Councils call for greater funding for road repairs amid £14bn backlog and rise in compensation claims

The Local Government Association has called for greater long-term funding certainty in response to data that shows councils are grappling with hundreds of compensation claims for flooding damage and have a £14 billion backlog in road repairs.

The LGA's Transport spokesperson, Cllr Darren Rodwell said increased funding would allow councils to invest in preventative treatments that help avoid more dangerous potholes developing.

His comments came in response to research from insurer Zurich Municipal, which showed that between January 2020 and December 2022 councils received 740 claims from property owners for flood damage caused by sudden downpours.

Of these cases, councils accepted liability 128 times, paying out more than £975,000. To August this year alone, Zurich Municipal has set aside £368,000 for 112 claims.

Many claims received by councils involve flood damage from blocked gutters, gullies and culverts, the report noted.

Zurich Municipal claimed cuts in central government highways funding are exacerbating the issue, with townhalls forced to stretch shrinking budgets to carry out road repairs and maintenance.

Alix Bedford, a risk expert at Zurich Municipal, said: “Well-maintained roads and drainage systems are vital for managing heavy rainfall, and mitigating the risk of flash flooding.

“Reduced funding from central government is making it increasingly challenging for councils to repair and maintain local highways.

“While potholes are a visible result of the budget shortfalls impacting townhalls, a less apparent yet potentially more devastating consequence is flash flooding."

She added: “Ministers need to recognise the far-reaching impact of a lack of investment in local highways, and do more to help councils ensure roads and drainage systems can cope with torrential rain, especially as our climate changes.”

Responding to Zurich’s report, Cllr Rodwell said: "Instead of paying for costly compensation claims, councils much prefer to use their budgets to keep our roads in a good condition, in turn reducing the risk of damage to vehicles and personal injuries.

“However, this has become increasingly challenging, with an estimated and growing £14 billion backlog of repairs to bring all local roads across the country up to scratch.

“This is combined with the problems caused to local infrastructure by extreme weather events such as flooding, which are predicted to become more common in the future.

“All councils need greater, longer-term funding certainty so that they can invest in preventative treatments that help avoid more dangerous potholes developing in the first place. This will also allow them to put in place adaptions to reduce the risks more extreme weather will present in the future.”

Zurich’s findings come as towns and cities throughout the country experience repeated episodes of flash flooding.

In Kent, Hastings Borough Council, which has been afflicted with repeated flooding as a result of poor sewage infrastructure, recently announced it is considering legal action against Southern Water over repairs.

Adam Carey