The long running saga of work undertaken in Rumbridge Street, Totton may be subject to a full County Council inquiry.

Local County Councillor, David Harrison, has written to Cllr. Mel Kendal, the Portfolio Holder for the Environment, asking that he agree to a root and branch review of the project.

Cllr. David Harrison says “Local people are completely mystified by what has been allowed to happen in Rumbridge Street. The work has taken far longer than ever anticipated and is still a long way off completion. The street has been closed off in places and dug up several times. The cost to local taxpayers has spiralled. I simply cannot understand why the drainage problems were not identified and attended to from the start.”

The project was aimed at improving the environment in Rumbridge Street for local businesses and shoppers. Many shops have closed since contactors first started work in Rumbridge Street. Remaining businesses have reported very difficult trading conditions as the work has ground on.

Councillor David Harrison says “There have been a catalogue of errors relating to this project ranging from a failure to check the adequacy of the drainage system before undertaking environmental enhancements at street level, dumping materials on planted and landscaped areas, buying the wrong sort of top soil that had been transported all the way from Scotland and a lamentable lack of project co-ordination.

We have had high quality improvements dug up, repaired and dug up again. It is only through an open and transparent inquiry that we can all learn the lessons from this sorry saga.”

Cllr. Harrison adds “Taxpayers have picked up the bill for putting right a lot of the mistakes. Unfortunately, it also means that the completed work will be of a lower quality than was originally planned”.