LIBERAL Democrat-run Somerset Council was this week accused of misleading people over the number of potholes it fills each week.

West Somerset campaigner James Bellamy said the authority had been caught red handed making untrue statements.

The council said in a social media post: “Did you know every week we repair between 600 and 800 potholes?

“Thanks to our extensive preventative surface treatments works programme covering over one million square metres of road last summer we have reduced the number of potholes by 4,000 compared with last year.”

However, Mr Bellamy, the Conservative candidate in a Dunster division by-election next month, said the council’s claim was exaggerated by nearly 40 per cent.

Mr Bellamy said a Freedom of Information question showed the council only filled an average of 492 potholes per week in the period from New Year’s Day to August 11, giving a total of 15,754, far fewer than the claim of up to 800.

Mr Bellamy said: “West Somerset residents do not need reminding how bad our roads are.

“What they do deserve is honesty.

“The Liberal Democrats have been caught inflating their record, telling residents they are fixing far more potholes than reality.

“They owe the people of Somerset an apology.

“If they cannot tell the truth about potholes, how can we trust them with the council’s finances?”

Mr Bellamy said at the same time, the council needed to make more than £100 million in savings, yet was spending £20 million hiring a consultancy firm to suggest where cuts could be made.

He said: “There is concern that these so-called ‘savings’ may come from Somerset’s already overstretched roads budget.”

Mr Bellamy pledged to make repairing Somerset’s roads a priority, ensuring money was spent where residents actually saw the benefit.

The October 23 by-election was caused by the resignation of Conservative Cllr Christine Lawrence.