STORMS Bert and Darragh have caused around half a million pounds worth of damage to the road network in just one part of Gwent.

The figure was given when the councillor responsible for the environment, including highways, was asked about maintenance of roads in Monmouthshire.

Labour’s Catrin Maby said highways officers are anxious to provide her with an up to date list of repairs and maintenance in priority order but warned: “Something might happen next week and we do have probably half a million pounds worth of damage to our roads from the recent storms so I’m really cautious about making promises I can’t keep.”

Conservative councillor for Usk, Tony Kear, had asked at the December council meeting for an update on repairs and maintenance, which he said is linked to a debate the council held on flood prevention, and asked when “deteriorating surfaces” on Chepstow Road, Maryport Street and Porthycarne Street in his ward would be resurfaced.

He said: “It is a constant question I face.”

Cllr Maby said the council needs a date for when the chainbridge will be fixed as she said it wouldn’t want Porthycarne Street closed at the same time.

She also said work planned for this year at Little Mill, in the Usk and Llanbadoc ward, had to be delayed due to an electrical upgrade at Glascoed and the money was instead shifted to Crick and it hoped to do the work in Little Mill in 2025.

Cllr Maby also said the roads maintenance schedule for 2024/25 is on target but said “we’ve got some difficult decisions next year.”

Cllr Kear also claimed that highways crews have been sweeping streets “to fill time” when flood prone areas have been left untouched.

He made the claim when he asked how Monmouthshire County Council deploys its road sweepers.

The council has three large mechanical sweepers and three smaller sweepers used for town centres.

Conservative Cllr Kear claimed the Llangybi to Tredunnock road had been swept four times this year and said parts of Usk should have a greater priority.

He said: “It seems daft to me that places that get flooded are not a priority but there is what looks like routine sweeping to fill time.”

The councillor also said officers in the highways department want a bigger, seven and a half tonne, mini sweeper.

Cllr Catrin Maby, the Labour cabinet member with responsibility for highways, said she couldn’t answer to “that level of detail” but said to Cllr Kear “let’s talk more”.

She had also told the council’s December meeting most of the road sweeping team’s work in town centres is “reactive” while villages receive three scheduled sweeps a year as well as reactive work.

The councillor said capital funding, from the previous Conservative council administration, for the third large sweeper is due to come to an end this financial year and said due to financial challenges there will be “difficult decisions” on work going forward but would provide more detail to Cllr Kear when possible.