Councillor Vic tonks examines the poor state of recently laid concrete in Dawley

Pavements and surfaces laid just months ago as part of a massive regeneration of Dawley are already cracked and crumbling, it was revealed today.

Shoddy workmanship and poor materials are being blamed for the situation but council chiefs have vowed to get contractors to put the work right. The situation was highlighted by Dawley Councillor Vic Tonks.

He said the standard of workmanship on the new Meadow Road and George Street car parks was simply unacceptable.

Councillor Tonks also hit out at Central Networks for so far failing to make safe a live cable in a hut on the Burton Street car park which is holding up a complete makeover of the site.

He said: “On the Meadow Road car park the surface of the reservations was initially pebble-dashed with stones but the concrete soon began crumbling and youngsters were digging out the stones and throwing them.

“The holes left in those reservations have been plugged with bits of asphalt and it looks a dreadful mess.”

He added: “Paving stones on the George Street car park have obviously not been laid properly as they are loose and have already cracked.

“Council officials have been on at Central Networks repeatedly to get a live electricity cable in its hut on the Burton Street car park laid underground and so made safe but nothing has been done about it.

“Until that is done the hut cannot be demolished and that is holding up the redevelopment work on site.”

Councillor Eric Carter, cabinet member for regeneration, housing and prosperity, said: “Obviously we regret any inconvenience caused by defective work carried out by a contractor on the two car parks in Dawley. We are ensuring that this is rectified as soon as possible and, as with all work of this nature, the defective work which needs to be repaired will be carried out at the contractor’s cost.

“However, we hope that people will see this as a minor setback and would like to reassure residents in Dawley that we are committed to pressing ahead with the wider regeneration of the high street and the town centre and the building of the new Sports and Learning Community.”

A Central Networks spokeswoman said the company was investigating the matter.

By Simon Hardy