Fears Hucknall will miss out on roads cash due to spiralling cost of project miles away

Coun Lee Waters (Ash Ind), who represents Hucknall South at County Hall, was speaking at a finance meeting of Nottinghamshire County Council, where it was revealed that the Gedling access road project is already forecast to be overspent by £5.4million.

He said: “This overspend is a disaster for this council which is already struggling from funding shortfalls due to Covid. Can we have a guarantee that no cuts will be made to the highways capital programme funding for this or any other year?

"In Ashfield, and particularly Hucknall, we already suffer from a poor allocation of funding compared to other areas.

"What impact will this have on these funds and indeed promises you made to these residents in Nottinghamshire back in May?”

Nigel Stevenson, service director for finance, procurement and improvement at the council, replied: “I take your points entirely about the impact on the highways budget and will also have to set out how that funding gap, when we do understand what that gap is, is going to be closed as a consequence."

Speaking after the meeting, Coun Waters said: “It’s clear that this major infrastructure project will cost taxpayers dearly

"It’s clear that the Conservatives have to find this money from somewhere and I am disappointed that they couldn’t provide any reassurance that promised highways improvements in towns like Hucknall will not be impacted.”