FLINTSHIRE Council has hit back at criticism after it carried out repairs to a pothole-pitted road in Buckley.

The long-awaited resurfacing of an unadopted alley off Chester Road was completed to the delight of residents.

But Connah’s Quay councillor Bernie Attridge said Flintshire Council should not have paid £4,000 for repairs while badly damaged roads in other wards have been waiting much longer for repair.

Flintshire Council has strongly refuted claims of favouritism.

A spokesman for Flintshire Council said: “Residents had expressed concern for many years that the damage to the surface of the alley had been caused by the refuse vehicles and this assessment was eventually accepted by the council on the grounds the damage could clearly be attributed to the waste vehicles regularly using the alley.

“It was agreed that residents should contribute towards the cost of repair works and the council contributed £4,358. The total cost was £5,290.

“A letter was sent to each resident confirming that the works were being carried out without prejudice and without any commitment to future maintenance.

“The council refutes any suggestion that favouritism has been shown to any particular area of the county.”

Cllr Attridge has called for an investigation into the matter.

He said: “I have personally been requesting for seven years that unadopted roads and footpaths in my ward be resurfaced.

“But I was told time and time again that they could not be done as there were so many across the county.

“I hope pressure has not been put on officers to do this particular road.

“It is in the public interest that I get to the bottom of this.”

Cllr Attridge has now made a request under the Freedom of Information Act to see all correspondence between officers and Buckley Bistre East Cllr Richard Jones, whose ward contains Chester Road, including handwritten notes.

Cllr Jones, who lobbied tirelessly for the resurfacing, has also refuted claims of favouritism.

He said: “Residents came to me with this complaint and I did everything I could to form an argument that it should be resurfaced.

“I presented this argument to the council and I was successful. I’m not hiding anything.

“I just helped the people the best I could.”