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Uneven pavements cost Leeds £10m in compensation COMMENT ON THIS STORY
Leeds City Council has forked out £10m in compensation over five years to people who tripped on uneven pavements.
It has been hit by 2,904 legal claims from people who have fallen over on damaged and badly-maintained paths between 2004/05 and 2008/09.
The 10,259,125 compensation is the highest out of 90 councils which responded to a Freedom of Information Act survey by the Liberal Democrats.
Birmingham paid 7.6m, Liverpool 5.5m and Sheffield 930,258.
Leeds West Labour MP John Battle today attacked the ruling Tory-Lib Dem administration, saying: "It's shocking. They should get on with the job they were elected to do. It isn't as if there is not the money in their budget to sort this."
The average payout by Leeds council was 11,426.551 in 2008/09 for each claim made. The average payout across the 90 councils surveyed was 2,294.83. Leeds council still had 366 claims outstanding at the end of the last financial year.
The figures also reveal that 32 per cent of all settled trip claims against Leeds council results in financial compensation for the injured claimants. On average, 22 per cent of settled claims received compensation across the 90 councils.
Leeds council spends around 2.5m a year on footpath maintenance and has invested 12.4m over the five years covered in the survey.
Lib Dem transport spokesman Norman Baker said: "Too many councils seem interested only in motorists and not those who walk, cycle or take the bus.
"It appears that some councils seem to be making the cynical calculation that they can afford to pay out compensation rather than invest in improving pavements."
The breakdown of the payouts by Leeds council was: 2004/05, 2,057,641; 2005/06, 2,464,667; 2006/07, 2,191,532;2007/08, 1,991,274; and 2008/09, 1,554,011.
A council spokesman said: "As the second largest metropolitan council in the country - with more than 750,000 residents and over 100,000 commuters coming into the city centre every day – we are inevitably going to have higher figures than most local authorities.
"Our ongoing investment, inspection and maintenance programme, coupled with an increase in our defence of claims in court, means we have seen a downward trend in the number and value of compensation claims over the last four years.
"Pavement defects can also be reported to us by calling 0113 2224407 and we aim to repair dangerous defects within 24 hours."
The payout will infuriate campaigners attempting to block the closure of day centres in the city. Adult social care officers closed four centres last year and recently unveiled proposals to close six more of the remaining 21.
It is also likely to anger bin men preparing to strike over plans which they say could mean pay cuts of up to 5,000 per year.
Wakefield council paid out 1,31,342 in compensation over the five year period on 617 claims and Kirklees council paid 1,141,594 on 716 claims.
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