STOCKTON Borough Council has been criticised for not explaining to residents why it carried out thousands of pounds of repairs on pavements damaged by a telephone company.

The council paid £330,000 to repair pavements dug up by ntl, amid claims the damage should have been repaired and maintained by the cable phone company.

One resident, who complained about the state of the pavements after work done by ntl, claimed that more than 90 roads in the area damaged by the company were repaired by the council over two years.

Residents' complaints led to an audit report into the work, which criticised the council's way of recording decisions made about maintenance.

It also pointed to a lack of communication between council inspectors and other departments of the authority.

The report stated that, although the council may have been justified in carrying out the repairs, there were no documents explaining the decision.

It said: "It is not surprising therefore, that concerns were raised."

The council said that difficulties in enforcing guarantees, which do not cover all defects, meant it had to cover the cost of repairs. Since the report was published it has pledged to change some of its procedures.

Mike Robinson, assistant director (engineers and transportation), said: "We are very pleased that the council has been vindicated by the audit report in so far as there was no evidence of the council not considering all the relevant factors before spending public money.

"The audit report has helped the council develop better management practices."