A war of words has broken out at County Hall over potholes and road repairs, with Hertfordshire Labour accusing the Liberal Democrat administration of "playing the blame game" instead of fixing roads.

Hertfordshire Labour councillors say the county is now receiving significant new Government investment for highways and SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities), leaving Hertfordshire County Council in a stronger financial position than it has been for years.

They argue the issue facing residents is no longer funding – but delivery.

The Labour Government has provided £35.7 million in highways maintenance funding for 2025/26, with a further £180.4 million guaranteed over the next four years as part of what Labour describes as a record national investment in local roads.

The four-year settlement means Hertfordshire can now plan road maintenance with long-term certainty. Funding is also set to increase year-on-year:

• £36.975 million in 2026/27
• £43.281 million in 2027/28
• £46.727 million in 2028/29
• £53.419 million in 2029/30

Labour says this represents nearly £40 million of additional investment for Hertfordshire over the next four years, aimed at road maintenance and pothole prevention.

Alongside highways funding, the Government has also announced a £5 billion national package to tackle SEND deficits, which Labour says will wipe out more than £80 million of Hertfordshire's SEND debt, helping stabilise the council's finances.

Despite the funding increases, Hertfordshire remains rated "Amber" for pothole clearance performance — a rating that covers both the previous Conservative administration and the current Liberal Democrat administration.

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Cllr Nigel Bell, Leader of the Hertfordshire Labour Group, said it was reasonable for the council to ask for more support when extreme weather damages roads, but said it was wrong to suggest Hertfordshire had been abandoned.

He said the county had received tens of millions in additional ring-fenced highways funding and major SEND financial support, putting the council in a stronger position than it has been for years.

Cllr Alistair Willoughby, Deputy Leader and Labour spokesperson for Highways, said residents "do not want political point scoring — they want potholes fixed".

He said that with £35.7 million this year and £180 million guaranteed over the next four years, the resources are now in place, and the focus should be on delivering road repairs.

Labour says it will continue to push for fair funding for Hertfordshire, but will also hold the County Council to account for road maintenance performance.

The Liberal Democrat administration at Hertfordshire County Council has previously said more funding is still needed to tackle the scale of pothole repairs across the county.