Rotten roads

Yet, while local government waste needs tackling, there also needs to be a debate about the standard of services that residents should expect.

Take the roads. Motorists are already taxed to the hilt – indeed, the controversy surrounding the comprehensive spending review masked another rise in fuel prices – and there are no signs that these costs are going to reduce, even though the UK haulage industry is being financially compromised as a consequence.

The perceived injustice does not end here. As well as Yorkshire roads being among the most congested in the UK because of decades of under-funding, they are also poorly maintained. Indeed, the backlog of

repairs was longer than the typical rush-hour traffic jam before the ravages of last winter created even more potholes that continue to cause considerable damage to vehicles.

This is borne out by today's survey which reveals the legacy of Britain's "broken roads", and how this region is the worst affected in the country. It is a foretaste of a spending debate that has yet to reach top gear. Ministers will say that it is up to local authorities to carry out the necessary repairs, while town hall leaders will argue, with equal legitimacy, that they do not have the funding to do so. And, in the meantime, the roads will continue to deteriorate, adding to the exasperation of motorists.

It is why the only way forward is for the Government to set out the minimum standards that taxpayers should expect from their local council.