The wasted money spent on Rumbridge Street, Totton has been well and truly swept under the carpet by the Conservative controlled Hampshire County Council.

It is widely believed that the environmental improvements to Rumbridge Street ended up costing taxpayers at least £300,000 more than expected, largely due to a series of blunders including laying paving stones and tarmac before fixing broken drains underneath, contractors ruining recently seeded areas and importing the wrong quality soil from Scotland.

Local traders and shoppers were angry as completed work was dug up more than once, causing delays, frustration and cost over-runs.

Conservatives repeatedly turned down Liberal Democrat calls for an independent inquiry into the bungled scheme, promising that a full review would take place within 6 months of completion of the project which was finished in February 2009. One local Tory Councillor said “This must not be swept under the carpet”.

Liberal Democrat Hampshire County Councillor, David Harrison says “It is now one year since this bungled and costly scheme was completed and it does seem to have been well and truly swept under the carpet. The public, who are picking up the bill do have a right to know what went wrong and the reasons why. I am calling upon the County Council to open up and tell us precisely what went wrong and the reasons why. It might be embarrassing to the conservative party, but lessons must be learnt”.