Fury at 'woke' policy used to help decide Coventry road repair priorities

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One slammed the policy as "woke" but Labour members claimed it was in government guidelines



Poverty levels should not affect which Coventry roads are chosen for repairs, councillors have said as some criticised 'woke' priorities. Members of the Conservative group hit out at deprivation data being used in the process of the council deciding its works programme.

Coventry roads and pavements in the UK's top 20% worst-off areas now get an "added score" when ranking those in need of repair, a report this month said. Opposition leader Cllr Gary Ridley said he was "astonished" by this at a full council meeting on Tuesday (19 March.)

Tory Cllr Jackie Gardiner [pictured] also said she was "genuinely shocked" at the move which she said means roads in deprived areas will be resurfaced before roads in less deprived areas. She called it "some kind of woke effort to spread deprivation fairly."

Roads are "used by everyone," and everyone deserves to travel on them safely, she added. She said roads should be mended based on their condition alone and if there are so many needing repair, money should be "fairly distributed across wards."

"Then perhaps those that pay the council tax for all the city services might see some level of improvement in the areas where they live," she told the meeting, "bearing in mind they also pay the council tax for delivering specific services in deprived areas."

Roads are "used by everyone," and everyone deserves to travel on them safely, she added. She said roads should be mended based on their condition alone and if there are so many needing repair, money should be "fairly distributed across wards."

"Then perhaps those that pay the council tax for all the city services might see some level of improvement in the areas where they live," she told the meeting, "bearing in mind they also pay the council tax for delivering specific services in deprived areas."