POTHOLE compensation paid out to drivers in Bolton stands at £23,000 so far this year.

Bolton Council is on track to match last year’s £25,000 figure — despite a 50 per cent cut in highway funding.

Figures for the insurance year 2011 — which ran from February 1 to January 31 — showed the council paid out about £42,000.

Last year, insurance claims were about £28,000.

The authority said it was too soon to know how many of this year’s claims will be rejected, and that the figures do not include legal costs and fees.

Cllr Nick Peel, Bolton Council’s executive cabinet member for the environment, said the council had fought more aggressively against claims in recent years but said central Government cuts to road funding had an impact.

He said: “The compensation bill has dropped in the last few years because the council is more robustly defending against claims.

“It’s hard to tell what’s going to happen over the next few months but I think it’ll be about the same as last year.

“Highways funding has been hit by 50 per cent with planned maintenance falling as a result.

“So to keep to about the same level of claims is quite good.”

In February, the council announced it was to spend £5 million Bolton’s worst roads and potholes.

And in October, the council secured an extra £1 million from the Government to fund two major road improvements in Tonge Moor Road, and Bradford Street, Farnworth.

In the financial year between April 2012 and April 2013 the council spent £4 million of capital funding repairing the roads and £5.8 million this financial year.

A council spokesperson said: “As most claims are received in the winter months, we expect to pay out a similar amount to last year.

“The deteriorating state of the roads undoubtedly has had an effect on the number of claims.”