WNC paid out almost £10,000 to 172 motorists after pothole damage last year, according to latest data
West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) paid out almost £10,000 to motorists after pothole damage last year, according to figures obtained by the Chronicle & Echo.
WNC, which in 2025 was controlled by the Conservatives before switching to Reform in May, has recently been given a ‘red’ rating – the worst of three gradings – for how it manages potholes.
The rating is part of a new Government traffic-light system designed to show how effectively councils are repairing roads. WNC is one of just 13 authorities nationwide to receive a ‘red’ rating. It is understood the rating relates to a timeframe of early 2025.
The Chron submitted a Freedom of Information request to WNC for data on potholes reported in the area in 2025. The data shows the total number of pothole reports in 2025 was around 9,500.
The reports shows that out of 582 vehicle damage claims made to WNC in 2025, 410 were rejected and 172 resulted in a payout. That means around 29.6 per cent of claims were successful, while about 70.4 per cent were rejected.
The council paid out a total of £9,884.60, working out at an average payout of about £57.46 per successful claim, which is roughly the cost of a new tyre.
Further council data shows most reported defects are classed as low priority, with around 4,000 issues given a 26-week repair target and taking an average of 49 days to fix.
About 2,000 medium-priority defects, with a 28-day target, were repaired in an average of 11.9 days.
A further 356 high-priority faults, due to be fixed within seven days, were completed in an average of 4.6 days.
Only four defects were treated as emergencies requiring a 24-hour response, with an average repair time of just 0.1 days.
Reform councillor Richard Butler, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “Recent wet and freezing weather has caused rapid deterioration across the road network, so we’re prioritising the most urgent, safety‑critical repairs.
“In some areas, our crews are carrying out temporary emergency patches to make locations safe quickly, and they’ll return to complete more permanent repairs as soon as conditions allow.
“Some of these issues occur very quickly and we’re asking everyone to report any they’re aware of. Please don’t assume we already know about them.”
He urged the public to continue reporting potholes via the WNC app, its website or Fix My Street.
To claim for pothole damage in Northampton, report the incident immediately via West Northamptonshire Council’s online portal. Document the damage with photos, location details (e.g., What3Words), and a mechanic's report to strengthen your claim.
West Northamptonshire Council’s highways maintenance is carried out under a long-term contract with Kier, which began in September 2022.
Under the agreement, Kier is responsible for the maintenance of local roads and footpaths across the area, including signage, drainage, pothole repairs and winter gritting.
The contract forms part of a wider £420 million, seven-year deal covering both West and North Northamptonshire councils, with the option to extend the arrangement for up to 14 years. At the time the contract was agreed, WNC said it planned to increase investment in the service by more than £1 million a year, bringing its annual highways spend to around £30 million.