A new scheme to give county hall politicians £87,000 a year to fix the roads in their wards has been attacked by Three Rivers District councillors.

Currently, decisions on which potholes to fill and which roads to resurface are discussed and debated at a public meeting, the Hertfordshire Highways Joint Member Panel for the District of Three Rivers (JMP).

Under the new proposals, the JMP would be scrapped, and decisions on the highways budget would rest solely on each one of the district's six county councillors.

Conservative county councillor for Chorleywood, Chris Hayward, praised the scheme, claiming it would give residents greater influence on how the money is spent than they presently do through “the antiquated JMP”.

However, at last night's meeting of the JMP, both council leader Ann Shaw and the committee's chairman, councillor Martin Trevett, strongly objected the proposal, suggesting that not making the decisions in a public meeting was undemocratic.

Councillor Shaw said: "I am shocked at this. It is an incredible proposition that would not be appropriate in a banana republic. It reduces democracy, and eliminates transparency.

“Instead of enhancing the relationship with the community the loss of transparency will inevitably lead to suspicion, doubt, blame and lack of trust of those handing out funding.

“If this goes ahead roadworks will not be decided on the need for them but on whom you know.”

The JMP consists of four Liberal Democrat district councillors, one Labour and one Conservative.

Councillor Hayward argued that the only reason for the objection was because under the new scheme, the district's three tory county councillors, which outnumber their lib dem and independent nationalist colleagues, would have a greater say on the area's roads.

He said: “Councillor Shaw’s motion is not only an attack on the integrity of all county councillors, it is also strangely inconsistent with previous Lib Dem policy which supported local democracy and accountability, and argued that local councillors should be more accountable to their local electors and communities.

“The sad truth is that this is purely a cheap party political attack on an innovative idea from the Tory administration at county hall.

“Three Rivers Tories welcome the greater involvement of the local community with this initiative and the greater accountability.”

Councillor Hayward said that the county councillors would continue to consult with their district colleagues of all parties.

The county council is piloting the idea in Broxbourne and one in Dacorum, from April 1 this year and lasting for 12 months.

For the duration of the pilot the work of the Joint Members Panels will be suspended.

Hertfordshire County Council spokeman, Pam Meade, said: “Nothing is planned for Watford yet, although if the pilots are successful we will be looking to roll the scheme out across the county.

“County councillors know their own communities well and by working closely with local people and organisations as well as the relevant district, borough and parish members, more efficient use can be made of available funds.”