Norfolk County Council's Infrastructure and Development Select Committee heard on 9 July that the county's highways maintenance backlog stands at between £70 million and £80 million, measured against a 2009 baseline.

Despite the funding shortfall, officers told the committee that 97.7% of potholes were repaired within required timescales between 2020/21 and 2025/26. They credited a focus on preventative maintenance for keeping Norfolk's pothole rate per mile lower than many comparable authorities.

The backlog figure emerged after a local member questioned a discrepancy — a Cabinet answer two weeks earlier had apparently stated there was no backlog. The Cabinet Member acknowledged the source of that earlier answer was unclear.

Members raised concerns about the durability of some repairs, particularly on the A149 in West Norfolk, where repeat patching has been carried out. Officers confirmed the council plans to resurface the full length of that road between two roundabouts this year, meaning further permanent patching had been paused where it would not represent value for money.

The committee asked whether the council was tracking how often the same pothole is repaired more than once. Officers confirmed that data on repeat repairs is not currently readily available.

On reporting, members were encouraged to direct residents to the Norfolk County Council website as the fastest way to log highway defects. Officers also said they would explore whether a monthly snapshot — showing reported, completed and outstanding pothole cases — could be published online.

The committee also heard that government highway maintenance funding is expected to increase significantly over the next four years, though no additional money has been allocated specifically to address the extra road wear linked to heavier electric vehicles.