AN update on repairs needed to the road leading into Well Park in Holsworthy was given at the full council meeting on Wednesday, October 5.

Devon County Councillor Barry Parsons (Cons) told councillors that he had been speaking with Simon Phillips, Devon County Council’s highway neighbourhood engineer for the Torrington team, about where they currently stand with regards to repairs being made to the road surface — which has, in the past, caused concern for residents having to use the road on a daily basis.

Cllr Parsons said: “After speaking with Simon Phillips I discovered that the road has more than one owner but that it is not Devon Highways. The County Council’s legal team, I have been told, has gained ownership and legal consent for the road and those who own the road are now in talks with NPS.

“Back in March, I believe, some work was carried out on the roads surface but now more needs to be done to finally sort out this problem road.”

Cllr Parsons has previously informed the council of the new ‘Pothole Action Fund’, which was announced by the Department of Transport in April of this year. This fund should see Devon benefit from a pot of £1,952,000.

Mayor Jon Hutchings queried why more hasn’t been done in Holsworthy, he said: “If there is this funding why have repairs not been made, we also have a problem with the road surface under the old railway bridge as you enter the town — will this be fixed too?”

Cllr Parsons said: “Devon has had the most funding of anyone in the country for road repairs and I will be pressing those at Devon Highways to seriously look at the problem areas in Holsworthy like Well Park and Chapel Street.”

The council asked Cllr Parsons to reveal who owns Well Park road but he said he was unable to give them that information at this time.

Cllr Hutchings said in response: “It’s been secretive for the last 12 months about who owns this small strip of road. I don’t see why we can’t be told.”

Cllr Parsons explained that it isn’t the case that the council is being purposely kept in the dark, but said he will keep pushing this issue until it is resolved.