§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement outlining the extent to which local authorities have used funds which were originally allocated by his Department for road maintenance for other projects, making specific reference to the situation of the Cheshire county council.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyNo specific grant is made for local authority spending on local road maintenance. Road maintenance needs are included in the needs assessments used to calculate authorities' block grant entitlements. Authorities have discretion as to how they choose to spend 445W their grant. Statistical returns from Cheshire county council suggest that in 1988–89 it budgeted to spend more on local road maintenance than its assessed need to spend.