HEREFORDSHIRE Council may hold a special meeting next month to consider cutting spending on capital projects as government cash expected for the Fownhope road repair has failed to materialise.

The B4224 road, from Fiddler’s Green to Fownhope, was severely damaged by Storm Dennis earlier this year with a substantial part of the carriage way collapsing.

Work has been underway to put right the road and the cost of rectifying the landslip and repairing the collapsed retaining wall is expected to be £2,565,000.

However, the council is yet to receive funding they had anticipated from central government to pay for the repair work.

And council leaders warn this could lead to certain planned schemes being cut to pay for the road works.

Speaking at a recent full council meeting, councillor Carole Gandy raised concerns over the knock-on effect this could have for more rural areas of the county.

“I note with some concern that if money is not forthcoming from the government to cover some of the flood damage you will have to look at the possibility of removing some projects from the capital programme,” she said.

“It would be very difficult for me as a councillor representing a really rural community to explain why possibly a capital scheme in my ward is being cut whilst the council is happy to spend £4.5m of capital money on a shopping centre.

“This will be seen by many in my ward as being of little or no benefit as those with no car and no public transport have little or no access to Hereford.

“Can you confirm that none of the capital programmes will be cut that would benefit a rural community?

“As I feel this would just be a kick in the teeth.”

Council leader David Hitchiner said the council was facing a difficult problem.

“We are still hoping that some money might still come from central government,” he said.

“And, if we do have to cut, this has to be a decision made by full council so we will have to have a special council meeting.

“It will be for us as a full council to decide and vote on which projects are to be cut.”

He said he personally hoped they will not need to cut from the £14m of investment earmarked for the market towns.

“We are reviewing it. We are looking at it at cabinet level and we are taking it very seriously.

“At the moment, our thinking is that there will be a special council meeting in August.”