A FORMER East Lothian councillor has defended the local authority following negative comments by North Berwick Community Council members concerning pothole repairs on High Street.

At this month’s meeting of the community Council, recent road repairs on the town’s High Street were discussed following a letter in the Courier from community council secretary Kathryn Smith, who described patching work to potholes on High Street as “disgraceful”, while group chair Kenny Miller said the works would “last about five minutes”.

However, former East Lothian councillor Jim Goodfellow, who represented the North Berwick Coastal ward for Labour for 10 years until 2022, said at the meeting: “The letter said the council did nothing. This is simply not true.

“The community council was told what the council planned to do, which was to patch the holes and they said they would follow up.

“I agree it is unsightly, but it was said that the works would last five minutes, yet it hasn’t broken up yet.

“If the community council ask for a temporary repair, then that’s what they have got.”

READ MORE: Letter of the week: High Street pothole patching work ‘disgraceful’

And Mr Goodfellow, who is also a former chairman of the community council, said: “The community council should not be taking things to this extent; are the community council transportation officers?”

Ms Smith defended her letter, saying that the road was dangerous.

She said: “We were not told it would be a temporary repair. We want a permanent repair. The patchwork will break up and the road is not safe.

“Getting out of my car the other day was dangerous.”

Judy Lockhart-Hunter, vice-chair of the group, who was attending her last meeting as a community councillor after announcing she would be standing down, said that the community council should “stay on top of the council” to ensure that full repairs were carried out.