I’ve written to Gainsborough’s Conservative Councillor with a list of 25 projects she could invest her highways locality budget into.

This is not the first time I have written. My first letter, dated 26 May 2021 included a list of ten suggested projects. Cllr Harsant sent a quick, but brief reply on 27 May 2021: “Looking at all of these and others that have been reported.  It depends how far my budget will stretch but certainly looking at them“.

I emailed asking her for an update on 27 June 2021, but haven’t heard anything from her since.

With no sign of action on the ground and the end of the financial year fast approaching I have written again asking for an urgent update. I’ve taken the opportunity to add an additional 15 projects to the list – things that I have spotted around Gainsborough, or which residents have reported to me over the last nine months.

All 25 items on the list are things that Tory-run Suffolk County Council have said they will not fund from their regular budgets. That means Councillor Harsant will need to decide whether to fund them from her Highways locality budget. If she doesn’t, they won’t get fixed.

My list of suggestions includes tidying up the patchwork repairs in Frobisher Road, fixing recurrent potholes in Worcester Road, pavement and drainage problems as well as looking at a change to waiting restrictions where dangerous parking is a problem.

You can download a copy of my letter, including the full list here. If I’ve missed something that needs sorting out, please contact me.