‘Extreme weather’ blamed by senior councillor as pothole compensation in spotlight
16:30, 12 Mar 2026
Wet weather in Dorridge in December(Image: Sam Greenway LDR)
Solihull Council is facing a potential bill of more than £200,000 as drivers and pedestrians seek compensation for injuries and damage to vehicles caused by potholes.
But a senior councillor has stressed the borough’s roads aren’t crumbling with “extreme weather” over the winter being blamed.
The issue was raised at February’s full council meeting with Green councillor Shesh Sheshabhatter asking how many claims there had been against Conservative-run Solihull Council for damage and injuries related to potholes and uneven pavements in the past year.
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Councillor Bob Sleigh, the cabinet portfolio holder for resources, replied there had been 188 incidents of potholes causing damage to vehicles, 143 of them in the last three months.
“This is the highest number of reports in recent years and reflects the weather we have experienced most recently,” he said.
“Previous high numbers were recorded in 2020 with 122 reports, and 2018 with 150 reports, corresponding with similar winter weather conditions.
“Of the 188 reports, not all will become claims, often because they are not substantiated with evidence of the incident by the driver or because they happened on roads which are not the responsibility of this council.”
But the councillor went on to reveal 88 of the 188 had been “substantiated and investigated as claims” with a cost to the council of £31,000 in total, if liability is agreed on all and compensation is paid.
“There are 26 claims for accidents caused by pavement defects over the past 12 months with a combined cost of £176,000,” the councillor said.
“This level of public liability claims is not unusual compared to previous years and primarily reflects the circumstances of individual claims and injuries incurred by the claimants.”
Earlier in the meeting Reform councillor Michael Gough said: “I’ve seen pothole complaints flooding in from residents and colleagues across all parties.
“Our roads are literally crumbling.
“How has the Conservative administration allowed this to get so bad?”
Councillor Ken Hawkins, the cabinet portfolio holder for environment and infrastructure, replied: “Our roads aren’t crumbling, they are not crumbling.
“Like the rest of the country, January was almost the perfect storm with the freezing weather, the wet weather.
Councillor Ken Hawkins, Solihull Councils cabinet portfolio holder for environment and infrastructure speaking at the meeting(Image: Solihull Council)
“We have performed well in the country against other local authority areas, but unfortunately extreme weather has affected roads.”
In his follow up Coun Gough said: “I have heard this excuse for several years now, we live in the UK.
“Bad weather is not a surprise event is it?
“What preparations do you have in place?”
Responding Coun Hawkins said: “As day becomes night there will be potholes next year. It’s how you deal with them.
“I bet you in a few weeks time there won’t be any on the system.
“If there are any, they will be dealt with quickly.”
As the Local Democracy Reporting Service recently reported the council has a plan in the latest financial year, to 2027, to repair around 17 miles of roads and 1,850 potholes.
The authority is responsible for the public maintenance of around 600 miles of public highway valued at around £1.3 billion.
