Volunteers could work on Devon highways

Cost-cuts at Devon County Council could see volunteers working on the region's highways.

The council has slashed its highways budget by £18m since 2010 and is now faced with cutting a further £3.4million by 2016.

Consultation proposals released by the council could see pothole repairs and road sign cleaning become the responsibility of volunteers.

Local communities could also be made responsible for things like restocking their own grit bins.

The ‘road warden’ scheme is designed to reduce costs by encouraging communities to work with the council to carry out minor maintenance work.

Volunteers would be nominated by town and parish councils and would receive training from the council.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, DCC highways chief, told the Exmouth Journal: “The county council’s reduced budgets means that every service area of the council is affected, including highways.

“The Government is reducing revenue funding year on year, and we’re facing massive pressure on our budgets.

“There are some very difficult decisions that need to be made and we’re looking at a number of options, but we want to receive feedback from people and we’re keen to hear their ideas.”

The authority has launched a nine-week consultation on the proposed changes, which will run until Friday, December 5.

Cllr Hughes added: “This is an opportunity for the public to give us their view on the proposals, how they feel this will impact on them, and what alternatives they would suggest.”