I NOTICE the advice given by Cllr Rayment for residents to report potholes via the website.

I wonder if she has actually ever tried her own advice. My guess would be she hasn't, as you actually can't report the worst potholes via the web and the ones you can report have such a complex system it's a wonder anyone has the time or patience to do it!

For the potholes you can report online it takes a minimum of two clicks to get to the reporting section (more if you can't see the small links!). Once there, you need to either create an account or sign in your existing account – minimum of another three clicks.

When signing in you then need to verify the use of your data – one more click. The process is then around another seven clicks to complete the form. So in total you are using at least 13 clicks to provide information on a single pothole. Now take the average street that, under Labour, is riddled with potholes... who has the time or will to actually follow this laborious process?

Well I have the time and this is where you then find your reported pothole gets its white lines painted around it and a promise of a repair within a month or two. When the hole isn't then filled, back to the same form process once again...

For the worst potholes (those deeper than a tennis ball) you follow the whole process up to the last few clicks – at which point you get given this information: "Potholes deeper than 7.5cm may cause a dangerous situation and cannot currently be reported online. Please call 023 8083 3008 (option 2) Monday to Friday between 8:30am and 5pm. Out of hours call 023 8023 3344."

So after wasting all that time on clicking, you are then sent to a phone system that, so far, the quickest I have got to speak to a person has been under two minutes.

Labour have even taken away the simple ActionLine email address, which was the way I have always preferred to use – a single, simple email you could write and send – one click and user friendly!

Add the lack of ability to easily report issues to Labour's year-on-year tax hikes and I am thankful we have local elections this May and a perfect chance to say to Labour, enough is enough – why should we continue to pay more and get less in Southampton!

Steven Galton

Conservative Candidate for the Millbrook Ward