The total budget will go down from this year's £54 million to £49.3 million at the start of the 2010/2011 financial year.

But the revenue budget – the fund used for repairs – will go up by £1 million to £24.2 million, while new projects bear the brunt of the cuts as the capital budget sinks by £5.7 million to £25.1 million.

Paul Coathup, the county's assistant director for highways and transport, told the Standard: "Although there will be a slight reduction in the proposed capital budget next year, our revenue budget has increased slightly at the same time.

"Furthermore, this follows a 30 per cent rise in the revenue budget since 2007.

"As it is the revenue budget which funds reactive maintenance of the roads, our capacity to respond to potholes will not be diminished."

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