A project in Peasedown St John that attracted vast amounts of criticism for being 900% over budget in 2021 is now in need of urgent repair work – just 18 months later!

The Parish Council, which recently imposed a 41% tax hike on residents, originally drew up plans to build a tarmac path on the Recreation Ground in 2015. The cost was just £10,000. Eventually, by the time the path had been laid, the cost had risen to £90,000.

Gavin Heathcote, an independent Parish Councillor and Chairman of the Peasedown Community Trust, voiced his views: “You just couldn’t make it up! £90,000 to lay a path not that long ago now needs urgent repair work. The cold weather, ice and frost have led to huge levels of cracks and broken tarmac that can only lead us to question the quality of the work done in the first place.”

Last week Gavin went to inspect the cracks and quality of the tarmac. “It’s absolutely dire. All that money spent on a path that was excessively over budget is deeply worrying. What else is the Parish Council spending frivolous amounts of money on without proper planning?”

At the time the project went ahead concerns were also raised about the lack of public consultation and the exclusion of several backbench Councillors from taking part in the decisions surrounding the scheme.

“There has been little transparency over this project. Several of us were excluded from meetings, or told we are ‘not entitled’ to vote or share our views.

The public have a right to know why and how this project’s costs have spiralled out of control. Plus, it’s taxpayers’ money being spent on land the Council doesn’t even own!”, added Gavin.

The Journal has reached out to the Parish Council for comment.

What do you think of the plans?