A local councillor says he delighted that a crumbling road in Leek has been repaired after 18 months campaigning on the matter.

Cllr Stephen Wales was elected to Leek Town Council as an independent, but now sits with the Conservatives.

He said he's been calling for a number of roads to be repaired in the town – in particular Silk Street where the road surface had become so battered that the road's original cobbles had become exposed.

Cllr Wales said: "Silk Street is the main access to two car parks – Market Street West car park and Silk Street car park – but for some reason we've never been able to work out who owns that bit of road.

"The county council says it isn't theirs and the district council says it can't be theirs, and it isn't Leek Town Council as we don't own any roads.

"But it was just getting worn out all the way down to the cobbles – and it is a gateway to two major car parks."

He said the change in leadership at Staffordshire Moorlands District Council seemed to finally bring about some impetus behind getting the repairs done.

The work was completed on Tuesday (18th October) despite road repairs not usually coming under the remit of the district council.

Cllr Wales said, however, he was glad to see the district council had stepped in and decided to take on the job.

He said: "I think everybody that's seen it can see that it needed sorting out. People were saying it's a bit of a mess and asking who's responsible.

"I've been chasing around for a year and a half – but recent changes at SMDC have meant a listening ear, so they've got on with it and I'm very pleased."

He said it was previously creating a poor image of the town for visitors, in an area which is fairly reliant on tourism.

"It's a key area for visitors to the town. The impression they were getting wasn't good, but now it's a great improvement to a key area.

"There are other areas across the town I'm highlighting to highways where I think we can bring benefit to the town in terms of interventions – so that's my next task!"

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