Councillors have slammed a decision to extend the contract of a highway maintenance service worth £250 million by five years.

Liberal Democrat councillors say Hertfordshire County Council’s plans to award a five year extension to Ringway’s current seven year contract to carry out road repairs was a deal "worse than Brexit”.

Lib Dem Leader cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst put forward a motion at a meeting at County Hall last Tuesday and said he didn’t believe the contract had been “satisfactorily made”.

He said: "This Council does not believe the case for extension to the current contract has been satisfactory made as Cabinet is being asked to agree the extension without details of how the required service improvements will be achieved."

He later added: "The contract is worth £250m but just two officers and one executive member will decide what is in it.

“Councillors will get no vote on the contact or what improvements have been agreed- and there need to be lots.”

Cllr Steve Jarvis, who seconded the proposal against Ringway, said: "It's feels like they have decided to perform badly for a few years, improve a bit and then offer improved service, which should have been delivered from day one to keep the contract.”

In response, Ralph Sangster, Cabinet Member for Highways, said the decision had been made by a panel consisting of senior officers who have undertaken a 12 month review of the service.

He said: “The proposal to extend the Ringway Contract has been recommended by a Management Panel consisting of senior officers who have undertaken a 12 month review of the Service and the options available to the council including re-procurement.

“The Council also appointed an independent and eminently qualified external examiner who also reviewed all the evidence considered by the Management Panel and came to the same conclusion that it would be in the best interest of the Council and the residents of Herefordshire that the Ringway contract be extended for the period provided for in the contract.

“As for the comments regarding decision making I would point out that the HCC Cabinet are responsible for taking such decisions not Councillors. Councillors on the Highways Panel had the opportunity to review the reports produced by the Management Board and independent assessor at their meeting on Thursday, November 16 and comment on its conclusion.”