Campaigners highlight pot hole perils

The Summerskill Green shopping precinct, at Inkersall, Staveley, is plagued by five-inch wide potholes posing danger to customers and affecting potential trade.

Mick Bagshaw, of the Staveley Independents community group said: “We’re trying to get someone to take responsibility and fill in the pot holes because children or elderly people could easily hurt themselves and they must be deterring trade for the shops.”

Derbyshire County Council indicated the land in question is private, according to Mr Bagshaw, and despite the authority being responsible for highways it told Mr Bagshaw there is no available funding to repair the damage.

Mr Bagshaw added: “The council says it is private land but I’m sure this area was previously improved by the authority with about £20,000 of funding so I feel a precedent was set and it should be done again.

“However, the council says it’s private land, it has no record of previous work and even if it agreed to do the work it hasn’t got the funding for such a project.”

The precinct includes a Spar, Baskets and Bouquets florist, New Image hairdressing salon, a Post Office, Inky Fish and Kebab shop and a VAPE HQ electric cigarettes shop.

The council said the land is privately owned and so the county council is not responsible for maintenance but will contact the owner to urge them to make improvements.