The council leader warns that funding cuts could mean potholes are left unrepaired if snow strikes

POTHOLES caused by a harsh winter may go unrepaired because of funding cuts, a council leader has warned.

Cllr Ann John, leader of Brent Council, told the Times that if a deluge of cold weather strikes the borough again this year, motorists will have to cope with cracks and breakages as the council doesn’t have the money undertake high numbers of street repairs.

Temperatures have already dropped and weather experts warning that London could face early snowfall this year.

Cllr Anne John said: “The financial situation is such that repairing every pot hole here is just not going to be a possibility.

“We can’t do anything if we don’t have the money.

“However, it all depends on how severe the winter is going to be.

“If the roads to get into a terrible state, then it will put pressure on the Government to allocate extra funding to councils to carry out these repairs.”

Heavy snowfall last year left the council struggling to find enough grit to clear the borough’s roads, and many elderly residents complained that they were effectively stranded in their homes as the icy pavement outside was too treacherous for them to walk.

However, council chiefs this year have ordered in an extra 1,000 tonnes of salt in a bid to keep Brent moving.

Yet despite the extra supplies, Cllr John warned that they would be unable to grit all the smaller, residential streets.

She said: “Last year the council nearly ran out of grit so we have stocked up more this year.

“But this still doesn’t mean that we can grit every street.

“We have big road like the North Circular and the Edgware Road which we have to take priority.

“However, when we get calls from elderly people who are having difficulty we will always send someone round to help them.”

Cllr John also urged residents to check on vulnerable neighbours they thought could be badly affected, should snow strike.