The Road Maintenance Section receives a consistently high volume of service requests and defect reports from elected members and members of the public. In the first five months of 2026, almost 3,000 customer submissions were received. The most common categories of these reports relate to road repairs, footpath repairs, hedge and grass cutting, potholes, and road markings. Issues such as misaligned or obscured signage, missing street name plates, and vegetation encroachment on footpaths are also regularly identified through this channel.

The merit in the intent of the motion is acknowledged, particularly in seeking to move towards a more proactive rather than reactive maintenance approach across the County’s road network. However, under current operational arrangements, the volume, coverage and frequency of inspections proposed would not represent an efficient use of available resources. The Council is responsible for approximately 1,200 kilometres of county roads, in addition to associated footpaths, signage, and ancillary infrastructure. To undertake a comprehensive inspection of this entire network twice yearly, as proposed, would require a very significant increase in staffing and associated resources. In this context, and having regard to current demands and service priorities, such an inspection programme would be inefficient when compared to the benefits derived.

The existing level of reporting provides a continuous and responsive source of information on the condition of the County’s roads and associated infrastructure. The majority of the issues that would be identified through a formal biannual inspection regime are brought to the attention of the Council through these customer submissions and member representations, allowing the Road Maintenance resources to prioritise and address defects based on need.

The number of Road Inspectors has increased from three to four in 2026, strengthening the Council’s capacity to identify and assess maintenance requirements across the County. These inspectors, together with other Roads staff operating on the ground, provide a level of ongoing observation and oversight of the road network. While this does not constitute a formally programmed and committed twice-yearly inspection regime, it does provide a practical level of coverage across the County.