At last week’s budget meeting of Aberdeen City Council, Liberal Democrat proposals to increase spending on road and pavement resurfacing works by £3.3 million, which would have taken this year’s spend to £5.5 million, were rejected. The Lib Dem Group has consistently put forward proposals to at least double expenditure on road and pavement resurfacing over each of the past five years.

Kingswells, Sheddocksley, Summerhill councillor Steve Delaney said, “One of the most common concerns raised by constituents is the poor state of our roads and the under-investment in road and pavement resurfacing in recent years. In 2013 I was advised by council officers in that to get all our roads up to standard would take £20 million per annum over a 10 years period. In recent years the Council has been spending only £2.2 million per annum, a mere 10% of what’s required”.

“Now I fully understand we don’t have an odd £20 million sitting in a drawer, but prioritising an additional £3.3 million to road and pavement resurfacing would have resulted in 2.5 times as many crumbling roads and pavements being resurfaced. This could have made a huge difference to communities across Aberdeen”.

“Instead, Labour, Conservative and Independent councillors continue to waste resources on the likes of Marischal Square, a glossy brochure promoting their time in office and other pet projects”.