A call for a rethink over the scrapping of a scheme which allowed Norfolk councillors to spend up to £11,000 a year on highways projects has been rejected.
The Liberal Democrat and Conservative groups at County Hall had hoped to convince fellow county councillors to put pressure on council leader David Bick to reconsider his decision to axe the Highways Local Member Fund.
Mr Bick, who became County Hall leader after Reform's success in May's election, had used his powers to pull the plug on the scheme, without any discussion by other councillors.
The fund had enabled councillors to use the cash for projects such as paying for traffic orders for speed limit reductions, electric vehicle charging points, footpath extensions and grit bins.
But Mr Bick ditched the fund, with the £924,000 - previously split among all 84 county councillors - instead reallocated as ring-fenced highways money for general highways maintenance, including fixing potholes.
At Tuesday's (July 21) full council meeting, Liberal Democrat group leader Brian Watkins tabled a motion, seconded by Conservative group leader Kay Mason Billig, asking for the fund to be reinstated.
But Reform councillors defended the decision, saying it was "fairer" to put the money in a central pot.
Reform cabinet member Nick Taylor said a third of the available pot was unspent last year and he had been able to get highways issues addressed simply by talking to County Hall officers.
Any hopes the motion movers might have had that they would get the numbers for the council to agree the motion were dashed when Jon Wedon, leader of the Great Yarmouth First group, said he agreed with Reform's approach.
"We fully respect that difficult decisions have to be made and efficiencies have to be found," he said.
The motion was defeated by 36 votes against, with 32 for and nine abstentions.
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