual. They will say it's because they've not got enough funding, but whose fault is that? Their party colleagues in Westminster are the ones making the cuts.

"In the meantime, the Conservatives both nationally and locally are taxing us until the pips squeak. East Sussex County Council has a high rate of council tax and of course the government has hiked up income tax and National Insurance to record levels. That is what you get with the Conservatives - sky high taxes and failing public services.

"Frankly, the state of our roads reflects the state of our country under the Conservatives. Many residents in East Sussex have already started receiving their ballot papers by post for this year's local elections and I hope that they will use them to send a message to the Conservatives that enough is enough by supporting their local Liberal Democrat candidate."


www.leweslibdems.org.uk