Start digging

It's become a well-used phrase. But, when it comes to the politics of potholes, a not inconsequential subject, digging deep is just what this Government needs to do to help the nation recover from one of the most bitter winters on record.

The freeze and thaw has left the region's roads riddled with potholes which will cost town halls hundreds of thousands of pounds to rectify. Motorists also face repair bills if they have the misfortune to hit one of these mini-craters.

Local authorities, including Barnsley, are now lobbying the Government to meet this bill through a scheme designed to help councils cope with the aftermath of an emergency.

At the height of the heavy snowfall, as fears over dwindling grit supplies mounted, Ministers reassured the nation that we "were all in this together" and should unite to ensure resources go where they were most needed.

Though the snow may now have melted, the Government's resolve should not be allowed to follow. The extreme weather has left the country with a massive and unexpected repair bill, and it is surely down to the Government to deal with it.