A HALESOWEN councillor has hit out at Dudley Council for "resurfacing roads which didn't need work" in more affluent parts of his ward and ignoring roads which desperately need work in more deprived areas.

Halesowen North councillor Parmjit Sahota is calling on Tory controlled Dudley Council to "put its money where its mouth is and invest in neglected parts of his ward to deliver Boris Johnson’s “Levelling Up” agenda."

Cllr Sahota and former councillor Hilary Bills say that a string of roads in more affluent parts of the ward were resurfaced last Autumn, even though they didn't need doing, while roads including Olive Lane, Malt Mill Lane and Cocksheds Lane, which desperately need work, have been overlooked or just patched up.

Cllr Sahota said: “This must change and in my role as the Shadow Cabinet member for Public Realm, I will not accept a two-tier service for my ward and its residents.

"I have met with senior officers including the deputy chief executive officer and presented evidence that shows Levelling Up funding is required in parts of our ward.

"I will continue to work hard for my community to ensure improvements through investment.”

Former councillor Hilary Bills said: “Residents have raised legitimate concerns about money that was spent on roads that didn’t need upgrading with re-surfacing and new pavements whilst other roads such as Olive Lane, Malt Mill Lane and Cocksheds Lane to name but a few have been overlooked or just patched up.”

Cllr Sahota said, “I am a local council officer with 20 years plus experience in another local authority.

"I have challenged Dudley officers to improve the delivery of services in our ward.

"I have been able to kick start the regeneration of the Shell Corner area, so it can become the vibrant heart of the community where people can work, shop and meet up for a drink and a bite to eat in the local bars and restaurants.”

Cllr Sahota said he has worked with officers to get better street cleansing and improvements to some local roads but said "more needs to be done to ensure money is invested in parts of the ward that are overlooked."

Councillor David Vickers, deputy council leader, said cllr Sahota was just trying to score political points.

He said: "Our officers wouldn't do a road that didn't need doing. I will send an officer out to have a look at the roads which he says need doing.

"Cllr Sahota has a meeting arranged with Karen Shakespeare (Dudley Council's cabinet member for public realm) to discuss roads so I don't know why he is bringing this up now.

"He's just using it for political point scoring."