Northumberland Council paid over £500k for accident claims since 2020 due to potholes and footway issues. Claims have dropped since 2022.
People filed 232 pedestrian accident claims against the council. Uneven footway flags caused 140 claims; potholes caused 35 claims.
Northumberland Council had few pothole claims in 2023 and ranked second lowest among councils with long roads. Out of 232 claims, 67 resulted in compensation.
In 2020, only 23 claims went against the council, but the number rose to 54 claims in 2021. Claims peaked in 2022 with 64, and since then, the council has seen claims drop yearly.
The council paid £516,080.33 in five years, with 2023 seeing the highest payout at £177,204. A council member stated claims decreased since 2022.
In 2024, people made 39 claims, and the council settled fifteen claims, costing £7,853. He said these figures are low for a large county.
Liverpool paid over £1.7m for 311 claims, while Hampshire paid over £1.2m for 217 claims. Northumberland had 137 pothole claims in 2023, which was low compared to other councils.
Surrey, Hampshire, and Lincolnshire had many more claims. Public safety is essential to the council, and they work hard to keep roads and paths safe. They invest to repair roadways.