Villagers' anger after council 'ignores' advice

CORNWALL COUNCIL'S roads' team, Cormac, has been accused of incompetency after it ignored local advice and forged ahead with roadworks during high tides – only to see the work now swamped by sea water.

Work to fill potholes and improve road surfaces was due to be carried out in Lerryn but after seeing the work schedule parishioners raised concerns and warned Cornwall Council to postpone.

Chairman of St Veep Parish Council John Halkes told the Cornish Guardian: "The parish clerk and I warned them that this was an inappropriate time for repairs, that it would be flooded and you wouldn't get a satisfactory filling.

"They went ahead and now of course we're stuck with big areas of dug patches about two inches deep."

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According to Mr Halkes the whole of the community are losing patience. He said that although they were aware of constraints on the budget it could be regarded a health and safety matter.

He added: "As far as the parish council's concerned we're getting very, very cross with the fact that the schedule of pothole repairs and road improvements, stuff we've had discussions about with Cormac, have been carried on against the full weight of local knowledge.

"Why do we bother having local councillors who know what the heck's going on if everything is totally ignored?

"It's just incompetence."

On Wednesday Cornwall councillor Gavin Shackerley visited to Lerryn to meet with Cormac area manager Teresa Frost.

Following the visit he said: "There are lessons to be learnt here. The work has currently stopped as, belatedly, they are responding to local knowledge."

He said that work is carried out on tight schedules and any delay could see the work miss its window and end up being on hold for months.

No one from Cornwall Council was available for comment.