SNOW chaos has led to holes in more than just Swindon’s roads – with at least £1m needing to be found to repair damage caused by the bad weather.

With council coffers already bare the Government will be asked to foot the bill – or savings will have to be found elsewhere.

This has led to fears that frontline services could be cut to make up the shortfall.

According to Coun Peter Greenhalgh, cabinet member for transport, there was no way for the council to prepare for the impact of such unprecedented weather conditions.

He said: “It’s going to take three or four weeks of assembling all the data to find out exactly what the scale of the problem is but we are very concerned.

“The last time it cost close to £600,000 to deal with the potholes and this time it’s going to be even more expensive – it’s likely to be in excess of £1m.

“Because of the way Swindon is funded by this Government we don’t have the money to cover that. We will be asking the Government for help. If that is not forthcoming that money will have to be found somewhere else.”

Coun Greenhalgh also appealed to Swindon residents to come forward with details of potholes in their areas. Anyone with information can email streetsmart@swindon.gov.uk or visit the website at www.swindon.gov.uk/street smart.

Swindon Council’s Labour leader Coun Derique Montaut said the council only has itself to blame after years of inaction over poor road surfaces.

He said: “A lot of people are describing Swindon as Pothole City. The years of mismanagement and inaction on Swindon’s roads have led to this situation.

“Roads like Broad Street have needed resurfacing for years but they have done nothing.”

Coun Montaut warned that the council should not consider cutting vital services.

He said: “They have to put forward a conservative budget that takes into account the work that needs to be done without taking from areas where funding is needed most.

“The money is there to do these works. There is no need to cut any services.”

At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday lead member for finance Coun Mark Edwards also warned that the financial cost of the weather was still being totted up.

He said: “We are not out of the woods yet. We know there will be significant implications of the bad weather and we are looking at that now.”