Residents in Powys face a steep challenge when seeking compensation for damage caused by potholes, according to figures released by the county council.

In a recent “Questions at Any Time” submission, Cllr Iain McIntosh, representing Yscir with Honddu Isaf and Llanddew for Reform UK, asked how many claims had been made against the council over the past year and how many were successful.

Cllr Jackie Charlton, Liberal Democrat Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys, confirmed that in 2024/25 the council received 138 claims for pothole damage. Of those, 126 were successfully defended, seven were settled for a total of £1,389.41, and five remain open. Trunk roads, which fall under the Welsh Government’s responsibility, were not included.

Responding to the answer, Cllr McIntosh said: “This highlights the poor condition of our roads and the difficulty residents face when seeking compensation after damage occurs. People are paying their council tax, encountering dangerous potholes, and are then left to cover repair costs themselves.

“Road maintenance must be taken seriously, and when failures cause damage, residents deserve a fair and transparent response.”

Powys is not alone in its high rejection rate. Across Wales, it has recently emerged that councils such as Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Swansea, Vale of Glamorgan, and Conwy refused more than 97 per cent of claims in 2024, while only Wrexham paid out on most claims it received. Overall, successful claims in Wales dropped from 25 per cent in 2021 to just 17 per cent in 2024, even as the total number of claims rose by more than a quarter over the same period.

Drivers and garages say the strict criteria councils apply often leave damage uncompensated. RAC figures suggest a typical repair bill for serious pothole damage is around £590, far exceeding the average successful payout of £390.