My road is so full of horrendous potholes I’d rather go to JAIL than pay council tax – I won’t fork out until it’s fixed
AN OAP says he would rather go to jail than pay council tax because potholes are so bad near his home.
Ronnie Wilkie, 78, has become so fed-up with state of the surface along a country lane near his home in Herefordshire he has now vowed to stop paying council rates.
The former operations manager at Ascot Racecourse has even offered to give out free champagne to anyone who knows of a worse road for potholes.
The crater-lined C-road connects the two picturesque villages of Kinnersley and Almeley and residents say the problems have been going on for too long.
Hereford was recently named the “pothole capital of England” with 25,000 being reported to the council last year alone – more than any other area in the country.
Wilkie said: “It’s a disaster.
“I used to run Ascot Racecourse and know about road surfaces. But council tax has gone up again and I am fed up with it.
“As a local resident, I am happy to go to jail and refused to pay my council tax.
“I shall also give a bottle of champagne to the residents of a road in Herefordshire which may be found to be in a worse state than ours.”
He said that the road has been shoddily repaired five times in the past year, the most recent after he went to his MP’s office to discuss the issue.
Wilkie added: “Some people came and squirted stones in some of the holes but it soon washed out so we’re back to where we are.
“The tractors are trying to dodge the potholes but end up putting mud in the road.
“They are being foolish with public money.
“It’s being wasted when all it needs is a permanent fix.”
Herefordshire Council say that 133,000 square metres of C and U roads in the county have been improved as part of the Department for Transport’s £2.558m additional investment for highways.
Councillor Barry Durkin, cabinet member for roads and regulatory services, said: “Feedback we receive as a local authority shows that the condition of our roads is a huge priority for local residents and organisations.
“Back in November we announced this additional package of investment to our local C and U roads to improve connectivity and links between our rural communities.
What happens if you don't pay Council Tax?
You can be sent to prison for up to 3 months if the court decides you don’t have a good reason to not pay your Council Tax and you refuse to do so.
Your council can take you to court if you don’t pay the money you owe and the bailiffs can’t recover enough property to cover it.
Your council can ask a magistrate for a ‘liability order’ if you owe them unpaid Council Tax – which is a demand for payment.
The council can also get your employer to pay your unpaid Council Tax directly from your wages.
They can also take money from benefits like income support or the pension.
“We are pleased to announce that we have delivered on this promise by carrying out these works – equivalent to 15 football pitches.
“Patching repairs, followed by surface dressing of the selected roads, at an appropriate time in the life cycle of the road, is considered the most cost effective use of this funding.
“It prevents further deterioration of roads before more extensive and more expensive repairs are needed, and can extend the life of the road surface by up to ten years.”
Herefordshire Council has been contacted by The Sun.
Monster pothole in Stoke costs council £46,000
A MOTORIST who ruined their car after hitting a monster pothole was paid £46,000 by the council after complaining.
Nearly 1,000 drivers made successful pothole damage claims against Stoke-on-Trent City Council over the past four years.
A total of 1,308 compensation claims relating to vehicle damage caused by potholes on Stoke-on-Trent’s roads were made against the city council between 2020 and 2024, of which 978 were successful.
The council has had to pay out £371,914 in compensation over the four years, according to figures released following a Freedom of Information request.
The single biggest compensation award over the period was £45,915 paid out to one motorist in 2021/22.
And the number of successful claims more than doubled from 171 in 2023/24 to 403 in 2023/24, indicating that the problem is getting worse.
